How To Bake A Pumpkin
Well, it is fall and what says fall like pumpkins? We have been getting small baking pumpkins in our Happy Box the last two weeks and I just knew it was time for me to finally try baking it up myself. I figure that pumpkin puree is going to come in handy in October with the Thanksgiving version of the Once A Month Mom menu coming out (hint, hint). That, and I have been trying to sneak some purees into Isaac’s food as well. So I embarked on this adventure.
(I also have heard rumors that grocery stores do not have a large supply and some are indicated that there have been a bit of a shortage based on crops yields. I do not want to insight panic, but in the case that this is true, you can always create your own. If making pumpkin puree for future baking I might not add the water.)
I consulted good ole Betty Crocker
1. Cut the pumpkin in half and removed the seeds. Yes, I just threw the seeds out. Yes, I know there are fabulous recipes out there for pumpkin seeds. No, I did not have the time nor the energy to clean the seeds and use them. Yes, I am a bad cook. 
I did, however, use my handy dandy Core & More from Pampered Chef to clean out the seeds. I can never seem to get them out with a spoon and I found that this tool did the trick quickly and easily.
2. I place the pumpkin, cut side up, in a 9 x 13 baking dish with about a quarter inch of water in the bottom. Betty suggested buttering them and adding salt and pepper but since I was making this into a puree for a pie or Isaac, I didn’t want to do that, so I didn’t. You then cover them with foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.
3. Remove them from the oven and scrap the softened insides out from the shell. I again used my handy dandy Pampered Chef Core & More for this task. Worked great!
4. I put all of the “insides” in my blender, added about 1/2 cup of water and blended. Ta Duh! Pumpkin Puree. I placed it in a freezer container to keep until next month’s cooking day.
You will likely see baking pumpkins go on sale. Consider making your own puree this year. It really is quick and easy. And if you have a little one and are looking for an easy puree, why not try pumpkin?
**And if you haven’t signed up for the Once A Month Tweet-Up you want to do that – don’t miss out on this event!
I put mine on a foil lined baking sheet cut side down with a drizzle of olive oil at 300 for an hour and a half. No added water, this method of roasting gives them great flavor and really adds to any baked goods you make with them. My family knows when I used canned vs. my roasted pumpkin.
Last year was my first time for this. I, too, sprayed the cookie sheet and put the cut sides down. 300 for an hour if decent sized or shorter time period for the small ones I used. It was so nice to have that puree nearly all year.
This is awesome! I have tried to make pumpkin puree before but this seems WAY easier! Plus, I have another way of using my PC core and more tool!!
Great ideas, especially the Pampered Chef core and more. Sounds a lot easier than how I usually clean out gourds. Also, I tend to bake as Pamela in a previous comment. Probably the way my mother did, also. Thanks for the great tips. Looking forward to more posts. Just found you so will be back again for the monthly recipes.
I’ve come back to this post, because pumpkins are starting to be cheap around here in NY already
…question: WHICH freezer container did you opt to use for this (I was guessing, a rigid one vs. a plastic bag?)? and do you know approximately how much a pumpkin yields in puree? “Pie pumpkins” seem to be on the smaller side..
[...] In the meantime, this menu focuses a lot on apples, pork and “comfort foods”. I have tried to stay away from pumpkin recipes because there is a chance that there is a shortage of pumpkin puree this season. Many stores aren’t even carrying it until closer to the holiday. There is one recipe below that calls for it so if you can’t find it you may need to bake your own pumpkin. [...]
[...] Some areas of the country are experiencing a shortage of canned pumpkin. If you find yourself in that predicament you can always bake your own pumpkin for puree. [...]
I used my crock pot. It was a lot faster and easier for me. I don’t want to heat up my house yet – I love the cool weather!
I have heard that an ice cream scoop works well for gutting pumpkins.