How to cook a real pumpkin

Be prepared.....this is going to be the longest blog I've ever posted. LOL :)

Wash your pumpkin with soap and warm water. Be sure to get into all the nook and crannies. My pumpkin is a fairy tale pumpkin which is good for pumpkin breads.

Once washed, rinse with cold water, and towel dry. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and remove all but the bottom rack.

Place your pumpkin on a cutting board. Using your best sharpest knife cut your pumpkin in half.

I found this to be the toughest part. I'm scared of big knives and it probably took me a little longer than most. haha
Once your pumpkin is cut in half you get this.

Here's the pumpkin cut in half. :) Yey....I did it. :)

Put all the guts in a bowl. It's best to use your hands and it's kinda fun.

Nice clean pumpkin. :)
:)

Place your pumpkin on a big cookie sheet. If they both don't fit on the pan then you will have to cook them one at a time. It's okay for them to touch.

Your pumpkins will take 45 min to an hour, depending on size. They are done when a fork can go in and out easily, like a baked potato.

There will be a lot of water on the pan. Be sure to save the water to use later for a broth.

I put the water in a small bowl to see how much I had.

Then I put the water in a tupperware container and put in the freezer.

After the pumpkin cools for an hour it should be just warm enough to peel out the flesh of the pumpkin.

Place some coffee filters in a colander. This will help get out excess water. Put the pumpkin pulp in the colander.

Pumpkin pulp draining. :) I covered and placed in the fridge overnight.

Don't forget to save your pumpkin seeds. After you pick them out, place them in a colander and clean them with cold water.

Let them dry on a paper towel. You can toss in some olive oil, salt and pepper and then roast them in the oven @ 400 degrees until golden.

This morning, I took out the pumpkin pulp to sieve.

Look at all that water! :)

Add the drained pulp a little at a time to your food mill and sieve the pumpkin.

Here is the pulp.
Again, place coffee filters in a colander and place pulp in it. You want it to drain again for 3 to 4 hours. You will get more water. It's very important to get the water out or it will ruin your recipes.

After 3 to 4 hours you can start using your pumpkin pulp. I made pumpkin bread, pumpkin roll and pumpkin bars and still had 4 cups left over.

I put 2 cups each of the pumpkin pulp in a freezer safe ziploc bag. You can freeze them and use them at another time.