by Dorothy C. Lee | Oct 11, 2020
UF/IFAS Photo by Amy Stuart
Pumpkins are not vegetables they are fruits! Pumpkins, gourds, and other varieties of squash are all members of the Cucurbitaceae family. Pumpkins have been grown in the Americas for thousands of years. There was probably some kind of pumpkin served at the first Thanksgiving Feast.
Use & Preparation
To prepare fresh pumpkin for uses in baking, roasting or adding to casserole dishes, scoop out the seeds and cut the pumpkin into quarters and lay the pieces in a pan of water, filled to about one inch. Bake until the pumpkin is tender. Peel and mash. Put cooked pumpkin through a strainer or sieve.
Selection
Small to medium size pumpkins are best for baking and cooking. Look for heavy pumpkins, and ones that do not have a hollow sound.
Storage
Pumpkins should be stored in a cool dry place. Store pumpkins upside down so the stem end is on the bottom. Fresh field pumpkins can last 3 – 4 months. Cooked refrigerated pumpkins last 5 to 7 days and up to one month in the freezer.
Roasted Pumpkin Seed (in the microwave)
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
- Remove any fiber clinging to pumpkin seeds
- Wash and drain well.
- Spread seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet to dry, stirring occasionally.
- Line a 9-inch microwavable dish with two layers of paper towels. Sprinkle seeds on the towels.
- Microwave at HIGH 10 – 14 minutes or until seeds are dry but still white, stirring every 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Place butter in a 2-cup measure, microwave until melted. Add seeds and salt, stir to coat.
- Serve as a snack.
Pumpkin Pie
FILLING:
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh pumpkin (cooked and drained)
CRUST:
- Frozen 9 inch deep pie crust
TOPPING:
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
Position oven rack to lowest position.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare fresh pumpkin as directed above. Be sure to drain the pumpkin after cooking. Now you are ready to use the pumpkin in recipes. To prepare filling, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin, and stir with a whisk until smooth. Pour pumpkin mixture into the crust. Place pie plate on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet on lowest oven rack. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 30 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. To prepare topping, beat cream with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in the powdered sugar until blended. Serve with pie. Yield 1 Pie, about 6 – 8 pieces.
Available Fresh
Harvested September – October
by Dorothy C. Lee | Oct 23, 2019
Pumpkins have been grown in the Americas for thousands of years. They are indigenous to the western hemisphere and were unknown in Europe before the time of Columbus. There was probably some kind of pumpkin served at the first Thanksgiving Feast.
Pumpkins, gourds, and other varieties of squash are members of the family Cucurbitaceae.
Pumpkin King of Pies
Photo Source: Esther Mudge
Baking with pumpkins during the holiday season has become a popular tradition. Pumpkin pie is king of the holiday pies.
Freshly baked pumpkin dishes are a delicious delight. It may surprise you that pumpkin is classified as a fruit, not a vegetable. Pumpkin is an excellent source of many nutrients. Pumpkin is rich in minerals like phosphorus, calcium, and iron. The pumpkin is also rich in carbohydrates. It contains vitamin A as well.
Small to medium size pumpkins are best for baking and cooking because they have a finer textured flesh than large pumpkins. Look for heavy pumpkins, and ones that do not have a hollow sound when you thump on them.
To use fresh pumpkin rather than canned pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and cut into small even pieces. The pumpkin can be peeled before or after cooking. Boil the pumpkin until tender and then mash it and use to prepare a variety of pumpkin dishes.
I like to cut the pumpkin in half, place the cut side down on a glass plate, and microwave on high for 20-25 minutes, depending on the pumpkin’s size, until tender. Then I remove the skin and beat the pumpkin in a mixer until smooth (strings will remain on the mixer blades). It’s now ready to use in any recipe.
One cup of raw pumpkin yields about ¾ to one cup of cooked, pureed pumpkin. It takes about 1 ½ to 2 cups of cooked pumpkin for a well-filled 9-inch pie.
When you carve that jack-o-lantern, don’t throw away the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds make a delicious, nutritious snack anytime and can be easily prepared in the microwave. See recipe below.
Pumpkin pie usually comes to mind first when the fall pie season arrives. However, pumpkin lends itself to a variety of bread, cookies, pancakes, muffins, butters, and a variety of other sweet treats. Happy Fall!!
ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS (in the microwave)
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
- Remove any fiber clinging to pumpkin seeds.
- Wash and drain well.
- Spread seeds in a single layer to dry, stirring occasionally.
- Line a 9-inch pie plate with two layers of paper towels. Sprinkle seeds on the towels.
- Microwave on HIGH 13 -14 minutes or until seeds are dry but still white, stirring every 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Place butter in a 2-cup measure and microwave until melted. Add seeds and salt; stir and coat.
- Serve as a snack.
FRESH PUMPKIN PIE
INGREDIENTS
FILLING:
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup of fresh pumpkin (cooked and drained)
CRUST:
- Frozen 9-inch-deep pie crust
TOPPING:
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
PREPARATION:
Place the oven rack to its lowest position. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare fresh pumpkin as directed above. Be sure to drain the pumpkin after cooking. Now you are ready to use the pumpkin in recipes. To prepare filling, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin and stir with a whisk until smooth. Pour pumpkin mixture into the crust. Place pie plate on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet on lowest oven rack. Bake at 425ºF for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. To prepare topping, beat cream with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and beat until blended. Serve with pie. Yield 1 Pie, about 6 -8 pieces.
by Marjorie Moore | Nov 5, 2013
Store homemade pumpkin pies in the refrigerator.
To refrigerate pumpkin pies or not to refrigerate? That is the question. You have seen pumpkin pies in the bakery section of supermarkets not refrigerated and you wonder if you can do the same at home. Unfortunately, homemade pumpkin pies need special care to prevent foodborne illness. Pumpkin pies are a custard-style pie made by using potentially hazardous foods such as eggs and milk. Food temperature controls are especially important with foods classified as potentially hazardous.
Pumpkin pies also have a high moisture and protein content. They must be kept at a refrigerated temperature of 41° F or cooler. If the pies are left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, bacteria grows more rapidly and can cause a foodborne illness.
When cooking, make sure to test your pies for doneness by inserting a clean knife in the center. The knife should come out clean. Remove the pies from the oven and allow them to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. After they have cooled, cover and refrigerate to keep them cold.
So, why are pumpkin pies displayed at room temperature at the supermarket? These pies are formulated with shelf-stable ingredients, such as preservatives, that prevent harmful bacteria from growing. Commercial pies must be properly labeled, “approved by the Food and Drug Administration”. They will carry the letters “RT”, which means they meet the guidelines required for display at room temperature. The label will also give a “sell by” or “use by” date. Even these pies should be refrigerated for storage at home especially after they have been cut.
Additional pie safety tips include making sure you purchase clean, refrigerated and uncracked eggs. Keep hands clean by washing them with warm water and soap before handling ingredients. Also, wash utensils, equipment and work surface area with hot soapy water before and after contact with eggs. Never leave milk or eggs out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.
Enjoy those traditional holiday feasts, but keep them safe!
