Boys and girls of every age, would you like to taste something strange? Then don’t chuck that pumpkin.

That orange gourd is more than a creepy candle holder for Halloween night. In less than an hour of kitchen time, you could have a pie, roasted seeds, or a soup smoother than the devil in velvet trousers. 

Pumpkins come in many shapes and sizes, but the best pumpkins for cooking are about as big as a baby’s head. You can use larger types, but they sometimes bring along unwanted flavors. Also beware of using jack-o’-lanterns older than a night or two. Scented candle wax might alter the flavor of your pumpkin foods, and your Halloween will be much creepier and queasier if you eat something made with moldy pumpkins.

Set aside the pulp and seeds when you first carve the pumpkins- you can sort out the seeds later before you roast them. When you are ready to convert your carved pumpkin decoration into sustenance, slice it into 4-inch chunks.

The fastest way to cook your pumpkin chunks is to steam them using a steamer basket in a pot with a lid. You can also roast or bake the pumpkin, but steaming is the fastest. Pour about an inch or so of water into the pot, bring it to a boil on high, and then put the steamer basket in with the pumpkin chunks. Reduce heat to medium high and steam the pumpkins for about 15 to 20 minutes or until soft enough to easily poke with a fork.

Remove the pumpkin chunks from the pot and scrape off the skin with a small knife. The skin should separate very easily from the steamed pumpkin. Then put three or four of your skinned pumpkin chunks into a blender or a food processor. You can also use a hand masher, but a mechanized convenience will make a smoother product.

The chunks might need a tablespoon or two of water to get the blending process started, but prepare to be amazed when it gets going. These once-solid pumpkin chunks will become buttered-Barry-White-smooth. Be sure to sample a spoonful.

Blend your chunks in batches that your device can handle, and reduce the amount if you start to smell hot plastic. When your pumpkin is puréed, decide how much you want to use and freeze the rest in bags or containers.

Now is the time to decide: pie, soup, pancakes, and/or muffins? All can be flavored with your incredible pumpkin elixir. Recipes for each can be found online, and I used this recipe for pumpkin soup from thepioneerwoman.com. I cut all the ingredients by half so it could be made with just one small pumpkin.

Below are the instructions for making Pumpkin Soup.

 

Ingredients

            

1 Pie Pumpkin, puréed

Pumpkin seeds (sort out the

          pulp)

1 teaspoon seed seasonings:

          Chili powder, salt, or etc.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups of vegetable or chicken

          stock (Darker stocks will

          make a darker soup)

1/4 cup heavy cream (or

          yogurt)

1/4 cup maple syrup (or

          honey or molasses)

A dash of nutmeg (or cloves)

Salt to taste

Extra cream/yogurt, for

          serving              

 

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Put cleaned seeds on a cookie sheet; mix with a tablespoon of oil and chosen seasoning. Then roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Check them halfway through and mix them up to roast other side.

In a pot, heat up the pumpkin purée with the stock and maple syrup until simmering. Start with less stock and increase until you reach the consistency you want. Mix in cream, salt and nutmeg.

Serve with a dollop of cream in the middle and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds for more crunch.