Uses for Leftover Jack O'Lanterns
What to Do with All That Leftover Pumpkin
By now, most stores are selling immense, low cost pumpkins. Many families are trying to figure out what to do with the remains of their Halloween Jack O'Lantern. Some compost their two-day-old former Jack O'Lanterns, while others toss them in the garbage...but what a waste if it comes to that. If you're among the group of simple living, recycling hipsters, why not eat it? It would be a shame to send your previously loved pumpkin to a landfill, when there are so many nutritious and delicious pumpkin recipes available.
Recycle Your Jack O'Lantern: Make Tasty Pumpkin-Based Dishes
Think about it: Your leftover Halloween pumpkin has more value as food than as decoration. Most canned pumpkin yields enough for perhaps one pie, whereas your entire pumpkin (depending on its size) can provide several meals. Pumpkin is loaded with beta-carotene, and is a good source of fibre; why toss something that can be tasty and nutritious?
Using your post-Halloween leftovers economically means more than looking for thrifty pumpkin pie recipes. You can learn to make your own easy pie filling and learn to freeze your pumpkin flesh.
Where to Go for Pumpkin Recipes
Here are a couple of recipe ideas to consider when pumpkin pie is no longer appealing. Check out some online recipe servers such as Epicurious.com, or try Googling "pumpkin recipes" to find something that might appeal to your and your family's palettes. Here are some suggestions
- Pumpkin Ravioli
- Pumpkin stir-fry with tofu or thinly sliced beef
- Pumpkin, white bean and roast garlic soup
- Pumpkin mousse
- Pumpkin waffles
- Curried pumpkin stew
The First Step in Cooking Pumpkin: Peeling It
It's easier than it sounds: Take a vegetable peeler, and peel the hard, dark rind off. If you don't have a vegetable peeler, take a paring knife and slice off the hard outer core.
Preparing Your Pumpkin for Preserving
The next step preparing the leftover pumpkin for the freezer is to cook it: This step will prevent an overly mushy pumpkin.
How to Par-Boil Vegetables for Freezing
- Chop the pumpkin into bite sizes, and put them in boiling water for five minutes. This process is called blanching.
- Drain the pumpkin pieces in a colander, and let them cool.
- Once they are cool to the touch and dry, you can put them in freezer-proof containers, like Ziploc bags, or freezer-safe plastic containers.
Baking and Seasoning Pumpkin for Freezing
- Sprinkle the pumpkin with your favourite spices and put it under the broiler in your oven for about ten minutes. That's usually a temperature of 500 degrees Farenheit.
- Once it's slightly browned, let the pumpkin cool, and put them in freezer bags or freezer-safe plastic containers for future use.
Once you find that perfect pumpkin recipe, all you'll have to do is pull it out of the freezer, thaw it and bake!
Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- ½ cup apple sauce
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- 16-ounces (two cups) solid packed pumpkin purée
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter and flour two 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pans.
- Beat sugar, yogurt and applesauce in large bowl to blend.
- Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
- Sift remaining dry ingredients and spices into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions.
- Mix in walnuts, if desired.
- Divide batter equally between prepared pans.
- Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves and let it set for 10 minutes.
- Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.
Don't toss it: Eat it!
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