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Thursday, Oct. 3rd 2013

Did you grown pumpkins??

Pumpkin-Patch-

PUMPKINS – NOT JUST FOR HALLOWEEN

Pumpkins are a timeless symbol of autumn. They serve as centerpieces, front porch decorations and most frequently as Halloween jack-o’-lanterns. But it’s a mistake to relegatethis nutritious vegetable to festive décor. If your idea of cooking with pumpkin is opening acan with a picture of a pumpkin on the label, you’re cheating your taste buds. A two- to six pound pumpkin is ideal for cooking. Choose a pumpkin that’s a good, solid orange colorwith a skin that’s not easily scratched. Now, how do you cook this large orange thing sitting on the kitchentable? It’s fairly easy. Start by cutting around the stem with a sharp knife. Then cut the pumpkin in two. Atthat point you can scrape the seeds out. Don’t throw away the seeds, because they can be roasted. With thepumpkin cut in half, it can be baked, microwaved or boiled. For baking, place the cut side down on a cookiesheet and bake it at 350 degrees until it’s fork tender. That’s about an hour. For microwaving, you do thesame thing. Put it cut side down on a microwave-safedish and cook on high for about 15 minutes or untilfork tender. To boil the pumpkin, cut it into chunks and rinse with cold water. Thenboil it for about 20 to 30minutes or until fork tender. Roberts says in all three cases you remove the peel after the pumpkin is cooked.“Once it’s cooked the peel will comeoff easily. After it’s cooked and peeled, you can puree it a blender orfood processor. Roberts says the puree can be frozen and stored for up to one year. This versatile vegetableis low in calories and provides potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A. The puree is great for soups, pies, bread and even pancakes. Diced pumpkin is a great addition to savory dishes like chili and risotto.

Story source:

Tammy Roberts, Nutrition Specialist, University of Missouri Extensio

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University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener Program