Column: Turn your pumpkin patch finds into delicious recipes

Over the weekend I took a trip to the pumpkin patch to find a few decorative pumpkins for my front porch. I saw a stack of pumpkins with a sign saying, “pie pumpkins.” I was curious what all this pumpkin could be used for.

Pumpkin has a unique flavor and can be used in all kinds of recipes, like pumpkin pie, pancakes, various desserts and drinks. But before making many of these recipes, you will need to turn the pumpkin into a puree. The pumpkin needs to be roasted so it can get soft enough to blend and turn into puree.

When making pumpkin puree, you will want to use smaller pumpkins and not the bigger pumpkins used for carving. Typically, these pumpkins will be labeled as “pie” or “sweet” pumpkins. Homemade pumpkin puree can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to six months.

When making recipes that call for puree, you can make your own or buy canned pumpkin puree at the store. Just be sure to double-check you are buying 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

According to the Illinois Extension, these simple steps can be followed to prepare homemade pumpkin puree at home.

Baking method

—Wash hands with warm water and soap. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

—Wash and cut a fresh baking pumpkin in half and discard the strings and seeds.

—In a shallow baking dish, place the two halves face down and cover with baking foil.

—Bake pumpkin at 375 F for 1 1/2 hours or until tender.

—Remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow it to cool.

—After cooling, scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin and mash it into a puree. You can do this by hand or with a mixer or a food processor.

—For a silkier texture, press the pumpkin puree through a sieve.

Don’t throw the seeds out when preparing the pumpkin to go in the oven. The seeds can be saved and roasted. These are great snacks or can be used in various recipes.

Whether you make your own pumpkin puree or purchase it from the store, you can try out this delicious pumpkin dip from celebrateyourplate.org.

Ingredients

—One 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree

—1 cup (vanilla or plain) low-fat yogurt

—1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

—Half teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

—2 cups of fruit (apples, pears, bananas, et cetera), cut for dipping

Instructions

Before you begin, wash your hands, surfaces, utensils and produce. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, yogurt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until smooth. Serve immediately with cut produce.

Kaitlynn Tonn is a family and consumer sciences educator at OSU Extension Wayne County. She can be reached at 330-264-8722 or Henninge.5@osu.edu.