Sugar Pumpkin Elected for Pie, Canned Pumpkin Seeks New Job as Paperweight

By: Barb Magee | November 10 2010
Posted in Rogue Valley - Cook It - Rogue Valley

Photo: istock

If you're looking for an alternative this Thanksgiving to the processed texture of canned pumpkin, consider the following. Making a pumpkin pie from scratch is no more work than the usual routine of baking a winter squash and making your favorite pie crust. Nothing makes homemade pumpkin treats taste better than fresh pumpkin.

Sugar pumpkins are too abundant this year to consider reaching for a can. With its dark orange flesh, the "sugar" is easy to bake up, slice up and mash up. The jack-o-lantern pumpkin is too large and stringy for baking, but its smaller cousin works perfectly in pies, soups, side dishes, cookies and breads.

Once you've tasted a pie made with fresh pumpkin, it's difficult to go back to canned. The pumpkin puree can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen up to six months - this will get you through the holiday season and beyond!

Here's how to start:

Bring home 2-3 small round sugar pumpkins. You can find them at your grocer or local farmers market. Wash thoroughly and place on a baking sheet in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Roast for 1 hour, or until a small knife passes easily through the shell. Let cool completely. Cut into sections, remove seeds and peel. Try playing pilgrim with this pumpkin recipe.

Watch this video for more how-to tips on baking pumpkins: