This is one of my favorite times of the year. I might just be a tiny bit pumpkin obsessed. So, today we will talk about making pumpkin puree.  This is a pretty straightforward procedure. I’ve run across several different methods for cooking the pumpkin but my preference is to cook it in the slow cooker. Over the years I’ve used just about every kind of pumpkin to make the puree but this year the family of a dear friend of mine grew Fairy Tale Pumpkins. So I decided to give them a try.

Look how pretty this pumpkin is! It looks like it came out of a picture book.

These pumpkins have beautiful orange flesh and a thick outer wall. We removed all the guts and seeds. Don’t forget to save those seeds and roast them for later. Then, we cut them into large chunks and cooked them for 3 1/2 hours on high with the skin on. Once the flesh is tender the skin is relatively easy to remove.

I can’t believe how lovely this puree turned out.  Not only is it smooth, but it’s also very sweet.  It has a much stronger “pumpkin” taste than the others I have cooked in the past.  It’s a lot less squash like than the other pumpkins. The puree can be used in many different recipes but should only be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.