- Preserving
Your Pumpkin Harvest
- by Rachel Paxton
By the middle of September you
already have a pretty good idea which pumpkin is going to be
your prize winner this year. The big one with the round smooth
face will make a perfect jack-o-lantern come October, as will
the tall skinny one that seems to call out "Pick me!"
as you gaze out over this year's pumpkin patch with childlike
anticipation.
So after you've picked the best
pumpkins to carve and display, what do you do with the rest of
them? I've discovered some interesting and unique ways to use
up every last bit of your pumpkin crop this year.
Everyone knows you can toast
and eat pumpkin seeds, but did you know you can also sprout them?
First soak them by placing them in a glass jar with just enough
tepid water to cover them. Cover the jar with cheesecloth, holding
the cheesecloth in place with a rubberband at the neck of the
jar. Let the seeds set in the water overnight to make sure they're
nice and soft.
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The next morning, drain the water
from the jar by gently turning the jar upside down until all
of the moisture is gone. Place the jar out of the light (in a
closet or cabinet). The temperature should remain at about 70
degrees. Rinse the seeds in the jar 4 to 6 times a day. After
3 days you should have approximately 1/4-inch sprouts. Rinse
them once more and set the jar in a sunny window for about a
day until the sprouts grow tiny leaves. Eat them in salads, sandwiches,
or add them to soups and casseroles. They're very healthy and
easy to make! |
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You can also make flour out of
fresh pumpkin. Cut the raw pumpkin into chunks, cut off the skin
the best you can and dry in the oven. Grind the dried pumpkin
in the blender or a food mill. Use pumpkin flour as a partial
substitute for all-purpose flour in your favorite breads and
other baked goods. Store in an airtight container.
Last but not least, why wait
to enjoy the fruits of your labor? Try these easy quick bread
recipes. Quick breads are easy to prepare because you don't have
to mess around with yeast and waiting for the dough to rise.
You just mix a few ingredients together in a bowl, pour into
a loaf pan, and bake! It's really that easy.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
* 2 eggs, beaten slightly
* 2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 cup cooked pumpkin
* 2 1/4 cups flour
* 1 cup chopped cranberries
* 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin, mixing well.
Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a
large bowl. Make a well in the center of the batter and add the
pumpkin.
Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter
into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.
Autumn Bread
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 3 cups sugar
* 4 eggs, well beaten
* 1 1/4 cups cooked pumpkin
* 2/3 cup water
* 3 1/2 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon cloves
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* Chopped nuts (optional)
Mix all ingredients together
and pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for
approximately 1 hour. |
