About 99 percent of the pumpkins marketed are used as jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween. Pumpkins generally vary in size from a diameter of eight to fourteen inches, although certain large specimens can weigh up to several hundred pounds. The shape is round, melon-like, depressed at both ends, and its color ranges through various shades of orange. The fruit has a hollow interior containing edible seeds. The rind is also orange and faintly sweet.

Pumpkin is prepared in a variety of ways: baked and eaten as a vegetable; baked into pie, which is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert in the United States; or used to make soup. The seeds are a popular snack in Latin American countries when dried and sometimes roasted and salted. They have a high phosphorous content.

Jack-o'-lantern pumpkins are too stringy to eat, and often too large (they can easily grow to 20 pounds, and the very largest can exceed 200 pounds). For pie filling and other cooking needs, sugar pumpkins - a smaller, sweeter variety with closed-grained flesh - are much better.

BASIC PREPARATION ...

Rinse off any dirt before using. For pumpkin puree to use in soup, bread, or pie, you can steam, boil, or bake. Peel pumpkin and cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch chunks. Steam for 15-20 minutes, or cook in boiling water for 8-12 minutes. Puree.

Halved: Split a small 2 to 4-1/2 pound pumpkin and clean out the seeds and pulp. Put flesh side down in a baking pan with a bit of water. Bake at 350o for 1-1/2 hours or until the flesh is tender.

PUMPKIN FAVORITES ...

For just plain pumpkin eating, wash a 1-1/2 to 3-pound sugar pumpkin; cut off the top, saving the lid and the stem for a handle. Scrape out the seeds and pulp, wipe out the inside, then brush with melted butter and/or sugar or salt, if desired. Replace the lid and bake in a 350o oven for 35 minutes. Coat the inside flesh once again with butter, sugar, or salt and bake another 10-15 minutes or until it is fork tender. Slice into wedges and serve plain.

Make Pumpkin Pancakes by adding fresh cooked or canned pumpkin to your favorite pancake batter. Cook as directed and serve with warm applesauce.

Measure or weigh a pumpkin. Talk about inches and pounds.

Talk about the color orange. Let the children collect other objects that are orange to place with the pumpkin.

PUMPKIN SEEDS ...

Drying seeds and roasting seeds are two different processes. To dry, carefully wash pumpkin seeds to remove the clinging fibrous pumpkin tissue. Pumpkin seeds can be dried in the sun, in a dehydrator 115-120oF for 1 to 2 hours, or in an oven on warm for 3 to 4 hours. Stir them frequently to avoid scorching.

To roast, take dried pumpkin seeds, toss with oil (1 teaspoon per cup of seeds) and/or salt and roast in a preheated oven at 250oF for 10 to 15 minutes.

Orange-Pumpkin Pudding

• 4 slices whole-wheat bread
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
• 2 eggs
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup cooked pumpkin

Dash of salt

Dice bread slices and crumble them in a blender. Place the crumbs in square baking dish. Blend together milk, orange juice and apple juice concentrate. Add eggs, banana slices, cinnamon, pumpkin and salt and blend again. Add the mixture to the bread crumbs. Stir together. Bake at 350oF for 50 minutes. Serve slightly warm. Makes 8 servings.

Famous Pumpkin Pie

The ultimate, deliciously easy pumpkin pie

1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell (4-cup volume); refrigerated, frozen or homemade
2 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (12 fluid ounces) undiluted Carnation Evaporated Milk

Prepare pie shell. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients in order given. Pour into pie shell.*

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

* If using metal or foil pan, bake on preheated heavy-duty baking sheet.

Makes one 9-inch deep dish pie

For 2 shallow pies, substitute two 9-inch pie shells (2-cup volume). Bake in preheated 425 degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F; bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until pie tests done.

For lower fat/calorie pie, substitute Carnation Evaporated Lowfat Milk.

Pumpkin Pie or Custard

• 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated skim milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 can (1 lb.) pumpkin
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Blend all ingredients well. Pour into pie shell. Bake in a 375oF pre-heated oven for about 1 hour. Pie is done when knife inserted in the center comes out clean. For custard, omit the pie crust and bake in 8 individual custard dishes for 40 minutes at 375o.

Hobgoblins’ Pumpkin Pudding

Serves 6
Description/Notes:

A scrumptious chilled pumpkin dessert with a delicious orange and cinnamon flavour that will cool the hottest hobgoblin

Ingredients:
one and a half pounds (675g) pumpkin
one and a half pounds (675g) granulated sugar
2 tsps. of powdered cinnamon
2 oranges
2 pints (1.2 litres) water

Cooking Instructions:

1. Put the coarsely chopped rind and juice of the 2 oranges in a 5 pint (3 litre) saucepan
   
2. Add the water and boil until the orange rind is soft
   
3. Add the sugar, pumpkin and powdered cinnamon then simmer until the pumpkin is soft
   
4. Remove and keep the pumpkin on one side, then continue boiling the rest of the ingredients until it is reduced to half, about 30 minutes
   
5. Return the pumpkin to the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes
   
6. Allow to cool then pour into a serving dish and refrigerate
   
7. Serve well chilled

Pumpkin and Potato Fries

Serves 4-6
Description/Notes:

Mustard and garlic bring out the best in this fried pumpkin and potato dish; great accompaniment for your Halloween steaks

Ingredients:
1 lb. (450g) pumpkin, peeled (fibrous center removed) and cut into large chunks
1 lb. (450g) potatoes, peeled , cut into large chunks
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 oz. (25g) butter
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons oil
parsley sprigs, to garnish

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cook the pumpkin and potato in boiling water for about 5 minutes, till just tender
   
2. Drain well and dry with kitchen paper
   
3. Pound the fennel and mustard seed to a coarse powder with a pestle and mortar
   
4. Fry the fennel, turmeric, garlic and mustard in oil and butter for 2 minutes
   
5. Add the potato and pumpkin and fry, turning until all are evenly browned
   
6. Serve immediately, garnished with sprigs of parsley
   

Pumpkin Bread

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup pumpkin pure
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins

In a large bowl, stir together sugar, oil, pumpkin, and eggs. In a medium bowl, stir together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold this into the pumpkin mixture, stirring the two mixtures just to moisten the dry ingredients. Stir in the raisins. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch loaf pan. Bake in pre-heated 350o oven for about 1 hour or until a pick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Pumpkin-Banana Shake

In a blender, process 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 up cooked pumpkin, 1 banana, sliced, 2 drops vanilla. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes 3 servings.

Harvest Pumpkin Bread