Tartan

My daughter said that all the Halloween pumpkins left over this Halloween we’re going to the garbage. She snag me one and I will use it for cooking. I plan on cutting it up and roasting it in the oven like I would a squash. Seems a waste to throw away so many pumpkins that were not used this year.

juliasb

I have 9 pie pumpkins that I have to cut up and can for pies. That should give me about 12 quarts of pumpkin. If I cannot use all of them they will go out for the deer and small game around here. The animals will have a feast.

Cheshirepat

I like that idea!

SusieQOH

Tartan, my Mom always told me you need pie pumpkins for use, not Halloween pumpkins. No?

Snooze2978

My sister had pumpkins growing in her garden this year. Amazing as she didn't plant any this year. Must have come from last year's crop. Most had been eaten by deer so the seeds might have dropped into the ground and then germinated this year. Anyway, between those and the larger ones she bought to decorate, she's in the process of cleaning them out, baking them and then freezing in 2 cup measurements as most recipes seem to call for 2 cups. The pumpkin seeds she'll roast then add them to the bird seed I gave her along with peanut butter as she wants to try something she read online about spreading the peanut butter on something (forgot what she said), then roll it in the bird seed and leave it out for the birds when winter comes. Good way to use up most of the pumpkin and extras from my pantry. She shops in my freezers and/or pantry as I usually have what she needs. Saves me from having to pack it up as my kitchen is going to be remodeled soon.

Iceblossom

Some pumpkins are better for eating than others. Some of the Halloween pumpkins aren't really meant to be eaten (by humans) at all, but you don't always know until you open it up and see what you have.

I do like squash and pumpkin is just a squash. I either cut into chunks and bake or microwave pumpkin, boiling it adds too much water. Once cooked, remove the skin and depending on your desires and texture and pumpkin, either cut into chunks or make into puree.

When I do carve a Jack o Lantern, which isn't often these days, I coat it inside and out with a bit of pinesol -- which makes it poisonous but gives a lovely shine, keeps it lasting longer, keeps the mold away longer, as well as the fruit flies, and it is still considered safe for me to put in my recycling -- but I wouldn't in my own organic compost.

tropit

We have a small harvest of various kinds of pumpkins and squash. I like to roast it, scrape the flesh into a zippy, lay out flat and freeze it for later. My DH uses the too old ones to feed his meal worms. (Augh...don't get me started.) I like to feed them to the chickens.

tropit

Halloween pumpkins are still OK to eat, but that's not what they are bred for. Therefore, they usually aren't as sweet, or tender as a pie pumpkin.

Tartan

Pie pumpkins work best for cooking. Regular Halloween pumpkins are edible but tend to be less flavourful.

Tartan

The Halloween pumpkin must be one that hasn’t been cut into because bacteria can start to grow. I roasted the pumpkin halves in the oven for a couple of hours at 350. I scooped out the pulp and used my blender to puree it after it cooled in batches. I figured that 3 cups of pulp equals a can and made 2 pies today, they turned out fine. A little different texture but still tasty.
(I let my pumpkin purée sit in the fridge over night and spooned off some of the moisture that seeped out before using.)
The only problem I can see is the amount of purée a basketball pumpkin gave me. I have about 6 cups left to use in maybe pumpkin loaves or muffins.