Pumpkins: Select, Store and Puree

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pumpkins: Select, Store and Puree

Recipe By : Mary Nagle at Prevention (Oct/96)
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : About

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
***** NONE *****

Selecting and storing:
Pass on the jack-o'-lantern variety (too tough and stringy! ); for cooking, alw
ays choose a sugar pie pumpkin—a smaller, sweeter variety with a finer flesh.
Select a crack- and soft-spot-free pumpkin with a rounded, dry stem. If th
e stem is blackened or moist, move on.
Store in a cool dry place, uncut, for up to 1 month. If cut, wrap tightly
and refrigerate up to 1 week.
Buy canned. It's an excellent alternative; just as pure, equally nutritiou
s, and so quick and easy!

Enjoying:
Here's the simplest way to prepare fresh pumpkin: Rinse, cut in half and s
coop out seeds and stringy fibers. Place cut sides down in a baking pan with 1/
4 in. water. Bake at 350F about 45 min. When cool, scoop out soft flesh and dra
in in a colander. Puree in a food processor, then drain again thoroughly. Use i
mmediately or freeze up to 9 months in 1 c. containers for later use. (Even sim
pler, open a can!)
Spice up the autumn air; get out your favorite pumpkin recipes, but reduce
the fat: For pumpkin pie, use evaporated skim milk, not cream, and egg substit
ute instead of eggs, and buy a low-fat graham-cracker crust; for pumpkin bread,
replace the oil with half as much prune puree and use egg substitute; or brew
a warm, cozy pumpkin soup, using evaporated skim milk, not heavy cream!
Slather pumpkin puree (canned or fresh) mixed with molasses (to taste) on a
multigrain, nonfat toasted waffle for a nutritious breakfast, lunch or after-s
chool snack.-by Mary Nagle with Teresa Yeykal



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