Packing Pumpkins

Do you feel it; the nimble shift from pumpkins to peppermint?
Last year all of the pie pumpkins were completely gone from the market two weeks prior to Thanksgiving! Purchased pumpkin puree is better than no pie at all I suppose, but I learned my early bird gets the worm lesson last year; and they are not going to pull a fast one on this little bird again. Two precious pie pumpkins have been waiting on my table for over a week. Fresh pumpkin pie is on the horizon; I can smell it.
Stephen and I are moving on Thursday to a cozy little place I affectionately have coined the 'cubbyhole'. We think we should use less resources, and thus we are downsizing to a sweet little, well, cubbyhole. (The whole house is the size of our current living room and dining room.) This makes 'what to pack' and 'what to give away' a quite imperative decision. Mostly, we have given away.
The change excites me; the challenge seems inviting. It only catches in my throat when I acknowledge that I am leaving a glorious gas stove and greeting an electric coil. The greeting is sort of flat and small; not a greeting at all really. Just a little "hi". Even then I just rolled my eyes when I wrote it! (geez, L*Joy)
At least I will have a stove! At least I will have a cubbyhole! I should be more grateful. Honestly, is it really that big of a deal? I will keep my response to myself.
Filled with the beauty of boxes and the luring charm of freshly spackled walls, our house is looking so uncomfortably ready to be moved, that I am also feeling this uncomfortable ache like needing to move a foot that has fallen asleep. It hurts more at first, but is always worth it.

all packed up... almost

We move exactly one week before the most anticipated culinary holiday of my year, and I will be cooking on a new electric stove... Get ready little stove. You're about to show me what you're made of.

This morning I needed to pack the rest of the kitchen. If there was already something in the oven, I knew I would be more excited to be in the kitchen and packing. In an effort to stay on task with this week's schedule, roasting the pumpkins seemed to be a good use of oven time without distracting me too much from packing. Because pumpkin puree freezes well, making it in advance is perfectly ok and sort of smart actually. To be really smart is to freeze it in 1 cup or 1/2 cup portions for easier use later. (I have found it best to freeze it in small freezer ziplocs so that I can get a lot of the air out, and prevent a bit of frost bite.)
After I got the pumpkin in the oven, I decided I should clean the seeds and roast them as well. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a nice pat on the back for good pumpkin-roasting effort. They are delicious spicy, sweet, and salty. This morning I candied them.

Candied Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp paprika (or smoked paprika)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp maple syrup

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. Place seeds in a colander. Rinse all of the pumpkin flesh from the seeds
3. Spread seeds out on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet
4. Bake 10 minutes to dry them out a bit
5. Remove from pan and toss in bowl with spices, maple syrup, and salt
6. Spread out on pan and bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool and break into chunks
7. enjoy
 

If you are roasting your own pie pumpkin (you better go right now and buy one), and then slice in half top to bottom. Scoop out seeds and place seeds in colander. Lay pumpkin halves flat on jelly roll pan, and roast at 400 until soft (45 minutes). Let cool. Scoop out flesh, and purée in food processor. Store in fridge for 3-5 days or freeze in portion sizes for later use.

I want you to have my pumpkin pie recipe. It is custardy and gorgeous with a super special crust. I will tell you all about it once I try it this weekend in my new electric oven.

Maybe this new oven needs a name...

Comments

[hannaH]

yay for pumkin pie season! i like the 'secret project'...thanks for sharing...and if you ever do want to rob a bank, let me know ; )

[Riley]

Waiting for your secret project. Pumkin Pie and Thanksgiving....yummy