It’s okay, go ahead and take it apart. That beautiful centerpiece or vignette on your mantel or your welcoming front porch decor. Go ahead and take a pumpkin out of there. We only need one.

Just one. You can part with it. I know you are like me and went crazy buying some at the market, then picked another couple up on your trip to the pumpkin patch and then maybe someone gave you one because they are that awesome.

Oh, right. You are normal and not hoarding pumpkins like I am. That’s cool. But then you need to run to the store and get a couple more before you only have the funky ones to pick from. And if you can only get the funky ones, that’s okay as well because we are going to start by chopping off their heads and dismembering their bodies. Mommies have to have some halloween fun as well. 

Then we need to cook it. Well, roast it really. It needs to be roasted until it is sweet and buttery, bursting with flavor. Then we will puree it and mentally note that homemade pureed pumpkin looks nothing like the pumpkin in the can that I love so much.

It’s okay to be a little sad. 

You will only be a little sad until you taste your puree and then you won’t even remember why you bothered with the cans in the first place. Homemade pumpkin puree is creamy with an addicting mild pumpkin flavor that is begging to be spooned either into your little ones open mouth or mixed with yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, muffins, or apple puree.  

go ahead and start cooking the pumpkins you won’t be carving, you only got a couple more days

chop their heads off.. it’s halloween time after all.

chop them up some more

scoop out their guts

Pumpkin + Thyme

1 small organic pumpkin [I used the pumpkin pie variety] 
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1-2 cups water, chicken stock or breast milk

I wanted to make a big batch of this recipe for a party I am having later this week, so I doubled this recipe. 

Heat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.

Cut up the pumpkin. Slice the top off the pumpkin,  then cut length wise down the middle. Scoop out the seeds and strings [guts]. If you are not too lazy, make some roasted pumpkin seeds. Don’t be too obsessed with getting all the strings out, they will puree nicely with the rest of the pumpkin.

Chop the pumpkin into smallish pieces and place onto a baking sheet, skin down. Roast in oven for 45-60 minutes or until a fork can pierce the very tender flesh. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Peel away skin and place in food processor or blender. Add thyme and start blending, adding water until you get desired consistency.

Can be added to yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, other purees such as apple, pear or spinach. Really you can do anything with pumpkin puree. Go crazy.