How to Reuse Pumpkins After Halloween

I'm still ankle deep in apples and pears, and plan to make one last gallon of cider to enjoy for Thanksgiving, before dehydrating the rest. Due to last week's run of freezing temperatures, I'm trying to salvage what I can of the scarlet runner beans, and processing pumpkins before they begin to rot.

Halloween pumpkins are often overlooked and a discarded decoration that decompose on front steps or are tossed into the woods. Rather than treat them as a throw away decoration, I began looking for more ways to utilize them. Pumpkins are rich in fiber, potassium and vitamin C. They are also a great source of beta carotene, which is an antioxidant. Worthy of preserving?  I think so!

There's nothing like a kitchen filled with the aroma of pumpkin and squash.  I've decided to go beyond roasting pumpkin seeds and roast and dehydrate pumpkin again this year, along with trying for the first time this recipe I found at Ball for Pumpkin Butter.

I even retained juice, pulp and extra seeds for a snack for our hens. 

We  invested in a pressure canner, and despite my fear of having it explode in our small kitchen, my love for pumpkin year round may be just the reason to give it a test drive. 

Bigger may be better when it comes to the perfect jack-o-lantern, but the larger varieties will require a fair amount of sugar and spices before baking them into a pie. That's not to say that they're not worth the effort but expect to get less yield due to the fact that they are mostly hollow. If you love roasted pumpkin seeds, then big is the way to go, because there will be plenty.

Smaller pumpkins like the cheese, Cinderella and pie pumpkin, are sweeter and more dense, and can be used for sweet and savory options.

Do you have plans for the pumpkins sitting on your front porch? If you're not so sure that you want to preserve them, then the wildlife will thank you if you toss the pumpkins into the woods. Why not fill the pumpkin with bird seed and watch as birds come to devour the autumn snack?

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a great snack that can be enjoyed long after the pumpkins have gone. Toss them with sea salt or one of your favorite spices-- garlic parmesan, cumin, cinnamon and sugar, or pumpkin spice flavor.

If you intend on making puree to either pressure can, freeze or dehydrate, you will need to wash the pumpkin well. Then, carefully cut in half and put the pieces flesh side down on a roasting pan with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Roast in a  400 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until a fork can be inserted easily through the skin. 

Once cooled, peel the skin away. Puree the pumpkin and use at once for soup, smoothies, pumpkin bread or pie. I'd love to hear what you decide to do with your pumpkins.