How to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree

A friend gave us a small pumpkin from his garden and inspired me to do a tutorial (mostly for myself) on how to make pumpkin puree from scratch. Start with small pie pumpkins. cut off the top and halve the pumpkin.


Remove the seeds and soft inner parts. Slice the pumpkin, then peel each slice. Now cut the pumpkin into chunks. Place the chunks in a large pot.


Cover the pumpkin with water and bring to a boil on the stove top. Continue simmering until tender, about 25 minutes.

The pumpkin will look darker in color now. Drain in a colander.

Place cooked pumpkin in blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth.

Use immediately in any recipe that calls for pumpkin puree; or, pour into a Ziplock bag or other container and freeze for later use.

I can't wait until October rolls around and the cool weather necessitates pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Other favorite pumpkin recipes/suggestions?

Making Your Own Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is commonly used in Indian and Mediterranean cuisines. Thick and creamy, cool and refreshing, it is wonderful as a snack with fresh fruit and honey. However, the cost is generally higher than regular yogurt. Never fear, home cooks! You can use regular plain yogurt to make your own Greek-style yogurt. Just follow these steps!

Start with a colander, preferably one with smaller holes such as this mesh one.

Next, line the colander with clean cheesecloth, a dish towel (make sure there's no funny scent from detergents first), or even strong, durable paper towels.
Get your plain (cheap) yogurt ready (I used a low-fat organic brand).

Place the colander over a slightly larger bowl, so that the colander sits suspended over the top of the bowl. The bowl will be catching the liquid as it drips out of the yogurt. Use a spoon to transfer the desired amount of yogurt into the colander. Return to the refrigerator and let the yogurt drain until the yogurt has reached the consistency you want it to be.

For this amount of yogurt, I let it drain for roughly 24 hours. Here is what the yogurt looks like after I take it back out of the refrigerator - it's much thicker. Next, remove the colander and place it over paper towels (in case of dripping).

The bowl will have some semi-clear yellowish liquid (whey) in the bottom of it. You can discard it, unless you know a clever use for whey. As for me, Little Miss Muffet is the only one I know of who eats the stuff, so I toss mine.

Finally, spoon your yogurt out of the cheesecloth/dish towel/whatever and into a bowl. It's going to be silky smooth and thick and perfect! Voila, your Greek-style yogurt!

Happy yogurt making!