How to Get Full Use Out of Your Pumpkin

We are ready to retire our pumpkin decorations, so yesterday, after completing our Pumpkin Challenge, I decided to try my hand at actually baking a pumpkin! I enjoyed baking it because I had the time to do it, but after all that work let me tell you, I appreciate Libby's all the more!

I roasted this pumpkin by cutting it in half and laying it in a baking pan cut side down. I roasted it at 450 degrees for 45 minutes. The kids were amazed at how our formerly hard as rock pumpkin was soft enough to poke with a fork!

I scooped out all the pumpkin for use in our favorite Thanksgiving Day cookie--pumpkin cookies.

I even decided to bake the pumpkin seeds for a tasty snack. You can find lots of recipes for how to do this on the internet, but I basically brushed the bottom of a baking pan with 1 T. of olive oil, spread the seeds out in an even layer, and sprinkled them with seasoned salt. I baked them for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Today, I baked cookies using the fresh pumpkin. Yum!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup cooking oil (you may sub apple sauce for half the oil)
1 cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 t. soda
1 t. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
2 cups chocolate chips

Combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and add the the pumpkin mixture alternately with the soda which has been dissolved in milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.