Making Pumpkin Puree and Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

Last week I talked about going overboard with making my own pumpkin puree and how I may have gone overboard. Many of you asked how did I do it?

During the process I had planned to take pictures but as usual my camera was no where to be found and all I go was one picture on my phone.

So here goes...

Pumpkin Puree

• Whole pumpkins (if you can get organically and locally grown)

Directions

1. Wash the outside of your pumpkins.
2. Cut pumpkins in half and scoop out the guts.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces. (I had HUGE pumpkins which involved lots of cutting.)
5. Place pumpkins on a roasting pan (its okay to stack them just make sure the inside isn't completely covered.)
6. Add 1 cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes (this depends on the size of tour pumpkins).
8. Remove form oven and cool for 20-30 minutes.
9. Once they are cool enough to handle scrape the pumpkin from the shell.
10. Puree in blender until you reach the desired consistency (this is optional)
11. Freeze, can* or use your pumpkin.
12. When freezing place one sup in a freezer safe bag, squeeze as much air out as possible, lay flat and freeze .

Now I know you are wondering that is awesome but that do you do with all that pumpkin puree?

Very good question and I don't have it all figured out ...yet. I did share some with my sister and mom.

The BF did make pumpkin pancakes one Sunday morning (yes we are that family that eats pancakes for breakfast). Everyone loved loved loved it so I am guessing we will have it again and again.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes

• 3 cups buttermilk pancake mix
• 2 cups cold water
• 2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of clove

Directions

• Mix all the ingredients together.
• Cook as you would any other pancakes.

I don't have a picture of these right now either. But this time its because the kids ate them so fast. It made about 12 pancakes.

*Check out this great post from For Dragonflies and Me about canning pumpkin.

Peachy Kean Jelly Bean

Part of the canning adventures my family and I have been on recently involved lots and lots of peaches. In part because in this part of Utah we have a lot of peach trees (did you know that) and because my sister has 2 peach trees.

So in addition to canning A LOT of peaches, we made a variety (4) of peach jam. 

I thought I would share some of the different peach jam recipes we tried. They are basically all the same recipe with a slight variation. 

The following recipes will make 7-9 pint jars of jam.

Basic Peach Jam 

• 8 cups peeled and diced peaches (we diced them into large chunks to make more of a preserve)
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 boxes of pectin
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 11 cups sugar

Low Sugar Peach Jam

• 8 cups peeled and diced peaches
• 4 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 boxes of low/no sugar pectin
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 4 cups sugar

Raspberry Peach Jam

• 6 cups peeled and diced peaches
• 2 cups whole raspberries
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 boxes of pectin
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 11 cups sugar

Lavender Raspberry Peach Jam

• 6 cups peeled and diced peaches
• 2 cups whole raspberries
  
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup "lavender tea"*
• 2 boxes of pectin
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 11 cups sugar

Directions

1. Put peaches, raspberries, lemon juice, pectin, butter and "lavender tea" into a large stock pan over medium heat
2. Bring to a hard boil stirring continuously (resist the urge to cook on high you don't want to burn your fruit)
   
3. Add sugar and bring back to a hard boil.
4. Once you reach a hard boil cook for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
6. Ladle into prepared canning jars, filling within 1/8 of an inch from top. 
7. Wipe of jar rims and threads.
8. Process for 20 minutes (check your altitude for processing time it may be less or more than ours) using a hot water canning method.)
   
9. Remove cans from water bath and let cool at least 24 hours.
10. If lids did not seal reprocess or store in refrigerator. 

*"Lavender Tea"

• 2 Tablespoons dried lavender 
• 1 cup boiling water

 Directions

1. Add lavender to tea ball and place in a glass mug
2. Pour boilng water over lavender
3. Seep for 20 minutes
4. Discard lavender in tea ball and add the "tea" to fruit.