Halloween is past, yet the pumpkins are still plentiful. You’ve decorated your yard, made a pie or two, and given away more pumpkins than you can count, yet there are still more lying around in the garden! What’s a gardener to do with all those left over pumpkins? In a good year, a single pumpkin vine can yield more than a dozen pumpkins ranging from tiny to gigantic.

Pumpkins have a two-fold purpose for gardeners. They are great for fall decorations and quite tasty as well.

Directions for Storing Pumpkins
Pumpkins can be pressure canned like most other low-acid vegetables and stored for the winter months. Canned pumpkin is good for 3-6 months. To prepare the pumpkin:
1. Cut open pumpkin and de-seed the shell, including removing any stringy portions of the pulp.
2. Cut pumpkin up into strips or chunks.
3. Place strips on a cookie tray, rind side up.
4. Add 1 cup of water to the tray and bake at 200 degrees for an hour. (The rind should peel off easily by hand or with a spoon or dull knife, but the pumpkin should not be mushy)
5. You can also cook the pumpkin in a covered dish in the microwave for 20 minutes, if you prefer. (Don’t’ forget to add the water.)
6. Remove from oven/microwave and allow to cool.
7. Remove rinds and cut the flesh into 1-2 inch cubes. (discard the rind)
8. Clean and heat canning jars and rings.
9. Place cubes into hot jars
10. Fill jar with hot water, leaving 1 inch of headspace
11. Clean and dry jar rims
12. Screw warm lids and rings on jars
13. Place jars in pressure canner and bring to 10 lbs. pressure
14. Time jars for 65 minutes for pints, and 75 minutes for quart jars.
15. Allow to cool and seal before moving jars

Freezing Pumpkin
Alternately, you can also freeze your pumpkin for up to 4-6 months. Follow steps 1 through 7 above, then place cubes into a food processor and puree the pumpkin. Pour the puree into freezer jars, seal and store.

Please note: It is not considered safe to can pumpkin puree at home, nor can you freeze pumpkin chunks. http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinprecautions.php
Pumpkin Recipes
Putting all that pumpkin-y goodness to use if the best part of growing your own pumpkins! Here are a few tasty pumpkin recipes to try out. (My favorite is the pumpkin roll!)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/pumpkincreamcheese.htm
Libby’s Pumpkin Pie (just substitute your fresh pumpkin puree for the canned): http://www.verybestbaking.com/products/libbys/
Pumpkin Chip Muffins: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe34.htm
Honey Pumpkin Pie: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/honey-pumpkin-pie.html
Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32364
Pumpkin Stew: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe35.htm
Pumpkin Roll: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32372
Quick Pumpkin Pudding: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=28454
Pumpkin Tomato Basil Soup: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe30.htm
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, in various flavors: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe03.htm
Pumpkin Chili: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/pumpkin-chili.html
Pumpkin Chili #2: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe11.htm
Pumpkin Pancakes: http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/pumpkin-pancakes.html
Iced Pumpkin Cookies: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=5243
Stuffed Pumpkin (cooks in the pumpkin!): http://www.pumpkinrecipes.us/stuffed-pumpkin.html
Pumpkin Roll Out Cookies: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/cookbook/recipe24.htm