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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 60 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 5 |
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When I was really little, my mother and I would prepare whole pumpkins. We'd make pies and cookies out of the meat and bake up the seeds. It took a long time, but the house smelled heavenly and we were at our happiest. Read more . Those are some of my best memories, and today I felt like reliving them. My mom and I never did pumpkin quite this way, but the act of preparing it made my soul smile the way it used to when she was alive and well. I miss her very much. Ingredients:
1 pie pumpkin (those medium to small ones, their meat is sweeter) |
1 acorn squash (optional- i had one and decided to bake them both up together) |
since this was the first time i attempted making pumpkin by myself, i experimented with two types of seasoning |
1. 1/2 stick of non-hydrogenated margarine, 2 tbspns packed brown sugar, and lots of the following spices- jamaican jerk seasoning, smoked paprika, parsley and sea salt. |
2. a sweet rub made out of the following- about 1/3 cup of honey, 1 tbspn packed brown sugar, cumin, nutmeg, sage, parsley, chili and garlic powder, salt and pepper. |
water for the bottom of each pan. |
note: i don't include much measurements for the spices because my taste buds are damaged and i use a lot more than you will. use what you feel appropriate, this way you and your family will enjoy it better to your specifications. |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare pumpkin by removing the stem, cutting it in half from the top and spooning out all the seeds and gunk from the center, the way you would a cantaloupe. Same thing with the acorn squash, but be careful cutting those; my friend took part of her finger off cutting one of these once so I cannot stress enough to pay attention when you cut them!!
2. Rinse the halves well, inside and out, pat dry with paper towels.
3. I cut them into chunks to eat them easier, you don't have to. Place into pan skin-side down and put a thin layer of water at the bottom so they don't burn.
4. The first seasoning I tried (With Jamaican Jerk) I made in a small pyrex pot separately. Melt the butter, stirring often to prevent burning and remove from heat when nearly melted, continue stirring until brown sugar is blended in smoothly. Add spices to taste, be careful as the Jamaican Jerk is spicy. Add the rest of the spices, blend well and spread evenly over the pumpkin and squash.
5. The second seasoning mix I tried was less spicy and more sweet. Though I admit, I liked the first one better, even though it kind of upset my stomach a little.) Mix the honey, sugar and spices in a separate bowl until it becomes a thick gel, then spread it liberally and evenly over the pumpkin and squash meat.
6. Bake vegetables at 400F for an hour. Remove, let sit for a few moments and enjoy. The skin is edible at this point but out of sheer habit, I only eat the meat. By all rights you can scoop out the meat and mash if it you'd like as well, but I like this as-is.
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