A Tale of Pumpkins

Last October we went to The Proverbial Pumpkin Patch as we try to do every fall. We took most of my siblings again, going with a group always makes for more fun. Last years trip was an especially memorable adventure because on our way home we were the first to arrive on the scene of an accident. A woman had lost control and crashed into a telephone pole causing it to sever at the top. Long story short; the woman was able to walk away (guided by police), un injured, aside from her brain cells thanks to marijuana and too much alcohol, the latter of which Wesley saw her throw the empty bottle into the cornfield after she assured him she was fine and had just swerved to miss a dog. She had insisted she didn’t need us to call the police but we unapologetically informed her we already had, because clearly the power lines needed to be dealt with and they would need to be sure she was all right.

The girls and I had each chosen pumpkins and we left them out in our living room through the fall as decorations. The girls were disappointed I wouldn’t let them carve theirs but I promised it wasn’t worth it, we would enjoy them much more as pies, cakes, and muffins than as a face for a few days that would end in rot and the garbage can. I appeased their disappointment by letting them draw faces. Unfortunately Éowyn’s suffered too many injuries and began to mold as a result of Emmitt’s many “soccer” games. Éowyn was very sad but I assured her my pumpkin could become hers so she too could enjoy field to table claim  when we finally made something yummy.

Time went on, the girls would ask to cook them, I would say “not today, I don’t have time”, even though I probably did, I just didn’t prioritize it into pumpkin processing. Eventually I moved the two remaining pumpkins to the garage so the heated house wouldn’t cause them to rot. Once they were in the garage they became nearly forgotten altogether. I’d see them, coming in from shopping or church going and think ‘oh, I should cook those’. Then I noticed one was starting to shrivel, ‘man, I really need to cook those or it’s going to rot’. Another month went by, Jerusha’s was really looking sad, ‘It’s going to be a total waste if I don’t cook mine at least’.

And then one day, we were quarantined by our county, thanks to its proactive approach to the Covid 19 pandemic, and I was bored, (even though I already spent all my time at home, even before quarantine) and I had the taste for a pumpkin pie. I had canned pumpkin but I also had pumpkins to cook, a sleeping content baby, and I’d written ‘cook pumpkin’ in my to-do list for the week - something that I find pretty motivating. So I brought the good pumpkin and the slightly shriveled pumpkin in from the garage, turned on the oven and started. The kids of course wanted the help so after I cut them both in half I let them scoop out the seeds. I just threw the seeds away because the whole boil and roast was more effort than I was going to go through, shame on me. I was happy to find even Jerusha’s shriveling pumpkin was still healthy inside. I had called my sister over at Simple Inspirations and asked her to remind me what temperature and for how long to roast them, in case you have pumpkins to cook: she recommended 300 for an hour or until you can tell they’re adequately soft and remember to cook them face side down so they steam, though I knew the last part on my own. Into the oven they went. After awhile I poked one with the knife I’d used for cutting them in half and decided they were done. I let them cool, scooped out the flesh, blended it in my ninja blender, froze 6 cups of pulp in 2 cups incriminates since that’s what most of my recipes call for, used 2 cups for pie, and put the extra cup in the fridge, I assumed  I’d end up throwing it away after not deciding what would only take 1 cup of pumpkin.

I used my “Hot Water Pie Crust” which I’m well aware is inferior to real crust but it makes one generous amount, enough for one crust with extra dough to let kids eat, or enough to scrape a thin double crust out of, most of the time we use the first option because I tend to top pies in streusel if they need topping.

I only ever use the Libby or Carnation milk’s recipe for Pumpkin Pie, which are exactly the same and recommend each other as ingredients - I’d guess they share the same umbrella company but I’m not googling it right now,  I do add extra amounts of Cinnamon and Cloves but in general, it always  makes a fine pumpkin pie. I had a can of Libby’s pumpkin so I got it out and followed the recipe on the side.

When Wesley had gone shopping for me, because grocery buying is “essential travel”,  I’d had him buy the exorbitantly priced Reddi Whip because when I have pumpkin pie it has to have whipped cream and no cheaper whipped hydrogenated oils (I’m referring to nasty coolwhip) can take it’s place. We didn’t wait for the pie to cool completely, just as long as we could keep the children from starting into it without permission. So we had kind of warm pie, deliciously fluffy cold sweetened and whipped cream and I, at least, had the feeling of great success having not wasted our $4 pumpkins.

I’m also happy to report that the extra 1 cup of pulp didn’t go to waste, Sunday morning I used it to make cafe size Pumpkin Chip Muffin’s using a half recipe.

It’s been awhile since I’ve really blogged, I hope I can get back into it, I miss writing and as long as I can write again without it coming out dark and depressing I will try.
~Haley