Category: Tip Of The Day


Oct
2018

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

categories: Tip Of The Day, Vegetable Dishes
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This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!
This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!

Fall is upon us, and winter squash is everywhere! Grocery stores, gardens, and farmer’s markets are proudly displaying these “winter” vegetables, including the humble, yet versatile spaghetti squash!

Do you enjoy spaghetti squash?  It has an interesting history, which can be read here. It is known for being low carb and low calorie. Spaghetti squash is often used as a substitute for pasta in various dishes. One of my favorite ways to use spaghetti squash is in Spaghetti Squash Italiano… yum!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

It’s actually very easy to cook spaghetti squash. The most common way to prepare it is to bake (or roast) it in an oven until tender, then pull the spaghetti like strands away from the peel once done. The first thing you will need to do is cut the spaghetti squash in half, from top to bottom (lengthwise) with a very sharp knife. Since the squash is very firm before baking, you will need to be extremely careful when cutting!

Once the squash has been cut into halves, scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh inside using a spoon. You can discard the seeds, or roast them (similar to pumpkin seeds). If you’d like to roast the seeds, check out my blog post showing how to do that HERE.

Spaghetti squash is cut in half lengthwise to remove seeds.

Seeds and pulp are removed from the spaghetti squash.

Once the spaghetti squash has been cleaned out, place them cut side DOWN, in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour enough water in the dish to just cover the bottom of the pan.  The water will help to create steam, which will help cook and tenderize the squash!

Time To Bake The Spaghetti Squash

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.  Place the covered baking dish in a preheated 400° oven.  You will need to bake it between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

De-seeded spaghetti squash halves are placed cut side down in baking pan with water.

Baking dish with spaghetti squash is covered with foil before baking.

Check the squash to test for tenderness after about 30 minutes. You will know the spaghetti squash is done baking if you can EASILY pierce the skin through to the flesh with a fork. If it is still a bit firm, cover, place it back into the oven and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so.

When done cooking, the spaghetti squash can easily be pierced with a fork.

After The Squash Has Finished Baking

Once done, remove the spaghetti squash from the oven. Turn each of the squash halves over. Using a fork, gently pull the squash strands from side to side. The “noodles” should pull away from the peel. Make sure to pull across the width (not top to bottom) of the squash… that way the “noodle strands” will be a bit longer.

A fork can be used to shred cooked spaghetti squash into strands resembling spaghetti noodles.

Pull all the spaghetti squash out from the outer shells. When done, the “shells” will look like this! The empty shells can also be used to serve the spaghetti squash! Simply place the “noodles” back into empty shell after seasoning with desired toppings.

All of the spaghetti squash strands have been removed from the squash shells.

And there you have it! You just found out how to cook spaghetti squash! You will end up with several cups of it, to use however you wish! Cooked spaghetti squash will also keep for 4-5 days, if refrigerated in an airtight container!

What Can I Do With Cooked Spaghetti Squash?

Spaghetti squash can be eaten hot, drizzled with olive oil (or melted butter), salt, pepper, and other flavors. You can add garlic powder, Parmesan cheese or your favorite spices for additional flavor. You can also use spaghetti squash strands as a substitute for pasta noodles in various recipes! There’s really no limit to how you can use this wonderful vegetable!

Spaghetti squash strands are in bowl, and are ready to eat or use in other recipes!

Spaghetti squash is really very easy to cook! You can substitute it for pasta and really help cut down on calories, if you’re trying to watch what you eat!  I hope you will consider trying this easy vegetable recipe.

Interested In Other Vegetable Side Dishes?

Be sure to check out my Recipe Index (at top of blog) for ALL my recipes. I have lots of delicious veggie recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original Recipe Source: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-spaghetti-squash-in-the-oven-178036

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!
Category: Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spaghetti squash
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 33 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash , 2-3 pounds
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Carefully cut spaghetti squash in half, from top to bottom (lengthwise).  Once squash has been halved, scoop out seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon.  You can discard the seeds, or roast them (similar to pumpkin seeds).

  2. Once cleaned out, place squash halves cut side DOWN in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour just enough water in dish to cover the bottom.  The water will help to create steam, which will help cook and tenderize the squash! Cover dish with aluminum foil.  Place on medium shelf in a preheated 400° oven.  Bake squash between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the size. 

  3. Check the squash for tenderness after about 30 minutes. You will know the squash is done baking if you can EASILY pierce the skin through to the flesh with a fork.  If it is still a bit firm, cover with foil, and put back into oven. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so, until tender.

  4. Once done, remove from oven. Turn each of the squash halves over. Using a fork, gently pull the squash strands from side to side to make the "noodles". The "noodles" should pull away from the peel. Make sure to pull across the width (not top to bottom) of the squash... that way the "noodle strands" will be a bit longer.

  5. Cooked spaghetti squash will keep for several days, if refrigerated in an airtight container! Spaghetti squash can be eaten hot, drizzled with olive oil (or melted butter), salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and other spices. Spaghetti squash strands can be used as a substitute for pasta noodles in various recipes! ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If you want to bake a WHOLE, uncut spaghetti squash, place in dish with water. Cover with foil. Roast for about an HOUR or more at 400°. Test for doneness. Once done, cut in half, then scoop out seeds before pulling spaghetti squash strands.

Nutrition Facts
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 33
% Daily Value*
Sodium 18mg1%
Potassium 115mg3%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Vitamin A 130IU3%
Vitamin C 2.2mg3%
Calcium 25mg3%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This easy tutorial for how to cook spaghetti squash makes it simple to prepare this vegetable dish, which can also be used as a substitute for pasta!


May
2018

How To Make Bread Crumbs

categories: Tip Of The Day
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Did you know it is super easy to make your own bread crumbs?  Yep… that’s right!  All that is needed is some stale bread and a food processor or blender, to save you money and another trip to the grocery store.It's super easy to make your own bread crumbs with some stale bread and a food processor or blender, to save you another trip to the grocery store.

I used to BUY bread crumbs at the grocery store, but a few years ago I started making my own.  It’s so easy to used leftover stale french bread to easily make them at home! Why pay for it, if you can make the same amount with pieces of stale bread in the pantry? 

My husband LOVES french bread (my preferred bread type for making bread crumbs). He often picks up a fresh warm loaf at the grocery store. Since there are only 2 of us in our home, parts of the loaf we don’t eat tend to go stale after a couple days.  Normally people waste stale bread by just throwing it in the garbage, but now you can put it to good use!

To make that old stale bread “go the distance”, why not turn it into something you can use in other recipes?  I add these homemade crumbs to my Really Good Meatloaf, and they’re perfect to stretch out the filling in meatballs, too.  This ends up being a very frugal way to use up inedible stale bread, without wasting it or dumping any of it in the trash.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Bread Crumbs (Options)

OPTION 1: Slice any stale bread you have.  Even if it’s already stale, I leave it out, uncovered on the counter for a couple days, until it is CRISPY stale, very hard and dried out! Another way to do this is to leave the bread in the fridge on a plate or tray, exposed to the air for a day or two. This will remove any moisture left in the bread (and the bread will not grow mold).

4 slices of French bread drying on paper towel

The next thing to do is break or cut the bread up into smaller sized pieces. Place them, several pieces at a time, into a food processor with the blade attachment on. Continue to pulse and process bread chunks until they have broken down into fine crumbs.

Hard, stale bread is placed into food processor to make crumbs

OPTION 2: If you happen to be in a real hurry, and need those bread crumbs STAT use this option. Cut the bread into cubes, spread them onto a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.  You will need to check them and turn them to prevent burning, but this is a solution that might work for you.  Once you are done toasting them until crispy, process them as mentioned above.

How Do I Store Homemade Bread Crumbs?

Once the bread has been reduced to tiny crumbs, pour it into airtight, sealable jars (I like to use canning jars). If desired, use a funnel to fill the jar. You can use a long skinny skewer to clear any clogs in the funnel. Store the bread crumbs in an airtight container in the pantry.

Funnel is used to transfer bread crumbs into jar

See how many bread crumbs I got out of half a loaf of old, stale bread?  This is the perfect size bread crumbs to use if adding to meatballs or meatloaf, etc. A half loaf of French bread will typically yield about 2 cups of crumbs. See? You just learned how to make bread crumbs, very easily.

Canning jar, full of finely ground bread crumbs

Sometimes I leave the bread crumbs a bit larger, as you can see in the jar on the left below. These can be used this to make homemade stuffing, etc.). It’s really up to you how finely you process the bread.  The finely processed crumbs in the jar on the right are typically the size you would find in a grocery store, and is my “normal” size.

What If I Need ITALIAN Bread Crumbs?

By the way, if you need Italian bread crumbs for a recipe, no problem! Once you’ve learned how to make bread crumbs, it’s easy to add a few spices to transform them.

To make Italian flavored crumbs, simply add salt, black pepper, dried parsley, oregano, basil, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix together until the spices are fully combined with the bread crumbs! Exact measurements can be found in the printable recipe below.

2 canning jars, full of homemade bread crumbs

It’s so easy to make this staple pantry ingredient. There’s really no need to spend any extra money buying it!  You can also keep stale pieces of bread in a freezer bag in the freezer until you have time to make bread crumbs! 

Looking For More Simple TIPS?

You can find all my recipes and tips in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few you might find helpful, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a wonderful day!

Author's signature

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How To Make Bread Crumbs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

It's super easy to make your own bread crumbs with some stale bread and a food processor or blender, to save you another trip to the grocery store.

Category: Condiments
Cuisine: American
Keyword: make bread crumbs
Servings: 2 cups (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 loaf STALE french bread , sliced
For ITALIAN Bread Crumbs (optional), Add these ingredients (for every CUP of bread crumbs)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon parsley (dried)
  • 1/4 teaspoon basil (dried)
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Slice up any stale bread you have.  Even if it's already a bit stale, simply leave it out, uncovered on the counter for a couple days, until it is CRISPY stale and very hard and dried out!

  2. Break or cut the bread up into smaller sized pieces, and toss them, several pieces at a time, into a food processor (or heay duty blender) with the blade attachment on. Continue to pulse and process bread chunks until they have broken down into fine crumbs.

  3. Once the bread has been reduced to tiny crumbs, transfer mixture into a jar (or container) with a lid, and store until ready to use.

  4. NOTE: I you wish to make ITALIAN bread crumbs, add the spices to the processed bread crumbs and mix well to fully combine ingredients. Transfer mixture into a jar (or container) with a lid, and store until ready to use.

Nutrition Facts
How To Make Bread Crumbs
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 289 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 513mg22%
Potassium 128mg4%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 12g24%
Calcium 44mg4%
Iron 3.6mg20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's super easy to make your own bread crumbs with some stale bread and a food processor or blender, to save you another trip to the grocery store.


Oct
2017

How To Make Lemon Curd

categories: Desserts, Sauces and Dressings, Tip Of The Day
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Do you know how to make lemon curd?  Tart, sweet, and bursting with flavor, this thick lemon curd tastes great in tarts, on waffles and pancakes, and in many desserts.Check out this easy tutorial on how to make your own lemon curd from scratch! It's a perfect topping or filling for desserts, pancakes, waffles, etc.!
Years ago, I first tried this thick citrus “sauce” at a breakfast get together at a friends home.  My friend Sandy offered me some of her homemade lemon curd to put on my breakfast waffle. I said okay, which was quickly followed by,  “Sure, but what IS lemon curd?”

My assumption was that it was like the curds you find in cottage cheese, and it is NOTHING like that. Silly me. This sauce tastes absolutely amazing, and once I tried it, I was hooked!

The first time I decided to make homemade lemon curd (for a dessert recipe I was making), I assumed it was going to be quite difficult to make. Boy… was I wrong! It was very simple, and the results were fantastic!

Scroll Down For a Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Lemon Curd

Place the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk these together well, over medium heat. Once the ingredients are fully mixed, whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt.

Eggs, sugar, and egg yolks in pan, to begin making lemon curd.

Add butter to the pan and cook, whisking constantly, until the butter has melted and the curd has thickened. This will take approx. 3-4 minutes, so be patient, and keep stirring!

IMPORTANT TIP: DO NOT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL! Just keep on whisking, and it will be just fine!

Butter is melted into eggs and sugar in pan, to make lemon curd.

Keep on whisking the sauce, until it thickens. Once the lemon curd has thickened, remove the pan from the heat, and let the curd cool to room temperature. While it is cooling, give it a good stir every few minutes.

The lemon curd is continually stirred while cooking, until it thickens.

Cooling And Storing The Homemade Lemon Curd

When the lemon curd has cooled to room temp, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator. This sauce will need to be well chilled prior to serving (at least 3-4 hours).

Lemon curd should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, and will keep for up to 5-6 days.

A spoonful of homemade lemon curd should be nice and thick.

The sauce is very versatile, and can be used in many recipes I recently used it in a recipe for Lemon Curd Filled Won Ton Cups!

See them in the photo below? Aren’t they cute? They are also incredibly yummy!


Lemon curd is used to fill these won ton dessert cups.I might also mention that it is hard to not eat this amazing lemon curd right out of the pan with a spoon!  It’s soooo good.  Hope you’ll give it a try. You’re gonna love it in a variety of desserts, on waffles or pancakes, etc!

Thanks for stopping by, and come back soon. Be sure to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. Have a great day.

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source:  http://www.littlemisscelebration.com/2013/06/16/lemon-lime-curd-in-sugared-wonton-cups/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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How To Make Lemon Curd
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Check out this easy tutorial on how to make your own lemon curd from scratch! It's a perfect topping or filling for desserts, pancakes, waffles, etc.
Category: Dessert Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon curd
Servings: 24 Tablespoons (approx. 1½ cups total)
Calories Per Serving: 55 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs , plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 Tablespoon cold , unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 6 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan (over medium heat), combine eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Whisk these together well.
  2. Once mixed, whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and the salt.
  3. Add butter to the pan and cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted and the curd has thickened. This will take approx. 3-4 minutes. DO NOT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL! Just keep on whisking.
  4. Once curd has thickened, remove pan from heat and let the curd cool to room temperature. While curd is cooling, give it a good stir every few minutes. Once lemon curd has cooled to room temp, cover the pan with plastic wrap and put it in refrigerator. The lemon curd will need to be well chilled prior to serving (at least 3-4 hours).
Nutrition Facts
How To Make Lemon Curd
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 55 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 23mg8%
Sodium 50mg2%
Potassium 8mg0%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Sugar 4g4%
Vitamin A 135IU3%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Check out this easy tutorial on how to make your own lemon curd from scratch! It's a perfect topping or filling for desserts, pancakes, waffles, etc.

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Sep
2017

Homemade Cajun Seasoning

categories: Mixes (spices, etc.), Tip Of The Day
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Make your own homemade Cajun seasoning mix in the comfort of your own kitchen and save some money, PLUS it’s ready in under 5 minutes!Make your own homemade Cajun seasoning mix in the comfort of your own kitchen and save some money, PLUS it's ready in under 5 minutes!
Did you know it’s EASY to make Homemade Cajun Seasoning to use on seafood, chicken, pork, beef, etc.?  Well it is, and I’m going to show you just how simple it really is! The only talent you will need is to mix the ingredients together and store it in an airtight covered container. EASY!

I started making a Creole salmon dish several years ago and found that it called for Cajun seasoning. Off to the store I went and purchased a large container of spice mix.

Eventually I discovered I can make Homemade Cajun Seasoning mix for a fraction of the price, with spices already in my pantry! Since it takes less than 5 minutes to throw together this seasoning mix, why not make my own?

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

What’s IN Cajun Seasoning?

The cast of characters includes onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano and thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika. These common ingredients, when combined, are a perfect seasoning for a variety of meats!

All of the ingredients are placed in a mixing bowl, and stirred to combine.  That is all that’s necessary to make this handy kitchen spice mix. See how easy it is to whip up a batch of homemade Cajun seasoning mix?

Spices used to make Cajun seasoning mix, in a bowl, ready to mix together.

What Can I Use Cajun Seasoning Mix For?

Cajun seasoning mix is a great tool used to season a variety of meats. Chicken and fish are my favorite meats to season with this mix, but it’s certainly not limited to those.

I often use this Cajun seasoning when I make my recipe for Pan-Seared Creole Salmon.  In the past I used a commercial seasoning mix, but found this homemade mix has great flavor to season the salmon well, also!

Salmon, seasoned with Cajun seasoning, cooking in a skillet.

If you store the cajun seasoning mix in an airtight covered container, it should keep it’s peak flavors and freshness for up to 6 months.

How Much Cajun Seasoning Mix Will This Recipe Make?

The recipe, as written below, will yield about 2/3 cup of the seasoning mix. That’s a good sized portion to have at your fingertips, ready to use!

The Cajun spice mix can be stored in an airtight container.

Hope you will mix up a batch of this Homemade Cajun Seasoning, and enjoy using it ON and IN a variety of dishes! 

Once it’s mixed up and in your kitchen cupboard, you won’t have to run out to the store when you find a great recipe that uses this seasoning!

Have a great day, friends. Be kind, and encourage those around you, rather than discourage them, and help this crazy old world one person at a time!

Looking For Other SEASONING MIX Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few of the seasoning mixes I have posted include:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted From: http://www.yellowblissroad.com/cajun-seasoned-popcorn-diy-cajun-seasoning/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Homemade Cajun Seasoning
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Make your own homemade Cajun seasoning mix in the comfort of your own kitchen and save some money, PLUS it's ready in under 5 minutes!

Category: Seasoning Mix
Cuisine: Cajun
Keyword: cajun seasoning
Servings: 1 (2/3 cup total)
Calories Per Serving: 305 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
  • 4 Tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
  • 4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 4 Tablespoons paprika
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Combine all spices in a small bowl. Mix well, to blend.
  2. Store dry spices in an airtight, covered jar for up to 5-6 months (for best flavor)
  3. Use as needed. Recipe makes approximately 2/3 cup Cajun spice blend.
  4. Enjoy this spice blend on fish, beef or poultry!
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
Amount Per Serving (1 (total of 2/3 cup))
Calories 305 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 56mg2%
Potassium 1498mg43%
Carbohydrates 66g22%
Fiber 23g96%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 17440IU349%
Vitamin C 11.4mg14%
Calcium 408mg41%
Iron 17.9mg99%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make your own homemade Cajun seasoning mix in the comfort of your own kitchen and save some money, PLUS it's ready in under 5 minutes!

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Oct
2016

How To Make Ahead and Pre-Freeze Pie Fillings

categories: Pies/Tarts, Tip Of The Day
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Learn how to make and pre-freeze pie fillings for your favorite fruit pie with this easy tutorial. This is a great way to save time making pies!Learn how to make and pre-freeze pie fillings for your favorite fruit pie with this easy tutorial. This is a great way to save time making pies!
I am grateful I was shown how to make ahead and pre-freeze pie fillings. Have you ever done this before? If you haven’t… it’s a real time saver, especially if you have lots of fruit pies to prepare!

Having the filling already made for a pie or two and frozen is very convenient! Not too great if you are trying to watch your calories, but handy, nonetheless!

How To Pre-Freeze Pie Fillings

This tip works on just about all fruit pies. To pre-freeze pie fillings, begin by making a fruit pie filling according to your recipe’s instructions. Here is a photo of peach pie filling, for example.

Filling for fruit pies is made up according to your own recipe.

Cover a standard sized pie dish with several layers of plastic wrap, making sure to let the edges extend about 4-5 inches over the rim of the pie plate on all sides.

A standard pie dish is completely covered with plastic wrap.

Pour the pie filling into the prepared pie dish, and evenly distribute ingredients.  Bring in all the sides of the plastic wrap, to completely cover the pie filling.

All of the prepared filling for one pie is then added to dish.

Tightly seal the pie filling with the plastic wrap.

Now wrap the pie filling (pie dish included) in aluminum foil. Cover completely.  Place pie plate into freezer, and let the filling completely freeze (overnight is best!).

Aluminum foil covers the plastic wrapped pie filling.

Remove the pie plate after the filling is solidly frozen. Re-cover pie filling with aluminum foil, label, and freeze until you’re ready to bake pie.

Once frozen solidly, the pie plate is removed and filling stays in freezer. When you pre-freeze pie fillings, they will hold their shape in freezer.

What Do I Do When I’m Ready To Bake My Pie?

Once you are ready to bake a pie, remove the aluminum foil and plastic wrap from pie filling. Place the frozen pie filling, unthawed, into an unbaked pie crust (using same pie plate the filling was frozen in).

If using a double crust, place additional pie dough on top of frozen filling, and crimp edges to form crust. Make small slits on top of pie to let steam release.  Your pie can go into the oven frozen.

Baking A Pie AFTER You Pre-Freeze Pie Fillings

Bake your pie at the temperature given for the recipe you are using, but remember you will need to bake pie longer (on average 25-35 minutes longer), because the pie filling is frozen.

To make sure pie is fully baked, look for slow bubbling juices to come to the top of the crust without bursting. That is a good sign the inside is fully cooked through.  If the crust begins to brown too much, simply add aluminum foil strips over the crimped crust edges.

When done, remove and let pie cool slightly before serving.  That’s it! This is a convenient way to get pies ready ahead of time, to save you precious minutes (especially around the holidays) when there are a bazillion other things to do.

Baked and ready to enjoy!

Hope you will give this handy tip a try! It really can be a real time-saver!  Blessings.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Sep
2016

How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds

categories: Tip Of The Day
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It’s easy to roast pumpkin seeds, once you’re done carving your Halloween pumpkins! With a few common ingredients, you can enjoy this simple crunchy snack!It's easy to roast pumpkin seeds, once you're done carving your Halloween pumpkins! With a few common ingredients, you can enjoy this simple crunchy snack!
I love this snack! How cool is it that not only can we carve and decorate pumpkins for the Fall season, but we can roast and eat the seeds, too! Today I’m happy to show you how easy it is to roast pumpkin seeds!

Do you roast pumpkin seeds?  When I was little, my mom would occasionally make this snack before Halloween. I love the slightly salty crunch of a pumpkin seed roasted just right! Pumpkins are beginning to make their annual appearance at grocery stores and Farmers Markets all over town!

This seems like the right time to post a quick “how to”, in case you’ve never made your own, and want to learn how! You can certainly add additional spices to the basic roasted pumpkin seeds to make them taste just how you like them. This is simply the basic “how to”.

Scroll Down For a Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Choosing pumpkins to carve and to roast pumpkin seeds is always fun!

First you will need to carefully cut your pumpkin open. You can use any kind of traditional pumpkin you want. You will definitely want to put newspaper or some other paper (wax or parchment) under the pumpkin, cause it can get a bit messy! My favorite tip for getting seeds to roast AND pumpkin puree from the pumpkins is below.

You Can Also Make Pumpkin Puree From Your Pumpkin

Not only can you roast seeds, you can make pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins! My recommendation is to use “pie” or “sugar” pumpkins (smaller variety of pumpkins) if you want to roast pumpkin seeds AND use the “meat” of the pumpkin to make puree to store in the freezer.

“Pie” or “Sugar” pumpkins have less water content in their flesh, so they make a far less watery pumpkin puree, which is desirable. By freezing the puree you can have it ready to use in various recipes throughout the year.

If you’re interested in how to make puree from your pumpkin, check out my post on How To Make Pumpkin Puree. Pumpkin puree is wonderful to use for pumpkin muffins, scones, bread, coffeecake, etc.

How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Now… back to the SEEDS:  After you cut your pumpkin open, and before you can roast pumpkin seeds, you need to remove the seeds and the “guts”.

Separating pumpkin stringy flesh from seeds in order to roast pumpkin seeds.

Two Methods For Removing Pumpkin Seeds

There are two ways to separate the seeds from the stringy “guts”. One way is to put that “BLOB”  into a strainer and slowly pull the seeds away from the guts by hand, then give the seeds a good rinse. This is the method I typically use.

The other method is to put the seeds/guts into a large deep bowl, fill it with water, and remove seeds with your hands from the “guts”. The seeds should float to the top once they are separated from the “guts”, then you can just scoop or skim them up.

Give the seeds a good rinse, then place them in a single layer on 3-4 layers of paper towels or a couple dish towels to drain a bit.

Seeds must be rinsed and drained in order to roast pumpkin seeds.
Spread the pumpkin seeds out in a single layer on several layers of paper towels or a couple dish towels. Once spread out, let the pumpkin seeds dry for an hour. Make sure they get nice and dry.

In order to roast pumpkin seeds, they must first dry completely, after rinsing.

Toss the dried seeds with oil. Sprinkle with salt (side note: try these sometime substituting seasoning salt for regular salt), and stir, to combine. Spread the seasoned seeds out into a single layer on a large (13×9 or larger) baking sheet.

Roast Pumpkin Seeds In Oven

Cook the pumpkin seeds for about 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees F.  When you hit the 15 minute mark, give the seeds a good stir, then spread back out again. At the 20 minute mark, give them another stir.

Keep a close eye on them so they don’t overcook and burn. The average coking time is 25 minutes… the roast pumpkin seeds are done when light golden brown and crunchy.

Roast pumpkin seeds are cooked on baking pan in oven for about 25 minutes.

When done, remove pan from oven.  Let the cooked pumpkin seeds cool completely, then eat! Be sure to store the finished pumpkin seeds in an airtight  covered container or resealable plastic bag. That’s all you need to do… see how easy it is to roast pumpkin seeds?

Roast pumpkin seeds are stored in an airtight container to keep them crunchy!

We enjoy snacking on the seeds, and occasionally I will throw a few into a salad for added crunch.  I figure if you’re gonna go to the trouble and mess of carving a pumpkin (cause it’s FUN!!), why not get an added bonus of roasted pumpkin seeds to snack on, too?!!

No hard work is required for this simple snack. A printable recipe is further below, but here is the basic “process” to roast pumpkin seeds:

A quick "how to" roast pumpkin seeds.

Hope you’ll give this recipe for how to roast pumpkin seeds a try when carving your Fall pumpkins this year! Enjoy! Have a great day, and don’t forget to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index,located at the top of the page.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

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How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Drying Time
1 hr
Total Time
35 mins
 
It's easy to roast pumpkin seeds, once you're done carving your Halloween pumpkins! With a few common ingredients, you can enjoy this simple crunchy snack!
Category: Snacks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: roast pumpkin seeds
Servings: 8 (total 2 cups)
Calories Per Serving: 119 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups pumpkin seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (or canola oil)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more), to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Remove seeds from pumpkin. Rinse seeds thoroughly; remove stringy pumpkin flesh from seeds. 

  2. Place pumpkin seeds in single layer on several layers of paper towels or dish towels to absorb water. Let pumpkin seeds completely dry (approx. 1 hour).

  3. Once completely dry, mix pumpkin seeds with oil and salt in large bowl. Stir well, to cover seeds with oil and salt (or any additional spices you may wish to add).

  4. Spread pumpkin seeds out in a single layer on a 13x9 baking sheet. Bake in preheated 325°F oven for approximately 20-25 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, give the seeds a good stir, then spread out into single layer again, and place back in oven. When done, the seeds should be light golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven. Remove seeds from baking sheet once cooled.

  5. Store roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight covered container or resealable plastic bag to ensure seeds stay crunchy. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 cup per serving))
Calories 119 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Sodium 73mg3%
Potassium 129mg4%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Apr
2016

How To Make Candied Bacon

categories: Bacon, Tip Of The Day
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Candied bacon is becoming a popular ingredient in desserts, salads, etc. Here’s how to quickly make this sweet/salty treat!Candied bacon is becoming a popular ingredient in desserts, salads, etc. Here's how to quickly make this sweet/salty treat!
Recipes for cookies, salads, desserts, etc. are popping up all the time that include “candied bacon”. It would be helpful to know “HOW” to make this treat, right? Well… it’s EASY! Candied bacon can be used in salads, on appetizers, or even in ice cream. I used this batch in some homemade Candied Bacon Ice Cream. Amazing!

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How to Make Candied Bacon

Here’s how you can easily make candied bacon: First line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (or a silicone mat). If using aluminum foil, put the shiny side down. Lay strips of bacon down on the foil in a single layer, leaving a bit of space between each piece.

Individual slices are placed on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet.

Sprinkle approximately 1½ – 2 teaspoons brown sugar over the length of each slice.

Brown sugar is sprinkled over each piece of uncooked bacon.

Cook The Bacon

The strips of bacon looked like this (see photo below). Put the bacon in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake it for 12-16 minutes. NOTE: About half way through the baking time, turn the bacon strips over and pull them through the syrupy glaze (to coat) on the baking sheet.

Each slice of bacon is lightly covered with brown sugar.

After turning the bacon over and dragging the pieces in the brown sugar syrup on the foil, continue baking for the rest of the baking time, until the bacon is done and dark in color.

The bacon strips are turned halfway through baking time.

Remove the bacon strips from the foil, and transfer them to a wire rack. Let the candied bacon strips cool completely.

The bacon cools on a wire rack.

The Candied Bacon Is Now Ready To Use

Once the bacon has cooled, chop it up or cut with kitchen scissors into small pieces. It is now ready to be added to a great salad, or recipe that requires candied bacon. If you’ve never had a mixed green salad with these sweet little bacon bits added, you’re missing out! It’s a great tasting addition.

The finished candied bacon is crumbled to add to salads, etc.

See how easy it is to make? The sugary, salty taste of the sweet bacon bits is AMAZING! Hope you’ll try this easy technique for making candied bacon. You can store the bacon bits in an airtight covered container in refrigerator for a couple days, OR you can freeze them for a couple weeks ahead of when you will be using them! Try not to eat them all BEFORE adding it to a recipe! Have a great day.

Looking For More Simple Tips?

You can find all my recipes and easy tips in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few you might be interested in, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source:  http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2008/03/candied-bacon-i-1/

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How To Make Candied Bacon
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
16 mins
Total Time
21 mins
 
Candied bacon is becoming a popular ingredient in desserts, salads, etc. Here's how to quickly make this sweet/salty treat!
Category: Miscellaneous
Cuisine: American
Keyword: candied bacon
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 114 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 8 strips Bacon strips (or as many as desired)
  • 12 teaspoons Brown sugar (can use dark or light-I use dark)-will need 1½-2 teaspoons per slice of bacon
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil (or a silicone mat).

  2. Place bacon strips in single layer on foil. Sprinkle each piece of bacon with 1½ - 2 teaspoons brown sugar.

  3. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-16 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, turn the pieces over and drag them through the brown sugar glaze to coat. Finish baking time. Remove from oven when bacon is done and is dark brown in color. Place bacon strips on wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Once cooled to room temp., cut or chop bacon into small pieces. Bacon pieces may be stored in a covered airtight container in refrigerator for a couple days. Bacon can also be stored in freezer for a couple weeks prior to using.
Nutrition Facts
How To Make Candied Bacon
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 114 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 147mg6%
Potassium 51mg1%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 10IU0%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Nov
2015

Tip Of The Day #6-Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions

categories: Tip Of The Day
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Ever find a great recipe, but end up needing just ONE ingredient? Sigh. It happens to all of us. I seem to constantly run out of lemons. Here’s the Tip Of The Day #6 – Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions, so it’s always there in your freezer when you need it.Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions

I got a great deal on a couple bags of lemons recently ($2 for about 25 lemons). A little bruised on the outside, but perfectly “normal” on the inside, and full of juice! When you can find a great deal like that, you go for it! But what to do with all those lemons?

Freeze the juice, and then have it handy and ready to go when you need lemon juice for a recipe throughout the year! Here’s what you do…

Juice the lemons. I used a juicer we received as a wedding present 38 years ago. True story. (Boy, was that a great gift!).

Tip Of the Day #6 - Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Pour the juice and pulp through a strainer into a measuring cup.

Tip Of The Day #6 - Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Once juice has been strained, pour it into ice cube tray compartments. Each compartment in a standard sized ice cub tray holds about 1 Tablespoon of juice.

Tip Of The Day #6 - Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Freeze the lemon juice until completely frozen (overnight is good). Once completely frozen, remove trays from freezer.

Tip Of The Day #6 - Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Loosen the “ice cubes” from the trays without using any water. Dump the cubes out of the trays.

Tip Of The Day #6 - Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Immediately put the lemon juice cubes into a freezer bag, label it, and stick bag in the freezer. Now you have conveniently frozen cubes of lemon juice (in 1 Tablespoon sized portions)… and can defrost as much or as little as needed whenever you want to. Very convenient!

Tip Of The Day #6 - Freezing Lemon Juice In Small Portions / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

I can’t tell you how many times having a bag of lemon juice cubes has helped me NOT have to make a trip to the grocery store! Hope this tip helps you, too!

Have a great day, friends. Try and make it a GOOD one!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Nov
2015

Tip Of The Day #5: How To Easily Remove Pomegranate Seeds

categories: Tip Of The Day
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Pomegranates. For me it’s a love-hate relationship. I love to eat pomegranate seeds, but was so frustrated trying to pry those wonderfully healthy and tasty little seeds out of the pomegranate. Today’s Tip Of The Day #5: How To Easily Remove Pomegranate Seeds.Tip Of the Day #5- How To Easily Remove Pomegranate Seeds / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Removing the seeds used to look like a blood bath when I got done. UNTIL… I learned how to easily remove pomegranate seeds quickly and easily, and lived to tell the tale. It’s sooooo easy.  Using pomegranate seeds in salads or other recipes can be quite messy and removing the seeds can be a real pain. However, there is an easier way to remove pomegranate seeds! Here’s how:

How To Remove Pomegranate Seeds

Grab a pomegranate. Any pomegranate. Carefully slice it in half horizontally with a very sharp knife on a cutting mat or board. Now grab a meat mallet or or heavy spatula. I go for the meat mallet. Place one half of the pomegranate in your hand seed side down. Spread your fingers out (a friend told me this part-so the cute little seeds can drop through them), and hold your hand directly over a large bowl.

Now… (here’s the crazy fun part!)! Smack the pomegranate good and hard all over. Not your hand, but the POMEGRANATE!  Aggression therapy at it’s very best.  The seeds will come flying out of the pomegranate as you smack it and will land quite impressively in the bowl. YEEHAW!!!!   Pomegranate seeds!

Use meat mallet to hit pomegranate.
Keep whacking the pomegranate with some force. When it is begging for mercy, turn it over. Most of the seeds should now be outta there. Remove any stragglers. Discard skin and repeat with the other half of the pomegranate.

Pomegranate seeds fall out of skin into bowl,
Quick Rinse And Dry

When done, pick out any little pieces of the white membrane that might have jumped for safety into the bowl. You don’t need or want that in with your seeds. Put the beautiful ruby pomegranate seeds in a colander and give them a rinse. Aren’t they pretty?

Rinse the seeds in a colander.
At this point you can put them in a container and store them in the refrigerator for a week or two OR if you want to freeze them for long term use, here’s what you need to do: Put the rinsed seeds onto several layers of paper towels. Roll them around in the paper towels until dry.

After you drain them, place seeds on paper towels to dry.
Remove Pomegranate Seeds And Freeze Them

Once the seeds are moderately dry, spread them out on a large cookie sheet. Place them (uncovered) in your freezer for about an hour. This method will “flash-freeze” the pomegranate seeds. 

After you remove pomegranate seeds, you can flash freeze them for storage.
Once frozen, scoop them out into a plastic freezer bag, label it, and place in the freezer until you need them. That’s it!!! Learned this little trick a few years back… who knew it could be this easy???   Given the price of pomegranate seeds ($4.99 for 1 cup at the store) where someone else does the work for you -YIKES!  This tip is a real cost-saver, for sure!

As you see pomegranates on sale this Fall, grab a few extra, and freeze the seeds. They will keep for a month or two if sealed very well in an airtight bag or container. It’s a great way to have these tasty little antioxidants available at a moment’s notice!!!

You Can freeze them after you remove pomegranate seeds.
Hope you enjoyed this tip, and will give it a try! May God bless you this day, friend. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will come back again soon. Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More Interesting TIPS?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have several kitchen tips you might be interested in, which include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Sep
2015

How To Make Pumpkin Puree

categories: Tip Of The Day, Vegetable Dishes
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Learn how to make pumpkin puree from “pie” or “sugar” variety pumpkins! Make about 6 cups of puree (from 2 pumpkins) to freeze and use throughout the year!Learn how to make pumpkin puree from "pie" or "sugar" variety pumpkins! Make about 6 cups of puree (from 2 pumpkins) to freeze and use throughout the year!
Well… Fall is officially here, and just like clockwork, pumpkins are EVERYWHERE! It’s THAT time of year once again. Do you know how to make pumpkin puree? It’s easy.

I use pumpkin puree for making Pumpkin Streusel Coffeecake, Double-Glazed Pumpkin Scones, Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Doughnuts, and Pumpkin Bread, as well as many other Fall recipes!

I’ve been making my own pumpkin puree for years and years. I used to use our Halloween pumpkins, but found the water content of those BIG pumpkins was too high.

"Pie" or "Sugar" pumpkins are used to make pumpkin puree, versus regular pumpkins.

What Kind Of Pumpkins Are Best For Making Puree?

Years ago I switched and started buying “Sugar” or “Pie” pumpkins. They are smaller than traditional pumpkins, but are perfect for making puree (more flavor and LESS water). Most grocery stores carry this variety of pumpkin.

I like to make puree out of a couple pumpkins each year, then freeze it. By doing so, we can have pumpkin puree to use any time we want, during the year.

The convenience of having pumpkin puree in the freezer for baking pumpkin bread, muffins, etc., is to NOT have to run to the grocery store and buy it.  All you will need to do is thaw it!

How To Make Pumpkin Puree

First buy a couple Sugar pumpkins (also called a Pie pumpkin). Cut it in half horizontally with a very sharp knife. Use a spoon and remove the seeds and stem. I like to save the seeds and roast them later for a good snack!

Sugar pumpkins are cut in half horizontally to remove seeds/pulp before making pumpkin puree.

Remove all the seeds and the stem from the pumpkin(s). Put the pumpkins, cut side down on a aluminum foil lined baking sheet that’s been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.

You don’t want to have a sticking pumpkin now, do you? Nope. You sure don’t!

Pie pumpkins are roasted in oven until tender, before making pumpkin puree.

Bake the pumpkins at 375 degrees for about 45-50 minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkins.

When they are “done”, the skin will be much darker, and you will easily be able to pierce the skin with a sharp knife. Remove pan from oven.

Roasted pumpkins will be tender after roasting, in order to make pumpkin puree.

Turn the pumpkin halves over. Use a large spoon to remove the cooked pumpkin. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Tender baked pumpkin flesh is removed from shell with a spoon to make pumpkin puree.

Once all the pumpkin meat has been removed, puree the pumpkin. You can use a blender, food processor, stand mixer, or an immersion blender to make the pumpkin puree.

Puree until smooth. Once it is smooth, put the pumpkin puree in a strainer over a bowl for a few minutes (or you can use cheesecloth), to help remove any remaining liquids.

Baked pumpkin is beaten until smooth to make pumpkin puree.

Now you have pumpkin puree!  You can use it as is, in recipes, or you can freeze it in bags to use at other times.

Freezing Pumpkin Puree For Long Term Storage

To freeze the pumpkin puree for later use, measure out 1 cup of the puree and spoon it into a quart sized freezer bag. Try to get as much air out of the bag as possible, flatten the bag out, seal, and label bags.

Pumpkin puree is placed into freezer bags to store in freezer, long term.

My two little pie pumpkins yielded 6 cups to freeze. Yeehaw! By flattening the bags out, you will be able to get a lot of pumpkin into the freezer in a very small space!

Flattened freezer bags full of homemade pumpkin puree, ready to place in freezer.

The process for doing this is not hard at all, and won’t take too much of your time! Making pumpkin puree is a GREAT way to have extra pumpkin around for baking pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, etc.

You can use the pumpkin puree throughout the year, without having to go out and buy a can of pumpkin at the grocery store. I sure hope you will try this tip this Fall!

Have a great day!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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How To Make Pumpkin Puree
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 
Learn how to make pumpkin puree from "pie" or "sugar" variety pumpkins! Make about 6 cups of puree (from 2 pumpkins) to freeze and use throughout the year!
Category: Canning and Preserving, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin puree
Servings: 6 cups (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 117 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 "Pie" or "Sugar" pumpkins
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Cut sugar pumpkins in half horizontally with a very sharp knife. Use a spoon and remove the seeds and stem. Discard seeds, etc. (unless you will be roasting them).

  2. Put the pumpkins, cut side down on a aluminum foil lined baking sheet that's been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Bake the pumpkins at 375 degrees for about 45-50 minutes, depending on the size of the pumpkins. When they are "done", the skin will be much darker, and you will easily be able to pierce the skin with a sharp knife. Remove pan from oven.

  3. Turn the pumpkin halves over. Use a large spoon to remove the cooked pumpkin. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Once all pumpkin "meat" has been removed, puree the pumpkin. Use a blender, food processor, stand mixer, or an immersion blender to puree the pumpkin until smooth. Once smooth, put the pumpkin puree in a strainer over a bowl for a few minutes (or you can use cheesecloth), to help remove any remaining liquids. Puree is now ready to use.

To Freeze Pumpkin Puree For Later Use

  1. To freeze the pumpkin for later use, measure out 1 cup of the puree and spoon it into a quart sized freezer bag. Try to get as much air out of the bag as possible, flatten the bag out, seal, and label bags. Place in freezer. Use within 9 months.

Nutrition Facts
How To Make Pumpkin Puree
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 117
% Daily Value*
Sodium 4mg0%
Potassium 1541mg44%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 38590IU772%
Vitamin C 40.8mg49%
Calcium 95mg10%
Iron 3.6mg20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how to make pumpkin puree from "pie" or "sugar" variety pumpkins! Make about 6 cups of puree (from 2 pumpkins) to freeze and use throughout the year!

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