Baby step: baking a whole pumpkin (and post your muffin & bread recipes!)

I've been on a baking spree these last three months trying to come up with tasty muffin and bread recipes that have more healthful ingredients like applesauce...and pumpkin! My kids really like pumpkin-infused baked goods, so that's been my focus. It's so easy to grab a few cans of pumpkin puree from the shelf and just go that route. However, our last CSA bin included a big pie pumpkin, which went home with me. It sat on a shelf in the kitchen looking very pretty. Autumn festive. I kind of hated to break up the montage:

But one day I got a wild hair and decided to slice into that bad boy and cook it up for pumpkin bread. Slicing a pumpkin in half is probably the hardest part, but a long, strong knife does the trick. I scooped out all the seeds and goop (later separating them out for salty, toasted snacks), and laid the pumpkin halves cut side down on a baking tray popped into the pre-heated 400 degree oven. Twenty minutes later I flipped them for another twenty or so, until they were nice and soft. Just like you would any old squash. After the pumpkin cooled I scooped out the meat and gave it a good stir. You could also use the food processor. There it was, pumpkin puree. Without the can.

Granted, this way takes longer. But I'm telling you, I made the most amazing bread out of that pumpkin. I think the recipe is killer anyways, but now I am totally of the belief that a home-cooked pumpkin trumps canned any old day. The trouble now is finding pie pumpkins! New Seasons only had mini ones yesterday. Like doing most things from scratch, the process forces you to slow down and engage. Become one with the pumpkin. While it was baking I separated the seeds and pulled together the ingredients for the bread. As soon as the pumpkin came out, the olive-oil and salted seeds went in. Then the bread. Then...ahhhh.

I cooked many pumpkins in November, all of them going into this whole wheat pumpkin bread recipe from Marisa McClellan at Food in Jars, which is amazing. She adds toasted millet instead of nuts for crunch factor, which I bet is really good. I didn't use either one. My kids don't care for fruit or nuts in baked goods, so I keep it unadulterated. Two friends have since baked this recipe and have given it raves. It's so moist and flavorful and good for breakfast. Love it! I baked four loaves last night alone, two of which are now in the freezer. As for muffins, Amy Karol's pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins are the family favorite.

I know we just ran a hundred meatless meal recipes, but if you're not burned out I'd love to get your favorite muffin or bread recipes! Have any to share? Post them in the comments! And I've got a whole post about non-toxic bakeware in the works for later this week...so brace yourselves.