OK, folks, I KNOW someone out there has an answer. My daughter got me a jar of pumpkin butter for Christmas. It is great on toast, and tastes like a good pumpkin pie. I can't find a recipe. Surely one of you has one, and I will trade for anything reasonable. (This includes a Maine shore dinner, but you have to come here to collect!) Otherwise, I'll help you in any way I can! GL to all!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), May 05, 2000

Answers

Shoot Brad thats easy! I'm a old California hippie and this is how we do it. Take one medium pumkin and slam it against an old growth redwood tree. Scoop out pumkin meat and smear on your toast. People from Maine don't know nothin!!....Kirk

-- Kirk Davis (kirkay@yahoo.com), May 05, 2000.

Here's how you do it free of charge. Its made just like apple butter except you use the same spices you use in pumpkin pie. The pumpkin is peeled and cooked until tender with as little water as possible. Careful not to scorch. I steam it. Mash it put it through a seive to remove the fibers. Then sweeten to taste and add the spices. I cheat and use a can of pumpkin pie spice. Cook it very slow and again very careful not scorch in a heavy pan until its very thick. Water bath it for 10 or 15 min. This stuff is great in hand pies for a change from dried apples Enjoy Peggy

-- Peggy (wclpc@cookeville.com), May 05, 2000.

9 1/2-10lbs. pumpkin, weighed whole 3/4 tsp. salt 4-5 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ginger 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 4-5 Tbs. cider vinegar 2 1/2-3 cups brown sugar

Cut the pumpkin in half, scrape out all the seeds, then put the pumpkin halves cut side down in a lightly oiled baking dish. Bake the pumpkin in the oven at 400 for about an hour, or until it feels soft when poked with a wooden spoon.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then turn the pumpkin halves over and scoop the soft flesh out of the rind. Be sure not to get pieces of the rind into the mix. You should have 8- 10 cups of cooked pumpkin.

Combine the pumkin with the remaining ingredients in a large non- reactive, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir over low heat for 20-30 minutes, as the flavors mingle and the excess moisture cooks away. Taste, then adjust the amounts of vinegar & sugar.

Puree the mixture in batches in a blender (I just use a potato masher right in the pot). Cook it down until it holds a soft shape on a spoon.

Spoon the hot pumpkin butter into sterile canning jars, screw on new, scalded lids, and process in a boiling water bath for at least 20 minutes, or according to your canner's directions. (I pressure can mine at 10 lbs. for 35 minutes) This makes about 8-10 cups of thick pumpkin butter. It develops its best flavor after a few days.

Adjust the spices to your liking. My family loves this stuff! It gets eaten quickly. Enjoy! Jean

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), May 05, 2000.

Brad, I'm going to start calling you the Recipe Man!!! This one sounds particularly yummy, and the fact that it isn't on the "no go" list for my kids (TRY doing an elimination diet for a four year old!) is an added bonus!!! I have canned pumpkin from last fall, I'm going to attempt a batch!!!

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), May 05, 2000.

I'd make it the way Jean does, except I'd cook it down in a crockpot. Have you ever had pear butter, mmmm boy! it's good. I'll have to get the reipe from my mother-in-law.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), May 06, 2000.

It is a shame that my recipe for pumpkin butter is about the same as everyone elses, because I'm moving to Maine this summer and I could actually collect on the Maine shore dinner. Enjoy your pumpkin butter!cara lewis cnllewis@email.com

-- cara lewis (cnllewis@email.com), May 06, 2000.

Thanks, folks! Can't wait to plant the pumpkins! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), May 06, 2000.

Hey a new twist! I received Sweet Potato Butter as a gift. VERRRY good. I even warmed it up and served it over ice cream. I suppose the recipe would be the same as for pumpkin or apple butter, using the spices you would use for sweet potato pie.

-- Cathy Hancock (cathysposter@yahoo.com), May 08, 2000.

This comes out of the 1906 book I got the tea cake recipe. Please be advised that this is obviously an old recipe and has not been tested for preservational safety. Pumpkin Butter 3 pints of mashed pumpkin, 1 pound of sugar, 4 tablespoons of butter Flavor with ginger root, nutmeg, and lemon peel. Either bake or steam the pumpking. Rub thouroghly through a sieve, mix with the sugar, butter,flavor, and let simmer on the back of the stove one hour. It becomes thick and can be kept in jars in a dark place. Use the same as fruit jelly or marmalade.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), May 09, 2000.