3 small pumpkins and I don't want to make pie

[Moonhawk]

What do you do with small pumpkins? Never had these before. Don't feel up to pie, unless that's the least intensive option. Any easy uses for these?

[Anne in CA]

Cut them open, scoop them out, and use them for Thanksgiving centerpieces with a few flowers in them. Scooping them out could even be done by your older kiddo.

[Xahm]

You can make a casserole, which is basically like a crustless pie, or soup. If the thought of pumpkin soup makes you gag, remember it wouldn't be sweet. Calling it "winter squash soup" may help put you in the right frame of mind.

[Jaybee]

I had a delicious, savory pumpkin soup at a friend's house the other day. It was so good! (But I don't have the recipe.)

[Lady Florida.]

Most pumpkin soup recipes include curry but we don't like that (we do like curry but not in soup). I found this recipe years ago and we really like it. I don't know if your pumpkins will give you enough but I'll link the recipe anyway.

 

http://www.pickyourown.org/pdfs/pumpkinsoup.pdf

 

http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinsoup.php

 

ETA: Although the instructions don't say to, I often use my immersion blender to make it creamy.

Edited November 11, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[magnificent_baby]

I saw a really cool video of dipping small pumpkins into water mixed with fingernail polish. There may be more ingredients than that. I would link by don't know how to copy and paste from my Mac. You can find it easily by googling. Not sure if your pumpkins are too big or not but you could do this in fall/Thanksgiving colors. 

[bethben]

Pumpkin butter?  It's like apple butter but with pumpkins.  You can freeze it in small containers.  It's good on pancakes.

 

[Andromeda]

Cut into small wedges and roasted in a cookie tray/baking sheet in the oven at 425F for approximately 40-60 minutes (check every 15 to 20 minutes, turn over for crispy edges) , with a little salt and olive oil. Eaten as a side dish, minus the skin.

 

 

[kiana]

For savory, mash pumpkin into mashed potatoes, or chop it and roast it with some garlic. 

[rainbowmama]

Muffins, pancakes?

[Baseball mom]

Cut in 1/2 & scoop out seeds and strings. Roast it.

When cool scoop out into portions in freezer bags and freeze for later.I

 

Or let your kids use them as target practice or pumpkin chunking

[rose]

Anything you would do with squash.

 

The easiest way to cook them is to put them into the oven whole at 375F, leave them for about 2 hours and then when they're cool, rip them open, discard the seed and then scoop the pump off of the skin. If you like the seeds beforehand you can cut off a "lid", scoop out the seed out, put the lid back on and roast it that way. You can cut them in half like a squash too but I like how cooking them whole retains the moisture better. If the pump is still lumpy, run it through a blender or food processor.

 

I mostly use the pulp in oatmeal and custard (crustless pie, just pour the sauce in a casserole dish, cook till it tests done). Sometimes I do soup. Muffins are nice too. I've even added it to pasta sauce. No one could tell and it was really good sauce.

[Ali in OR]

My small pumpkins are just for decoration through Thanksgiving. They're on display on the front porch--high enough to be seen from the street or coming up the walk.

[Spryte]

Soup! And centerpieces.