Using my gourd

Round about Halloween, I bought a few pumpkins. I planned on cooking with them right away, but I didn't. They sat around. They decorated the house for Thanksgiving. And the first week of December. So...it's time to start to use the pumpkin for its intended purpose...DINNER!

On Sunday I cleaned up one of the pumpkins; peeled, seeded, diced. My medium sized eatin' pumpkin, not the Jack O' Lantern pumpkins. These smaller pumpkins have more flavor and are farmed for the purpose of consumption. Sometimes they are called "Sugar Pumpkins." After cleaning the pumpkin, I had about 6 cups of diced pumpkin. I divided my bounty into three. One batch for tonight. One for later this week. And one into the freezer. This leaves me one more pumpkin for cookin' later this winter.

My diced pumpkin, after a short bath in boiling veggie stock...until tender. That's some sage sitting there waiting.

Tonight I needed some stock for dinner. I used this brand at Thanksgiving so more foods could be veggie friendly. This isn't a bad brand. It does need some salt...make sure to taste and season appropriately.

And dinner...pumpkin risotto garnished with fresh sage leaves and roasted pumpkin seeds. And a broiled pork chop on the side. Risotto was mild and light today; mostly due to the unsalted broth. But very good!

Dessert...more of this goodness...and boy was it good!