INSTRUCTIONS:
Use a small to medium “cooking variety” of pumpkin. First, wash the pumpkin, using a vegetable brush to remove caked-on dirt.
Cut the pumpkin in half, crosswise, with a large knife. Remove the slimy strings and seeds using hands or a large spoon. Save the seeds if you wish to bake them.
Place the pumpkin, shell-side up, in a 9″ x 13″ cake pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until tender; test with a fork.
Scrape pulp from the shell and mash. Put it through a strainer or puree in a blender if you like a fine consistency. Pumpkin can be used in recipes or frozen for later use. 1 4-lb. pumpkin makes about 4 cups of pumpkin puree.