Canned Pumpkin

Before you toss your pumpkins from the fall have you ever tried canning them?  This was something new I tried this fall and it is FABULOUS!!! We got a bunch of free pumpkins from out local pumpkin patch and normally I cook them and then freeze the pumpkin but this year I thought I would try canning it.  You have to peel and seed the pumpkin.  I cut mine in half and then scooped out the seeds.  Then cut it into sections.  I peeled each section with a knife (this is a bit tough but you get the hang of it).  Then cut it into pieces.  Put all the pieces in a large pot, cover with water and boil for 2 minutes.  Then you put it in jars, cover with boiling water and process in a pressure canner (the only downfall is you have to can it for 90 minutes).  Comes out soft and ready to use in pies, breads, cookies, cakes.  Just like the stuff you get from the store.  It is recommended that you use stringless pumpkins (like sugar pumpkins).  Sugar pumpkins are the only stringless one I know of, plus Martha Stewart says they are the best for making pies so why would we ever want to use anything else?  Now I have all kinds of canned pumpkin at my finger tips and I didn't have to just toss out my fall decorations.  It's a good thing-as Martha would say.