Blog Archives
Food 101: Pumpkin Roasting
In an ideal world, we would have had this post up before Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie making time. But alas, time got away from us, and that did not happen. But, perhaps it’s even better timing now, as people transition from fall decorations to Christmas/winter ones. As we covered in pumpkin seed post, pumpkins are cool because they’re both festive seasonal decorations, and food. So instead of just throwing those pumpkins you bought for decoration out, roast them! You can roast them in slices and eat like you would other winter squash, or you can roast them for pumpkin puree. This is probably the most versatile option, since there are many things you can use pumpkin puree for. You can use any size pumpkin you have on hand, but these guidelines are written for sugar pumpkins, which are the smaller ones. If you’re using big pumpkins, like the kind for jack o’lanterns, roasting times may vary.
This is a sugar pumpkin
Both roasting processes begin with cutting your pumpkin in half and scooping out the guts. And also preheating your oven to 375 degrees (Fahrenheit).
The beginning
Thanksgiving Leftovers Week: Savory Pumpkin Spread
Our last entry in Thanksgiving Leftovers Week is a quick, useful, little recipe which creates an interesting condiment that’s surprisingly good. If you’ve gone through the trouble of roasting your own pumpkins or just used canned puree, and have some leftover, your first reaction is to panic and OH GOD WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS SMALL AMOUNT OF PUMPKIN?! Pumpkin puree is an interesting ingredient in that while it’s yummy and tastes great in pumpkin pies, most people don’t know what the hell to do with it outside of that. That’s where this recipe comes in handy. Similar to guacamole, this savory pumpkin spread is great for dipping or as a sauce on and in other dishes. Try it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Leftovers Utilized: Pumpkin puree, spices(?)
Thanksgiving Leftovers Week: Thanksgiving Burrito
One of the more popular, but inoffensive tropes, associated with Thanksgiving is the idea of leftovers. Personally we at PCFG eat leftovers constantly, all year-round because they prevent wasted food and are great for saving money. I never understood why so many people were bothered by eating leftovers, but acted as though Thanksgiving dinner somehow produced magic, mystical leftovers that are physically different from others. No matter, though, we’re here to talk recipes and what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers. This being Thanksgiving Leftovers Week, we already covered grilled cheese, so now let’s get on board with a Thanksgiving burrito.
Leftovers utilized: turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin puree
Thanksgiving Leftovers Week: Cranberry Turkey Grilled Cheese
If Thanksgiving was held at your house, you likely have a ton of leftovers taking over your fridge. While Thanksgiving foods are undeniably delicious, you don’t necessarily want to eat Thanksgiving dinner every night for a week. That means it’s time to get creative!
I don’t normally include meats in my grilled cheese sandwiches. I feel like once you start adding too many ingredients it veers too close to panini territory (which are yummy but their own thing). However, in an effort to use up Thanksgiving leftovers I made an exception this time. I contemplated adding stuffing as well, but feared it would be too bready, and also would take too long to warm up in the middle, and result in burnt bread.
Leftovers utilized: turkey, cranberry sauce
Food 101: How To Make Basic Chicken/Turkey Gravy From The Pan
Thanksgiving is around the corner, so that means one thing is on most chef’s minds: turkey. Turkey is quintessential to a Thanksgiving meal, and yet where would it be without the sweet nectar that we know as gravy? That sauce made from pan drippings and spices can take any meat from good to awesome instantly, and it requires minimal effort to make in most cases. There’s a couple of slightly different ways to make it, but they all utilize the same basic ingredients and general preparation once you acquire the aforementioned drippings. Making gravy from scratch is easy and tastes a lot better than jar gravy, so it’s definitely a skill you should keep in your cooking holster.
The Poor Couple's Food Guide 
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