Pumpkin Butter

After roasting two big sugar pumpkins I was left with a pile of inner goodness.

A quick turn of the immersion blender and the innards were turned in to smooth puree.

Taking about 3 1/2 cups of puree and heating on the stove with sugars and spices, I simmered the mix for about 30 minutes and ended up with mouth watering pumpkin butter.  What is pumpkin butter?  It contains no butter, but could be called a sweet, pumpkin-flavored butter substitute.  You can spread it on toast, pancakes, waffles, apple slices....  If you're too lazy to make it yourself, you can always pay $11 for a small jar at Williams-Sonoma or $7 for an even smaller jar at Sur La Table.  Thus, I recommend you make it from scratch and save some cash. 

The occasional stirring on the stove and your house filling with the smell of warm, spicy pumpkin is worth it.  Both of my kids couldn't eat their afternoon snack of toast and pumpkin butter fast enough.  Both asked for more.

The best part of this recipe?  You'll have some extra for friends or neighbors.  I already have a list of recipients that will receive some pumpkin butter in the coming weeks.  Cross your fingers that you're on that list!

Jodi's Pumpkin Butter
30 oz fresh pumpkin puree (about 3 1/2c) or one large can of pumpkin puree.
3/4 c. apple juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Juice from a large lemon wedge

Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugars in saucepan and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil and stir often to avoid burning.  Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the mixture has thickened a bit. Stir frequently and stir in lemon juice.

Once mixture has cooled, pumpkin butter should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.