Today, Michelle Stern of What’s Cooking shares a how-to on using fresh pumpkin to make your own pumpkin puree, a fabulous recipe for chocolate chunk pumpkin bread, and tips for engaging your kids to help out in the kitchen.
From Michelle:

With all of the talk about eating local these days, I thought some of you might be curious about how to turn your locally grown pumpkins into something edible. It's a snap, especially if you have already hacked one open to roast the seeds anyway. For optimal flavor, use sugar pie pumpkins (they are round and small); alternatively, you could use a regular pumpkin and add brown sugar to taste.

How To Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut out the top of your pumpkin and clean out all seeds and strings from inside. Reserve seeds.

2. Slice pumpkin vertically into 3 inch wide strips. Place strips onto a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, until pumpkin is soft.

3. Once done, scrape the pumpkin from the skins, then beat with a mixer or puree in a food processor until smooth.

Save The Seeds

The seeds can be used either to plant pumpkins next year, or roasted to eat this year! Place them in a bowl of water and rub them between your hands to remove orange bits. Pick out the orange pieces that are floating, and discard them. Drain the water and spread the seeds on a dish towel or paper towel to dry…and voila! They are ready for next year’s planting or to roast.

Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin Bread

Once you have your puree made, try this amazing recipe. It’s scary how fast it will disappear! Also, you can make muffins out of the batter if you want them to cook faster or if you like smaller portions. Just adjust the baking time accordingly (start checking around 15 minutes).

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs

1 cup mashed cooked fresh pumpkin

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended. Set aside.

2. Beat eggs, pumpkin, sugars, milk, and oil in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Stir in chopped chocolate.

3. Pour mixture into a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Cut into slices to serve.

CALL THE KIDS:

Measure cinnamon and nutmeg.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

Crack eggs (in a separate bowl, so it is easier to fish out stray egg shells).

Measure sugar, brown sugar, milk, and oil.

With adult supervision, use a hand mixer to blend eggs, pumpkin, sugars, milk, and oil.

Fold wet and dry ingredients together until combined.

Nutrition: Yield: 15 servings. Per serving: 253.6 calories; 28% calories from fat; 8.6g total fat; 35.5mg cholesterol; 239.9mg sodium; 141.7mg potassium; 41.8g carbohydrates; 0.8g fiber; 20.8g sugar; 41.0g net carbs; 4.4g protein.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If your kids are like Laurel, Halloween can’t come soon enough. Here are some free Halloween picks to get the party started early this weekend: West End Halloween Parade (Boston; Saturday). Eighth Annual Pumpkin Float (Boston; Saturday), Ghoulish Gathering (Cambridge; Saturday), Witches Night Out! (Newburyport; tonight), and Halloween Fair (Newton; Saturday).
Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well, I tried to oblige your requests for photos...

She hates cameras.

Here, Petunia shows off her cookie-dough face.

She has taken Bella's seat.

 

Which makes me miss Bella's silky coat.

 

But we do realize nothing is certain but change.

 

Halloween 2004

 

Halloween 2005

Halloween 2006

 

Halloween 2007

 

Halloween 2008

Halloween 2009

My dad used to tell me, “A book is your only friend.” A tad extreme in my opinion, but if you feel even vaguely in agreement with that statement, you’ll probably want to stop by the inaugural Boston Book Festival this Saturday, October 24 (10am – 6pm). Spread across the Boston Public Library, Old South Church, Trinity Church, and Copley Square, this free festival will feature 90 authors and presenters, exhibitors, live entertainment, and special programming for kids & teens.

"Her face looks like cookie dough," she said, holding her fingers out to the cat who had her own room in the shelter. "If she were mine, I'd name her Cookie Dough."

I'd already checked and found she was declawed. I was hopeful. The little angel hadn't gravitated toward any cat in three shelters and five hours since Bella passed away.  "This could be your cat," I said.

And so we adopted Petunia Cookie Dough, who came to live with us. She now sleeps at our feet in our bed, sits with us while we read books at night to the little angel, sprawls on the kitchen floor while we eat, never more than five feet away from the closest family member.

She is a lap cat. A lover. A sweetheart. And if we hadn't adopted her, she would be dead by now.

We adopted her from a kill shelter when she had been there for nine months. That was in July-ish. She would've been dead by now if we hadn't brought her home.

She is one of the sweetest cats I have ever known.

And sometimes, when I look at her late at night, I realize that she knows that we saved her.

She knows she is home.

If you’re looking for ways to improve the eco-friendliness of your diapering routine, consider the bamboo baby wipes and diaper rash ointment by locally operated Bum Boosa. Today, Jules and Evadne share a joint review of these products. Read on for their reviews, as well as to learn how to be one of three winners to receive a Bum Boosa gift basket (entry closes at midnight, October 23):

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From Jules:

“Bum Boosa natural baby wipes are terrific for eco-minded parents; they're 100% biodegradable, flushable, and are made from bamboo, a sustainable natural resource. The wipes are super soft; softer than the brand name wipes I was using prior to Bum Boosa. And I love the silky texture of the diaper rash ointment, which is composed of finely ground bamboo powder, zinc oxide, vitamin E (oil that we use in our home for its healing properties), and other essential oils. The cream is really thick and I have been using it more as a protective agent on my babies. (Admittedly, I also recently used a little bit as hand cream and it worked great!)

In addition to providing environmentally conscious products, Bum Boosa plants a tree for every wipes package purchase. We should all strive to do our part so well!”

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From Evadne:

“Although I have noticed the rise in bamboo products on the market (everything from sunglasses to furniture to kitchen utensils), I must confess that I never knew what the big deal was. Then I tried Bum Boosa baby wipes.

Bum Boosa baby wipes are made with 100% bamboo pulp, organic aloe vera, and pure essential oils of lavender and sweet orange. The pleasant-smelling oils provide antiseptic and anti-inflammatory benefits, and the bamboo fibers make the wipes especially soft and moist (though I found them a tad on the thin side and also wish they were sized bigger). I’m impressed by how gentle these wipes are on my little ones' bottoms and how gentle they are on the earth.

Not only are Bum Boosa baby wipes biodegradeable (read: flushable!) but, because they use bamboo instead of the industry standard of tree pulp, cotton, or synthetic material, they save trees and water in their production. In fact, bamboo seems uniquely designed for production and harvesting. The plant is regenerative (doesn't need to be replanted), sustainable (grows at least a yard a day), has naturally occurring anti-microbial properties (so crops don't need fertilizer, chemicals, insecticides, or fungicides), and can flourish on rainwater alone (no irrigation required). Bamboo even has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that inspired Bum Boosa to launch their latest product - a diaper rash ointment made with bamboo powder (love the fine texture and the smell)!

Last but not least, with each purchase of bamboo wipes, Bum Boosa ensures that a tree is planted through its partnership with Trees for the Future. Isn't it heartening to know that you can still do some good for the environment, even if you have two little ones in diapers (like me)? I guess that is a pretty big deal.”

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winners Felicia, Amanda, & Sierra!
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Now, want to be one of three winners to receive a Bum Boosa gift basket? Here's how:

Visit the Bum Boosa store locator page, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘Bum Boosa’ in the subject), and name a store where you can purchase Bum Boosa products (other than their online shop).

One entry permitted per person; US residents welcome to enter.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Friday, October 24, 2009.

*Three lucky winners (drawn via Random.org) will receive a Bum Boosa gift basket including three packages of 80 count wipes, one 2 oz container of diaper rash ointment, and one 10 ml bottle of pure grade lavender essential oil ($39.99 value each).

This week I had the pleasure chatting with NPR Tell Me More host Michel Martin, Tell Me More regular parenting contributors Jolene Ivey and Dannette Tucker, and Friend or Foe advice columnist Lucinda Rosenfeld about the complicated issue of what to do when your friend’s kids act like bratzillas. To get to the interview, click here then select the Beware of Bratzillas title to access the audiocast. Enjoy!

You guys have totally got me about the Mominatrix t-shirt thing. I need to just suck it up and get Beloved to take the picture. I felt a little silly asking him to do it, I admit. Not because he doesn't like the shirt or doesn't like the site, but because I'm asking him to take a picture of me attempting to look halfway decent in a t-shirt on a Sunday afternoon. Sometimes I wonder what my family thinks of how into my blogerific life I actually am.

Actually, I am afraid to ask. I'm pretty sure they think I am a huge nerd, possibly trending to a narcissistic nerd. I mean, seriously? If you showed blog posts to someone in 1974, they'd be all WTFDOYOUTHINKYOUAREDOINGFOOL? Why do you have a photo of only your eyeballs on a computer? Or a cartoon version of yourself? WTFWTFWTF????????

The writing never bothers me. Promoting the writing never bothers me. Trying to take a decent photo of myself bothers me, because I either look unnaturally posed or matronly. That's why I have changed my profile picture on this blog twice since it became a photo of me and not of the little angel (back in the anonymous days of 2004 and 2005). The first one was taken by my professional photographer friend and the second was a desperate camera-phone attempt to make sure people knew I was me at BlogHer and not a bobbed, glasses-wearing, two-years-younger version of myself.

So. There you have it. I am a big wienie when it comes to having my photograph taken unless I trust the photographer has editing skillz. Which I totally do not.

But I will work on getting that t-shirt thing spelled forward. I can't believe I was so worried about getting the photo done I didn't even think about the laws of science. Kids? Are you listening?

Poor customer service is perplexing, frustrating, and amazingly rampant in the retail industry, so I’m always thrilled to discover a store – such as Marathon Sports – that does it right. In need of a new pair of running shoes in advance of the Gobble, Gobble, Gobble run, I visited Marathon Sports with Laurel on Sunday. I was approached immediately (in a good way) by a friendly staffer, and after observing my feet and walking gait (in socks, pants rolled up) and asking about brand preferences, the staffer made easy work of the sea of sneaker options on the wall and pulled his two top recommendations, the second of which fit beautifully and felt great as I test trotted around the store.
I have walked by the flagship Cambridge location countless times, but this was my first time visiting the store (they also have locations in Boston, Brookline, Melrose, Norwell, and Wellesley). Remarkably, Laurel and I were in and out of Marathon Sports in 10 minutes (a major bonus since it’s not always easy doing errands like this with kids in tow). I’m still amazed that in that short time, the staff was able to put their knowledge and experience to excellent use, while offering personal attention and support as I prepare for my first race.

Yesterday, I hit the 30 minute run mark for the first time in my new sneakers. I have a feeling I'll be logging a lot more miles in these (and future) shoes from Marathon Sports.