If your family is heading out to a pumpkin patch this year, be sure to ask if you can buy some sugar pumpkins for cooking. While canned pumpkin is certainly an easier choice, making your own pumpkin puree isn't that much work. The hardest part is cutting the pumpkin. But, surprise! You can use your carving tools to cut out the top and cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds -- roast them if you like, and scrape out the stringy stuff. Roast the pumpkin halves at about 350 to 400 degrees with the cut sides down and about a cup of water added to the pan. Pick a cool evening, since the roasting will take at least an hour and possibly longer. When the flesh is very tender, scoop it out and puree it in the food processor. It freezes well.

Here are some delicious muffins to make with your puree.

Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

¼ cup well-shaken buttermilk

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped pitted dates (about 4 ounces)

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (about 3 ounces)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. and grease a dozen ½-cup muffin cups.

Melt butter and cool slightly. In a bowl whisk together butter, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Into a large bowl sift together flours, baking powder, spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk in brown sugar. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add pumpkin mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in dates and divide batter among cups. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over batter in each cup and bake muffins in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and a tester comes out clean. Cool muffins in cups 5 minutes and turn out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 muffins

Source: Gourmet November 1997, via www.epicurious.com