Pumpkin Butter

This recipe makes me want to bake a batch of homemade biscuits right NOW!!  It is that good!!  It cries out to be spread on a warm, moist homemade biscuit.  Can't you just see it!  Can't you just smell it!  Ahhh!

If you are adventuresome, you could buy a pie pumpkin, bake it and puree the pumpkin for this butter . . . BUT since I was in a hurry, I dashed to my local grocery store and bought a large can of canned pumpkin (not the pie mix pumpkin).  Besure to make sure you are getting pure pumpkin - you have to check the labels!

Another word of caution . . . this mixture has a tendency to splatter when cooking.  So make sure you are wearing long sleeves AND that there are no little ones around to get hot butter splatters on them.  Trust me . . .  IT BURNS!!

This recipe is from the Blue Ribbon Preserves cookbook by Linda J. Amendt. 

Pumpkin Butter

makes 6 half pint jars

3 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin (see note above)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
4 cups granulated white sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1 3 oz pouch liquid pectin.

In a 8 quart pan, combine the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.  Mix until smooth and blended.  Gradually stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Add the butter.

Over medium-low heat, stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved (again note above about splatters!!).  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the entire contents of the pectin.  Return to a boil again (watch for splatters!!).  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove pan from heat.

Ladle the hot butter into hot jars, leaving about 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe the jar rims and threads with clean, damp cloth.  Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings.  Process half pint jars in hot water bath for 10 minutes.  For pint jars, process for 15 minutes.

This is so good - now to find a good biscuit recipe!