Still have leftover pumpkins?

The day after Thanksgiving I still had two pumpkins sitting around, the one below was not all that pretty on the outside but I decided to bake it anyway. For my dog (more on this below). I had to chop this one into thirds it was so large.

I like to put them in the pan and put the pan in the oven and then add some water to the bottom. This way I'm not splashing or dropping anything.


Once they are cooked - baked at 350 degrees for about an hour) I use a ladle to remove some water from the pan (pumpkins will create some water as they cook) so it's again not too heavy for me to carry.

I use a bamboo skewer to test if they are done. If I can easily puncture the skin then they are well cooked.

I use a large spoon to scoop the meat out into a bowl (or bowls) and I can store it in the fridge until it gets used up.

Some of this pumpkin (I actually cooked two pumpkins) was made into some lovely pumpkin bread with dried cranberries, but the rest is going to the dogs...er...make that dog. I first heard about dogs and pumpkin from my aunt who feeds hers canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just pureed pumpkin) as recommended by her vet.

Some reading online says that it is a great source of fiber for both cats and dogs, but be sure to feed it to them in small doses (we are talking teaspoons) or they can get toxic levels of vitamin A. Also make sure it is well cooked and if the texture is too thick, make sure to puree it. It's a popular ingredient in homemade dog treats so that may be the best way to feed it to your pet in moderation.

And please make sure to do your own research before feeding your pets since I'm not a pet health care professional and limited in my own knowledge and research.