I am a great grandmother and have been canning for over 40 years. I have two brown turkey fig trees in my yard in central Florida. My preserves are raved about in 4 states when I have enough to share, I have never sold them. I use equal parts of sugar and figs, nothing else - cup of sugar to cup of fruit (this is how my grandmother did it) When the figs are extra large, I cut them in half, but never dice or chop them. When the preserves are ready for the jars they will begin to get transparent, the syrup will be about as thick as honey. I use hot sterilized jars, boil my lids and rings, dipping the hot preserves in the jars as you do tomatoes when you hot pack them. Be sure you clean the top of the jar with a clean hot wet cloth before putting the lid and ring on the jar. Always turn the filled jars upside down, placing a towel over the finished jars to let them cool. Never tighten the jars again once they are cooled, you will break your seal. Once they are cool enough to pick them up with your bare hands, turn them right side up, keeping a cloth over them until they are completely cold, usually overnight and you will hear that famous click showing they have sealed. I have never lost a jar to mold, etc. Another hint, as you pick your figs, wash them, stem them let them air dry, then place them in a zip seal bag in the freezer. Since I don't like heating my kitchen in the summer, I wait until fall/early winter to do my preserves.

Imagine 1 1/2 cups of refined cane sugar in one pie, Gardenlad. A Libby pie is beautiful and tasty but substituting a lovely flavorful squash from the garden wouldnÂt be excessive or unnecessary. Even if, or especially if, one reduces the refined sugar in preparation. (No guilt on gilding any lily, here ;o) As regards kabocha, I am so totally unfamiliar with growing and utilizing this squash. We have tried a couple of varieties with very limited success (season may be too short, nights too cool). Blue Hubbards have done okay but, perhaps for the same reasons, not especially well. So, we return happily each year to buttercups and harvest this season could be measured by the wheelbarrow. I realize that the terms "pumpkin" and "squash" cannot be directly related to species; as you point out, forms of several are called pumpkins. "100% pure pumpkin" says the Libby web site. Then they refer to "a special variety of pumpkin called the Dickinson." But, it looks as tho the Dickinson is a C. moschata rather than C. pepo (Jack oÂlanterns). IÂve used C. moschata butterNUTs and certainly donÂt prefer them to C. maxima butterCUPs. Taste is subjective, however. Steve Here is a link that might be useful: Llibby Llabel

I received my wonderful box from Jeanette! It was full to the brim with bright orange and black wrapped surprises! I got: a wonderful Halloween kitchen towel. I love to change my kitchen towels for the season and didn't have a Halloween-themed one - thanks! a cute pumpkin votive candle holder with a scented candle in it a black and orange paper lantern a wonderfully scented potpurri mix a halloween wind sock a spider web wine/champagne goblet (so cute!) a spider on a spring a silver starred Halloween hat (sorry Jeanette - no digital camera to take a picture - my daughter kept saying "you're not going to wear that in front of my friends are you? - LOL!" a spooky hanging ghosty that emits an eeery sound - scares the daylights out of my little dog......... mummy's passion fruit tea bags and a ghost tin of chocolate kisses (oops all gone - how did that happen he he) Thanks Jeanette! Sue G.

Here are three, Tried and True recipes. Ann Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pumpkin Loaf ============ 3 Cups sugar 1 Cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 3-1/3 Cups flour 2 Teaspoons salt 2 Teaspoons cinnamon (or to taste) 1 Teaspoon nutmeg 2 Teaspoons baking soda 2 Cups pumpkin 2/3 Cup water 3 Teaspoons Vanilla 2 bags chocolate chips. . Mix sugar, oil and eggs together, add pumpkin and vanilla. Set aside. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Blend into sugar mixture alternately with water. Bake at 350 for 1 hour if using large loaf pans, or for 50 minutes if using smaller loaf pans. Spray pans with Butter flavoured Pam. NOTE: The original recipe called for nuts (pecans or walnuts) which I used. Then I tried it with both nuts and chocolate chips, before settling on just chocolate chips. I use two bags of good quality chocolate chips. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pumpkin Roll ============ 3 Eggs 1 Cup sugar 2/3 Cup pumpkin 1 Teaspoon lemon juice ¾ c flour 2 Teaspoons cinnamom 1 Teaspoon ginger 1 Teaspoon baking powder 1 Teaspoon baking soda ½ tsp nutmeg 1 Cup chopped nuts Filling 1 Cup powdered sugar 8 Ounces cream cheese 4 Tablespoons Butter 1 Teaspoon vanilla . Beat eggs 5 minutes at high speed, adding the sugar, until foamy. Fold in pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg. Fold into egg mixture. Spread onto well greased and floured 15 X 10 X 1 inch jellyroll pan. Top with nuts. Bake at 375 degree for 15 minutes. While hot , turn cake onto a pastry cloth sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll in pastry cloth and let cool. Beat together filling ingredients. Unroll cake, remove cloth and spread filling on cake. Roll filling inside cake. Let stand until cold. Slices better when frozen, freeze, then remove for several minutes before cutting. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ================== Pumpkins! They are everywhere now! I once heard that the white ones make the best pumpkin pie, but have never heard it confirmed. Can anyone comment on this and the merits of one variety of pumpkin over another for assorted uses? While I like the idea of cooking and pureeing my own pumpkin for pies, I wonder how much difference it really makes. Any comments? Posted by Eileen, (Browntoestoo) My favorite pumpkin pie recipe is one I found in Bon Appetit: Favourite Pie crust recipe or 1 Buttermilk Pie Crust Dough disk 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin 1 cup whipping cream 3/4 cup pure maple syrup 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon natural maple flavor 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Pinch of salt For Maple Whipped Cream: 1 cup chilled whipping cream 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup . Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll pie crust disk out on lightly floured surface to 13-inch-diameter round (about 1/8 inch thick). Roll up dough on rolling pin and transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie plate. Gently press into place. Trim edges of crust, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold excess under. Crimp edges. Freeze until crust is firm, about 15 minutes. Line pie crust with foil, leaving 3-inch overhang. Fill foil with beans or pie weights. Fold extra foil gently over crust edges. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Cool pie crust slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Whisk all remaining ingredients (except Maple Whipped Cream) to blend in bowl. Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling is set, covering crust edges with foil if browning too quickly, about 55 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.) Cut pie into wedges and serve with Maple Whipped Cream. To make Maple Whipped Cream: Whip cream with syrup in large bowl until soft peaks form. Makes about 2 cups. Serves 8.