Virginia, As has been mentioned, the standard safe-recipe sited advise against canning pumpking puree. **BUT** when the last recipe in Carol's post above, Early American Pumpkin Butter, was posted on this forum a few years ago, the discussion made clear, at least to MY satisfaction, that there was every reason to consider this recipe an exception. I am sorry that I don't still have the thread saved, but I have a few notes and remember clearly that Roberts-Dominguez's credentials were very highly praised and even some very conservative canners on this forum were satisfied. (I note that Carol's version suggests reducing the sugar, whereas in the original it says very clearly NOT to do so, for safety rasons. My guess is that Carol made that note to herself, having decided she wasn't going to can it anyway.) I haven't made it myself yet (though I think I will this fall), and I am not a certified Master Preserver or anything. But I follow the safety debates on this forum and read the available info carefully, so I am just offering my two cents. I'll reproduce the recipe again, exactly as i cut and pasted it, with the canning instructions included. Good luck! Zabby Early American Pumpkin Butter Makes 5 pints This recipe makes a perfect holiday gift. The traditional spicing and hint of maple sweetness will enhance old-fashioned holiday meals. For food safety reasons, do NOT reduce the amount of sugar or syrup unless you plan to store the results in the refrigerator. 6 cups cooked sugar pumpkin puree (see instructions below; or two 29-ounce cans pumpkin 2 cups pure maple syrup (see note) 2 cups light corn syrup (see note) 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar (see note) 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground mace 1/4 teaspoon vanilla Put the pumpkin puree in a large, heavy-bottomed, nonaluminum pot; stir in the maple syrup and corn syrup. When these are thoroughly combined, add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace and vanilla. Set the pot over medium-high heat. When it begins to boil, partially cover it; the mixture will spatter profusely. Cook at a slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until it thickens and turns a darker color, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, wash 5 pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs. Ladle the hot butter into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes (20 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 feet; 25 minutes above 6,000 feet). To make pumpkin puree: Either bake or broil the fruit. Bake whole pumpkins on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven until softened and collapsed. (Be sure to poke holes in them first, or they will explode in the oven.) Scoop the pulp away from the peel. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor. Or, boil peeled chunks of fresh pumpkin until softened, then puree the cooked pulp. Note: Pumpkin is a low-acid food and needs this amount of sugar and syrup to make it safe to can by the boiling-water canner method. -- Adapted from "The Art of Accompaniment" by Jeffree Sapp Brooks Copyright 2003 Oregon Live. All Rights Reserved.

"Of course, the thing is, it depends on how you define "safe." That gave me a grin, Zabby. Never even thought of various levels of safe! I understand that canned pumpkin butter turning 'bad' is rare, and sickness or death caused by spoiled product is also a rarity. However... If I follow directions correctly, I do want to know that whatever I'm preparing is not going to make me or my family sick. Guaranteed. I think everyone expects the same. That is at least one reason some of us frequent this site, and probably the same for their site. There is no warning connected to instructions that says anything about a minute possibility of a small percentage of people falling ill after preparing and eating a canned Pumpkin Butter recipe, even when done correctly. Kraft is evidentially quite confident that it is safe. I hit 'reply' to the message I received above... This is the second message I sent: ................................................ Please note that I am NOT displeased with your recipe. It looks to have wonderful flavor and I'd love to be able to make it with confidence. However as I stated, I do have some serious concerns. Not one of the national canning institutes I have found recommend home canning pureed/mashed pumpkin or squash except you, and I can not figure out why. Can you guarantee me and the general public, that it is absolutely safe to make precisely as written on your site? Thank you so much for your time Crystal .............................. The reply back: Thank you for taking the time to visit us at http://www.kraftfoods.com/ and for letting me know about your experience. I know how disappointing it can be when a recipe doesn't turn out properly, and I'm sorry to hear that happened. I can assure you the recipe you received is correct as written. Our Kraft Kitchens Team thoroughly tests all of our recipes before they're published to ensure their accuracy. They may even take the extra step of having other members of the company review the recipes before they issue the final seal of approval. I hope this doesn't discourage you from trying one of the other recipes on our website, as I'm sure you'll find some great new ones that'll soon become family favorites! It was great hearing from you, and I encourage you to browse our website to take advantage of the great online food content that's available 24 hours a day! Kim McMiller Associate Director, Consumer Relations .............................. There ya go. It is safe, yes? But I still can't bring myself to make it. I'm still not understanding the whole picture. I'm not sure she was addressing MY question ...looking me in the eye, so to speak. It is safe in a 10 minute BWB but, NCHFP doesn't have a safe recipe to recommend to use with a pressure canner? Maybe it's not odd that one side won't gamble with my health but the other doesn't even blink. On the other hand, maybe they know more about the preservative powers of sugar and the correct amount to use than other canners do? I don't know.. they won't tell me. I've got to stop rambling on about this. It is so NOT like me ..so I give up. Frozen or canned cubed pumpkin it will be. Crystal

This is a recipe I have posted here before but it's quicker to re-post than to look it up. Because it's an old recipe, canning instructions are included. I added a note to refrigerate or freeze instead. Pumpkin butters, like pumpkin puree, will freeze very well. Spiced Pecan & Pumpkin Butter Pumpkin is one of the few things put up in cans that can be commended to even the fussiest cook. The butter is delectable on toast or any hot bread, or on pancakes, waffles, of French toast in place of syrup. It's also delicious over ice cream or frozen yogurt. If you have a fresh "pie" or sugar pumpkin-not a jack o' lantern variety, which will be both watery and stringy after cooking-prepare it by paring, cubing, and steaming until very tender (this can be done in a covered casserole in the oven), then pushing the flesh through a sieve or the fine disk of a food mill. If the pureed pumpkin is too moist-which it is if liquid quickly seeps from a sample spooned onto a plate-line a colander with cheesecloth and drain the puree for a hour or so. To make enough puree for this recipe, start with a good-sized pumpkin, say 5 pounds. Hard-fleshed winter squash (Hubbard, etc.) can be used instead of pumpkin; prepare it in the same way. Zest (outer peel only, no white pith) of 1 orange, or zest of 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon, removed in wide strips with a swivel peeler 1 large can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin plus 1/2 cup water, or 3-1/2 to 4 cups pumpkin puree prepared from scratch (see the headnote) 2 cups (packed) light brown sugar or 1-1/2 cups (packed) light brown sugar plus 1/2 cup mild honey or light corn syrup 3 tablespoons strained fresh orange juice 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Pinch of ground cloves 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and grated or very finely chopped Makes about 5 cups 1. Simmer the orange zest in 2 cups water in a sauce pan for 10 minutes, then drain it and mince it to a fine pulp. Measure out 1 tablespoon and reserve. 2. Combine in a heavy-bottomed stainless-steel or other nonreactive saucepan the pumpkin (and water, if canned pumpkin is used), orange zest, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, allspice ginger, and cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; lower the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring it very often with a wooden spatula, until it has become very thick, about 15 minutes. Sample the butter and add a little more of any or all of the spices, if you like (remember, the flavors will blossom in storage). Add more sweetening if your tastebuds request it. 3. Stir in the nuts and continue to cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Ladle the boiling-hot pumpkin butter into clean, hot half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Seal the jars with new 2-piece canning lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label, and store for up to a year a cool cupboard. [Note: Instead of canning refrigerate or freeze for long-term storage.] From: The Good Stuff Cookbook by Helen Witty Carol

I have had both good and bad pumpkin cheesecake. It is BF's favorite, so he makes it every year. I have made it too. I use the Cooking Light recipe. But anyhoo, the best pumpkin cheesecake I ever had was at a friends house who is something of a gourmet. She got the recipe from Cooks Illustrated. The secret was draining/drying the canned pumpkin, which I have done. I did mine with paper towels. It somehow makes the pumpkin less bitter. Here's a copy of Chris Kimball's directions: Spiced Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake �" 'The Squeeze Job' Many people have turned to making pumpkin cheesecake instead of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. And while Kimball recommends using pumpkin from a can instead of roasting your own, he also warns against a common, and serious, flaw in the store-bought variety. "The problem is, it has a lot of moisture in it, and you don't want that extra moisture in your cheesecake," Kimball says, "because it ruins your cheesecake. So, what do you do?" "The secret," Kimball says, "is the way we wick away the moisture." His technique calls for putting a triple layer of paper towels onto a baking sheet �" one that has sides, to catch the eventual runoff. The pumpkin goes from the can right onto the towels, where it's smeared around. "This is a great thing for kids," Kimball says. "They can make a big mess." Then Kimball puts more towels on top, and folds the whole thing in half, then folds again. As he does, he's patting the bundle, squeezing water and moisture out. Then he flips it over, and carefully peels back the top layer of paper. "This looks like one of those fruit rollups, doesn't it?" Kimball says. Repeatedly flipping the bundle and peeling back the top layer of paper, Kimball eventually uncovers the pumpkin mash �" now much denser and ready to be combined with the cream cheese, which he recommends taking out of the refrigerator at least one to two hours ahead of time. In another tip, Kimball says to use spices like cinnamon and allspice sparingly. But his recipe also uses plenty of white sugar and heavy cream. "There's no stinting," Kimball says. "Stinting is not a verb that's used at Thanksgiving. Absolutely not." When all is ready, he reveals the next trick to the cheesecake: baking it in a springform pan that sits in a water bath, so the entire cheesecake cooks evenly.