Mashed Pumpkin Potatoes

With Halloween swiftly approaching, and the abundance of pumpkin patches and pumpkin festivals going on, I thought I'd try my hand at a pumpkin too. While I normally buy pumpkins for their seeds and then to carve, this year I carved the inside instead.
Scooping out the seeds first (and then baking them yum), I then scooped out the majority of the inside of the pumpkin. Trying to decide what to make with this, considering it is most commonly used for pumpkin pie and I am not very good at baking, I decided to go with something savory. I did a little research on the internet trying to find some good recipes but most of the stuff that came up was all about deserts or breads. Finally I found something I wanted, Mashed Pumpkin Potatoes.

Here's the recipe from Recipe Zaar that I based my version on.
(I only used one potato, and I used cheese instead of bacon and onions, so feel free to find your own variation).Oh, and this leaves out seasonings, but don't forget that. Nutmeg and cinnamon will go well with this savory dish and always top with salt and pepper!

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 medium onion, small dice
• 2 slices Canadian bacon, small dice
• cooking spray
• 2-4 tablespoons evaporated skim milk
• 1-2 tablespoon butter (optional)

Directions

1. In a large sauce pan cover potatoes and pumpkin with water. Bring to boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, 6-10 minutes.
2. While potato/pumpkins are cooking. Sauté onions and Canadian bacon in a non-stick pan prepared with a bit of cooking spray about 3-4 minutes. Onions should should be tender and golden. If the pan gets dry while cooking, sprinkle a bit of water into the pan.
3. Drain potatoes and pumpkin and return to pan. Lower heat to the lowest flame possible. Mash by with a potato masher, mixer or immersion blender. Add milk and butter to thin a bit and make mash creamier.
4. Mix in the onions & bacon.