If you haven't found the your pumpkin either for decorating your front steps or for making pumpkin puree, try heading out to Peoria, Illinois and I'll bet you can find pumpkin perfection thereabouts.

The University of Illinois reports that 90 percent of pumpkins grown in the United States are all grown within a 90 mile radius of Peoria. Can you imagine how beautiful the fields must be at harvest time? About 99 percent of all pumpkins sold are used for decorations and not for eating, so they are often overlooked as an excellent food source. The beautiful orange colored gourds are chockablock full of antioxidants (alpha and beta carotenes), Vitamins A, C, K and E and magnesium, potassium and iron.

In doing the research for this column, I also found that pumpkins were once thought to be a treatment for removing freckles as well as a treatment for snakebites. Never have been bitten by a snake (I give those critters a very wide berth), but the freckle treatment sure could have come in handy about 60 years ago.

As a child, my two older sisters taunted me constantly about my freckles and whispered in my ear that they were put there by pigeons, as in pigeon poop. (Yes, I do know this is a cooking column!)

My beloved mother (who is fast approaching her 90th birthday and still offers her wisdom and love freely) cured the freckle stigma by sitting the three of us down and explaining that the older girls were dead wrong — freckles were actually kisses from the angels. Do I have a wonderful mom or what?

When selecting a pumpkin for cooking, look for the varieties specifically grown for eating, not for decorating or carving into a Jack O'Lantern.

Well known eating varieties of pumpkins are often labeled sugar pumpkins, pie pumpkins or Baby Pam pumpkins. (I have also come across some labeled New England pie pumpkins.) This type is smallish in size (usually 2-5 pounds) and more round in shape.

Select those that feel heavy for their size and are without soft spots. To prepare pumpkin puree for cooking, pierce the skin of the pumpkin with a sharp knife in several spots and put the whole pumpkin on a baking sheet.

Place in a preheated 350 F oven for an hour or so or until a knife inserted into the flesh goes in easily with little resistance. Let cool; cut in half and scoop out the seeds (save for recipe below) and any stringy stuff, which is usually minimal in this type of pumpkin.

Puree the soft flesh, and then it's ready to use in your favorite recipe. Yes, this is some extra work when you are busy during the holidays, so don't feel guilty if you resort to canned pumpkin — it's quick, easy and also delicious.

To prepare the seeds for roasting, remove any bits of pumpkin and any of that aforementioned "stringy stuff" and wipe seeds dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl and add a bit of vegetable oil and your choice of seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.) and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and bake in a preheated 250 F oven for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 or 15 minutes. The finished product is crunchy, delicious and seriously addictive.

MAPLE GLAZED PUMPKIN SCONES

FOR THE SCONES:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup raw pecans, lightly toasted and finely chopped, divided use

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup low fat milk (I used 1-1/2%)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

FOR THE GLAZE:

1 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or more as needed for right consistency)

To prepare the scones: Combine flour, about 3/4 of the chopped walnuts, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl; whisk together.

Cut butter into the dry ingredients with pastry blender or fork. Add pumpkin, milk and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly incorporated. (Use very clean hands to knead the last of the flour into the dough.) Form dough into a circle 1 inch thick and using a sharp knife, cut into 8 wedges. Separate slices; place on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake in a preheated 425 F oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.

To prepare the glaze: Combine sugar, salt, butter and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk until blended. Add maple syrup and whisk until smooth and creamy. Drizzle glaze generously over the scones and immediately sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans. Yield: 8 scones.

COCONUT PUMPKIN TEA BREAD

5 large eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin puree

2 cups sugar

1-1/4 cups vegetable oil

3 cups all purpose flour

2 pkgs. (3.4 oz. each) instant coconut pudding mix

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

3/4 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Combine eggs and pumpkin in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add sugar and oil; mix well.

Combine the flour, pud­ding mixes, cinnamon, baking soda and nutmeg in a separate bowl and whisk to blend; add to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts.

Transfer to three greased and floured 8 by 4 by 2-inch loaf pans. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 60-65 minutes or until a tester inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Freezes well. Yield: 3 loaves.

PUMPKIN TRUFFLES

2-1/2 cups white chocolate chunks, divided use

1/3 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 oz. cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces

Melt 1/2 cup of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; add gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, salt and cream cheese and beat on medium low speed of electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a shallow bowl; cover and chill 2 hours or just until firm enough to roll into balls.

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Melt remaining 2 cups white chocolate in double boiler pan; transfer to a small, deep bowl. Roll 1 heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture into a ball in your hands, then drop into the chocolate. Working quickly, gently spoon chocolate over to coat. Using a small spoon or fork, lift the truffle out of the chocolate; gently shake off excess and transfer to prepared sheet pan. Spoon a bit of extra chocolate on any parts that remain exposed; sprinkle a few gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs over the top. Repeat with remaining pumpkin mixture and chocolate. Chill truffles 1 hour or until chocolate is completely set. Yield: about 30 candies. (Note: Store truffles in the fridge.)