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Home › Articles › Holiday: Halloween › Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Not Just for Jack-o-lanterns Anymore!

By Donna Smith

Pages:  1  2  

Toast Those Seeds!
Toasted pumpkin seeds make wonderful snacks the whole family will enjoy. After you remove the seeds from your pumpkin, rinse them well and then dry by laying them on a kitchen towel and blotting them with another towel. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Put the cleaned and dried seeds on a cookie sheet. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over seeds and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Spread the seeds into a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, about one hour. Cool, then enjoy!

Are you thinking you might give pumpkin a try, but you're not sure if your kids will eat it? The sweet, creamy texture of pumpkin may appeal to even the pickiest eater. Make the meal fun by serving it out of the hollowed out pumpkin shell. Mini-pumpkins also make wonderful serving dishes. If you make it fun, kids will eat it! Pumpkins are also inexpensive, which is another great reason to give one a try.

Pumpkin Carving Tips

  • Select a pumpkin that has a nice shape and that does not have nicks or bruises.
  • Cover your work area with a few layers of newspapers for easy clean up.
  • When cutting around the pumpkin stem, slant the knife inward so when you put the "lid" back on, it will not fall into the pumpkin.
  • Leave at least a 1-inch wall on the pumpkin after scooping out the flesh and seeds.
  • For simple faces, draw directly on the pumpkin with a marker, then cut along the lines with a sharp knife.
  • For more intricate patterns, draw the design on a sheet of white paper. Mark the design on the pumpkin by pushing toothpicks along your drawn pattern into the pumpkin. Cut along the toothpick marks.
  • The bottom of the pumpkin can be removed instead of cutting around the stem on top. Simply place the candle on a small plate and set the pumpkin on top.
  • If you are not comfortable using a candle, a small flashlight can be used.
  • Rub the cut areas of the pumpkin with a layer of petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. This will keep the pumpkin from drying out as quickly.


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