We never got around to carving our Halloween pumpkins, but they are still looking fresh, so after school today we are going to make the most of them. Here are some ideas that I found for doing just that:

  • Turn the empty pumpkin into a planter by setting a container of mums inside.
  • Roast the rinsed, clean pumpkin seeds with some oil and spices for a yummy, healthy treat.
  • Cut up your pumpkin and put it in a place away from your house where wildlife can enjoy it. Deer love it and the birds will be happy to have the seeds.
  • Making pumpkin puree is easier than I thought, scoop out the seeds and guts and place the pumpkin cut side down in a baking dish with about a cup of water and bake it for about 90 minutes until it gets tender. Scoop out the flesh and puree it in a blender or food processor. Easy-peasy, and it can be frozen for pumpkin pies later!
  • Make pumpkin butter for toast and biscuits by putting 2 cups of that delish puree into a saucepan with a cup of brown sugar and a cup of water or apple cider, then add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom and a pinch of salt. Stir it up, bring it to a boil, let it cool and jar it up for the refrigerator. It makes a great topping for pancakes and oatmeal too.
  • I like to make a pasta dish with small shells, a tomato based sauce, some of the fresh pumpkin and other fresh veggies. Then I serve it out of the hollowed out pumpkin shell after brushing it with some oil, seasoning it, and baking it on a cooking sheet at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. It looks awesome and smells so good!

Any more suggestions for leftover pumpkins? Comment on our fan Page or tweet #pumpkin

Tip: Clean up the guts as soon as you can, once they dry they are a drag!

Celeste

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