How to Use Your Carved Pumpkins
Did you know that in the United States, over 1 billion pounds of pumpkins are tossed out each year? That is 1 billion pounds thrown into landfills every year! That’s an absolutely crazy number to me. How can you do your part to cut back on this?
Pumpkins are worth far more than just throwing them away, so let’s talk about how to use your carved pumpkins after Halloween has ended. These tips will help you make a difference and you can put these pumpkins to good use!
How to Use Your Carved Pumpkins
Roast The Seeds
Don’t throw those seeds out!! Have you ever had roasted pumpkin seeds? They are delicious! There are different ways to roast them so check out some recipes and find your favorites!
Use The Stringy Insides for Broth
You can use the stringy insides of the pumpkin to create a vegetable broth. Broth like this can be saved in the freezer to be used later. It’s delicious and makes a great base or addition to your favorite fall soups.
Use it to Make Pumpkin Flavored Goodies
I can’t be the only one who loves enjoying some pumpkin flavored goodies during the fall months. I like to use the pumpkins in all ways that I can to make pumpkin muffins, brownies, pancakes, coffee cakes and so much more. YUM!!
Compost It
Composting is a great way to make sure your unused food doesn’t go to waste. If you have a garden, you will be amazed at how much composting can help your crops grow.
One fun way to use your pumpkin in a composting type way is to use the pumpkin as a planter. While the pumpkin breaks down, it adds nutrients to the plant it is housing and helps it to grow
Pumpkin Everything Tees from Jane – Just $13.99!
Can we all use some fun tees like this in our Back to School wardrobe? Yes please! These graphic tees are so trendy right now! These are just so much fun! I just love the sayings – especially for fall and Back to School – something for everyone!
Hurry and get yours because they are gone when they are gone! Grab one before they sell out!
Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic: Free Pumpkin Carving Demonstration on October 8th!
Looking for something fun and fall themed to do with the kids? Mark your calendars for the Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic on October 8th! Kids can watch a pumpkin carving demonstration and receive a free apron, goggles, and patch just for participating!
Registration for this free clinic opens October 3rd.
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Bright orange pumpkins seem like the perfect fall squash. As we end October a variety of pumpkins have make their appearances and whether they become a jack-o lantern or a pie they are equally delightful. With the baking trend to make almost anything from bread to cookies out of pumpkins, there is no limit to recipes you can try. My college room mate even used to make some sort of pumpkin and spaghetti dish! All of these fun and sometimes exotic pumpkin recipes are waiting to grace your pallet this fall if you will just give them a try.
In our garden each year we tend to grow more than our fair share of pumpkins. Just how to use all these pumpkins is something I think about. I hate to admit it but often they are used for decoration until they rot. My kids then enjoy having a pumpkin smashing fest in the garden. When each pumpkin has been completely demolished, we then till them back into the pumpkin patch and let nature go to work. By the next fall we usually have another large pumpkin patch.
This year I was determined to do something more with our pumpkins. So I decided to try to make my own pumpkin puree to use in all the goodies I plan on baking. It is simpler than it sounds to make pumpkin puree and eliminates the need to purchase the canned pumpkin full of preservatives. Which makes me feel like I am giving my family something a little more healthy to eat. I just try not to think about any of the sugar, chocolate chips or whip cream I may be adding to them. 😉
Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Step 1. Start with a small pie pumpkin. You can find these in the produce section of your local grocery store.
Step 2. Clean the outside of the pumpkin by wiping it down with a damp cloth.
Step 3. Cut each pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds.
Step 4. Place flesh side down on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
Step 5. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until the insides are soft.
Step 6. Let cool until you can easily handle the pumpkins.
Step 7. Scoop out the inside of the squash with a large spoon. It should separate easily from the outer skin.
Step 8. Take the insides and blend with a blender, or mash them by hand until smooth.
Step 9. Store in freezer bags or containers in pre-measured amounts that will easily transfer to your recipes. I store mine in one cup containers. Mark them with the date and freeze until you need them for cooking.
Trick for a Treat : Pumpkins and Spice
The countdown to Halloween has begun. Putting up the final decorations, stocking the candy bowl and roasting pumpkin seeds may be on your agenda this week. There are only a few days left to put the finishing touches on Halloween this year. The children are excited to wear their costumes and the jack-o-lanterns have been carved.
If your pumpkins have already been carved, you may notice a squash like smell graces the front porch of your home. It’s an interesting earthy smell that reminds me of fall and Halloween. However sometimes it can be a little over powering. If you find this to be true at your home here is a simple trick you can use to create yourself a treat.
Take some powdered cinnamon and rub it on the lid of your jack-o-lantern. When you light the candle tonight, the aroma of cinnamon and pumpkin will fill the air. As the neighborhood visits your home this instead of being welcomed by the smell of three day old squash, they will be greeted with the welcoming smells of pumpkin pie.
Tips To Keep Your Pumpkins Smiling
As Halloween draws closer dots of bright orange have begun to fill our neighborhood. Pumpkins gathered from their patches or the local grocery stores are just waiting to be given some personality. Soon spooky and friendly jack-o-lantern faces will begin to make their appearances. Each to decorate and light the night know as Halloween. Before gracing them with their faces read on for a few tips to make the most of this year’s pumpkin carving tradition.
Where to Start
In order to make your pumpkin last a little longer always start with a clean pumpkin. Clean the surface by taking a few paper towels and giving them a quick wipe down with a mild cleaner like Windex Multi Surface Cleaner or vinegar. Taking the time to clean your pumpkin will help remove dirt and germs from it’s surface. Eliminating as many germs as possible will prevent them from spreading during in the carving process. Preventing germs from spreading will help your pumpkin to live a little longer.
Top or Bottom
If your looking for a traditional pumpkin lid, it is best to start at the top. Make sure to use a knife or cutting utensil with a serrated edge. Cut at a forty five degree angle in a circular direction. When the circle is complete the top should pop of easily.
For a not so traditional approach try cutting a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin. Follow the same tips above, making sure to cut a larger enough hole to gut the pumpkin from. This will give your jack-o-lantern a seamless look and keep the top from caving in.
Mold and Dehydration
All carved pumpkins are subject to mold and dehydration. These are two reasons jack-o-lanterns lose their grins so quickly. To help keep a freshly carved pumpkin moist, cover all cut edges with petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly will also help keep mold growth to a minimum. If your pumpkin is looking particularly sad on Halloween try submerging it in water for up to 8 hours. This may help revive it but is only a temporary fix. Remember most jack-o-lanterns only last a few days and at most up to a week. So don’t carve them too soon.
Lighting
There are many options to choose from when it comes to lighting the jack-o-lantern. Flame free lights have become a popular choice. These led lights provide a flameless light source that helps reduce fire hazards.These popular lights come in a few different varieties including tea lights and rainbow lights. No matter what you choose each provides the jack-o-lantern with it own special glow.
Traditional votive candles give the jack-o-lantern a vintage feeling. The flicker of the candle flame can breath life into a pumpkin. To keep the heat from building up in your pumpkin consider drilling a hole in the top to function like a chimney. This will help the heat escape and preserve your pumpkin a little while longer.
Carving a jack-o-lantern takes times and creativity. To make the most of all the energy you put into creating a one of a kind jack-o-lantern this Halloween , take time to make sure it lasts. Follow these tips and keep your pumpkin smiling for as long as possible.
New Twist On Traditional Thanksgiving Flavors – Recipe: Pumpkin Pecan Crunch
If your celebrating Thanksgiving this year, you have probably started to plan your menu. Or maybe you’ve just thought about all the favorite traditional foods that will garnish your table. Planning and preparing everyones favorite Thanksgiving foods is all part of the holiday tradition and what makes it so special.
Every year we make quite a few pumpkin pies along with some of our other favorites. Most everyone that will sit at our dinner table loves the traditional pumpkin pie but there are a few who could do without it. So I was thinking why not change it up a little. It is possible to enjoy the same flavors of the holiday while using a totally new recipe. I love looking for recipes online and many creative cooks have come up with interesting twist on the traditional favorites of the season. Here is one I found on www.mccormick.com that I though I might give a try.
Pumpkin Pecan Crunch
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice, divided
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (18 1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
Whipped cream (optional)
Spiced Pecans, recipe link below (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugars, 5 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt in large bowl until well blended. Pour into 13×9-inch baking pan which has been sprayed with no stick cooking spray. 2. Mix cake mix and remaining 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in medium bowl with wire whisk. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Drizzle evenly with melted butter. 3. Bake 50 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with whipped cream and spiced pecans, if desired. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.
Make Ahead: Prepare as directed. Cool completely; cover. Refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. To serve, cut into squares with sharp knife.
The Perfect Fall Cookie Recipe – Pumpkin Spice Whoopi Pies with Marshmallow Filling
Sweets are one of my favorite things. I must admit I am a lover of cookies and as mother of four growing boys who also love cookies, I am always on the look out for new cookie recipes to try. Sweet treats never last long around our house and I find that I save money when I make them at home.
Fall is here and I like to use ingredients that are popular for the season. Pumpkin is not the first ingredient that comes to mind when I think cookies. However when I came across a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Whoopi Pies I decided I’d try to whip some of these up. I must say these seasonal Whoopi Pies were a great alternative to chocolate.
These will definitely be added to the recipe file and I will be making them again soon. My boys loved them and gave them four thumbs up. They got raving reviews at our pumpkin craving party so I thought I’d pass the recipe along. Let me know what you think.
What you’ll need:
Cookies
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup softened butter
1 package spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Marshmallow Spice filling
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3 1/2 ounces marshmallow cream (half of a 7 oz jar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
Cookies
Beat pumpkin and butter together with a mixer.
Add to above, cake mix, eggs, milk and blend together.
Grease cookie sheet and drop large mounds of dough onto baking sheet. ( Leave enough space for them to spread out a little while baking.)
Bake @ 375 for 15 to 17 minutes.
Marshmallow Filling:
Beat butter, and cream cheese together until smooth.
Add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Blend until combined.
Chill until cookies are ready to be filled.
Spoon or pipe filling onto the bottom of a cookie and then top off with another cookie.