Happy Halloween

Last night my family carved pumpkins to make ‘jack-o-lanterns.’ We make them every year and put candles inside to greet the children who come ‘trick or treating’ on Halloween.

Carving a pumpkin isn’t hard. First you need to sketch a face on the outside. Triangles for eyes and nose are the easiest. A jagged mouth is also easy for the beginner. Next you need to take a knife and cut off the top of the pumpkin. Then reach your hand inside and pull out the ‘pumpkin guts.’ This is slimy work! The seeds and pulp are moist and sticky. But don’t throw them away! Keep them in a bowl so you can roast the seeds later for a special treat! I’ll explain later.

Once you’ve removed the seeds, take a spoon and scrape the flesh inside so it’s clean and smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but remember the candle will burn dangling bits of pumpkin guts and smell really awful! So get it clean and smooth! Now you are ready to carefully cut out your sketched eyes, nose and mouth. Use caution when using a knife so you don’t have to make a trip to the emergency room for stitches in your hand! This isn’t a job for little children!

Remove the cut out pieces of the face. Now you are ready to try out your newly carved Jack-O-Lantern. Place a candle inside and light it with a match. Turn out the lights and watch the face glow.

Now place it outside your door in the cool fall air. It will last for about two weeks before it starts to cave in and rot.

Now go back to the seeds. Separate them from the pulp and wash them in water. Pat them dry with paper towels. Spread them on a cookie sheet. I like to sprinkle the seeds with Worcestershire Sauce and salt. Now bake them at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until toasted. Be sure to stir them every 5-10 minutes to prevent burning. After they’ve cooled, store them in an air tight container. I use my teeth to crack open the hull (remove the seeds covering) and pull out the tasty, crunchy centers. But my husband likes to just eat the whole seed, outside and all!

Happy Halloween everyone!