I love decorating for holidays but one of my biggest frustrations is when people make something, and then throw it away a few short weeks later. Or when new supplies are used to decorate for holidays and events, and then tossed. I think it's so wasteful. BUT, I'm going to show you how I was able to use every last bit of our Halloween pumpkins and still have a cute display! I haven't bought anything new for this Halloween, except living pumpkins, and I even grew a few of those myself.
Here's what you do...
1. go to a pumpkin patch.
2. Pick out a pumpkin...
3. Have Daddy carry large pumpkin to the car.
4. Once home, gut the pumpkin.
5. Save the seeds in a strainer, rinse and separate from the stringlings.
6. Bake seeds on well oiled baking sheet 30 minutes at 325* F {may need additional time if not browning}
7. Carve pumpkin with wood carving tools and knives. Save any large pieces of the pumpkin flesh for baking.
8. Save all small pieces of pumpkin skin and seed stinglings for compost.
9. Bake pumpkin flesh as directed here. when peeling the skin off at the end, save for {you guessed it!} composting. Since I carve a few pumpkins every year, I have a lot of flesh to bake, which I then use in pumpkin bread and pies.
10. Dump compost ready pieces into the compost pile and savor the nutrients your soil will receive {once the display pumpkin is done, toss that into the compost too}!
That's all there is to it! Simple, no waste pumpkin carving.
Oh and for the candle inside the pumpkin? buy the metal tee light type and recycle the aluminum after the candle has burned out.
Happy Halloween No Wasting!
Here's what you do...
1. go to a pumpkin patch.
6. Bake seeds on well oiled baking sheet 30 minutes at 325* F {may need additional time if not browning}
7. Carve pumpkin with wood carving tools and knives. Save any large pieces of the pumpkin flesh for baking.
8. Save all small pieces of pumpkin skin and seed stinglings for compost.
9. Bake pumpkin flesh as directed here. when peeling the skin off at the end, save for {you guessed it!} composting. Since I carve a few pumpkins every year, I have a lot of flesh to bake, which I then use in pumpkin bread and pies.
10. Dump compost ready pieces into the compost pile and savor the nutrients your soil will receive {once the display pumpkin is done, toss that into the compost too}!
That's all there is to it! Simple, no waste pumpkin carving.
Oh and for the candle inside the pumpkin? buy the metal tee light type and recycle the aluminum after the candle has burned out.
Happy Halloween No Wasting!
Thanks for the info! I'm dying to try making pumpkin puree. Do you use the same amount in recipes as the canned stuff? It seems like homemade would be thinner.
ReplyDeleteI've found that the homemade is just as thick, if not thicker and all you have to add are a few spices; nutmeg, cinnamon and or all spice. Really whatever you want!
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