Give back to Nature with Your Leftover Jack-o'-Lantern

While many people just throw away their jack-o'-lantern come November 1st, why not re-purpose the pumpkin for other uses. If you live close to nature and some wildlife, old pumpkin always makes a tasty snack for a furry neighbor. Cut up good ol' Jack and leave pieces strewn outside, away from your yard. If you're feeling exceptionally generous, you can always decide to share some pumpkin seeds with the birds. Place any unwanted pumpkin seeds in a container and let the birds have a tasty snack. If you're in the mood for some gardening, then use your old jack-o'-lantern as a planter for some fresh flowers or bulbs. Simply fill the hollowed out pumpkin with dirt and place your bulb of choice inside. With a little love and water, you will have flowers blooming in no time. The great thing about using the pumpkin as a planter, when it rots it will just decompose into the soil and become fertilizer. 

How to Make Peanut Butter Pumpkins

 

 

Have your own pumpkin patch right in your kitchen with these delicious peanut butter pumpkins!

These Halloween recipe is so easy and delicious, it's scary! Not only will this spooky dessert have your taste buds tingling, it will have you screaming with delight.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar, sifted
• red food coloring
• yellow food coloring
• green decorators icing

 

 

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large bowl and add a few drops of yellow and red food coloring, until mixture has a nice orange color.
2. Add the peanut butter and confectioners sugar and mix together until a dough-like consistency is reached. (This means that when the dough is nice and stiff and it gets hard to add any more sugar, to let it go at that).
3. Shape dough into small balls shaped like pumpkins; make ridges on the pumpkins with a toothpick.
4. Add a small amount of green decorators icing to the top of each pumpkin for a stem.
5. Refrigerate, if desired, to allow pumpkins to firm.
6. Serve on a plate lined with toasted coconut and Halloween decorated cookies, if desired; these also look good on top of cupcakes.

How to Carve a Pumpkin Like a Pro

How to Carve a Pumpkin 

1. Choose the right pumpkin: Choosing the right pumpkin is key to any great pumpkin carving. Depending on the type of face you want to carve, you will either choose a wider pumpkin or a taller pumpkin. For a face a taller pumpking would probably be best, but for an animal or object a wider one will do the trick nicely.



2. Let the Surgery Begin: Decapitating the pumpkin can be the hardest part for many, who aren't sure what type of incision to make. To avoid any pumpkin carving mishaps, use a strong blade and cut the stem in a cone-shape so that it comes out easily and fits back in nicely.


3. Scoop the innards: Using an ice cream scoop usually works the best but you can always just scoop the goop with your hands. Be sure that you don't just remove all the pumpkin seeds but you scrape around the sides as well, starting from the hold opening to the bottom. 


5. Draw the face: It's probably best to us a dry erase marker because if you don't like your drawing, you can erase it.

6. Carving Time: While a kit can be less stressful and harmful, power-tools get the job done neatly and quickly. A jigsaw is perfect for removing chunks (like eyes and the mouth) and a rotary tool can help carve away the skin. For big areas, try using an angle grinder to shape the pumpkin or remove skin.


8. Preserving Your Pumpkin: Everyone knows that pumpkins rot. To avoid the inevitable a little bit longer, try spraying your pumpkin with bathroom cleaner. Not only will it prevent early decay but it helps to keep the bugs, mold, and animals away.
 
Enjoy your pumpkins!