We finally got rid of our jack-o-lanterns today. I like making jack- o-lanterns mostly for the pumpkin seeds, which are worth their weight in gold based on the amount of trouble they are to make. Eleanor designed her own face this year, although the carving was done by Michael. Amanda provided direction on how to make her face, and Michael took off the top layer of pumpkin skin while leaving the rest of the rind. This made the face glow faintly when you lit the candle inside, which was a nice effect. Unfortunately this design made it difficult to get enough air into the pumpkin to keep the candle lit.
Over the past few days, the pumpkins have been sitting in our entryway getting greener and hairier. We finally took them out to our "vegetable garden" (where we kill vegetable plants, as opposed to our flower garden where we kill flowers) for compost. Amanda had a good time helping me push the wheelbarrow ("I have very strong bones") and watching as I tried to smash them in the compost pile (they landed softly and rolled a bit, unscathed). We started back to the house, and Amanda said, "Don't leave them there!" I think she was worried about what might happen to them...
We still have one uncarved pumpkin, theoretically belonging to Luke, and one pie pumpkin. I'll split the seeds with anyone who comes over to get the pumpkin guts off them!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds à la mathmom
Wash the gunk off the pumpkin seeds, and soak them in salty water for a few hours. Dry them overnight.
Cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil, and put it in a 250 degree oven with 3 Tbsp. margarine. When the margarine is melted, take out the sheet and stir the pumpkin seeds into the melted margarine. They should be in one layer, although there can be a small amount of overlap. Put more salt on if you are making them for my children.
Roast them for about 1 hour or until they start smelling delicious and turning slightly brown. Stir them every 20 minutes or so, or more frequently if you feel the need to test to see if they are done.
Give them to Amanda who says, "Yummy in my tummy!", or Luke who will try to eat the uncooked ones from the floor if you don't stop him. Don't give any to Eleanor who complains that the shell hurts her tongue.
Over the past few days, the pumpkins have been sitting in our entryway getting greener and hairier. We finally took them out to our "vegetable garden" (where we kill vegetable plants, as opposed to our flower garden where we kill flowers) for compost. Amanda had a good time helping me push the wheelbarrow ("I have very strong bones") and watching as I tried to smash them in the compost pile (they landed softly and rolled a bit, unscathed). We started back to the house, and Amanda said, "Don't leave them there!" I think she was worried about what might happen to them...
We still have one uncarved pumpkin, theoretically belonging to Luke, and one pie pumpkin. I'll split the seeds with anyone who comes over to get the pumpkin guts off them!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds à la mathmom
Wash the gunk off the pumpkin seeds, and soak them in salty water for a few hours. Dry them overnight.
Cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil, and put it in a 250 degree oven with 3 Tbsp. margarine. When the margarine is melted, take out the sheet and stir the pumpkin seeds into the melted margarine. They should be in one layer, although there can be a small amount of overlap. Put more salt on if you are making them for my children.
Roast them for about 1 hour or until they start smelling delicious and turning slightly brown. Stir them every 20 minutes or so, or more frequently if you feel the need to test to see if they are done.
Give them to Amanda who says, "Yummy in my tummy!", or Luke who will try to eat the uncooked ones from the floor if you don't stop him. Don't give any to Eleanor who complains that the shell hurts her tongue.
Comments