Recipes

Best Cooking Pumpkins

It’s Fall and most of us are busting out our crockpots and casserole dishes to prepare some a-MAZE-ingly festive feasts! Pumpkin pies, pumpkin soups, pumpkin EVERYTHING! Here are some great pumpkin varieties perfect for cooking up those cool-weather comfort foods!

Pumpkin Varieties
We’re going to bypass the big carving pumpkins all together as they are the worst pumpkins for cooking. Their meat is very stringy and their flavor is extremely bland. Instead, go for varieties that are sweet, uber flavorful, and have a smoother flesh. Look for pumpkins that are labeled as ‘sugar pumpkins’ or ‘pie pumpkins’. These varieties include Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, and Lumina.

Pumpkin Size
The best cooking pumpkins should be between 4-8 pounds. Be sure to check for bruising or spots as this can be a sign of rot.

Storage
Keep your pumpkins fresh by placing them in a cool temperature. When stored properly, pumpkins can last up to 90 days! You could be making pumpkin pies well past Christmas! Also, pumpkin purée freezes very well for future cookery!

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Pumpkin Disposal

Repurposing Pumpkins

Here are some great ways to reuse your fall pumpkins!

Compost it up!
Turn your decaying pumpkins into plant-loving compost for your garden. Begin by removing all candles or battery-operated tea lights along with any other decorations attached to the pumpkin (ribbons, googly eyes, etc.). Please note, pumpkins that have been painted, coated in sealant, or covered in glitter cannot be composted. Be sure to remove all the pumpkin seeds as well. No need to start a pumpkin patch in your compost bin!

Bird Feeder
Hollow out one side of your leftover pumpkin and fill with bird seed. If you have a bunch of baby pumpkins, you can tie a bit of cord at the top and hang the small feeders from trees in your yard. The birds will LOVE them!

Critter Treats
Do you have cows, goats, pigs? Maybe just wild birds and squirrels? All kinds of animals would be very happy to munch on your leftover pumpkins. Pumpkins are an excellent source of vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and essential fatty acids. What a healthy treat!

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Painting

Painting Pumpkins

Create amazing pumpkin decor without the mess! Painting pumpkins instead of carving them has several perks. Painted pumpkins last longer than carved ones. You don’t have to worry about your little ones and sharp objects. Plus, you can be as creative as you want to be with glitter, stickers, or whatever else your inner artist desires!

Pick a Pumpkin
The perfect painting pumpkin has a smooth, even surface. Be sure to choose one without bruises, scratches, and lumps. Unless lumpy is the look you’re going for, of course. Great painting pumpkin varieties include Baby Pam, Sugar Pie, Lumina, or Cotton Candy.

Clean Your Pumpkin
You can use a damp cloth or paper towel to gently remove the dirt and grime from your pumpkin. Avoid using items like rough scrubbing pads as this can damage your pumpkin’s skin and potentially bruise it. Use a soft cloth to thoroughly dry your pumpkin and be sure to keep the stem area dry. A wet stem or blossom (the bottom of your pumpkin) can cause your pumpkin to rot.

Get Artsy
When it comes to pumpkin painting, the design options are endless! Stencils and stickers are easy options for younger kids while older painters might like to take on more intricate designs.

Pumpkin Painting Tools
Acrylic paint is a great option for painting pumpkins as it dries quickly and allows you to paint over the first layer in a short time period. Go-to painting tools include cheap paint brushes, cotton swabs, sponges, and cotton balls. A damp cloth works great for wiping away any mistakes.

Decorate!
Make your pumpkin shine with fun embellishments like glitter, sequins, pom poms, or rhinestones. Add googly eyes to create faces! Incorporate glow-in-the-dark paint to make your pumpkin stand out at night!

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Carving

Carve Those Pumpkins!

It’s time for fall festivities! Here are a few tips to make your pumpkin carving experience a breeze!

Tip 1. Choose the right pumpkin.
The right pumpkin has a flat bottom so that it doesn’t roll all over the front porch. Select a fresh pumpkin with a solid stem and no bruising.

Tip 2: Cut at an angle.
Have you ever cut the top off your pumpkin only to have to drop into the sticky, gooey mess? Avoid this nonsense by cutting your lid off at an angle.

Tip 3: Have the right tools.
One of the best tools for cutting the lid off a pumpkin is a keyhole saw. The sharp teeth on this saw can easily slice through a pumpkin’s thick shell, and the flexible blade is awesome for making curved cuts. Other useful carving tools include hole cutters, wood gauges and a power drill. Ice cream scoops or wooden spoons are perfect for getting all that goopy pulp out. }

Tip 4: Keep it fresh.
Nothing stinks more than spending oodles of time on a pumpkin only to have it rot away a few days later. To keep your carved masterpiece daisy fresh, spread petroleum jelly on the cut edges. If it shrivels up, you can freshen it up by soaking it in cold water for up to 8 hours.

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