pumpkins.....

It's that time of year for purchasing pumpkins.

I like pumpkins so much, I named my cat Pumpkin!...lol.

I have always enjoyed looking at pumpkins and seeing them in the fields ready to be picked and sold for the Autumn/Fall season...It is a lot of fun for me to go to the pumpkin patch and choose a few pumpkins to decorate with and paint on....

many places have pumpkin patches that they allow you to tour the patch and see a pumpkin you wish to purchase and take home with you....sometimes they also have hay rides on hay wagons, and corn mazes that are sometimes spooky that you walk through...always decorated nicely and it is just all for fun this season......

choosing a pumpkin you like can be very frustrating!...haha!...because I like to look at them all and they are available in orange, striped, some have green on them, or they can be plain white---I like all colors they have.

pie pumpkins are also available and I like to sometimes make pumpkin pies from those and I like to toast the pumpkin seeds and salt them lightly....You just take the top off the pumpkin and dig out the seeds and mixture in there..it is messy but fun!....

painting pumpkins is something that I like...I paint just anything I can think of on a pumpkin I choose to decorate for Autumn/Fall season with...use your creativity and paint away the day working on painting your pumpkins...that's what I like to do on the weekends..i use a waterproof paint that will be able to withstand the weather outside to place the painted pumpkins near my scarecrow.

many recipes for cooking with pumpkins that I enjoy----any recipe will work!

pumpkin pie
pumpkin cheesecake
pumpkin bread
pumpkin soup--sometimes you can find this prepared in can/packet already
pumpkin bars with homemade cream cheese icing

these recipes are very good made with fresh pumpkin that has been cooked.Many different varieties available for pie pumpkins...it's just old fashioned and much healthier/better for you...just my opinion..

here is a recipe my Grandma gave me--

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

1 medium pie pumpkin                                                
Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)                                                

2 eggs                                                

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup 2% milk

 

Directions

1. Cut pumpkin in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place cut side down in a microwave-safe dish; add 1 in. of water. Cover and microwave on high for 15-18 minutes or until very tender.
2. Meanwhile, roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Set aside.
3. Drain pumpkin. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp and mash. Set aside 1-3/4 cups (save remaining pumpkin for another use).
4. In large bowl, combine the mashed pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves; beat until smooth. Gradually beat in milk. Pour into crust.
5. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 40-45 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover edges with foil during the last 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.