Thursday, October 27, 2011

Vampire Pumpkins, Candied Pumpkin Seeds & Pumpkin Chicken Feed

Ooooh, I love Halloween!  All the merriment, pumpkin carving and the costumes!

For many years Captain Project and I hosted a Halloween party.  We took our costumes very seriously and began working on them usually months in advance.  A few of my faves:

(A couple yards of felt and sytrofoam balls is all it took for Fred & Wilma)

(The Dynamic Duo for our first Halloween together!)

(We were Riff Raff and Magenta from The Rocky Horror Picture Show)

(Elvi, yes, plural ~ our favorite costumes ever!)

Carving pumpkins was always a family affair:

(Captain Project and the kids 1985)

Nowadays, because we live out in the middle of the 'boons, we don't get trick-or-treaters and we have no party planned.  Waaah!

So to entertain myself and try and get into the spirit, I made these little vampire pumpkins that I saw on the Martha Stewart show:


I gave them to a friend's daughter:

(Cutie Carmella)


They were super easy to make.  Just cut a small rectangle into your pumpkin, scoop out the guts, cram in the vampire teeth and poke in straight pins for the eyes.

Then I toasted the pumpkin seeds.  Have you ever toasted pumpkin seeds?  They're delicious and take about a minute to prepare...


Place your pumpkin seeds in a mixing bowl (you can include the "guts" of the pumpkin if you'd like).  Add 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla; mix well and spoon onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 1 hour in a 300 degree oven, flipping with a spatula occasionally.

This is my favorite recipe for pumpkin seeds ~ sweet and crunchy.  If you can, eat them warm ~ sooooo good!


Then I cut up the pumpkin meat and feed it to Ivana.  Who knew chickens like pumpkin?!


What are your Halloween plans?  Got any clever costume ideas to share?

Remember to leave a comment because I'm drawing 3 winners from all of your October comments for these custom-made coin purses from Tracy's Treasures:


Drawing is October 31st ~ good luck!

15 comments:

Unknown said...

So funny1 I love to look back at pictures of Jack and I. Boy how the years have changed us.

Interesting item for chicken to eat? pumpkin.
I am going to give it a try with our chickens.

ImagiMeri said...

Hi Cindy,

Great costumes through the years. I think I like Fred and Wilma the best.

My mom always toasted the pumpkin seeds while growing up. She always just used salt and we'd pop those things like they were the sweetest candies in the whole world. We'd munch those for hours. There were five of us kids, so that's a lot of pumpkin seeds.

Have a wonderful Halloween weekend.

Hugs,
Meri

Jingle said...

Your costumes are all too cute! I love the pumpkins!!!! What a fun idea and you did them so well!

Betty Lou said...

No matter what the costume your still a very, very good looking couple. When we lived in the mountains in Northern Calif, we would only have 14 trick or treaters, and that was a good year. I love it now when I have over 100. Hugs

Anonymous said...

Those are the cutest costumes. It's fun to look back at good times. Sorry you don't have trick or treaters now.

cheree93@aol.com

My Vintage Mending said...

Perfect Flintstone's...do you get a lot of trick or treaters...we have so many we have to turn the lights out here in the burbs...My kiddos love those toasted seeds. Spicey and warm. Smiles...Renee

Michaele said...

Great collection of photos! Such a neat idea with the pumpkins also. I will never tire of blogging because people's creativity keeps me in awe.

Donna said...

Love the pics of your costumes :) The pumpkin seed look delish!
We don't have trick or treaters either :( I live in the boonies too!
Hugs,
Donna

Jenny's Heart said...

I love your costumes, it looks like y'all had great times!
I love Fred & Wilma! Too cute :)

WinnibriggsHouse said...

Hi Cindy, thanks for popping by and your lovely comment.
Your post on past party costumes got me smiling bringing back memories of some that we have made and worn!! Not sure I would risk any of them now. You both look amazing.
We dont really celebrate halloween here much, tho I think it is growing and have seen lots of houses decorated this year.
My favourite thing is making spicy pumpkin and sweet potato soup....and of course I couldn't just discard the pumpkin shell so it does get carved and put outside with tealights in so we do make a token effort.
Jenny x

Julie Harward said...

Those are some crazy, fun costumes! Love the teeth in the pumpkins too..and I love the seeds also! :D

Chicken Wrangler said...

Is there still time to enter??
Love the teeth on the pumpkins - so funny! I love to laugh!

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

Oh Cindy! Those pumpkins "bite!" lol! very funny! Lovin' your costumes! My husband & I have gone as Bonnie & Clyde, Drew Carey (me) & Mimi (him...a riot!) and Mr. & Mrs. Frankenstien. We love Halloween too...tonight was Trick or Treat - so fun to see all of those little kiddos :) Have a super week!!

donna said...

Your costumes are so cute. My favorite is the Flinestones. Thank you so much for sharing your pumpkins seed recipe. mmmmm.
Hugs
donna

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