Pumpkin {Carving} Party

Fall Traditions

Fall is officially here! What do you do in the fall?? I know every year around this time I can look forward to Apple Picking, Hay Ride’s, Haunted House’s and our Annual Pumpkin Carving Party! Traditions are so important to me…we started this one a few years ago and I’m so happy it stuck! Because you are really never too old to carve a Pumpkin. In two weeks we will be having our Family Pumpkin Carving party to Kick off the {week} before the Halloween Countdown! I’m tweaking it just a bit and adding a few more details this year! 

 How to Throw a Pumpkin {Carving} Party 

Homemade Party Invites: I love to make my own cards and invites…This is the perfect choice for those DIYers for the rest of you or those that want to take the easy way you can go online and print invites for free HERE. (I did this last year!) 

Location: It’s important to choose a spot to carve that has space….My mom has a Picnic Table tucked up in the back woods behind her house…It was the perfect place for us to carve and get messy! We picked up a few plastic table covers at the dollar store in orange and black. It was such as easy clean up because we just rolled it up and threw it out! 

Movable Feast:We kept food easy…Lots of Finger Foods…I did Witches Finger Pretzel appetizers, Soup in Mugs for an appetizer to drink outside, Help yourself Fajitas for Dinner, Dessert consisted of Spooky Cupcakes and RiceKrispy Ghosts. Later that evening we indulged in Baked Spicy Pumpkin Seed and Homemade Hot Apple Cider!! The Guest we Happy and Full….and it was Super Easy, no stress food.

Carving Kit:I purchased a William Sonoma carving kit many years ago and was definitely worth every penny. The tools are so durable and will last a lifetime! I suggest picking up one good kit….we have went through many of those cheap plastic pumpkin kits and they always break! 

PUMPKINS: Ask your guest to BYOP (Bring your own Pumpkin) or make a trip {with a family member} and LOAD up your truck or SUV! I think the woman at the farm thought we were insane…it took us Several back and forth to load up my Murano. 

Pumpkin Carving Templates:  You can purchase pumpkin carving template books or you can print them out for Free….I used this website HERE

Momma that added the "H" on Sarah :o)

Carving and KIDS: Some kids are just not old enough to carve pumpkins….This is where paint and glue come in handy. Have them paint their pumpkin or use “Nature” to create a fun pumpkin face…Think of acorn eyes, pine needles for hair, autumn leaves for ears! :o)

HOMEMADE Apple Cider

8 -10 apples
1/2-1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cinnamon (or 4 cinnamon sticks)
4 tablespoons allspice

Directions:

1-Quarter your apples (no need to remove peel or seeds).
2-In a large stock pot add your apples and fill with water--just enough to cover the apples.
3-Add your sugar.
4-Wrap your cinnamon and allspice in a doubled up cheese cloth and tie, and add this to the apples and water.
5-Boil on high for one hour (uncovered) checking on it frequently.
6-Turn down heat and let simmer for two hours (covered).
7-Take off the heat after two hours of simmering and let cool.
8-Remove spices and mash up the apples to a pulp like consistency
9-Once cool pour into a strainer over a large bowl. When most of the juice has drained away, put the remainder of the pulp into a doubled up cheese cloth and squeeze over the bowl until no more juice comes out.

Now that the Pumpkins are carved wait until Dusk and light them up! This is the perfect time to Bake those seeds! YUM. 

We had the Party at my mom's house...The view of the Lake is Breathtaking!

Who would have thought those little packets you throw away could stop your pumpkin from molding….I’m still apprehensive about this…we have pets (is this safe) and if you have small children I would NOT recommend this either! 

Baked Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
•  
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
•  
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
•  
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin seeds, chili powder, cayenne pepper, coarse salt, and fresh lime juice; toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until puffed and browned, about 10 minutes.