Good Gourd You're Beautiful! -Cutiepie Spacepop

Where's my drum roll?

Ok, so you have 2 ideas now for the pumpkin...one for little, pie pumpkins one for the hideously huge, totally inedible pumpkins...this one uses the pumpkin from the latter category.

Halloween gives way to Thanksgiving and you will find the pumpkins start to shrink and the large, carving ones get discounted. You can roast pepitas until you've gained all of your usual holiday weight...or you could dole them out slowly in the form of homemade trail mix and toppings for breads, muffins, breakfast bars...if you want some recipes I use for those, hit me up in the comments and I will accommodate.

Meanwhile, here is something good for you that won't have you gaining an ounce.

Take the huge, totally inedible pumpkin and scoop out all the stringy guts...(save those seeds yo.)

Cut the pumpkin into manageable wedges...depending on the size you might have to chop it a bit or maybe just quarter it.

I like to slow roast it...I find the texture more likable and the long roast heats up my house a bit during the chilly days of November.

You are not at all concerned with appearance or technique as no one is going to be munching on this.

Once the pumpkin is all soft and gooey and browned a bit, take it out of the oven and let it sit for as long as you want...I will do hours and hours...until it is either cool or just a tad bit warm...

Scoop all the flesh into a big bowl and mix it up with whatever you want.

I saw whatever you want because it depends on what you have on hand and what kind of skin you want to treat.

My mother has a natural skin company that is a labor of love...literally because there is ZERO profit in it for her...she is a wonderful resource of inspiration when it comes to using the basic ingredients to make something decadent and wonderful for your body.

Anyway, expect things like that from me because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that...


Basic Pumpkin Mask Base (for all skin, not just the face)

Pumpkin - Roasted
Egg - Raw, for a binder
Honey - good for skin and a natural antiseptic

Basically you want to blend these until they are super smooth...you shouldn't have an issue with moisture as even roasted the pumpkin is full of water. Once you have your basic mask down you can start the experiment.

for Dry Skin
 
Pumpkin Base
Any combination of the following items:

Banana
Oil (think almond, olive, E, or any other rich oil you have on hand...you COULD use canola...but, meh)
Avocado
Butter (Ghee is awesome but plain butter is fine...use sparingly!)
Lemon, Lime, Orange...think citric
Vinegar (drops people...start small!)
***Add sugar for a scrub...good to get any dry skin exfoliated

for Oily Skin
 

Pumpkin Base

Any combination of the following items:

Honey is good here too
Oatmeal - ground
Yogurt
Papaya (not really something I have just hanging around in November)
Tomato - pureed
Aloe Vera
***Also oily skin can benefit from a scrub now and then too...so add that sugar.  Make sure if you have oily skin to be very gentle and easy...otherwise you could strip the face and wind up producing MORE oil on the skin....

There are tons more...just depends on the type of stuff you have in your house.  If you have a ton of herbs and spices check out those...essential oils?...there are many good for the skin.

It is really just a matter of what you have to whip up.  Why waste that pumpkin, or overlook a bargain when you can make a super good mask, FULL of vitamins?

So Easy That If You Toss These You Are SERIOUSLY On The Wrong Blog...(but read anyway 'cause we're totally into converts) -Cutiepie Spacepop

Picture fake out...or is that freak out?...

Really quick and even easier than the oven...

Take the seeds and de-yuck them

get a glass pie pan ('cause you know, EVERYONE has a glass pie pan) or a bowl

put in a thin layer of the seeds

pop into the microwave (oh yea, I said it!!!) for about 5 minutes

You can spritz with the oils and the salts and the such...or you could just stir, stir and stir...(they get sticky)

Pop back in for 3-4 minutes

Do that stirring thing again...and repeat until all seeds are roasty toasty yum....

Pumpkin Crazy -Anti Chef

Sure, it's Halloween again and everyone is pumpkin crazy. Most people want to carve them, smash them, take baths with them....no? Well, no matter what spooky holiday application involving pumpkins gets you excited, the last thing anyone wants to see is a neighborhood full of old, stinky, deflated and rotting pumpkins come mid November. That's just sad and lazy. So be a good neighbor and use a pumpkin as food for once, the idea is not really all that crazy. Just think of all the crazy or even lame ways you have had sweet potatoes, or one of the big orange squashes like acorn, or butternut, and then insert pumpkin. All you have to do is figure out the best way to prepare it for any given recipe. Chances are you will be boiling it or roasting it. I usually roast it for any recipe I make, except for pumpkin soup, like the Ital boys eat down Jamaica way...I think the best place to start is a little Roasted Pumpkin Bruschetta.

The first thing you will need for this one is a little bit of crusty bread. Nice Italian bread like Ciabatta works really well, but in a pinch, one of those loaves you get at the bakery of your local grocer should do just fine. The thing to remember is don't spend any more money than you need to. If you have some bread, then great, if not, maybe make pumpkin soup...you will also need a couple of cloves of peeled garlic, some olive oil and salt and pepper. If you happen to work near an Italian restaurant or market, and you also happened to have some nice sausage like Cotechino, or some other groovy Italian pork product like Pancetta or Proscuitto then you could really get into this snack. Cheese would not be a bad thing either, especially if you were lucky enough to have come across some Parma Reggiano or Ricotta Salata...mmm, dry and salty, good with the sweetness of roasted pumpkin. Okay, okay....the first part is easy, kill your pumpkin...you know, like on the "great pumpkin" cartoon. I really prefer to work with the small to medium sized ones, a little smaller than a volley ball. But whatever you have...

Gut it, and cut it into quarters. If you want, reserve the seeds and roast them to use as a garnish, or a little snack. Since the pumpkin will be used in a savory application I would even sprinkle it liberally with kosher (or sea) salt and some cracked pepper. Then, plop it flesh side down on a greased baking pan and roast at 350 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. Once this cools just peel the skin away and there you have it. If the skin acts weird on you, just use a spoon to scoop the roasted pumpkin flesh out. Reserve.

Roasted Pumpkin Bruschetta

ingredients:

- roasted pumpkin pulp
- crusty bread, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
- 2 or 3 peeled garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil *
- kosher salt (or sea salt)
- extras *

method:

- grill your bread until it is nice and dark brown, almost burned...by definition, this is a grilled item, but if you must, just toast your bread
- immediately brush the warm bread with the whole peeled garlic cloves, then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil
- mix the roasted pumpkin pulp with a little olive oil in a bowl to moisten, then spread it liberally over the grilled bread



* cook's notes:

-if you want to cook the pumpkin seeds,rinse them to remove pulp and strings, toss with a light coating of veggie oil, roast at 325 for about 25 mins., stirring a couple of times

.....if anyone ever see's in print, or hears my voice saying ee vee oh oh instead of extra virgin olive oil, please hit me with a hot brick.

That's it ! You may choose to sprinkle this with a little chiffenade of sage, a little more olive oil, some crushed pumpkin seeds, Ricotta Salata, some crispy rendered pork product, or whatever...but you can enjoy the fact that this snack may have been rescued from culinary nowhere'sville by simply bringing in the family pumpkin before the frost and the coming winter show it no love at all. Aww, nice pumpkin....come on in my kitchen....it's getting coollld out there......yeah, there ya goooo....mmmmmmmm. -AC

Crackers -killertomato

One reason we try to keep our grocery bill down is so that we can still afford to buy good cheese. I've never met a variety I don't like and with all the great options around here, at the weekly farmer's market or the Murray's that just moved into the nearest grocery to name a couple, it's a constant amusement. If you go to the kitchen for a late night snack and discover cheese but no crackers, don't fret. They are so easy and quick to make that you can still get your cheese between them on that very same night. Here is a basic recipe:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp oil

1 c. water

salt for sprinkling

Put flour and salt into a bowl and whisk to blend. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in oil and water. Combine until a dough forms and turn it out on a lightly floured cutting board. Roll out as thin as possible and make little holes in each cracker and perforations with a fork. Sprinkle salt over top. Turn the cutting board upside down to get the dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. You're done!

The recipe can be modified to add rosemary, cheese, seeds and other adornments, wheat or white flour, milk, or 2 tablespoons of butter instead of oil. I think oil makes them a little crispier, but the last time we made them (late at night), we only had lard to use. Oh, lard! They weren't so crisp at first, but after sitting in a paper bag all night, I happily crunched through the rest of the batch. If you do use a solid fat, work it into the flour between your thumb and middle finger until the mixture looks crumby. Then add your liquid slowly until the dough is soft. The dough freezes beautifully.

Another tip, if you are making whole wheat crackers (which taste fantastic with a sharp English Cheddar), you might substitute a 1/3 cup of all purpose flour for some of the wheat. That will keep them light.

Freeze Your Fruit! -Anti Chef

"Second Hand Smoothies"
If most of you, like me, with small children are always finding your selves with stuff in the refrigerator going bad, because the kid loved it last week, but this week has turned up his or her nose to it, there are ways to still get a good bit of value and use from some would be refuse. My daughter loves fruit, but only when she chooses to. This is a measure I have taken after watching too many half or three quarter bananas go into the garbage. It seems my little girl of 21 months is just confident enough to tell us what she wants, but not so willing to eat once she gets it. The same goes for blueberries, peaches, pears, etc. I have begun freezing the fruit she doesn't eat to make smoothies with. You could also use the frozen blueberries in pancakes(pancake recipe to come). Whenever she takes a bite or two of the banana, and then wanders off, wanting nothing to do with it, I take the banana and cut off the sliver of the end she has chewed on...it's not gross, she is my kid. I cut it up into half inch width slices and freeze them in little baggies, which i will reuse for the next banana. ( i keep perfectly good baggies in the freezer, keeps any would be germs from forming) There are many different combinations when it comes to smoothies, but they almost always involve frozen fruit. There are even "smoothie kits" in most grocers' freezer sections nowadays, but these are pre cut, pre packaged items that you wind up paying way too much for considering you can spend less money and a little of your time to achieve the same product for yourself. Here is my favorite smoothie recipe:

ingredients
- one frozen banana ( or "most of" one_
- frozen peach slices ( about 3/4 a peach, usually)
- one frozen strawberry
- 5 frozen blueberries
- 4 ounces of yogurt ( i use Stoneyfield, plain)
- enough apple juice to make blending necessary, i usually just measure to the 16 ounce line on my blender for a proper pint of smoothie

method

-pretty simple really, throw all of this in, and let the machine do the work. most people have a blender, although there are plenty of "smoothie makers" on the market. the good thing about them is they usually have a wider bowl thingy, and some even come with little "stirrers" which you can use to stir with as the thing blends, keep the lumps out. if you choose to buy one, go online, you can usually find a good one there and can bypass the local "large mart" stores in town and keep those evil doers from getting your money, and shipping out of your town. I mentioned earlier that there are many different combinations and flavors that work in smoothies, peanut butter/banana is good, pomegranate is a nice flavor....and i even like to put protein powder in mine, although, it can be a big "up front" cost, at a tablespoon shot per smoothie, one of those oatmeal can sized packages goes a long way. whatever the case, a smoothie can be a quick and healthy snack, or start to the day, and a good way to sneak some of the fruit the munchkin didn't eat the first time back into their little tummy. you have to trick kids some time. or at least i do.