Collegiate Times

Although the leaves constantly change and the spirit of Halloween brings new costumes from year to year, one thing will always remain the same through October: the pumpkins. Scouring numerous pumpkin patches to find the one best made for a ghoulish face is a tradition among many. However, with pumpkin carving often comes waste. Once the project is completed, people are typically unsure of what to do with the innards. With a few simple instructions, everyone can easily avoid this by learning how to repurpose their pumpkins. 

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw, whole pumpkin seeds

2 teaspoons butter, melted

1 pinch salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt.

3. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

Pumpkin Body Butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup solids from a can of coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients in a bowl. Apply generously to clean skin, massaging gently to work well into the skin.

2. Keep body butter on for 10 minutes or so, then rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided 

1-cup water

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 medium carrots, sliced

1 large green pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules

1 can (1/4-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pumpkin (10 to 12 pounds)

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, brown meat in two tablespoons of oil. Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for two hours. Stir in bouillon and tomatoes. Wash pumpkin and cut a 6-to-8 inch circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside. Discard seeds and loosen fibers from inside.

2. Place pumpkin in a shallow, sturdy baking pan. Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325 degrees for two hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not over bake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.

Pumpkin Planter

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin

Directions:

1. You can use your carved out pumpkin or jack-o-lantern as a pot planter. You can display it for a few days, then bury it all straight into ground. As the pumpkin decomposes it will create nutrient rich soil for your chosen plant. 

A version of this article appeared in the Oct 24 issue of the Collegiate Times.