Autumn is colored orange, red and gold

None of the rules hold true any more do they? We now have beautiful white pumpkins, some of them striped with autumn's orange in their crevices. And then there are the gourds, they're ablaze in every color except perhaps purple and red. Next thing we know those clever plant breeders will be upstaging Christmas with red pumpkins and gourds.

Would they dare? Who knows what will come rolling out of the pumpkin patch next autumn.

Thankfully some things never change, one of which is that we mortals do indeed like change and it is fun to see hot summer meld into mild autumn. We won't think about winter just yet. Instead think about what we can do with today's beautiful pumpkins spilling out of huge boxes outside of grocery stores and running rampant in every pumpkin patch.

Baby pumpkins are so cute that you may think they are not edible; but they are. Sugar pumpkins are especially delicious and Baby Bear pumpkins are excellent. Be careful when you are shopping for baby pumpkins as some varieties don't hold as much as others.

Any recipe that works for acorn squash will work for pumpkin of any size; the same is true with carrots. I don't know about reversing that statement and baking a squash cake or pie (too much water) but maybe adding a little extra flour would make that work, too.

Baked Baby Pumpkins

These cute little critters are lots of fun to serve with pork or ham.

With Frozen Creamed Spinach:

6 to 8 small pumpkins
1 package frozen creamed spinach
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove top third of each small pumpkin and clean out the seeds and stringy material. Sprinkle each with salt, pepper and the tiniest bit of nutmeg. The dish can even be prepared while the creamed spinach is still frozen by cutting pieces that will fit inside the small prepared pumpkins. Cover all of the pumpkins with their tops and arrange them in a baking pan with about 1/4-inch boiling water. Cover with foil. If placed in the oven while the spinach is frozen, bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes. If spinach has thawed they will cook faster, about 30 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing with a fork.

With Parmesan Cheese Custard:

6 small pumpkins
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake pumpkins until just tender, about 20 minutes. Cut off tops and set aside, then scoop out seeds. Whisk together half-and-half with cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a measuring cup. Arrange pumpkins in a baking dish without crowding. Divide custard mixture among pumpkins and cover with tops. Pour enough water into dish to reach halfway up sides. Bake until custard jiggles only slightly, about 30 minutes. Remove from dish and cool 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Making Pumpkin Vases

Pumpkins filled with autumn flowers and foliage make striking centerpieces or porch decorations. They will last 10 to 14 days in a cool area.

Pumpkins
Potting soil
Pepper plants, optional
Autumn flowers such as chrysanthemums
Feathers, optional
Dried flowers, seed pods, cattails, etc.

Slice off the top third of the pumpkins and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Fill each pumpkin cavity about two-thirds full with moistened potting soil. Give the seedlings or plants a thorough soak, then pop out of their containers and arrange in the pumpkins. Fill empty spaces between plants with more moistened potting soil, tamping the rootballs firmly to stabilize the plantings.

Painting Pumpkins or Gourds

Acrylic paints or permanent markers can be used to make pretty patterns on pumpkins or gourds. The secret to their finished sparkle is the finishing glaze. Display in a pretty bowl, basket or on a tray. These are fun to use as take home place cards by attaching name cards to the stems or by writing a guest's name on each pumpkin.

Miniature pumpkins or gourds in varying sizes and shapes
Foam brush
Acrylic paint in reds, yellows, orange, brown, black, etc.
Rubber comb (found in craft stores, or use plastic pastry brush)
Broad-tip permanent markers
Polyurethane glaze

Use a foam brush to apply acrylic paint evenly over pumpkin. While paint is still wet, run a rubber comb around the pumpkin. Start from stem and work top to bottom in contrasting colors. OR use a broad-tip marker to draw spirals or dots on the pumpkins. Or draw random lines in contrasting colors up and down or around and around. When paint or ink is dry, spray with a polyurethane glaze as a protective finish.

You won't be able to disguise the fun you have playing with pumpkins!

10/20/08
None\7-C

Date: 10/13/08

	Web hpj.com

Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011.  High Plains Publishers, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com