Last Sunday we had three of our granddaughters over to pick their Halloween pumpkins from our pumpkin patch. It was a good year this year, and we got fourteen pumpkins off of four vines. 

Now that we are into fall it seems that everything is coming up pumpkin. Pumpkin spice is all the rage everywhere like, Starbucks, Dunkin, and Tim Hortons, but beside a latte what else can you do with pumpkin? 

Besides the hundreds of recipes online and in cookbooks for pumpkin pies, cookies, brownies, ice cream, cupcakes, smoothies and more, there are other uses for pumpkin as well. Even if you’re just getting a pumpkin to make a Jack-o-lantern, there are still some treats you can make. 

Don’t throw the seeds away, roast them. Roasting pumpkin seeds is easier than you think, if you have the time. After carving your pumpkin, clean the seeds and let them dry on a towel or paper towel. 

Once the seeds are dry (and you can use a blow dryer to speed up this process) toss the seeds in a bowl with a little olive oil to coat the seeds then add seasoning like, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Once your seeds are coated, separate the seeds and spread them evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet for even roasting. 

Don’t stack the seeds, make sure they are only one layer high. Use more than one cookie sheet if necessary. Preheat your oven to 350°F and roast seeds   for about twelve to fifteen minutes, tossing the seeds every 5 minutes to encourage even browning and to prevent sticking. When the seeds give off a nutty aroma and have golden brown color, they are ready! Just make sure to cool them down before popping them in your mouth. Pumpkin chips are another great treat that can be made a couple ways. Thinly slice your pumpkin chips, we use a food processor or salad shooter to get nice even slices, but a mandolin slicer will work as well. 

The cooking can go a couple ways; either place your slices into an oil fryer or bake them in the oven. This year we are going to test a third option as Vicki loves her air fryer that she got last Christmas from her brother. We have had good success with other things like French fries and chicken nuggets, so why not try something a little healthier. 

We make homemade potato chips from time to time with our oil fryer and there is nothing like  fresh hot potato chips, so I think we will be trying some pumpkin chips this fall. One thing I did notice while reading recipes for pumpkin chips is that they are the best when eaten fresh while crispy. Pumpkin chips, like homemade potato chips, have no preservatives and have a tendency to soften up and loose their crispiness after a day, so eat them fresh and hot. Of course we will have plenty of pumpkin for all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes and maybe we will try a few new recipes this year. 

Another great thing about pumpkins is that you don’t have to eat them all at once. They store in a cool place for months after you pick them without refrigeration, so you can enjoy pumpkin spice this and that all fall and most of the winter too.