Sunday 25 October 2009

Pumpkins and all that



We decided that we would carve our precious pumpkins today.  We are so proud that we managed to grow them ourselves in the garden.  Like all things in TheMadHouse, it was a family affair, but MadDad took centre stage.



Although MiniMad is a super duper scooper




Watch out man at work and concentrating hard




Nothing too scary, the minimads dont like scary



A face and a bat




Then roasted pumpkin seeds, delicious and so simple.

All you need do is scoop out all the seeds and clean them.  We like ours salted, so I boil then in salted water for 20 minutes, then toss them in garlic butter or olive oil and pop in a roasting sheet (single layer) in the oven for about 30 mins at 180.

The mini's were waiting for them as they came out of the oven and they lasted all of an hour.  I have orders to buy any inexpensive pumkins I see for more!!



We also harvested some of our sprouts today to go with the roast chicken and Yorkshires. I love the way they look for architectural.  I also love the fact that my children know that sprouts grow on a stick!!



 I am not keen on the taste, but will eat them and grow them as my children love them and I am all for encouraging eating vegetables when they want them.


10 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm very jealous. Firstly the pumpkin I've grown is teeny weeny and nowhere near as big and orange as yours (I posted an update on it today). And also I tried growing sprouts but the cabbage white caterpillars ate them all despite me netting them to keep the butterflies off. Your pumpkins look great! My eldest is still very excited about carving ours into a lantern despite its little size.

A Modern Mother said...

Well done! We're doing our on Friday. Can't wait.

BadPenny said...

fabulous !!! It's wonderful that you used your home grown pumkin. Love the boys in their orange T shirts

Thx for all your recent comments to me xx

Local Girl said...

Oh how much fun does that look and MadDad's carving is very good, they'll look lovely lit!. I'm starting on ours today, and I look forward to trying your roasted pumpkin seed idea, I think my husband will enjoy them lots.

Btw the sprouts look amazing I love seeing them in the stems, embarrassingly I didn't know they grew like that till I moved to the country! xx

Unknown said...

I have grown my own this year too! He will be carved later in the week. What a brilliant way to use the seeds! suzie. x

Mummy Zen said...

Very impressive pumpkin carving! I love roasted pumpkin seeds and it's a great way to use what gets taken out during the carving!

maria said...

Impressive pumpkin carving skills! Well done for growing your own pumkins and what great job you have done. Most of all I am impressed with the bowl of roasted pumpkin seeds, they look very inviting.

Laura - Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy? said...

Very professional carving.

I've always wondered what to do with the seeds ... now I know.

Oh, and I LOVE sprouts.

Jude said...

Thanks for the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe - we carved our pumpkins today (not home grown I'm afraid)so I'm going to try out the recipe!

Jen Walshaw said...

Wow - thanks for all the comments

Jude - Hope you like the seeds, we have none left at all, infact the boys want me to buy one just for the seeds.
Laura - Sprouts - urgggggg
Maria - Thanks for the complements
Liz - It is so cool the way sprouts grow, I wonder how many children have no idea?
MM- Ah but your garden looks very impressive
BP- Thanks as always
Whistlejacket we had lots of cabbage whites too, the cabbage and brochli never made it
Suzie your pumkin looks so cool too

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