My Favorite Things About Halloween

I always get a sugar pumpkin at Burt's Farm to make a honest-to-goodness, from scratch pie.  It's a little messy, but so good.

It's not a short process.  You cut open the pumpkin and clean it out.  It takes a while and my hand is always killing me when I'm done.  The receipe doesn't mention it, but you don't want to do this in your favorite white blouse....not that I know this from experience.  Place cut sides down  in shallow baking dish with small amount of water.  (You'll know if you don't have enough water, because you're kitchen will begin smelling like something is burning- again not because I know this because of personal experience.)  Cook at 350 degrees until tender.  Scoop out cooked pumpkin.  I find the skin just pulls off.  Whatever works for you.

I'd like to share with you my favorite recipe.  It comes, of course, right out the recipe book from Burt's Farm.

1 c cooked pumpkin (see above)              1 cup sugar

1 c milk                                                         2 eggs

3 tablespoons plain flour                          1/2 stick butter

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon                         1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg                                1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 pie shell

Mix sugars, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves together.  Set aside.  Mix cooked pumpkin, milk, eggs, and melted butter together.  Pour pumpkin mixture into pot.  Pour sugar mixture into pumpkin mixture.  Stir until completely blended.   Cook on the top of the stove on medium heat, stirring constantly to keep from sticking.  After mixture becomes thick, pour into pie shell.  Bake pie on 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until center of pie rises.  Cool before cutting.

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It's a lot of work, but so worth it.  Even the little guys like it.

I also love the smells of each season.  My favorite Yankee Candle for Fall is Spiced Pumpkin.

Of course last but certainly not least, is trick or treating with the boys.  James decided he was too old, too cool or something this year.  Christopher on the other hand spent a lot of time on his costume.  I think he did an excellent job with his Indiana Jones costume.  We had a wonderful time together - we hooked up with a few friends we knew from baseball who chose to dress up as girls.  I think that Christopher even more adorable.