How to use pumpkins as serving dishes

1. Wash and dry pumpkins -- use different sizes for different side dishes and condiments.
2. Slice off top, approximately one quarter of the way down the pumpkin. (Cut at an angle so the top can be replaced without falling through. If you are doing this with your kids, you need to do this step for safety's sake...)
3. Scoop out seeds and stringy material.
4. Load the pumpkin with whatever side dishes or condiments you like.
5. Use top of pumpkin as a lid.
6. When done, save left-over contents and toss pumpkin in the trash. No clean-up!

Rubber kitchen gloves

Large chef's knife -- long enough to easily cut through a pumpkin

Ice cream scoop

Ice cream scoop

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Carving knife

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Rubber gloves

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Hi, I’m Julie Edelman, the Accidental Housewife on howdini, and I am going to share with you some terrific ways to create some serving pieces that you will not have to put in the dishwasher and you can just chuck when you’re done.

Here’s what we’re going to do — we’re going to pick some pumpkins! I love pumpkins, they’re colorful and they’re also great because you can bring them home and let your kiddies help you prepare all of this. What you’re going to do is — this is the part you must do — you’re going to slice off the top part, alright, to create a lid. You don’t want them doing it because you don’t want to be rushing them to that old hospital. All right, you want to be having fun and relaxing.

Once you do that, you’re going to take an ice cream scooper; open up your garbage or wherever you’ve got it, and you’re going to have your kids just scoop out all of that stuff, all right, and you keep doing it until it’s nice and clean. You want to save the pumpkin? That’s fine too; you can get an extra one that they can carve — why not? You can even, you know, some people like to save these pumpkin seeds, and you can just put them in the oven and bake them, really good. Put a little salt or whatever, cinnamon, yummy.

And then when it’s done, you just put that little baby down there, or your kiddies will, and you’re going to fill it up with all these yummy little kinds of sides. Here some Brussels sprouts - you just load that pumpkin up. And you just keep loading and loading until it’s nice and full. And when it is full — this is terrific — it’s like a little lid; you just put that lid on there and doesn’t that look just lovely?

Also, this is good for cranberry — take that can and forget the dishes, dump that baby right in. All right, and once again you’re going to put that little lid right on. Now of course your kids will do this better than you can since they carved it out, so let them.
And lastly, here’s another great little serving tip — and by the way get all different-sized pumpkins because that way, depending on if you have maybe stuffing, whatever your side dish might be — nuts, appetizers — whatever, you think you can put in there, go for it. Here’re some little peas, you put those, and look how pretty this all looks! Everybody will think you’ve been working for hours; and the best part, when you’re done you just toss ’em.
Out they go! Manicure stays intact.

I’m Julie Edelman for howdini.