Pumpkin pieces and parts

Don't throw away those pumpkins just yet!

If you're like me, you may have decorated the front porch with pumpkins for the fall. Instead of letting them rot or throwing them out, use those pieces and parts to create something new (and yummy!).

When we scooped out our Halloween jack-o-lanterns two weeks ago, we saved the pumpkin seeds. There are tons of recipes online to roast them with different seasonings, whether you want hot and spicy (which was the natural choice for our "dried dragon boogers"), Italian garlic and herb, or curried seeds.

Tonight we're planning on baking some pumpkin bread using real pumpkin — none of that canned stuff for us! (NOTE: Don't use those old jack-o-lanterns for baking. Rather, you'll want to use some decorative pumpkin that you haven't cut a face into.)

You could also use real pumpkin in your Thanksgiving pies, muffins and cookies. Most recipes can be modified for using real pumpkin — you just have to boil the chunks first and mash 'em up! Mmm, nothing like the real thing, that's for sure!