Colorado Inspired

Colorado Inspired
Colorado Inspired

Winter Wonderland Wood Sign

Winter Wonderland Wood Sign
Winter Wonderland

Valentine's Designs

Valentine's Designs
Valentine's Designs

Finishing up the Fall

Happy Holidays!  We've decorated for Christmas, and we are in the spirit, but I did have a few final fall items to finish up.  We got those 30+ pumpkins this year, and still needed to put them to good use.

It's time to save the seeds for next year's pumpkin crop.  I wanted to save seeds from each of my different types of pumpkins, so I laid out a sheet of paper towel in front of each different type, and started cutting into them.  I washed the seeds to remove all the pumpkin innards, and laid them out to dry on the paper towel.   Once they dry you can store them in any container.


I use old baby food jars, and use a sharpie to label each container.  Nice thing about using the sharpie right on the glass is that if I have to remove the writing for any reason, you can use a little goof off, and use it to store a different seed variety.  
                                      
In years past, we have thrown our pumpkins out for the deer to eat.  They got their fill this year as well, however new this year is our flock of chickens, and I thought we'd freeze and save some pumpkin halves for future eating in the winter. 

                                
They really seem to like them, picking them all the way down to the skin.  Say hi Bertha!

                              
Next it's time to take all the extra seeds your not saving and roast them!!  Yum!  Here's how I do it.

1-2 cups of pumpkins seeds
1-2 tsp of melted butter
Salt to taste
I lay out my seeds on a sheet pan to dry after I washed all the pumpkin innards off, and leave them out to dry for a day or two.
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
Once the seeds are dry, melt the butter, and pour it over the seeds, and mix it all up with your hands to get a good even coating.  Then add salt, and pop these guys in the oven.  Total roasting time is 45 minutes.  I put my timer on for 15 minutes, and stir the seeds around, and set the timer again for another 15 minutes till 45 minutes is up.
Take them out of the oven, and let cool.  Store them in a sealed container, and enjoy for a snack or in a salad to add some crunch.

Well it's time to say goodbye to fall, and all of it's bounty.  Bring on Christmas! 🎄


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