Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Pumpkin Potpourri Week ~ Works-For-Me Wednesday ~ Pumpkin Fun



Welcome to Day 3 of Pumpkin Potpourri Week! Today is about having fun with pumpkin! If you're just stopping by for the first time, you better go back and check Day 1: giveaways and a pumpkin blueberry muffin recipe; and check Day 2: tea and a pumpkin bread recipe.

Thanks for coming by - get ready for some fun and more yumminess! Keep reading until the bottom for the chance to link up YOUR wonderful pumpkin posts!

Kids love pumpkins! Try going to a pumpkin patch in your area for some Fall fun. Here's a picture of my son picking out a pumpkin (4 years ago - must they grow up??).


How about getting the kids involved in some pumpkin crafts? Here are some easy suggestions that I ran across:

~ Make paper plates into pumpkin crafts by painting the entire plate orange and then decorating with paints, pens, and/or stick-on foam pieces.

~ Decorate outside of pumpkin using alphabet macaroni to form words and phrases. Use decoupage medium to stick words on outside of pumpkin and then paint over macaroni and paint on pumpkin, if you wish.

~ Use quilting pins to stick on sequins or other decorations onto outside of pumpkins.

~ Use mini pumpkins in your landscaping. Find sticks and paint with acrylic paints. hammer a nail into one end of stick, then carefully remove nail head with cutters and insert mini pumpkin onto nail. Put sticks (now pumpkin wands) into ground outside wherever you want!

~ Make a frosted pumpkin by painting lines on stem and top of pumpkin and following lines down partway using white dimensional fabric paint. Using dimensional paint, make snowflake shapes around pumpkin. Coat pumpkin with white glitter. Could even be a centerpiece on a white doily with artificial snow ( a craft book's idea - not mine!).



Pumpkin Fact of the Day
*** Pumpkins are grown on 6 of the 7 continents. ***


Can you or your kids guess which one they aren't on? Hint - Have you ever seen penguins eating pumpkin or served pumpkins on ice? That's right - Antarctica!

Your kids can also help cook your favorite pumpkin recipes. Here's a kid-friendly pumpkin recipe that is yummy enough for some grown-ups to declare they like it better than pie! What kid doesn't like pudding (OK - there probably are some, but humor me please)?


Quick Pumpkin Pudding
1 (6 oz) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk (1-1/2 cups)
1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Whipped cream

Beat pudding mix and evaporated milk according to package directions in a large bowl; refrigerate for 5 minutes. Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until ready to serve. Top with whipped cream.

Makes 8 servings.


I serve this at Thanksgiving for the kids. I like to put out toppings for the pudding: graham cracker crumbs, mini chocolate chips, nuts, whipped cream. Yum!! If you want to make the recipe lower fat and calories, just use sugar-free, fat-free pudding mix and skim evaporated milk.

All this pumpkin fun works for me! I hope you are enjoying it! You should stop by Works-for-me-Wednesday at Rocks in the Dryer for lots of good tips and ideas (not necessarily pumpkin-related).

But don't leave yet!! Here's your chance to link up (and another opportunity to be entered in a giveaway). Find or create your favorite pumpkin-themed post and link it up with Mr. Linky below. Some of you have already posted great pumpkin recipes, decorations, and craft ideas - link 'em up! Or write a new one and come back to link it. If you don't have a blog, please leave your ideas and/or recipes in the comments and I'll enter you in the giveaway.

Can't wait to read all of your pumpkin ideas!! Come back tomorrow - more pumpkin on the way!

/>



21 comments:

  1. Once again I'm the first to comment. LOL! I must be your biggest fan ha ha! Pumpkin pudding huh? Hmmm, I have honestly never heard of that one! You are the pumpkin queen lol.
    Blessings to you.
    Kim
    I need to go find a pumpkin recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks so yummy! The only thing I need is pudding. Off to the store I go. YUMMO!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yum...yum...yum! Can't wait to try that pumpkin pudding. I'm a fall lover, and am so looking forward to taking my daughter to the pumpkin patch again this year!

    Take care,
    Steph

    ReplyDelete
  4. This sounds so good! I'm definitely going to try it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the pudding idea and the paper plate pumpkin! Very fun!

    ReplyDelete
  6. These ideas are great. We're going to have to use some of them for our 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Patch party coming up next month...thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Lisa! :) I'm going to make the pumpkin bread and then link up - perhaps I can do some pumpkin decorating as well!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am making the muffins tomorrow from day 1! I can't wait! I also linked the coffee recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow pumpkin pudding. Thanks for all the recipes!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ok, I did the pumpkin story and forgot to link it!!!! Silly me. So I did it late tonight. Better late than never...????

    ReplyDelete
  11. These are some great ideas and recipies. Yum!!! Thanks for letting me know about your Linky. I love all of this inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lady, Every time I visit ya... I gain a little more weight! LOL
    As far as the PP... I'm a grown-up and I still get a kick out of it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love the recipies! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love all the recipes. I linked to our trip to the pumpkin patch. I just love this time of year.
    Mi

    ReplyDelete
  15. can't wait to try this recipe and then go to World market for the tea you showed!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm going to have to buy some fun looking glasses like yours to put the pudding in, it makes it look so fancy.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Pumpkin, spice and cider too,
    Desert will be yummy, thanks to you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have added your recipe to my blog, and am going to make it tomorrow. It looks so good!!

    Hugs from the Netherlands

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh my gosh, my kids will be in heaven. I will have to try this out before thanksgiving. I like the idea of the toppings. Thanks so much for this recipe.
    Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  20. what a fabulous pumpkin pudding recipe!! :)

    ReplyDelete

I would love to hear your comments! Thank you for stopping and smelling the chocolates with me!! Currently disabled anonymous comments due to spam attempts - thanks for understanding!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...