Carving pumpkins!

It's pumpkin time! It is a long standing tradition in both Michael's and Beka's family to find and carve pumpkins in the fall. This year team Oakley was counting down the days until they partake in one of their favorite past times!

Despite the fertile farm lands here in middle TN, we could not find a pumpkin patch! Beka lived up the hill from one in CA, and Michael lived closed to a few as well, and we both were gratly disappointed to not have a local farm to search and pick our own. So in lieu of a patch, we went to a super market and picked out our favorites. We chose pie pumpkins. 

We selected our tools, prepared our place, and got started! 

Michael had a little extra help on his :)

Beka drew on hers (an idea she had for weeks.... get it... pumpkin pie?) then she got to cuttin' out the guts! 

Scrappy just kept popping up to see the action! He was very curious with all the laughter, sights, sounds, and smells. 

This is how Beka's final design came out to be. Not exactly what was in her head, but still fun! 

This is what Michael's finished masterpiece looked like.

Beka: what is it:?

Michael: I don't know....

And even though we were done carving, Scrappy did not want the fun times to end :(

Here is the carnage. Beka separated the guts and the seeds for some good baked fun. 

If you soak the seeds and in water for about 10 mins, it separates the seeds and the pumpkin. 

After the carving, most people put a candle into their newly gutted pupkin, and enjoy the view...But Beka is not most people, and she could not wait to bake down those pumpkins into something wonderful and tasty. 

She halved them and preped them for the oven. 

They were baked until very tender, mashed, and eventually used in a wonderful pumpkin chili. 

She also baked the seeds. One half was savory with oregano, thyme, garlic salt, and season salt. The other was sweet with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sugar. 

It was a wonderful day full of tradition, laughter, kitty friends, and cooking. What else could you ask for in an adventure?

Until the next one,

Team Oakley