It is difficult to think of Halloween as being anything other than a purely commercial holiday. However, there are many traditional recipes associated with Halloween that reveal the holiday’s history and importance. Many of these recipes can be made with one sole source—the pumpkin! One of the essential components of Halloween, the pumpkin is the main ingredient in many traditional Halloween recipes.
A Salty, Seedy Snack
One function of the pumpkin is to make traditional Halloween recipes, such as roasted pumpkin seeds. These are a classic favorite that are both delicious and easy to make. All that is needed to make this traditional Halloween recipe is a pumpkin, cooking spray, and salt to taste.
The first step in this recipe is the most difficult, and certainly the messiest! The pumpkin must be gutted so that the seeds can be removed from the inside. If you plan on using the pumpkin for other traditional Halloween recipes, then you will need to scrape all of the stringy stuff out of the pumpkin’s inside. You can leave this “pumpkin gunk” on the seeds, however; it adds flavor to the dish.
After you have a bowl full of pumpkin seeds, spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Spread the seeds across the sheet evenly, and sprinkle with salt as desired. Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. Serve hot, or wait until they cool.
A Pie from the Pumpkin
Pumpkin pie tastes great on Thanksgiving, but try having it on Halloween too! It might not be traditional on Halloween, but this pie is a delicious recipe any time of the year. You can make pumpkin pie using canned pumpkin, or you can make this treat using an actual Halloween pumpkin.
Simply scrape out all the seeds and stringy stuff. Then, cut the empty, cleaned pumpkin so that it can fit into a microwave-safe bowl. Add several inches of water in the bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl and cook the pumpkin for fifteen minutes on high. Continue to cook the pumpkin on high in smaller increments of time until it is softened. This process usually takes 20-30 minutes all in all. Now, you have delicious pumpkin for this pumpkin pie recipe.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces of fresh pumpkin
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Instructions
- Mix sugar and spices in a small bowl. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.
- Pour the mixture into the pie shell.
- Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.
Rituals, Old and New
Whether traditional or not, Halloween recipes are delicious and meant to be enjoyed. However, those with a tradition allow the history to be enjoyed as well.
