This time of year, there’s one thing you will find everywhere, from your morning latte to your afternoon snack, on front porches, and the reason for a weekend trip to the farm…PUMPKINS!!! Whether you are planning to drink it up, bake it, simmer it, carve it, or shoot it out of a cannon, these round orange gourds reign supreme this time of year. Pick up locally harvested pumpkins at a Big R near you!

Are you the type to carve your pumpkin free hand? Or do you like to buy a kit with a fancy design? Or maybe you go old school and draw your toothy grin and triangle eyes with a sharpie before cutting into it. No matter what type of pumpkin carver you are, we’ve got a few tips to help make it the easiest Halloween porch decoration you’ve ever done!

Many people, including my dad when he taught me to carve a jack-o-lantern, cut off the top of the pumpkin around the stem. This works great, but for an even easier way to light it up, cut your circle out of the bottom and then you can just set it on top of a candle! No need to try to get one inside on an uneven surface, not to mention the struggles of getting it to light.

Once you’ve cut your pumpkin open, now for the slimy part: cleaning out the seeds and stringy insides. A popular viral hack is to take your kitchen hand mixer and break everything up before easily scooping it out. This also helps with separating the seeds from the pumpkin innards; make sure to save those seeds for snacking. Now on to creating your masterpiece! Another popular pumpkin carving hack is to use a dry-erase marker to draw your design, rather than a sharpie since it can be wiped right off after cutting (not all of us can always stay inside the lines). Once your jack-o-lantern is complete, smear a small amount of Vaseline on the freshly cut areas to keep it from drying out. Pick up some fresh cinnamon sticks or a yummy fall candle at Big R to keep your festive pumpkin faces smelling great for the season!

If you’re like me, roasted & salted pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite parts of the Halloween season. Toss seeds in a bowl of water to get clean and lay them out to dry. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and season with salt (or whatever your heart desires) and bake at 350° for 10 to 25 minutes (depending on size) until the edges are golden brown, stirring once or twice during baking. Busy schedule? Pick up delicious pumpkin seeds & fall snacks at Big R.

Pumpkins are also a very popular item in the kitchen during autumn, you can make a puree and use for all kinds of dishes from pies to soups! Cut a fresh pumpkin in half, clean out the insides and roast in the oven, cut side down, at 400° for 45 minutes to an hour. Once roasted, scoop out the soft flesh and pop it into your food processor. Use this puree for sweet AND savory dishes!

Happy fall y’all, now get out there and enjoy the season!