I don't mean to be a party pooper but I just don't understand adults who insist on dressing up for Halloween (unless, that is, you have children). I remember racing to a meeting in Los Angeles years ago in heavy traffic (typical of LA) and as I inched my way down Santa Monica boulevard I looked over and saw a middle aged woman dressed as a clown looking miserable. And I thought to myself...why? Where do you work where that's even close to appropriate behavior? Maybe I'm alone on this one, but just as I'd think it was a bit odd for adults to hunt for Easter eggs or believe in Santa Clause, it's equally baffling when someone dresses up as a cupcake and pretends it's normal. There, I said it. This adult may not dress up, but he sure enjoys decorating! Tonight will find me carving away (I usually don't carve until the last minute to keep pumpkins fresh) and some of my favorite things to do..you guessed it...is a bit odd. I carve my pumpkins and face them towards a wall (that way whatever I've carved is reflected on the wall behind it), I use gourds to hold chips and dip and candy (I also do this for Thanksgiving) and I try every year to come up with another interesting thing to do with my pumpkins, quite a departure from upside-down triangle eyes and crooked teeth! Whatever you do, though, have fun and enjoy the holiday...even if you insist on dressing up as a cupcake!
MAKE IT CLEAN:
One quick tip I have when using a pumpkin or gourd as a serving dish (depending on temperature of item you're serving) is to line the pumpkin with saran wrap. This helps especially when filling it with something like guacamole to keep the remnants of pumpkin taste away (I use dark food coloring to make it look black and ghoulish and stick red tortilla chips in the top for drama).
