From pumpkin to puree...to pie and bread.

 The last few weekends were filled will fall fun; Halloween Parades, pumpkin picking (at Walmart 🙂 ) and of course baking. I did get some pretty nice size pumpkins for a good price. And between festivities I was carving and baking – not jack-o-lanterns but baking pumpkin into puree for breads, butters, pies, seeds and soup. This tradition (or fascination) started many years ago. I have been making pies, rolls, breads and now butter and soup out of fresh field pumpkins ever since. The fresh puree makes for a very moist bread and yummy pies. And these little pumpkin treasures and treats last very little time in my house or anywhere else for that matter. I enjoy it immensely, they are very easy to grow see Happenings,  Happenings II and Happenings III for the full details on the pumpkin “patch” in my yard. Unfortunately, my homegrown treasures didn’t make it to puree or pie. But is was amazing to see how fast and big the vine grew over the summer.

Yummy, yummy pumpkin nut bread

Puzzle mania...

These perfectly pleasing pumpkin tasks inspired another family project and favorite past time of my mother’s – puzzles. She broke out her 500 piece puzzle collection and we went at it. Frustrating at first – since we had to turn over all the pieces and “organize” them by color and assume where they belonged. We managed to get the border done that night and most of the top. The days that followed were challenging as it takes such a  long time to group together just a few pieces. And it has been bonding as well. And with more pumpkins to carve and ready for thanksgiving our puzzle is almost complete.

Puzzle on the way to completion....

The challenge and the frustration has turned to relaxation, concentration, cheer and pride. Simple projects and pleasures can bring a busy family together it is so nice.

What are some of your family projects? How have they helped the busyness of the season? Drop me a line….

All the best & Happy Fall,