How to: Throw the Perfect Pumpkin Carving Party

What could be more fun than carving pumpkins, drinking pumpkin beer and eating pumpkin chili??  Add Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats, Pumpkin Bread and Spinach Artichoke Dip and there is pretty much nothing more fun in the world!  This is how you throw the Perfect Pumpkin Carving Party!

Things you will need:

• Orange plastic tablecloth (to cover your pumpkin carving table)
• Halloween Paper Plates/Napkins/Bowls (for all your Delicious Pumpkin Themed Food!)
• Carving utensils/stencils (enough for all of your guests to carve their perfect little pumpkins)
• Tealights (to light up the inside of your perfect pumpkins)
• 2 Large bowls (one for the pumpkin guts and one for the pumpkin seeds)

For the pumpkin chili, click on the link for the recipe!  I also made traditional chili in case someone didn’t like pumpkin (not sure why, because I shun anyone who does not like pumpkin, bahaha) but it’s easy to throw it together in a crock pot, so I did!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 can chili beans
• 1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies) (14.5 oz)
• 1 package chili seasoning
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)

While your chili’s are simmering in their respective crock-pot’s, get your Pumpkin Bread ready to bake!

• 4 oz frozen spinach
• 1 can artichoke hearts (14.5 oz)
• 8 oz package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Start by thawing out the frozen spinach by placing it in a microwave-save dish covered with a lid and into the microwave for 5 minutes. While the spinach is defrosting, blend the artichoke hearts in a food processor until only small chunks exist. When the spinach has been defrosted combine this with the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, garlic powder and artichoke hearts in a 20 oz small casserole dish.

Top with the mozzarella cheese.

Pumpkin Chili

Oh my poor neglected little leopard book Mr Rodas, the math professor I like to refer to as the “Grim Reaper”, does not realize that his 40 hours a week of pre-calc homework is affecting more than just those 15 dwindled down suckers still left in the class after the first two exams created by the math devil himself! It’s affecting the thousands (haha) of my loyal bloggies that have not gotten to enjoy my witty sense of humor, delectable recipes or insight into my favorite things for an entire week! But no need to worry, I’ve made my grand entrance back into the blogosphere with an AMAZING new recipe for you all to enjoy in this, my favorite, fall season!!!

Being the hostess-with-the-mostest that I am, I followed through with my planned Pumpkin Carving Party last week even though I had about as much time to throw a party as a squirrel has time to get across Melrose Ave with a Bentley, Range Rover and those always annoying Prius’ flying through (not much)! So as I started to plan I knew I had to come up with recipes that did not take a lot of time to make and would be good for come-and-go guests, so chili came to mind. But keeping with the fall spirit, my obsession for the big orange fruit and the “Pumpkin” theme of the party I also wanted to make something that involved Pumpkin, therefore Pumpkin Chili was born.  After checking out some recipes online, I adapted them into my own sweet and spicy recipe of goodness!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 large onion (chopped)
• 1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 1 can kidney beans
• 4 cans of tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 1 can green chilies (4 oz)
• 1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped jalapeños

The hit of the party, everyone had at least 2 or 3 bowls!  I’m complemented when people go back for seconds of any of my recipes, down right proud when they go back for thirds