Pumpkin Carving is not only fun, but can easily produce something tasty! Choosing a good pumpkin is similar to choosing fruit at a supermarket. Choose one that is visually appealing and free from bruises, cuts and soft spots. Of course, a pumpkin with a flat side is key to a good design. Don’t forget: your pumpkin needs a stem, otherwise, sticking a candle in gets tricky!

Want to recycle your pumpkin's core?  Try toasted pumpkin seeds for a delicious, easy and nutritious snack!

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Separate the pumpkin seeds from the stringy core of the pumpkin. Rinse the seeds.
3. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
4. Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed or just eat whole.

From SimplyRecipes.com

Shivering Bats Shades

Create spooky shadows with this decorative idea.

1. Find a picture of a bat that can be cut out as a template.
2. Trace the template onto black construction paper, enough times to evenly cover the inside of the lamp shade.
3. Using double sided tape, place the bats on the inside of a lamp shade. Translucent white paper lampshades work best.

From MarthaStewart.com

Freaky Witches Fingers 

These fingers will look so real, you might have to close your eyes to eat them!

Ingredients: 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, ¾ cup whole almonds (skinned), 1 (.75 ounce) tube of red decorating gel

1. Combine butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla extract in bowl and beat together with an electric mixer.
2. Gradually add flour, baking powder, and salt until it has a dough-like texture.
3. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
5. Remove dough. Scoop 1 heaping tsp. at a time onto waxed paper. Using waxed paper, roll the dough into thin finger-like shapes.
6. Press an almond into one end of each finger to look like a fingernail. Squeeze and pinch the front and center of the cookies to look like knuckles. Arrange on baking sheets.
7. Bake in oven until golden in color. (20-25 minutes)
8. Let cool. Remove almonds and squeeze a tiny amount of red gel where the almond was. Replace the almond back in place to make gel look like oozing blood.

(Makes 60 servings)
From AllRecipes.com