Ta da!  Our volunteer pumpkins finally go from decoration to preparation for pies.  How satisfying to accomplish something on 'the list'.  Even if its a mental list, right?

 After all the scraping out and washing the seeds, they are ready to bake. After about an hour in the oven, and a bit of cooling down....we scooped the insides out into the blender with about a cup or so of water and pureed them.  Into waiting ziplock bags they went...4 cups waiting to be frozen, and then....later....made into pumpkin pies.

  The seeds were delish!  We gobbled them up.  Here's what to do with them. (This works for squash seed as well.)  At first, after taking them out of the pumpkin...I washed them in a strainer...separating the seeds from the pulp as much as possible.  That went pretty well.  Then,  I soaked them in water for about 20 minutes.  Paper towel dried them, best you can. I put them in a ziplock bag with a tablespoon or so of oil...and swished that around to coat them.  Then onto a foil lined cookie sheet (sprayed with a bit of oil...just in case anything sticks) and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or so.  When they are getting done, you will hear a few 'pop' off like popcorn.   Take out of oven & lightly salt.  Yum....and more yum.

This is my gluten free Cranberry Cake.  A few weeks ago hubby paid $6.00 for a loaf pan of this type of lusciousness at our local Herb store.  They chose not to share their recipe and so I came home and googled it. I think the Lord surely blessed, because this is a very close (if not the same thing)  replica of the loaf we bought and boy is it good!  

I now am in a different world of baking.  All kinds of specialty flours I had never known existed. Are quickly accumulating here.  And my Cranberry Cake was my first ...no second try at using them.  It works! I now have baked goods and extra plumness....I mean plumpness...ha ha.

 Happpy trails to you, where ever the day leads you!  And to remind myself of God's greatness and goodness to me....

'The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters,

He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell iin the house of the LORD for ever.    Psalm 23.