Pumpkin Guts Feast: Silky Spiced Pumpkin Soup and Salty Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

So you've gotten into the spirit of Halloween and carved your Jack O' Lantern,but now you are elbow deep in pumpkin guts with no idea what to do with them. No fear, I am here to help. 

I have been carving pumpkins for as long as I can remember, whether it be at the childminder's when I was little, at home with my mum and little sister, and now with my boyfriend in my own flat. I have also grown up with pumpkin soup cooked by my mum at this time of year, and so naturally I have carried on this tradition, especially as the weather is colder, and both me and James love a warming bowl of soup for lunch. Today I also tried my hand at something new, and roasted off the seeds from my pumpkins, and it wasn't the disaster I thought it would be, and now I have a great snack to munch on for the next week. This is going to be a picture heavy post, so scroll down for the recipe. 

Three pumpkins left me with all of this

Look at it in all of its stringy glory

I don't know about you, but I think this looks so pretty,the picture does it no justice so I guess 

you'll just have to try this for yourself

This is the colour you are aiming for

So 70s 

Now it feels like autumn

 Who needs a pumpkin spiced latte, when you can have spiced pumpkin soup?

For the pumpkin seeds I used a recipe from Simply Recipes, and added a sprinkle of smoked paprika to give them a BBQ style taste, and here is my soup recipe. I got 5 healthy sized portions out of this recipe and served with a drizzle of soy cream and a sprinkling of seeds.

Halloween Decorations on a Budget

Anyone who knows me knows that I love all holidays, and go all out no matter what. I am already planning the Christmas decorations for my flat, and always wait with baited breath for paperchase to bring out its valentines day themed stationary. Halloween is no different, whether my boyfriend likes it or not and this all came to about £15 including the pumpkins, so I thought I'd share my decorating tips and resources with you, aren't you lucky.

Apologies for the terrible quality of this photo (that dresser cost me a whole £10 on ebay)

Links for graphics below, and teeny tiny clothes pegs are from the works 

The skull money box and pumpkin fairy lights are from home bargains (obviously, I live in Liverpool) and the bats are from Morrison's, the dead flowers are the result of my laziness, but creepy none the less

DIY creepy candles (instructions below)

So many pumpkin guts were produced in the carving of these pumpkins, pumpkin by the pound. Soup and seed recipes to follow, watch this space.

For the spooky candles you will need:

• Church candles, mine are from home bargains
• A small red candle of any description, I used the last remnants of an apple scented candle
• A jar
• A spoon

Break up your red candle and place in the jar, place your jar in a pan of boiling water over a medium heat and stir until the wax has completely melted

Use your spoon to dribble the red wax around the edge of your candle until you've reached your desired effect and you're done!

The Graphics I used are available here (except the cute little witch, as I can't find where I found it)

Bats | Palm | Fairy | Skull