Hallowe'en Archives | happy hooligans

This pumpkin carving tip is so awesome and simple, you’re going to ask yourself why you didn’t think of it before now.

When you carve your pumpkin, do you cut out the top of the pumpkin to get to the guts? I think most people do, and it’s how I always did it until I figures a few years ago, but not anymore!

A few years ago I tried something different, and I think it really is the best pumpkin carving tip ever!

I cut out the BOTTOM of the pumpkin! It makes things so much easier when it comes time to light up your jack-o-lantern! No more wrestling to get a lit candle down into the bottom of the pumpkin or struggling to light a candle that you’ve already placed inside!

I’m not even sure if this was originally my brilliant discovery or if my hubby came up with it, but I’ve never seen this anywhere else, so I’m thinking we might have actually INVENTED this idea! Aren’t we clever?

Simply cut a hole in the bottom of your pumpkin, and scoop the guts out like you normally would.

Then when it’s time to light it up, simply set your pumpkin over a lit candle.

Taaaa-daaaaa!

What do you think? Makes things a little easier, doesn’t it?

I made these adorable Oreo Mummy Pops for the Hooligans last year at Hallowe’en. Really and truly, they are very easy to make, so don’t, for a minute, think you can’t do this! I first ran across them at How Does She?, There’s a beautiful step-by-step tutorials for both the Oreo Mummy Pops, and her any-occasion Oreo Cookie Suckers over there. Check them out! Her photos are gorgeous, and her instructions are a a little more detailed than mine, but here are the basics:

You’ll need:

Oreo Cookies,
White Candy Melts (I get mine at the Bulk Store)
Sucker Sticks
Candy Eyes (I just used chocolate chips)
Baking Sheet lined with Waxed Paper
Ziplock Sandwich Bag (for making your mummy look like a mummy)

Melt your Candy Melts in a double boiler or in the microwave. If you’re using the microwave, heat in SHORT intervals, stirring well every 20 seconds or so, or they’ll “burn”.
Twist the top wafer of your Oreo off just like you did when you were a kid. Dip a sucker stick in the Candy Melts and then press gently into the icing of the Oreo. This “glues” the stick into the cookie. Put the wafer back on and give the “glue” a minute to dry. I do this to all of my cookies, assembly-line-like before I proceed to the next step.
Now, holding the stick, dip the Oreo into the bowl of Melts. Make sure it’s well covered, letting any excess drip back into bowl.
Place on lined baking sheet and add eyes right away, while the Melts are still gooey.
Once your cookies covered and eyes are on, cut a hole in the corner of a ziplock bag. (Start small, you can test and make it bigger if you need to). You want the Melts to come out looking ribbony as opposed to thin piping lines.
Fill the bag with remaining melty Melts, and get decorating. Squeezing gently, move the bag back and forth in a zig-zag motion (cover the eyes a little) until you get the Mummy effect you’re looking for.