Pumpkin Polishing and Pumpkin Seeds

Above is the set-up for pumpkin polishing.  This would be on the shelf with a container full of cotton balls and a container full of q-tips that are broken in half.  I figure you could still do this for Thanksgiving and harvest.

Pumpkin Polishing

1. Invite the child to the lesson, "I would like to show you pumpkin polishing".

2. Remove tray from shelf and place in the upper left hand corner of a table.

3. Remove mat from tray and lay out on table.

4. Remove all items from the tray placing on mat with the pumpkin in the middle.

5. Pick up pitcher and state, "I'm going to go fill this up with water".

6. Fill the pitcher up with water and pour water into bowl.

7. Dip q-tip into water and using circular motions polish a section of the pumpkin.

8. Lay q-tip on mat and pick up the cotton ball.  Using circular motions, polish the section of the pumpkin that you just polished with the q-tip.

9.  Pick up q-tip and cotton ball, stating, "I'm going to go throw these in the trash".  

10. Place all materials back on tray as they were initially laid out.

11. Rotate mat so that it is easily rolled up from a sitting position.  Roll up mat.

12. Return tray to shelf.

13.  State, "I'm going to get this ready for the next person".  Place one cotton ball and one q-tip in each of the little bowls.

14. Ask if the child would like to try.

 After you polish the pumpkin, remove the seeds...

Tamari/Soy Sauce Pumpkin Seeds
Seeds from 1 pumpkin
enough canola oil to coat the pumpkin seeds
enough soy sauce or tamari to coat the pumpkin seeds (about 1-2 teaspoons)

Bake at 325* for approximately 20-30 minutes.  When the seeds have a deep dark caramelized look, they will be finished.

Blueberry pancakes

Pancakes were the first thing I ever made for anybody.  I used the Joy of Cooking recipe for buttermilk pancakes adding vanilla or cinnamon, depending on my mood.  I figure, everybody loves pancakes on a weekend morning, or in this case, a school day morning.

The Very Best Pancakes 
from the Joy of Cooking

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbs. butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla or cinnamon (If making blueberry pancakes, omit both)

1. Combine the dry ingredients.
2. Combine the wet ingredients.
3. Combine dry and wet ingredients.
4. Heat griddle.  Heat 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. canola oil on griddle.
5. When griddle is hot, pour pancake batter onto griddle and cook.
6. Flip pancake with a spatula and continue cooking until golden brown.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pancakes
adapted from the Joy of Cooking

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

3 Tbs. butter, melted

2 eggs, separated

8 oz. blueberries

1. Combine the dry ingredients.

2. Combine the sour cream, milk, melted butter, and egg yolks.

3. Beat egg whites until they have formed soft peaks.

4. Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients, except for the egg whites.

5. Once dry and wet ingredients are combined, fold in the egg whites.

6. Heat 1 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. canola oil on griddle.  

7. When griddle is hot, pour pancake batter onto griddle and cook.

8.  Scatter blueberries on the side of the pancake that has not yet cooked.  This keeps the blueberries from turning the pancake blue.

9. Flip with a spatula and continue cooking until golden brown.

Pancake Toppings

butter and real maple syrup

butter and strawberry jam

butter and homemade jam

peanut butter and jelly

bacon and real maple syrup

a fried egg

Roll pancake around a sausage (piggies in a blanket)