Mini Painted Pumpkins and Pumpkin Cookies - Attractive and Tasty Party Pleasers

Why is it we don't usually think about whipping up a batch of pumpkin cookies until Halloween? I guess that's when the pumpkins are ripe for the picking. The enticing aroma of freshly baked cookies fills your home with a warmth and coziness unlike anything else.

Here's a great tasting recipe for Pumpkin Cookies that is ideal for all the pumpkin pie lovers in your life:

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup softened margarine
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 Cup canned pumpkin
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ginger
1 Cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. / Yield: About 3 dozen cookies
 
In a large bowl beat margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla and pumpkin until creamy. Add dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Do not over-beat.

Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on rack.

With Halloween, of course, comes the decorating of pumpkins. You can chose to either carve your pumpkin into a traditional jack-o-lantern or Halloween design, or you can opt for the more modern technique of painted pumpkins. There are many styles and designs from which to choose.

Select the most uniform shaped mini pumpkins for your design. Be sure the pumpkins are washed, dried and free of any substance that would hinder your painted design. Make a pattern and trace it onto the pumpkins' surface with permanent markers. If you prefer, draw your pattern on the pumpkin free hand. If you're unsure of what to paint and don't wish to paint only jack-o-lantern faces you could try painting bats, witches' hats or perhaps spiders on each mini pumpkin. Fill in the design with acrylic paints and additional colored permanent magic markers.

On your serving table scatter straw over the entire tabletop. Arrange miniature hay bales on top of the straw, creating different height levels. Place the painted pumpkins strategically across the tabletop, as well as on top of the hay bales, to give it more dimension. Your pumpkin cookies can be showcased enticingly on one end of the table, while your beverage of choice, perhaps a pumpkin punch, can be arranged at the other end, along with a bowl filled with of Halloween Candy or "treats", making an appealing and appetizing display of artistic Halloween creations for your guests to enjoy.

Whatever you decide, be sure to give pumpkin painting a try. You won't be disappointed. For Halloween, even the "not so perfect" ones will work great! Don't try for perfection. Just have some good old fashioned fun.