Pumpkin Carving

Every year my husband and I host a pumpkin carving party.  We provide all of the food and drinks, but it is BYOP!  As I said in my last post, I love Halloween, so I also love to decorate for it!

Some of our party decor:

Our appetizers for the night consisted of Halloween cookies, crudite, ranch dip, cheese and crackers, and of course Halloween candy.

You may recognize the candy corn from martini night!

Beverages!

Octoberfest and Pumpkin Ale, what else?!?

This year I also tried something different which ended up being a huge hit!  I made Spiked Autumn Punch.

Spices:

Cinnamon sticks, cloves, and splenda.

First  I simmered these spices along with cranberry juice, dry vermouth, and sweet vermouth.  I simmered it until ithe sugar was completely dissolved, and the mixture had bagan to boil.  Then you let it all steep for 1 hour.


Liquor:

 2 bottles dry white wine, 1 bottle full red wine, 1 cup vodka, 1 cup apple brandy.


Then I decided to add two creative touches of my own:

1. Pumpkin Serving Bowl

              

 2. Cranberries

                                                                                                     

It was amazingly delicious, it may seem similar to jungle juice, but it is much less dangerous!





And now the reason we were all there, pumpkin carving!!!!

Before:

After:

Hers

His

My husband and I were the only ones to do our own pumpkins, everyone else did "couple pumpkins."  Here is our group shot.

Which Pumpkin is your favorite?