Pumpkin recipes and decoration ideas for family fun this Halloween

WITH the spirits stirring for Halloween this weekend, it is time to get your haunted house in order. Prep your pumpkins, of all shapes and sizes, and give your home a monstrous makeover for an unforgettable fright night.

Also try the pumpkin-inspired recipes from Morrisons.com.

Enjoy our pumpkin recipes and decoration ideas this Halloween Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Market Street tip

MIX up your pumpkin displays by carving melons, squashes or even pineapples with spiky hair.

Mrs Crunch recipes in association with Morrisons

Scarily different

Go large: Outdo your neighbours with Morrisons giant pumpkin, £8.

Spooky squashes: Create a display of carved squashes with Morrisons Munchkins, 50p each.

This Tesco novelty pumpkin, with knobbly bits, is £1.50

Go green: Waitrose has gnarly green pumpkins, Greenkins, for £3.

Simple squash: Get a basic pumpkin for 65p at Tesco.

Pumpkins with knobs on: Get a Tesco novelty pumpkin, with knobbly bits, for £1.50.

White out: Create a spooky doorstep with a ghost pumpkin from Morrisons, £2.

Spookily striped: A stripy celebration squash is 99p per kilo at Lidl.

Carve out a deal

GO to the Argos website for some brilliant pumpkin-carving templates, and alternative ideas such as creating a pumpkin vase and filling it with flowers.

At Iceland, you can pick up a deluxe carving kit for £4.

Recreate this look with the Sainsbury’s Day of the Dead pumpkin-decoration kit

The Sainsbury’s Day of the Dead pumpkin-decoration kit creates a unique look, priced £2.50.

Decorations

Bone shaker: Morrisons dancing skeleton is £10.

Fake flickers: Choose safety first with Sainsbury’s flameless pumpkin candle, 50p.

A fun Halloween decoration - Morrisons dancing skeleton at £10 — A fun Halloween decoration – Morrisons dancing skeleton at £10

Roar-some: Morrisons T-Rex skeleton is Halloween dino-mite, £8.

Cracking good fun: John Lewis and Waitrose large Halloween crackers, £4 for six, will make fright night go with a bang.

Spook-tacular: Rattle some bones with Sainsbury’s floating ghost, £8.

Terrifying tables: Serve spooky snacks on Asda’s Happy Halloween plates, £1 each.

This T-Rex skull from Morrisons is dino-mite at £8

Creepy-crawlies: Wilko’s gigantic hairy spider, £5, is frightful.

Door deco: Show your street you mean business with Wilko’s skeleton door cover, £1.

Blood-thirsty: Drink up from Tesco’s iridescent skull goblet, £2.

Cross the line: Mark out your territory with Spooky Tape, £2, from John Lewis and Waitrose.

Find this iridescent skull goblet for £2 at Tesco

Pumpkin chilli

(Serves five)

Prep time: 15min

Cook time: 60min

A pumpkin chilli will warm you through this Halloween

YOU NEED

1 small/med pumpkin, or butternut squash
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, large
2 red peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red chilli, chopped
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp tomato puree
800g chopped tomatoes, 400g
500ml vegetable stock
400g red kidney beans, drained
100g frozen sweetcorn
Salt and pepper
2 dashes balsamic vinegar
1 good handful spring onions, chopped
1 handful jalapeños, sliced
1 tub soured cream
1 handful coriander

METHOD

Peel the pumpkin or squash and cut into 1-inch thick pieces.

In a large pan heat the olive oil over a medium heat, then add the onion and red peppers and cook for five minutes.

Add the pumpkin and garlic and lightly brown. Then add the chopped chilli, chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon and cook for two minutes then add the tomato puree and stir in.

Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, red kidney beans, sweetcorn, salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and cook for 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.

When cooked add a dash or two of balsamic vinegar.

Serve up with chopped spring onions, coriander, jalapeños and a bowl of sour cream.

Pumpkin scones

(Serves eight)

Prep time: 25min

Cook time: 20min

Make pumpkin scones for a Halloween afternoon treatCredit: Getty Images – Getty

YOU NEED

40g butter
200g pumpkin flesh, cut into small pieces (or butternut squash)
225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
1 handful grated cheddar
1 small handful fresh coriander
4 tbsp milk, plus extra for brushing

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Rub a little butter on a baking sheet to grease. Cut the pumpkin into pieces and put into a saucepan with enough water to cover.

Bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes. Drain and mash with a fork then leave to cool. Put the flour and baking powder into a bowl.

Add the butter and rub together until you get a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add the pumpkin into the mixture, then add your cheese and herbs. Also add enough milk to make a dough.

Sprinkle flour onto your work surface and knead the dough for 30 seconds.

Form the dough into balls and cut out the scones with a rounded cutter. Roughly 3cm thick.