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Repurposing Your Pumpkin

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - If you have a pumpkin sitting around from Halloween - not a carved Jack-O-Lantern that should be compost or squirrel food by now - but a nice fresh pumpkin perhaps out on your porch, bring it in to use on your holiday table.

Some pumpkins taste better than others - little sugar pumpkins make good pies, but you can even use bigger pumpkins as serving bowls or centerpieces too.

Hollow out your pumpkin not long before you need it. You can turn larger pumpkins into punch bowls or soup tureens, and use littler ones for dessert or individual soup servings. For a serving dish, cut a bigger pumpkin down lower on the sides, and if you're tidy and have time, you can carve a pretty design around the top edge too.

Or, cut off the top, clean out enough pulp to make room for a jar or vase inside and arrange a bunch of fresh flowers in it to make a quick pumpkin centerpiece for your table - or to bring as a gift to whoever's making your holiday meal.

You'll be so thankful it's not still sitting on your porch.

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