How to Make a Halloween Jack-o-lantern Pumpkin

The first thing you need is the proper utensils. You need a large kitchen knife, a large kitchen spoon, a small sharp pointed knife, a big pot, a tea light candle, a black marker, a piece of paper and pencil and of course the perfect pumpkin.

Using the large kitchen knife cut the top of the pumpkin. Cut it large enough so you can put your hands inside and grab. Keep the top for the lid for use later.

Use the large kitchen spoon to scoop up the seeds and the insides of the pumpkin. Scoop the flesh, but be sure to leave about an inch thick layer inside. Put the seeds and the flesh in the large pot. You can keep these and make pumpkin seeds and various recipes.

Decide on what you want the face to look like by drawing designs on a separate paper. You can then use the paper to draw the design on the pumpkin with a marker if you wish.

With the small pointed knife carefully mark on the pumpkin the outside of the face or the design you desire. A typical jack-o-lantern has triangle eyes and nose and three jagged teeth.

You can then use the small knife to cut it out partially or if you want holes, cut it in pieces using the larger knife. It is much easier to cut in pieces rather than trying to cut an entire eye or mouth in one piece.

Carve eyebrows, hair, whiskers etc. by cutting off the dark orange skin only to reveal a layer of thinner paler pumpkin inside. Don't cut through the shell. This gives it an extra effect especially when it is lit.

Place the tea light candle inside the pumpkin. Light the candle and put on the lid.

It sounds easy, but it takes a lot of work.

Happy Halloween!!