I love the cute kids in bunny and pirate costumes who come to my door October 31. They remind me that, despite the silly spendfest Halloween has become, it’s still a celebration for children.
Halloween now ranks second only to Christmas in sales, followed by back-to-school spending, according to the Retail Council of Canada.
I miss a simpler Halloween. I also miss seeing the little UNICEF boxes trick-or-treaters used to carry.
That was a fundraiser that began in Canada at the height of the baby boom — in 1955 — and continued for 50 years until it ended in 2005. During that time it raised $100 million for the child advocacy program. For many young Canadians, collecting those coins was their first experience of doing something for others less fortunate.
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UNICEF officials in 2005 decided to end their coin collection program, because amassing huge collections of loose change wasn’t a very efficient fundraiser. But October 31 is still National UNICEF Day and children are still encouraged to fundraise. What UNICEF did was shift its fundraising efforts online, and continues to encourage teachers to use its resources — found online at National UNICEF Day— to organize school fundraisers.
The rest of us waiting at our doors can keep contributing to this long-standing Canadian tradition too.
This year, recognizing those little orange boxes have been missed, UNICEF is trying something new, and will be launching a two-day online campaign, a digital orange box if you will.
I’ve become a little grumpy about Halloween’s creepy commercialism. But National UNICEF Day sheds a different light on the whole occasion. Think of what a few dollars diverted from all that costume and candy buying, donated instead to the child advocacy agency can do. UNICEF programs help build schools, stave off malnutrition, treat preventable diseases, and protect vulnerable children from exploitation.
They make a child’s world a little less scary.
The new website taking donations will be up on October 30 and 31 and can be found at unicef.ca/orangebox.
You can read more about UNICEF programs at unicef.ca.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
The bigger pumpkins glinting on our doorsteps tomorrow night are usually best sent to the compost heap afterward. It’s the smaller varieties, with denser flesh and a higher sugar content, that are best for cooking and baking. Here’s a tasty soup that won’t take long to make and will use the cubed pulp of one small pumpkin.
- 1/4 c. butter
- 2 c. pumpkin pulp, cubed
- 1 chili pepper, whole
- 1 c. chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 c. coconut milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- 1 c. cooked shrimp
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
In a saucepan; cook pumpkin cubes and pepper in butter over low heat for five minutes.
Add chicken stock and coconut milk; bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Season to taste.
Add lime juice, zest and shrimp. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serves: 4
Source: Peak of the Market
Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
- 1 c. milk
- 1/3 c. pumpkin purée
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. flaxseed, crushed
- 1/4 c. pecans, crushed
- 1-1/4 c. flour
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- Pinch cloves
In a large bowl; stir together milk, pumpkin, butter and egg. In another large bowl; mix all dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients.
In a hot large skillet with small amount of butter; pour batter into desired size of pancake. Cook approximately three minutes per side. Top with maple syrup.
Serves 4.
Source: Peak of the Market
Pumpkin Pie Fudge
Thanks to Co-operator reader Kathryn Baranovsky for sharing this yummy fudge recipe with us this week. This method is for those who don’t like using a candy thermometer.
- 1-1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 2/3 c. evaporated milk
- 1/2 c. mashed pumpkin (canned)
- 2 tbsp. butter or margarine
- 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or make your own*)
- 1 pkg. (12 oz./340 g) vanilla-flavoured baking chips
- 2 c. miniature marshmallows (1/2 bag)
- 1-1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Using butter or margarine, lightly grease sides and bottom of a medium saucepan.
Place sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and pumpkin pie spice in the saucepan.
Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 12 minutes.
Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir in baking chips and marshmallows until melted.
Pour into 8-inch square pan that has been lined with foil and greased (or use parchment paper). Chill until set. Cut into small squares to serve. Cover and store in refrigerator.
Makes about four to five dozen pieces.
*To make your own pumpkin pie spice: 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice = 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, 1/8 tsp. ground allspice, 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
