Puking Pumpkins

About four years ago, my parents bought a house on a local lake that has become a favorite getaway and meeting place for my parents, my sister, our spouses, my daughter, and our collective three dogs and three bunny rabbits. A couple of years ago, my sister, Kari Ann, and I decided on Labor Day weekend that we would have a Bread Pudding Throw Down, which resulted in much hilarity, smack-talking, and delicious results. We have since then had a Shut-Your-Pie-Hole Pie Contest, and a Punkin' Chunkin' contest, among others on every holiday weekend.

Which brings us to the puking pumpkins.

Last year, I posted this on my sister's Facebook page as the introduction to our time-honored sibling smack-talking that both tickles and delights our friends and family.

We went on to make a pumpkin flan (Kari Ann) and a pumpkin souffle with a pomegranate reduction (mine). Winner undecided. That was early in the days of our contests, when the family was still too nice to declare a winner.

This holiday weekend (we always meet up around Halloween to have a party for my daughter), I let my blessed sibling choose the theme for our throw down, and she chose SALAD. Of all the culinary delights in the world, salad. To which I responded:

The puking pumpkin motif seems to be the mascot for our autumn hijinks.

I'm not a huge lover of the salad, I must admit. However, I'm planning to use the tomato jam I made yesterday as my secret weapon to help me cheat a bit on this salad competition. I will report back with pictures and results of the (insert deep, heaving sigh) salad contest. It may well be epic.

By the way, if you've never checked out the subculture that is Pumpkin Chunkin', please follow the link. It's hysterical.