The Great Pumpkin

BY LISA S.T. DOSS

As an iconic mascot of the autumn season, pumpkins are practically perfect in every way! Large or tiny, bulging or petite, bumpy or smooth, deeply ridged or two-toned, everyone has a preference, even if the names, such as Baby Boo, Sweet Dumpling, Orange Princess, Winter Luxury, or the 25-pound “Gladiator,” are unknown. During the great pumpkin search, the victor may point, exclaiming, “That one! It’s mine!” The coveted fruit, which comes in grey, blue-green, white, and orange, cannot be ignored in this festive season! From carved Jack-o-Lanterns to pumpkin pie and pumpkin-spiced lattes, autumn’s spotlight can include every aspect, from the seed and pulp to the meat!

Choose Well

Meticulously look at all areas of your chosen fruit. It should be firm, without soft spots, and blemish-free. Look especially at the handle and give a tug! Check the bottom to ensure there are no signs of rot, and whether it sits level.

The Seeds

The act of plunging a hand into the innards of the gushy, wet pulp is part of the thrill in carving the mighty Jack-o-Lantern. From the deep cleaning, a bowl efficiently contains the remnants—stringy inner fibers and seeds. While they may appear to be only compostable goods, the seeds are rich in antioxidants and minerals, iron, zinc, and magnesium when eaten.

The options:

• ROAST: Rinse two cups of seeds, pat dry, and place in a bowl. Add 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1½ teaspoons of melted butter, and 1¼ teaspoons seasoned salt. Stir!

Spread the coated seeds evenly on a baking sheet. At 250 degrees, stirring occasionally, bake for one hour until the coating appears crisp and golden brown.

• MAKE GRANOLA: Mix the following in a bowl: one cup pumpkin seeds, 1½ cups rolled oats, ½ cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup sugar-free maple syrup, ¼ cup shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons unsalted melted butter, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir!

Spread evenly on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake in a 325-degree preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and remove when crisp.

• PUMPKIN PUREE: Add the strings to a food processor and hit the button, puree! Place the contents in Ziploc bags to freeze for future lovers of bread, pies, and other baked goods.

• SAVE THE SEEDS: After rinsing and patting dry, allow a handful of seeds to rest for a few days before placing them in a Mason jar. Make sure you add a label and date before freezing.

Then, next year, your favorite pumpkin can grow and multiply in your care!

The Hollowed-Out Pumpkin

While children are busily designing or cutting faces, adults can create delicious appetizers, meals, and desserts with the remaining shell. After stuffing it with this and that, toss it into the oven to make…

• BAKED PUMPKIN CHEESE DIP: In a four-pound pumpkin, coat the interior with a mixture of two minced garlic cloves and two tablespoons vegetable oil; then, alternate layers of toasted white breadcrumbs, Swiss cheese, and a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add the top and bake at 350 degrees for two hours. Serve with French bread.

• ROAST PUMPKIN WITH CREAM,

THYME, AND PARMESAN: Use a threepound pumpkin. In a small saucepan, combine five fluid ounces of double cream, one clove of sliced garlic, one sprig of thyme, and a dash of salt and pepper. When hot, pour into the pumpkin and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Add the lid and bake for 1¾ hours at 300 degrees. (Serves two.) • STUFFED PUMPKIN WITH CRANBERRY-

RAISIN BREAD PUDDING: In a threepound pumpkin, brush the interior with a teaspoon of melted butter and a sprinkle of sugar. Add the lid and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. In a lightly greased eight-inch pan, mix two eggs, ½ cup butter, ¾ cup half-and-half, ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans, and ½ cup fresh cranberries. Cut a16-ounce raisin bread into one-inch cubes. Stir together; then pour within the pumpkin and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with a lemon-vanilla sauce. (Serves 12.)

Disposal

As plant matter, the carved pumpkin is the ideal vessel to provide nutrients for a plant; therefore, dig a hole large enough to bury the entire Jack-o-Lantern. Within its cavity, include a chrysanthemum or a woody perennial, such as Rosemary. The decaying fruit will provide fertilizer, boosting growth and good health!

October, a month of endless recipes featuring the great pumpkin!

Your Hearing is Our Passion

How is PENTA different from other hearing aid services?

Our credentials, training and experience are at the top of the field. Each of our seven licensed audiologists have completed either their master’s or doctorate level of education, making them the highest-educated individuals in the diagnosis, testing, evaluation, and rehabilitation of hearing loss. Our scope of practice includes the diagnosis and treatment of auditory (hearing) and vestibular (balance) issues, as well as neurological monitoring. We not only determine the cause of hearing loss but understand the importance of referring for further medical intervention when necessary. Another advantage to being a PENTA patient is that both your ENT and audiologist are under one roof. This allows for better communication between the two most important providers when considering your auditory and vestibular needs.

How does PENTA work with my specific needs?

The fitting of hearing aids is not black and white. It is a process that takes work and patience. Finding a provider that you trust and have confidence in is crucial. Open conversation between you and your provider is needed to best fit the hearing aids and set reasonable expectations. Choosing to proceed with hearing aids implies you are ready to hear better and want to improve your overall quality of life. As an adult you make this decision for yourself. You will be doing the majority of the work. Hearing aids are a change in your daily routine. They need to be worn daily, even when you are by yourself. As a parent, you will be doing most of the work for your child. Working with an audiologist provides you with the best chance of success no matter which age group you fall into.

How does PENTA care for my family?

Our ENTs and audiologists care for patients of all ages, from birth through end of life. Hearing loss does not just impact the individual. Families, friends, coworkers are all affected by the loss of hearing and the changes needed to better communicate. Selecting the correct treatment plan consists of evaluating the hearing loss, discussing the patient’s lifestyle needs and considering the financial aspect of the treatment. Counseling is also a big part of an audiologist’s role. Teaching realistic expectations and coping strategies to patients and their families help to set them up for success and ease the anxiety of the unknown.

How does PENTA view OTC technology?

not all hearing aids are created equal. Overthe-counter (OTC) hearing aids are designed to be a low-cost alternative for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. No hearing aid should be purchased or fit without first seeing an audiologist to determine the severity of the hearing loss or if there is an underlying issue that could be treated medically prior to being fit with amplification. Should it be determined that you have a mild to moderate hearing loss and decide to purchase a set of OTC hearing aids, you should also return to your audiologist for verification testing. This will make sure you are not over amplifying your hearing, thus causing further damage to your ears.

What sets PENTA apart from the others?

PENTA audiologists are passionate about your health, striving to provide superior customer service to all patients and their families. By using our vast educational backgrounds and understanding the importance of both medical and evidence-based research, PENTA’s audiologists excel at developing comprehensive treatment plans for our patients. We are here to help guide you through the process of understanding your hearing loss and present your best options for optimum health and well being. We are conveniently located throughout the Piedmont Triad with our main office in Winston-Salem, with satellite offices in Clemmons, Kernersville and Mount Airy. Learn more about our team at www.pentaaudiology.com or call 336-768-0886 to reach our audiology department directly.

PENTA

PENTA’s board-certified specialists provide the best ear, nose and throat medical care for you and your loved ones.

We provide four convenient office locations and a state-of-the art surgical center:

Our full range of services includes:

• Sinus and breathing problems • Allergy Testing and Treatment • Hearing Aids • Ear Tubes and Tonsils

Winston-Salem | Clemmons | Kernersville | Mount Airy

Boo-tacular and Not-So-Scary Halloween Crafts for Kids

BY MEGAN TAYLOR

It’s spooky season! Halloween is right around the corner. Even though the big festivities don’t happen until the 31st, there are still many ways you can celebrate the holiday all month long. From watching themed movies to finding the perfect costumes, the list of what you could do goes on and on. One of my favorite things is to make fun decorations and crafts to set out for all 31 days. If you are looking to add some Halloween cheer to your house, try making these crafts, which are also great for kids to help with.

Handprint Halloween Keepsakes

SUPPLIES: • Air-Dry Clay • Acrylic Paint – Color of Your Choice • Orange Acrylic Paint • Brown Acrylic Paint • Drinking Straw • Popsicle Stick • Green Ribbon • Parchment Paper

The above supplies will make one handprint. You will need to double the supplies for both hands.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roll out the air-dry clay to 1/2” thickness onto the parchment paper.

2. Press your child’s hand into the clay, making sure the handprint shows up clearly.

3. Using the popsicle stick, cut a pumpkin shape into the clay around the handprint, with the handprint being in the middle.

If needed, use water and your fingers to smooth out the edges of the pumpkin.

4. Punch a hole in the pumpkin’s stem with your drinking straw.

5. Move the clay to a dry area and let rest for 24 hours.

6. With the acrylic paint color of your choice, transform your handprint into a Halloweenthemed design, such as a ghost, candy corn, etc. Then, paint the area around your handprint orange like a pumpkin, and the stem brown.

7. Thread the green ribbon through the hole in the stem and hang anywhere you would like some Halloween cheer.

Spider Sugar Drawings

SUPPLIES: • 1½ cups All-Purpose Flour • ½ cups Granulated Sugar • 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil • 1½ cups Water • White Paper • Paint Brushes • Orange, Black, and Purple

Watercolors • Spider Stickers

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a pot, mix the flour, sugar, water, and oil. Stir over low heat until combined and smooth.

This combination will turn into a glue.

2. Paint spider webs or any other

Halloween design over a piece of paper with the glue mixture.

Let dry.

3. Then, using the watercolors, paint the different colors over the dried glue. Your spider webs or other designs will appear.

4. Add spider stickers around the painting when dry.

Nature Owl Pumpkin

This craft is great not just for Halloween, but for the entire fall season.

SUPPLIES: • A Collection of Small to Medium-

Sized Leaves • Acorn Caps • Pinecones • A collection of Grass and Twines • Hot Glue • Small Pumpkin • Medium-Sized Acorn Squash • Thin Leather String

DIRECTIONS:

1. With the collection of leaves, acorn caps, grass and twines, and pinecones, assembled from your yard, glue small leaves on front of your pumpkin to create feathers for the owl. Be sure to overlap them to add to the feather look.

2. Next, glue four of the larger leaves onto the sides of the pumpkin to create wings.

3. Using the thin leather string, hot glue the string to the small acorn squash and build a face outline.

4. Disassemble a pinecone by pulling off the scales. Attach the individual scales with hot glue to the acorn squash for a nose.

5. Lastly, create eyes with the acorn caps. Use the grass and twines to design ears and whiskers for your owl.

These three crafts are fun and easy for kids of all ages (including adults). Make them a part of your annual Halloween traditions!

Introducing a revolutionary new step in comprehensive patient care BY MARTIE EMORY

Always known for outstanding individualized dental care and a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, Vivid Dental Winston-Salem is now proud to introduce an extra step in patient care that is truly revolutionary!

Strongly committed to the health and safety of patients and their families, the practice is now embracing the uncertainty of the last year-and-a-half, and proudly introducing their commercial grade dental filtration system. With a stateof-the-art biological removal process that protects your respiratory health, this unique air filtration system introduced by Vivid Dental’s own Dr. Justin Roberts and made in the USA, significantly reduces the risk of Covid, as well as other infectious Bio-aerosols. For everyday use, this means a 1000-cubic foot treatment room (a 10’ x 10’ x 10’ space) could achieve a clean air level in less than five minutes, on the high setting of up to 200 cubic feet per minute. This makes the BioAblate 10 times faster than previous technology in decreasing the transmission ability of airborne pathogens in a healthcare environment.

By also utilizing Dr. Roberts’ patent-pending air funnel design, aerosols are directed into the front of the unit and away from patients and dental staff. The carbon filter also helps reduce the smell from odor-causing bacteria.

Dr. Roberts has clearly revolutionized healthcare respiratory safety with the invention and manufacturing of this amazing device. Unlike other filters that rely on multiple passes to kill bacteria, the new BioAblate technology produces clean, safe air in its vacuum-UV reaction chamber in just a fraction of a second. In conjunction with a hospital-grade HEPA filter, it ensures patients are breathing the cleanest air possible. Likewise, the bi-directional airflow controller allows staff to switch easily between total room and operative-focused air purification. You can learn more about the system at Dr. Roberts’ website, Atmenbio.com.

Dr. Roberts, Dr. Tsua Lor, and the entire Vivid Dental WinstonSalem staff are incredibly proud to offer this system during a time when face-to-face visits can still be tricky, and current events leave many patients even more safety conscious. Family means everything at Vivid Dental, and since the staff treats all ages, the practice is more dedicated than ever before to making every moment of your office visit a safe one! They have also implemented permanent changes in practice procedures, such as maintaining virtual check-ins and paperless forms, continued temperature and Covid-19 screening, additional personal protective equipment, and ongoing sterilization protocols recommended by the CDC, OSHA, and the American Dental Association.

Vivid Dental Winston-Salem’s repertoire for complete care includes traditional dental cleanings and services, as well as screening for oral cancers, offering sameday crowns (a lifesaver for busy patients!), Invisalign treatment, state-of-the-art dental equipment, and the ability to accept VA benefits for veterans.

Vivid Dental Winston-Salem is located at 755 Highland Oaks Drive, Suite 106, in Winston-Salem, 336-774-1771. Visit them online at VividDental.com. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and on Fridays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. You can also visit additional Vivid Dental locations in High Point, Greensboro, and Raleigh.

Amber, a Brenner Children’s patient, will get the chance to make her dreams come true thanks to pediatric cardiologist Dr. Michael Walsh, who repaired her heart when she was 4 months old.

Cheers! for Brenner Children’s

Making Dreams Come True

Every child has a vivid imagination about growing up and fulfilling their life-long dream, whether that’s becoming a doctor, teacher, interior decorator or fireman, but for many injured or sick patients at Brenner Children’s, that journey requires overcoming obstacles that no child or their family should have to face.

All too often, especially in today’s environment, these families may be tasked with making the choice to buy medication for their sick child or buy groceries for the family. Helping these families see beyond an insurmountable financial burden is our goal. We want to ensure that they can concentrate on getting their child well so they, too, can grow up to realize their dreams. Your help is needed to help Make Dreams Come True for all children at Brenner.

The Brenner Children’s Patient Assistance Fund was established to assist families with these burdens. The team of doctors, nurses and caregivers at Brenner provide all patients with the best medical care in the most technologically advanced setting, however community support is needed to help families with additional costs such as travel expenses, medications, meals, bereavement services, home health equipment and much more. During November, the 17th annual Cheers! for Brenner Children’s, benefits the Brenner Children’s Patient Assistance Fund. The entire month of Cheers! is presented by Simply Southern, which aligns their corporate and philanthropic vision in their mission statement, “To create quality, affordable products that make people smile and to always help out the less fortunate.” Brenner Children’s is honored to be a chosen community partner with Simply Southern and extends a very special thank you to them for helping Make Dreams Come True.

An Evening of Cheers! for Brenner Children’s, brought to you by dream-maker sponsor Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolinas Realty, will livestream from Truist Baseball Stadium on Friday, November 12, at 7 pm. This year’s event chairs Shannon and John Faircloth, invite you to tune in, support Brenner and help Make Dreams Come True! Once again, WGHP Fox-8’s Chad Tucker and his wife Meredith will be our emcees for the evening. They will be sharing an update on their daughter Pearl “Roe-Roe” Monroe’s journey as she continues battling leukemia at Brenner. In addition, the evening will feature:

• Musical guests • Touching patient stories • Donor and sponsor testimonials • Brenner mascots Brenn, Belle and Beau • Surprise finale • And MORE! The Be A Cheers! Leader fundraising campaign will support the event through do-it-yourself virtual fundraising experiences. The campaign is designed to engage Friends of Brenner and community individuals interested in sharing their passion for Brenner Children’s with their family and friends. The effort is being co-chaired by Davida and Harold Martin and Amy and Preston Yates, all dedicated supporters of Brenner Children’s.

Visit an area Great Clips throughout November, get a haircut and support Brenner. Great Clips, a Cheers! sweet dreams sponsor, is once again supporting Brenner Children’s with their cut-out campaign and offering a coupon off of your next haircut in exchange for a donation to Brenner. You can also purchase a “We Make Dreams Come True” yard sign at Triad-area locations. Find your location at Salons. GreatClips.com.

To learn more about Cheers! and how you can help Make Dreams Come True, visit BrennerChildrens. org/Cheers. For information about becoming a Cheers! sponsor, contact the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist at philanthropy@wakehealth.edu or 336-716-4589.