Halloween may “officially” be over, but everyone at ‘Cuse knows the festivities run two weekends long. On Euclid, Comstock, and University, pumpkins are everywhere: on people’s doorsteps, sitting on their window sills, in their pies and lattes. But when dawn breaks on November 1, we see hundreds throwing their seasonal squashes away. Instead of being wasteful, get the most out of your Halloween gourd. With these ideas, from healthy dog treats to your very own pumpkin keg, we promise you’ll never pitch another pumpkin in the trash.

—Teresa Sabga, co-editor-in-chief of Baked Magazine. Follow Teresa on Twitter @teresamarias.

Trick-or-Treats For Your Puppy

To your surprise and mine, gourds are good for dogs with sensitive stomachs. High in fiber, pumpkin can stiffen your canine’s loose stool or soften the hard ones. Your pooch is guaranteed a healthier coat, healthier eyes, and healthier skin with these treats.

Ingredients:
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup pumpkin purée
• ⅛ tsp. sea salt
• 1¼ cups brown rice flour
• ½ tsp. parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin and egg together until creamy. Add salt and parsley. Add in flour, one tablespoon at a time, and mix with hands to make dry dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough. Use a cookie cutter to make shapes and place each treat on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, turn the biscuits over, and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve.

Heal Your Skin

Rich in zinc and vitamins A and E, pumpkin removes dead cells, while its rich antioxidants soften and soothe your skin. That’s right, this Halloween staple is made of vitamins and nutrients vital for healthy, radiant skin. Try making your own homemade facial mask using fresh pumpkin.

Ingredients:
• ½ cup pumpkin purée
• 3 Tbsp. organic sugar
• ½ tsp. pumpkin seed oil

Directions:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine ingredients and mix until pumpkin paste thickens. Apply the mixture to your face. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, rinse with lukewarm water.

Chill Your Brew

You don’t need a fairy godmother to turn a pumpkin into a cooler—it’s actually simple. Cut the top of an extremely large pumpkin and scoop out seeds and pulp. Fill the gourd with beer and bottled drinks and then add ice. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, you got yourself a beer cooler.

Carve a Boozy Pumpkin Keg

No Oktoberfest celebration or any party in October is complete without a pumpkin keg—let’s be real, Jack-o’-lanterns are so old school. Serve alcohol in the most festive, tasty way possible by following these easy steps in deeming yourself the DIY lord. Carve a lid at the top of a large pumpkin and clean the cavity, removing all seeds and pulp. Choose a low spot on the pumpkin for a metal or plastic spigot. Use a marker to trace the spigot’s shank onto the pumpkin. Use a fine knife to carve a hole slightly smaller than the circle you drew. Pop in the spigot, pour beer into the pumpkin, replace lid, and pour.

Meet Your New Best Friend, Bong-O-Lantern

Happy Halloweed, bakers. Take a quick trip to the hardware store and create a full-sized pumpkin bong. Find a pumpkin with a flat top. Take a drill—with the largest diameter you can find—and bore a hole in the middle of the stem. Make it wide enough to fit the tip of a turkey baster. Drill another hole, angled at 45 degrees, on the side of your pumpkin. Stick your second turkey baster in that hole and fill the gourd with water using the hole at the top. Test your bong by blowing into the basters—if it makes bubbles then you’re good to go. Cut the bottom of a stainless steel drain strainer to create a bowl. Take the mesh and fit it on the top of the second turkey baster. Pack your bowl with some reefer and light it up. If you feel a little creative, add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice to your bubble water.