October is pumpkin month to me. With that in mind, I wanted to put together some of my favorite ways to cook and use pumpkin.
You've got your fresh pumpkins. Now how to cook them for puree. Here are 4 methods to cooking pumpkin for use in baking and other recipes.
This granola recipe can be made with or without the nuts. But, of course, I think the texture of the pecans is extra special, so I try to scrounge enough up for doing this recipe right.
Save your dollars and make a pumpkin-spice latte at home, for pennies! Here's a syrup recipe that uses actual pumpkin, not imitation flavorings.
These little gems are great for the tailgate crowd or a Saturday gathering at home.
So, not up to the task of deep-frying, but still want the pumpkin-spice flavor in a breakfast bread? How about cinnamon buns that have pumpkin and spices in the dough?
Coffeehouse pumpkin-spice scones are addictive. Here's a recipe to make your own at home. Bonus -- the dough is freezable, so you can bake however many you want at a time.
This is the easiest scratch cake recipe ever. You don't even need a mixing bowl. Mix the batter right in the pan that in which you will bake it.
And finally, a savory recipe for using pumpkin puree. I make this several times in autumn and winter. Delicious! I want to add that this pasta recipe is so good, that I serve it to guests. Yet it is easy enough to put together while guests stand around in the kitchen talking with me. I just gather my measured and prepped ingredients together in advance to avoid mistakes. When I make this, I look like a pro and so will you. Go generous on the Parmesan, if you can.
Yields 6 to 8 servings.
You'll find this post, and many others like it, a click away, through this link (click) -- a compilation of my recipes, shopping lists, and menu plans that illustrates how I feed my family of 4 adults on $125 to $135 per month.
