Pumpkin-inspired recipes

Pie shouldn’t get all the pumpkin fun this season. Take full advantage of fall’s powerhouse fruit by adding pumpkin to your favorite recipes.

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Fall is my favorite season and it has nothing to do with changing leaves or cute boots. While those are nice, it is the reintroduction of pumpkin into our dinner menus that gets me excited. Pumpkin pie tops my list of favorite desserts, but if we only get to indulge in pumpkin once a year, it shouldn’t be limited to just pie. You can add the taste of fall to many of your favorite dishes to ensure you get your pumpkin fill. Not to mention this orange fruit is packed with nutrients, like vitamin A and C, and is a great source of fiber.

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The flavor of pumpkin is subtle, but it does give a rich and creamy flavor to just about anything you add it to. Try these less conventional pumpkin recipes this fall or anytime during the year.

Pumpkin and spinach enchiladas

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 18 small corn tortillas
• 1 (29-ounce) can of pumpkin
• 2 (28-ounce) cans of red enchilada sauce
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cups of sliced green chiles
• 2 cups shredded jack cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tomato
• Chopped cilantro and lettuce for garnish

Directions:

1. Pour pumpkin in a bowl and mix with chopped garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper. The ingredients will be layered in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Start with a layer of six tortillas, top with half of the pumpkin mixture, half the spinach, half the cheese and half the green chiles. Pour some of the sauce on top. Add another layer of six tortillas and repeat using the remaining ingredients. Top with the final six tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce on top. If you have too much sauce, reserve it for after it bakes as some of it will be absorbed into the tortillas.
2. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
3. Serve topped with diced tomatoes, lettuce and cilantro.

Pumpkin chili

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup onion
• Olive oil
• 1 small can of diced green chiles
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 diced Serrano pepper
• Salt and pepper

Avocado salsa topping:

• 1 tomato
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Drizzle olive oil into a large soup pot and add in diced onion and red pepper. Let cook until the onion has caramelized. Add in chopped garlic and let cook for about a minute. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.
2. Dice up the tomato, avocado, cilantro and onion. Add the ingredients to a bowl and top with lime juice and salt and pepper. Stir the mixture to combine all the ingredients.
3. Serve the hot chili with a spoonful of avocado salsa on top.

Pumpkin bread pudding

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin pie mix*
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cream or milk
• 8 slices of cinnamon bread
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel sauce:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Dice bread into small squares. Mix pumpkin, eggs, cream, cinnamon, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Place the chopped bread into a casserole dish and pour the pumpkin mixture over the top. Stir if needed so that all the bread is coated. If possible, do this ahead of time and let the bread soak in the mixture for a few hours. Top with nuts.
2. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the mixture is no longer runny.
3. When it is almost done baking, start the caramel sauce. In a large saucepan, add sugar and melt on medium to high heat. You will need to stir this constantly to avoid burning the sugar. Once the sugar has melted completely, stop stirring or it will crystallize. When it comes to a boil and is amber in color, add in the butter. Stir until the butter is completely melted and then remove from the heat. Carefully pour in the cream and vanilla. It will likely bubble up so use a deep pan and use caution. Stir until it is mixed in. Pour into a glass container and let cool.
4. Serve warm with hot caramel sauce over the top.

*Pumpkin pie mix already contains sugar and spices. If you are unable to find the mix, simply add sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to plain canned pumpkin.

Pumpkin pie ravioli

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 pie crusts
• 1 can pumpkin pie mix
• 1 (5-ounce) can of evaporated milk
• 2 eggs
• Cinnamon and sugar mixture
• Whipped cream

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs. Roll out pie crusts, lay one on top of the other, and cut into small square using a pizza cutter.
2. Place a small spoonful of pumpkin in the center of one square and carefully top with another and press the sides with a fork. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
4. Serve warm with a side of whipped cream.

Pumpkin pie martini

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces cream
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin pie mix
• 2 ounces vanilla vodka
• 1 ounce brandy
• 1/2 ounce butterscotch schnapps
• Cinnamon
• Graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. Add cream, pumpkin, vodka, schnapps and brandy to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigourously.
2. Dip the rim of the glass in cream and then in graham cracker crumbs.
3. Pour the drink mixture into the graham cracker rimmed glass and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

More pumpkin fun

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Pumpkins are good for other uses besides pies and carving. Here are two!

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