Photos by Jamie Plain
As the leaves turn golden and the air grows crisp, there’s one ingredient that perfectly captures the essence of fall: pumpkin! Whether your recipe is sweet or savory, pumpkin can elevate your cooking with its rich flavor and vibrant color. We made sure to include a recipe in both the sweet and savory categories so that you can see just how versatile this autumn gourd can be!
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Ingredients:
1 (29oz) can pumpkin puree
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 box spice cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup melted butter
toffee bits, whipped cream, or ice cream for garnish
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray
2. In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, brown sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Pour it into the prepared baking pan.
3. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture (do not mix in), then pour the melted butter on top. Sprinkle the top with pecans and (optional) toffee pieces.
4. Bake for around 50 minutes, until the middle is set. Remove and let cool for 15min, then serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream!
Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tablespoons Sage leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt/pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth (optional extra bouillon for more flavor)
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
3/4 Cup grated parmesan for garnish
2 Tbsp unsalted butter for garnish
Extra sage leaves for garnish
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crisp (about 12min). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Add the diced onion to the bacon fat. Saute over medium heat until softened.
4. Add rice, garlic, chopped sage, and all the seasonings and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.
5. Stir in chicken broth (and extra bouillon) and pumpkin puree
6. Bring the pot to a simmer. Stir, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake for 16 minutes,m then test for doneness. Cook until rice is tender. When its close to done, brown the 3 Tbsp unsalted butter separately.
7. Once the rice is done, remove the pan from the oven and stir in browned butter and grated parmesan. Stir vigorously – if you prefer a creamier risotto, stir in additional broth. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
8. Garnish with additional parmesan/sage and serve warm. OL
