October 13, 2021 | By Ty Longmire-Monford

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: 

It’s the first day of fall, and I mean the first REAL day of fall, not just when the calendar says it’s fall, but when you actually feel that cool breeze on your cheek for the first time and realize that sweater weather has arrived. And on this magical first day of the autumn season, you decide to do what everyone does in the days leading up to October 31st and carve a pumpkin. But after you have put a silly grin on the face of that wonderfully orange fruit, you are left with a whole bunch of pumpkin guts that end up just making a smelly mess in your kitchen trash.

What if I told you that there is another way, and that the now smiling Jack O’Lantern sitting on your front porch could also help you make some fall dishes that will forever change the way you look at the inside of the pumpkin? Join me as I walk you through 3 of the best recipes that incorporate the meaty fruit of everyone’s favorite orange squash.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Nothing quite says breakfast in fall quite like fluffy pumpkin pancakes. The best part of this recipe is that you can use ingredients you’ve already got on hand: just some pancake mix, milk, spices, and pumpkin from your latest carving.

Ingredients

• 1 ½  cup Pancake Mix 
• 1 cup milk
• ½  cup water
• ½  cup canned/pureed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½  teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½  teaspoon ground ginger
• Butter & Maple Syrup for serving

Directions

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in small bowl (pancake mix, ground cinnamon, and ginger)
2. Mix milk, water, and pumpkin in large bow
3. Combine both bowls and stir until everything is properly mixed
4. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat
5. Pour ¼ cup of batter in skillet and flip once bubbles start to form
6. Continue to cook until pancake is evenly browned on both sides
7. Repeat until all of the batter is gone
8. Add butter and syrup as desired.
9. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Pumpkin Soup

This simple to make pumpkin soup is a Southwestern staple that can be enjoyed by anyone with a pot and a pumpkin to carve, a fall time favorite in my family’s household ever since I was a little kid.

Ingredients

• 5 cups pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 ½  teaspoons Smoked Paprika 
• 1 ½  teaspoons Hot Paprika 
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 ½  cups chicken broth
• 16 oz Navarra Style Cooked Beans  

Directions 

1. Roast pumpkin at 375°F in the oven for approx.15 min.
2. Mix together dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl
3. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and half of your dry ingredient mixture
4. Add chicken broth and cooked pumpkin to a large soup pot. Mix ingredients well and then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes
5. Blend cooled soup mixture in a large blender for a pureed soup mixture
6. Put mixture back in pot with olive oil at low heat
7. Boil water in separate pot and add beans after boil (10 cups of water for 16 oz bag)
8. After beans have cooked, add to soup
9. Enjoy! 

Double Pumpkin Beer Cake

Pumpkin Beer: Surprisingly good. Pumpkin Cake: Great. Pumpkin Beer Cake? AMAZING! If you want to awe your friends at your next fall festival with an amazingly delicious dessert, try out this nice and easy Double Pumpkin Beer Cake recipe that will have them saying “Oh my gourd!”

Ingredients

• 15 oz Drunkin' Pumpkin Beer Cake Mix
• 1 egg
• 12 oz Pumpkin Beer (or any Stout beer if you cannot find Pumpkin beer)
• ¾ cup Pureed or canned Pumpkin
• Optional: Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl combine cake mix, 1 egg, and 12 oz. beer 
3. Fold in 3/4 cup of canned or pureed pumpkin and pour batter into a well-greased 9x13 pan.
4. Bake at 350°F for 35-38 minutes. 
5. Cool, frost if desired, and enjoy!

We’d love to hear how your recipes turned out or what special ingredient you added to make it your signature dish. Please let us know in the comments below!