Pumpkin Power: 4 recipes that demonstrate orange fall gourd’s versatility

To paraphrase Paul McCartney, you’d think that people would have had enough of silly pumpkin recipes, but I look around me and I see it isn’t so. I am proud of my pumpkin-love, although I’m aware of the anti-pumpkin faction. The anti-pumpkinists would say pumpkin is positively passe and attention should be lavished on other autumnal foods, like cranberries, apples, pears, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, squash and sweet potatoes. To them I say: pshaw. Nobody wants your Brussels sprout-and-parsnip pie.

If you’re as big a pumpkin-head as I am, and even during the summer months your pantry shelves hold several cans of pumpkin puree, then you should visit the Food Network’s webpage listing 50 things to do with canned pumpkin. I’ve chosen three of these recipes for your pumpkin pleasure, adapted slightly to make use of ingredients I had on hand. The pumpkin cornbread recipe can be found on www.cookingclassy.com and delish.com.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

I love oatmeal. I love pumpkin. Put them both together, and what do you have? Well, you have pumpkin oatmeal, obviously.

There are dozens of recipes for slow-cooker pumpkin oatmeal and overnight pumpkin oats, but many of them call for steel-cut oats. I like this recipe because it uses rolled oats or quick oats, which I always have on hand, plus a few common ingredients. It’s ready in a couple minutes and if you top it with raisins, cranberries, bananas or pecans — or all of the above — it feels like such a special fall treat, like waking up to sunshine in November, or not having a pandemic.

Simmer 1 1/2 cups milk (skim, if you have it) with 1 cup quick oats or rolled oats and 1/2 cup canned pumpkin. (Rolled oats will take a little longer to cook, so be sure to cook it on low heat to avoid scalding the milk.) After it’s thickened, mix in 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or whatever you have, like cinnamon, ginger or allspice), plus 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon into bowls with whatever toppings delight you. Serves two or three, or one really greedy person.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

This recipe might not be as simple as falling down, but it is much more pleasant and will save you a hospital bill and six weeks in a cast.

Mix 1 cup canned pumpkin, 8 ounces cream cheese (one whole brick), 1/2 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Puree it all in a food processor or blender, or get some exercise by smashing all the ingredients together very forcefully until smooth. Pour into a 9-inch graham cracker crust (store bought or homemade, doesn’t matter a whit). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set, meaning it’s not jiggly and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve with too much whipped cream and a snifter of brandy (brandy optional but heartily recommended).

Pumpkin Alfredo

Pumpkin isn’t just for dessert! Pumpkin soup, curried pumpkin, pumpkin risotto and pumpkin chili are all actual nondessert things that people eat because they taste good. This very mild, creamy sauce is a savory symphony concocted from five common ingredients, seven if you include the pasta and Parmesan, and I would never not include Parmesan.

Saute 10 fresh sage leaves in 2 tablespoons butter. If you don’t have leaves, use 1/2 teaspoon dried sage powder (but don’t overdo; sage can overwhelm other flavors). Whisk in 1 cup pumpkin and 1 cup cream, 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) and a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer for just a couple minutes on medium-low, stirring often so the cream doesn’t burn. Toss with 12 ounces cooked pasta and, if you wish, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, then top with more Parmesan, because cheese is what makes 2020 marginally bearable.

Pumpkin Cornbread

For an autumnal twist on this American classic, pumpkin can’t be beat. Pumpkin and corn are natural companions, often growing next to each other on the farm, so why not bring them together again in your mouth?

Mix 1 cup cornmeal with 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup canned pumpkin with 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Add 2 eggs and beat well. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients until just moistened. Spread in a hot, oiled 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a greased 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm with butter and honey. Keep adding butter and honey until everything in the world seems fine again.