Can there be too much pumpkin? Maybe so, but I think it would have to be A LOT of pumpkin to be too much. My family loves the fall season and especially the flavor of pumpkin. Pumpkin puree can be added to many recipes without substantially changing the flavor of the dish. It adds a subtle taste but makes the dish more substantial and moist. Here are three recipes where I added pumpkin puree and now I cannot imagine preparing them any other way.
Pumpkin Recipes
Check out the Pumpkin Patch Tradition {and recipes} post to see how I cook up and freeze the pumpkin we collect at the pumpkin patch. Then pull out some frozen pumpkin puree the night before making the following dishes.
Vegetarian Chili with Pumpkin
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth (I make my own or use a homemade broth powder. Instead of a rotisserie carcass, I usually cook a whole bird for 4 hours before pulling the meat off the bones and putting the carcass back in for another 12 hours.)
1 15 oz can or 1 2/3 cups frozen black beans
1 15 oz can or 1 2/3 cups frozen garbanzo or white beans
1 15 oz can or 1 2/3 cups frozen kidney beans
1 can or 2 cups frozen pumpkin puree
1-2 cups frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cups vegetables (any combination of zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, bell peppers, okra, or vegetables you have in the fridge)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp corriander
Place all of the ingredients the crock pot on low for 6 hours.
Serve over couscous or rice. Top with shredded cheese and avocado.
Pumpkin Yogurt Cornbread
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup yogurt
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Bake at 400 degrees in 8×8 pan for 30 minutes or in a muffin tin for 15 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.
Black Bean and Pumpkin Burgers
Another one of my favorite pumpkin recipes is black bean and pumpkin burgers. These are so easy to make and freeze. They make great lunches on busy days to pull one out of the freezer and heat up.
1 can black beans, undrained (I cook my beans in the crockpot and freeze in Ziploc® bags)
1 15 oz can pumpkin or 2 cups frozen pumpkin puree
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
1 can fiesta corn or 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp curry
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 cups dry bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
Process everything, except bread crumbs and eggs, in a food processor. Remove from food processor and mix in bread crumbs and eggs. The amount of bread crumbs will vary depending on how moist your mixture is. The mixture will be more moist if you use pureed pumpkin. Begin by adding 1 cup of bread crumbs and add more until the consistency is such that you can mold patties. Shape into patties 1/2″ thick. Cook patties in oil until lightly brown on both sides or bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes each side. They are delicious served with a slice of cheese and several slices of avocado on top.
You can find more fall family fun inspiration from the Fall Family Favorites Series here.
Crystal Wagner’s goal is to inspire families to provide a generous and varied array of delights for the mind and soul. You can find her at Triumphant Learning.
