10 of Our Favorite Pumpkin Recipes of Years Past

Like the rest of the world, I go pumpkin-crazy as soon as fall arrives. Before I start this year's pumpkin explosion, I thought I'd go back and look at our favorite pumpkin recipes of the past. Both sweet and savory.

1. Pumpkin Dip with Cinnamon-Sugar Pastries
My husband is madly in love with this dip. I make it for him twice a year--every autumn and every year for his birthday, but I don't think a month goes by without him asking me to make pumpkin dip.

2. Cheese Tortellini with a Pumpkin Sauce
This dish was my first time experimenting with pumpkin in a savory dish. I remember trying all kinds of variations trying to get it just right. I ended up loving this pumpkin sauce so much, I mentioned it in my novel, The Creaking Tree.

3. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
After being unable to find a fudgy pumpkin brownie recipe, I invented my own. I suppose I should have called them blondies instead of brownies, but whatever they are called, they are addicting.

4. Pumpkin Gnocchi in a Parmesan Sauce
Eric doesn't usually get excited for my savory pumpkin dishes. He's a big believer that pumpkin should be sweet. But he is always willing to at least try my creations and this happens to be one that he'll eat with pleasure.

5. Pumpkin Caramels
My father-in-law loves these caramels. He seriously could not stop eating them.

6. Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries
These cookies are a combination of so many delicious things--pumpkin, oatmeal cookies, white chocolate, cranberries--that they had no choice but to be amazing.

7. Pumpkin-Black Bean Stew with Spicy Sausage
This stew scream autumn. It's warm and comforting and heavy.

8. Pumpkin Hot Cocoa
What's better than homemade hot chocolate? Pumpkin hot chocolate! And don't forget the Halloween Peep marshmallow!

9. Pumpkin Fudge
This pumpkin fudge is very special to us. It has a strong pumpkin flavor and was the favor at our wedding last year!

10. Slow Cooker: Pumpkin Butter
My parents are big pumpkin butter people so of course I shared some of my pumpkin butter, and they were just blown away. Made in a crockpot, it's not only delicious, but easy.

For more pumpkin recipes, click on the Index tab at the top of the page and check back to see what pumpkin recipes I come up with this year!

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Roasted Pumpkin Chickpeas

For our honeymoon, Eric and I went up north to my parents' cabin. It's our favorite spot on earth--plus it's affordable (especially after paying for a wedding). I know many people wouldn't want to cook on their honeymoon, but I couldn't wait to make some our favorites (Parmesan seared chicken, pumpkin dip with cinnamon sugar pastries) and test out some new recipes. These roasted pumpkin chickpea were something I had bookmarked, but hadn't planned on making up north until I saw pumpkin butter in the fridge. I love roasted chickpeas and I love pumpkin so I knew I'd loved these--and I wasn't disappointed.

Normally roasted chickpeas are best right out of the oven. Hot and crispy. However, I like these better after they've sat for a bit and cooled. Yes, they are not crispy, but the flavor . . . the flavor is much more pumpkin-y and sweet the next day.

Now Eric is not a fan of the chickpea period (well, unless they're in hummus). But my mom is and I can't wait for her to try these!

Recipe adapted from here. 

Ingredients:
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin butter (store-bought or homemade)

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas then using paper towel, dry them. In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin pie spice and olive oil. Add chickpeas and toss to coat.

Spread the chickpeas on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

Place the chickpeas back into a bowl and coat them with the pumpkin butter and sugar. Spread the chickpeas back out on the cookie sheet and bake for another 15 minutes.

Allow to cool.

These roasted pumpkin chickpeas really are the perfect fall snack!

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Pumpkin Recipes!
Cheese Tortellini in a Pumpkin Sauce
Cinnamon-Sugar Pastry with Pumpkin Dip
Pumpkin-Black Bean Stew with Spicy Sausage 
Pumpkin Bread!
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Caramels!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Pumpkin Penne Casserole
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Slow Cooker: Pumpkin Butter

One of the drawbacks of always testing out and coming up with new recipes is that you rarely get to make the dishes you already know and love. Eric and I went up north last weekend to see the fall colors and relax. Most of the trip was cold and rainy but absolutely beautiful.

We also made some of your favorite dishes. Eric made parmesan-seared chicken for us one night and I made baked potato soup for us another night. For dessert I prepared Eric his favorite fall treat: pumpkin dip with cinnamon-sugar pastries. He gets giddy like a little kid every time I make it. But me being me, I had to test out at least one new recipe: pumpkin butter.

My parents are big pumpkin butter fans. Sadly, it's ridiculously expensive to buy, but it's relatively inexpensive to make. And my mom kept telling how much better it tasted than the store-bought.

Ingredients:
15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of apple cider
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a small crock pot. Set on low and cook for 2 to 3 hours. Once the pumpkin butter reaches the consistency you desire, place it in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 2 cups.

My dad puts pumpkin butter on toast. My mom likes it on peanut butter sandwiches. I like it on pancakes. You can put it on bagels, muffins, French toasts, waffles, oatmeal, graham crackers . . . whatever you'd like.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

For more autumn recipes, click here.