Pumpkin spice everything
’tis the season
There’s nothing that makes us feel more cottagecore than chopping up a pumpkin and getting it ready to roast. Maybe it’s that we basically have to break out a hammer to cut it, maybe it’s the memory of cleaning off pumpkin seeds as children, maybe it’s the warm and cozy smell of pumpkin wafting through the house. What to do with a bunch of pumpkin flesh? See below.
ADD TO BAKED GOODS
Sure, you’ve heard of pumpkin pie, but have you tried out a round of pumpkin honey lemon muffins, pumpkin bagels with a cranberry nut cream cheese spread, pumpkin chocolate chip quick bread, or chewy spiced pumpkin cookies with your made-from-scratch pumpkin puree? How about pumpkin dinner rolls where you cut them pre-bake to make them into pumpkins again?
FREEZE AND SAVE FOR LATER
Thinking it would be fun to do any of those things listed above but just don’t have the time/energy/desire to do it this week? Word, your pumpkin will last a long while on the counter. That said, if you just have too much puree for your project, roasted gourds of all types save incredibly well in the freezer. Best to vacuum seal them, but for lack of a vacuum seal, a ziplock bag works, too.
squash soup with a side of French sandwiches & pastries from Léa in Oak Park
MAKE A CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP
This is one of our favorite orange soups of all time because it’s not too sweet or heavy, and has a very rich and hearty flavor. Could eat this all week. We start by giving some onions and other chopped soup starters we have lying around (celery, ginger, garlic, a few Anaheim peppers) a good sauté, then add a bit of water and roasted squash and let it all mix and heat up together. Only have pumpkin? It’s literally absolutely fabulous with just the pumpkin, salt, pepper and cream, too. After a few minutes of that, give it some water or broth and whatever cream you desire - cream, milk, dairy-free milk, coconut-milk, all will be different and delicious - and give it a good purée. Top with lots of freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, or get your spice on and add some Sriracha hot sauce (highly recommended).
GET YOUR PSL ON
We only recently learned that a pumpkin spice latte generally does not actually contain pumpkin puree but is more a pumpkin-flavored spice and we figured we better try it with the puree. It’s actually really great, brings out a nice roundness in your espresso, kind of like an ube latte does. 2 tablespoons per 12 oz beverage will do it, plus warming spices and a tablespoon of maple syrup or sugar. Sounds weird but if you’re super into it, like an ube latte, we recommend dehydrating the pumpkin puree and then grinding it to make it into a pumpkin powder, which is just much more manageable in a warm beverage. Also a great way to preserve your squash.