How To “Pumpkin” Your Entire Day

In case you haven’t noticed yet, this season is all about pumpkin. You can get just about anything in pumpkin spice flavor in the Fall, and it seems as though this Fall is the culmination of all Fall’s past.

If you’re all about pumpkin-ing everything, listen closely because we have the dish on how to spice up (pun intended) your meals. Check out these recipes for an entire day filled with pumpkin-inspired meals. Enjoy!

Let’s start with breakfast.

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes

What You’ll Need:
¾ cup and 2 tbsp of flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
½ cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tbsp melted butter
½ cup canned pumpkin puree
½ cup white chocolate chips
maple syrup and butter for topping

What to Do:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger.

2. In a separate, smaller bowl, mix together milk, eggs, melted butter and pumpkin. Pour these mixed ingredients into the bigger bowl, add chocolate chips and mix (be careful with over-mixing!)

3. Let the batter rest for 5-8 minutes. In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Add a little butter to the skillet to make sure your pancakes won’t stick. Pour the batter onto the skillet and cook on each side for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.

After you’ve gone about your day’s business, it’s time to sit down and have yourself some more delicious pumpkin, because we know you just can’t get enough.

Pumpkin Mac N’ Three Cheese

This serves four, so make sure your roommates thank you!

What You’ll Need:
8 oz. of uncooked pasta
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
4 tsp cream cheese
½ cup shredded cheddar
½ cup of shredded mozzarella
½ cup of shredded parmesan
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ to ¼ cayenne pepper
salt

What to Do:

1. Follow the cooking directions as labeled on the pasta box.

2. Mix together pumpkin puree and milk over medium heat.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheeses until fully melted.

4. Stir in the nutmeg, cayenne and a dash of salt.

5. Once the pasta’s ready, mix it in with the pumpkin sauce until fully mixed.

Now let’s saunter over to dinner where the only thing on the menu is more pumpkin.

Trader Joe’s Turkey Pumpkin Chili

What You’ll Need:
1 tbsp olive oil
½ diced white onion
2 cloves diced garlic
1 pkg (approx. 1.5 lbs) ground turkey
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans pumpkin
1 can drained kidney beans
1 bell pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

What to Do:

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions and bell peppers in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.

2. Add in ground turkey and continue sautéing until turkey is browned.

3. Drain the extra oil and transfer it to a larger sauce pan. Stir in tomatoes, pumpkin, beans and spices. Bring to a boil and stir the mixture regularly.

4. Once it’s boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.

5. Upon completion, serve and add sour cream, cheese, and cilantro to your liking. Serves up to six people.

Now that this delicious, pumpkin-filled day has finally come to a close, find yourself a nice, cozy fire, sip on some warm hot chocolate and hope your parents forgive you for splurging on groceries.