One of the greatest parts of a cozy fall day is cooking in the kitchen. Pick up some pumpkins and create a delicious dish for you and your family.

Choose from these recipes and enjoy the season!

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds by Martha Stewart

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove seeds from pumpkin. Discard membranes and spread seeds on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven. Toss seeds with olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, plus cinnamon, cumin, cayenne, and honey.

Return to oven and roast coated seeds until golden, about 15 minutes. Scrape from pan and stir seeds as they cool to prevent sticking.

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Hummus by Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients
1 ½ cups raw pepitas
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
1 teaspoon chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups cooked cannellini/great northern beans (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
½ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Pita bread, Naan bread or chips, for serving

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet or line with aluminum foil.

Right on the pan add the pumpkin seeds (pepitas), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss well with your hands. Add the garlic cloves to one side of the pan (leave them in their skin). Roast for about 15-25 minutes or until seeds are cooked and begin to lightly brown. Remove the pan every 10 minutes to stir the seeds and check for doneness. Remove from the oven, let cool 5 minutes and then peel the skin away from the garlic. If the garlic is not tender and fragrant when the seeds are done roasting, wrap them in foil and continue to roast until soft and roasted.

Add the pumpkin seeds to a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms, scrap down the sides as needed. This took about 5 minutes. Once the pumpkin seeds form a paste, add the beans and garlic. Pulse and blend until combined and the beans begin to puree, about 2-3 minutes. With the processor still going, stream in olive oil, blending continuously for a few minutes (and scraping down the sides if needed) until as smooth as desired. Add the remaining, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder and smoked paprika. Blend until combined add some salt + pepper and taste, adding more if desired. Add hummus to a bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil. Start dipping!

Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Ginger Soup by Bare Root Girl

Ingredients
1 small to medium pie pumpkin
Avocado oil
1 medium sweet or white onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ c. white wine (optional)
3 c. stock of choice
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
3 fresh sage leaves, minced
2″ knob fresh ginger, peeled & grated
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Sea salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.  Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Coat the inside flesh generously with avocado oil, salt, and pepper.  Cook the pumpkin cut side down for 60-75 minutes (dependent on the size of your pumpkin), or until fork tender.  Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.  Scoop the flesh out and reserve for soup.

Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Grease generously with avocado oil and add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the white wine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom.  Add the broth, reserved pumpkin, thyme, sage, ginger, and cinnamon.  Stir well.  Cover and cook 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and puree with either an immersion blender or by small batches in a high-powered blender (take care with this method:  blending hot mixtures can cause pressure build up in blenders, which can equal eruptions and burns!).  This step is optional, as the soup can also be enjoyed chunky.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with toasted pepitas, as desired.

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake by Magnolia Farms

Ingredients
10 Graham Crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 large tub (12 oz.) whipped topping (Cool Whip)

Directions:
1. Crush Graham Crackers and mix with butter. Press onto the bottom of jar or serving glass.
2. With a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix it all together until it’s creamy.
3. Add half of the whipped topping or whipped cream and gently stir it together.
4. To assemble, spoon a layer of your pumpkin cheesecake mix over the cookies in each jar and top with whipped cream if desired.