7 Ways With Pumpkin

Whether you save the flesh of this year's jack-o-lantern or pick up the canned variety at the store, pumpkin is the perfect ingredient for adding festive fall flavor to sauces, soups, desserts, and even pancakes. It's so tasty that letting it go to waste is, well, scary.

Give your tall stack a bright punch of flavor with pumpkin and nutmeg. The batter's creamy texture keeps the pancakes soft and moist–ideal for absorbing the rich ginger butter.

Recipe: Pumpkin-Ginger Pancakes with Ginger Butter

Serve an impressive dinner party dessert stuffed in the season's signature fruit. This top-rated recipe calls for all our favorite ingredients: butter, sugar, pecan, cranberries, and a rich Lemon-Vanilla Sauce.

Recipe: Stuffed Pumpkin with Cranberry-Raisin Bread Pudding

You can't talk about pumpkin without mentioning one of the most loved uses for the canned variety: pumpkin bread.  This particular version gets its kick from a blend of allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  Top with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts for a salty crunch that pairs perfectly with the sweet, moist bread.

Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Bread

Serve a fun fall side dish packed with the earthy flavors of fresh pumpkin, ground nutmeg, and spinach. Shredded Swiss cheese adds creamy texture to the savory casserole.

Recipe: Scalloped Pumpkin and Spinach

The nutty flavor of the pumpkin-seed sauce highlights the pork's spicy chipotle chile and brown sugar marinade. For best flavor, marinate the tenderloin overnight, or at least two hours.

Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Pumpkin-Seed Sauce

Serve a light pasta dish with a luscious cream sauce. Chopped sage, Gorgonzola cheese, and canned pumpkin add robust flavor to the meatless main dish.

Recipe: Pasta with Mushrooms and Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Sauce

Create a marbled bundt cake centerpiece for your fall party by layering two batters (one flavored with pumpkin, the other cocoa) into a bundt pan. Simply draw a knife through the batters to create your own design.

Recipe: Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake