Fall's Favorite Flavors

During fall and winter, especially leading up to the holiday season, my favorite ingredients are without a doubt pumpkin and cinnamon. I'm not just talking about desserts here. These two can find their way into just about any dish, sweet AND savory! In the upcoming months I will be adding countless recipes for the holidays, but for now I would like to share some tips on making delicious dishes with these ingredients.

Cinnamon:
Ground cinnamon goes well in just about anything: Oatmeal, dessert, your favorite latte, cottage cheese, yogurt.... Like I said, anything! For those of you who have never experimented with cinnamon outside of the occasional holiday dessert, you've been missing out. Cinnamon goes so well in so many savory dishes, like lentils and rice or roasted butternut squash that I honestly go through a jumbo container every few months. Don't be afraid to try it out!

Pumpkin:
I am currently living in Italy for the next few months so I can't speak for American prices, but things here that are so convenient back home are certainly NOT cheap. For example, I spent two weeks searching for canned pumpkin, finally found some Libby's in a special import market, and spent €4,35 each on two cans. For those of you not in Europe, that's $6.05 a can! Especially here where I'm traveling a lot and not working, funds are too short to be spending that kind of money on a luxury item. But when I accidentally purchased half a pumpkin instead of a butternut squash (the variety of pumpkin here is very similar in appearance!) I found myself with the opportunity to make my own pumpkin puree with the €3,50 I spent on the fresh pumpkin. It turned out so well that I doubt I will be going back to using canned pumpkin, at least while I'm here! While it's not necessarily convenient, the reward is a flavor so fresh and flexible that I recommend everyone give it a try.

To make pumpkin puree:
Cut the pumpkin in half or fourths, leaving the skin on. scoop out all the seeds and extra fibers and discard. Place each piece flesh side down on a baking sheet in about 1/4-1/2" of water (this will prevent burning and drying out), then put into an oven at 400 degrees and bake for about 45 minutes or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and drain the water. Scoop out the flesh and put into a large mixing bowl (if using an immersion blender), blender, or food processor and allow to cool for 15 minutes to prevent it from exploding during the blending process. Blend until smooth and creamy and enjoy in your favorite recipe!

I will soon be posting recipes to use both cinnamon and pumpkin, together and separately! Until next time, may your stomachs be full and your grocery bill be small!