The fall of the year brings cooler weather and shorter days. It also brings the harvest of pumpkins. We usually only think of the colossal orange wonders during September through November, but a good pumpkin parent can keep them alive and edible for much longer.

Pumpkins are not only good for carving and scaring the neighborhood folks on Halloween but also for eating. Pumpkins are featured in many recipes during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season but it is a wholesome addition to meals all year round. If you can’t find fresh pumpkin, canned will work just fine.

Pumpkin has found the greatest popularity in desserts. What would Thanksgiving be like without pumpkin pie? Those who aren’t used to working with fresh pumpkin make pie filling with canned since all of the strings and seeds are already removed.

Pumpkin pie filling can be used for mini tarts at a holiday gathering or a church function. The filling can also be cooked in small ramekin dishes and topped with whipped cream for a crustless treat.

Don’t limit your pumpkin to pies, though. Pumpkin bread tastes nothing like pumpkin for those who are like me and haven’t particularly taken a shine to pumpkin pie. The more pumpkin added to the recipe, the moister the bread will be. Serve with butter or a dollop of cream alongside a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.