Recipe Roundup, Pumpkin Edition

This isn't really an installment of Cooking with Baby, as I've been uninspired by the size referents lately. We could perhaps stretch it a bit and say that it's likely that Baby is the size of some pumpkin somewhere in the world--pumpkin is what all these recipes have in common. But I made a lot of stuff this weekend, so I wanted to share.

the size of a pumpkin.

I am not quite sure what spurred the pumpkin-a-thon...perhaps the cooler temperatures had me zeroing in on fall recipes, or (more likely) maybe it's just that pumpkin is really a vehicle for cinnamon and sugar and other delicious things. Whatever the reason, it happened.

First up: Pumpkin Poppers. I used this recipe, which was sent on by Kate. I made some modifications that she had suggested (more pumpkin, less flour) to make them less cakey and more moist. BA liked them, but I'm not sold. They were better when Kate made them. Maybe I'll have to eat a couple more today to see if they improved with age.

Next: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls. We went to a lovely dinner at the home of some friends, and I was searching for something to take (we no longer have a stash of wine in the house that I can grab for this purpose). BA reminded me of the time we had a party and someone brought a coffee cake for us to eat the next morning--how nice it was to not have to worry about breakfast on top of the dinner/party dishes. So I set out for a breakfast recipe, and this is what I came up with. This makes two pans/batches/circles/whatever.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
for the rolls:
2 pkgs Pillsbury Crescent dough (if you can find it, use this new nifty version they have called "recipe version" or something that is seamless, so you don't have to press the seams together. Otherwise, the original kind works fine) (If I were really good, I'd make pastry dough, but...not there yet)
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll crescent roll dough (you'll do one roll at a time). If necessary, pinch seams together to form one long rectangle. Put cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until well combined. Spread half the mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2" border around the edges. Starting at the long end, roll the dough up. Cut into one-inch pieces. Place around a 9" cake pan (see picture below). Bake for 26-30 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Remove and allow to cool slightly before frosting.

for the frosting:
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tbsp canned pumpkin

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Spread over warm rolls.

So, I wanted these to have more cinnamon, but I don't have the capacity to gauge whether this is normal or just my current taste-bud situation. You could add more, or sprinkle over the top before frosting. Or not, if that's weird.

The only annoying thing about this recipe is that it uses relatively little pumpkin, so if you've opened a can, you have most of it left over. I wanted to use the leftover pumpkin before it got gross, so I dug out this little recipe. It's based on one I pulled out of a magazine several years ago, but I've made changes.

Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce
1 package ravioli (such as Buitoni) (I used tortellini because I had some at home)
1 can (approx) pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp minced garlic, or 1 clove
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or heavy cream

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Be careful not to overcook. Drain and set aside (drain well, because these pastas retain water in their little crevices and that can water down the sauce).

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and briefly saute the garlic until soft (I've also cut up an onion and put it in at this point). Stir together the broth, pumpkin, sugar, and all the spices. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated (10 min or so).

Remove from heat and stir in the cream or whatever dairy you are using. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon ravioli onto plates and top with sauce. If you'd like, add grated parmesan on top, or some fresh herbs, or whatever makes you feel fancy.