Yo Reader,

Every November, I find myself defending pumpkin.
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Not from squirrels. From folk who insist it belongs only in pie, bread, and those god-awful syrupy coffee drinks that taste like someone dumped a spice rack into a cup of hot simple syrup.
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Now, don't get me wrong. I love pumpkin desserts. Give me a thick slice of pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting, and I'll happily cancel whatever plans I had for the afternoon.
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But pumpkin deserves a seat at the Thanksgiving dinner table, too.
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Stir pumpkin purée into a mac and cheese sauce, and watch it turn a gorgeous golden orange that makes you wonder, "Why the hell didn't I think of that?" (That's ok, I did, so you're covered.)
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The pumpkin adds a subtle sweetness and makes the sauce wonderfully creamy without elbowing the cheese out of the way.
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And that's just one way. Why stop at pasta?
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Roast pumpkin with Parmesan until the edges caramelize. Tuck it into a bubbling potato gratin. Simmer it with apple cider for a soup that reminds me of a crisp fall afternoon.
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Then, because I'm nothing if not consistent in my excesses, have pumpkin for dessert.
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Some might call that neurotically obsessive. I call it November. They're right!

The Thanksgiving SOS Live is On

Wow! A ton of you voted yes to a 60-minute Thanksgiving Ask Me Anything Live Zoom, so it's on! It'll take place next Saturday, Nov. 21 at 1 PM ET. In a few days, I'll send out invitations and a link to those who have signed up. If you happen to miss that email, you can join us by clicking the link below. Please bring your favorite drink and all your Thanksgiving preparation questions!

Pumpkin's Many Lives

• Think beyond the pie plate. Pumpkin's gentle sweetness makes it a natural partner for savory dishes. Stir purée into mac and cheese, roast wedges with Parmesan, or layer it with potatoes and cheese for a gratin that deserves a spot on your holiday table.
• Roast it when you want deeper flavor. Fresh pumpkin becomes sweeter and more concentrated in a hot oven. Cut it into evenly sized pieces, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast until tender with beautifully browned edges. Those caramelized bits? That's where the magic happens.
• Know your canned pumpkin. Pure pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie filling are two very different beasts. One is plain cooked pumpkin; the other already contains sugar and spices. Grab the wrong can for your mac and cheese, and dinner could take a decidedly unfortunate turn.
• Don't let the spices take over. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are lovely with pumpkin, but a little goes a long way. In savory dishes, try garlic, sage, black pepper, or Parmesan instead. Let the pumpkin taste like pumpkin, for heaven's sake.
• Save room for something sweet. Pumpkin swirl brownies, maple-frosted pumpkin cake, and silky pots de crème prove that pumpkin knows how to finish a meal. Pair it with chocolate, maple, or warm spices, and you've got a dessert you'll linger over.

Below are seven ways to put pumpkin to work, from creamy mac and cheese and cozy soup to brownies and custards.
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Make something savory. Make something sweet. Hell, make both. November only comes once a year.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese​
• ​Pumpkin-Cider Soup​
• ​Roasted Pumpkin With Parmesan​
• ​Cheesy Pumpkin Potato Gratin​
• ​Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting​
• ​Pumpkin Swirl Brownies​
• ​Pumpkin Custard​

​Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese​

This pumpkin macaroni and cheese is easy and creamy and rich. What else would you expect from a skillet full of pasta, Cheddar, pumpkin, bacon, and sage? Comfort food at its most indulgent with a smidgen of conscience-appeasing healthfulness.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Pumpkin-Cider Soup​

While apples might be best known as ingredients in crisps, crumbles, cakes, and tarts, they're a delicious way to sweeten up vegetable soups made with seasonal vegetables like butternut squash, pumpkins, and parsnips. Try this soup made with squash and apples and spiced with sage and thyme.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Roasted Pumpkin With Parmesan​

Roasted pumpkin with Parmesan is simply roasted winter squash, whether pumpkin or butternut squash, with a little savory bling in the form of Parmigiano-Reggiano. So simple. So surprising. Here's how to roast your way to side dish satisfaction.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Cheesy Pumpkin Potato Gratin​

This cheesy pumpkin potato gratin is a perfect holiday side dish that layers tender potatoes with a creamy delicate pumpkin sauce that gives the dish a burnished autumn color. And with two types of cheese, how can you miss? Speaking of cheese, you can replace the Gouda with more Cheddar, or vice versa, if you wish.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Pumpkin Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.93 from 38 votes

This pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. All the essential pumpkin spice flavors tempered with the creamy coolness of cream cheese frosting. One of my most popular cakes.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Pumpkin Swirl Brownies​

These pumpkin swirl brownies are made with cream cheese and taste as if pumpkin spice cheesecake swirl collided with chocolate fudge brownies.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Pumpkin Custard​

These pumpkin pots de crème are essentially creamy custards made from half-and-half, brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and warm spices, topped with maple whipped cream and crushed amaretti cookies. Perfect for entertaining.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​