"pumpkin" news and stories

Some people just don't like pumpkin pie, it's true. But that doesn't mean they don't like pumpkin flavor. The solution? Pumpkin cheesecake. This recipe, from Gail Simmons, starts out with a graham cracker crust and is filled with a cheesecake filling flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar and maple syrup. Top this dessert off with honeyed walnuts, which will really impress your guests.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Honeyed Walnuts

Bring a weirdly wonderful pumpkin patch to the table. All you need are four ingredients and a melon baller for this simple and wildly colorful side dish. Steamed pumpkin or squash rests on a bed of pesto and a pumpernickel-bread round, and sprigs of watercress make the squash's stem and leaves. Get contributor Shelley Wiseman's recipe for pumpkin bites at Kitchen Daily.

• Your jack-o'-lantern's officially a has-been. Now what will you do with that pumpkin?
• El Dia de los Muertos is underway. One chef honors his late grandmother with this pork in chile-ajo.
• India's ghost pepper may be so named because one bite will haunt you for the rest of the evening.
• Call the kids into the kitchen -- cooking is good for them. Really.

'Tis the season for holiday treats -- from Pumpkin Spiced Lattes to Halloween recipes to pumpkin seed recipes, everyone is jumping on the squash bandwagon. So who's next? Fro-yo giant Pinkberry introduced its newest seasonal flavor, Pumpkin, to its menu last Friday. Advertised with a side of graham crackers, whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, the latest creation sparks a warm memory of pumpkin pie without all the fat.

We ordered the yogurt the same way it was advertised, whipped cream and all. Hats off to the creators -- it was basically a deconstructed pumpkin pie, with the graham cracker strips (the crust), yogurt (filling) and whipped cream. Different textures lead to an all-around positive eating experience, a sweet crunch to accompany a tart and smooth pumpkin yogurt.

Pumpkin Pinkberry
Grade: A
Nutritional Information: Not available online
Our testers said: "It has a nice tartness and it really does taste like pumpkin pie spices." "It doesn't have a creamy mouth feel that you'd want from pumpkin pie." "My new pumpkin obsession for the fall, watch out Starbucks." "A great fall treat that doesn't leave you feeling as guilty as most Thanksgiving desserts would."

We're now in the last push before Thanksgiving. There's no time to carefully make marzipan treats or tasty maple concoctions. But there is still the possibility of sweetness without resorting to the old-school pie baking. Simply put down the pie shell, find a pumpkin-shaped pan and whip up a delicious, show-stopping cake.

The orange squash is one of the most undervalued delicacies in the world of food. By adding it to a cake, you get all the rich and spicy flavor contrasted with vanilla or chocolate. Since this is a cake, it can be made ahead of time -- freeing up the oven for the last-minute fare -- and adds some three-dimensional whimsy to your holiday table.