This month we are starting the party early, because it is all about pumpkins. PUMPKIN EVERYTHING.
We know you’re drinking those pumpkin spice lattes (see our incredible recipe this month) and eating all those pumpkin muffins, but there are other ways to put pumpkin into your dinner entrees.
When you think about a Pumpkin, you instantly think about the fall. They are the iconic gourd that gets us in the mood for fall recipes, for halloween, for thanksgiving, they’re found everywhere! But do you know much about the pumpkin?
To kick things off, here are some fun facts about Pumpkins:
- Pumpkins are technically a fruit! Just like other gourds, the cantaloupe, zucchini, and melons, they are categorized as a fruit because of the seeds growing inside them.
- Illinois is the “Pumpkin Capital of the World.” The state of Illinois produces the most pumpkins out of any state in the country! You might have that pumpkin from Illinois! And America is where most of the pumpkins are grown, we produce 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins each year.
- Native Americans cultivated the pumpkins for farming before the Pilgrims came over and showed them how to grow them. And at the first thanksgiving feast in 1621, pumpkin custard was supposedly served!
- Pumpkin used to be considered a cure for snakebites and freckles. This was proved to not be the case, but was used in early medicine.
- The word “Pumpkin” was first printed in the fairy tale Cinderella. They were first just called gros melons, or large melons.
Pumpkins are high in fiber and have more potassium than bananas, they’re a perfect add in to all your entrees, and flavor the dish in new ways.
One of my favorite ways to add pumpkin into a recipe is by just adding it to something that you already love, like pasta! Try adding some puree to the sauce! This gnocchi recipe is one of my favorites for the fall and I hope you like it too.
Ingredients:
- 18 oz of premade gnocchi. You can either buy these packages at the store, or make your own! We have a great post about making your own gnocchi
- 5 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sage
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions:
- Mince all of the cloves
- Cut up the sage in small pieces
- Boil water for the gnocchi and cook with the package instructions.
- In a pan, add the olive oil and heat for a few minutes. Then add the garlic, stirring for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the chicken broth, pumpkin puree, sage, salt, and pepper and mix all together. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened.
- Stir in the Gnocchi to the pumpkin sauce and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Voila! Super easy and delicious dinner!
If you try these recipes send us a photo! We want to see! Tag us on Instagram @Jubilanceforpms1 or shoot me an email at [email protected], let me know what you think of this awesome curry!
