What are some fun recipes to make with canned pumpkin?

It's that time of year again, Fall, when pumpkin is in season and the holidays are coming up. Canned pumpkin is a great ingredient to use in all kinds of recipes for Fall: pies and tarts, pastas, soups and stews, Sandwiches, one-pot meals, salads, sandwiches and more. Here are a few fun recipe ideas to infuse some pumpkin flavor into your Fall dishes using canned pumpkin:

1. Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Apples and Bacon

Simmer one 15 ounce can of pumpkin, 2 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 cup of cream, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Whisk together and simmer for about 5 minutes. Cook 1 cubed Apple in butter until soft, then top the soup with the sauteed Apple and crumbled cooked bacon.

2. Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Pine Nuts, Sage and Parmesan

Cook 2 pounds of quartered, peeled potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes and drain. Steep 1 sprig of sage and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg in 1 cup of hot cream (heated on low on the stove until steaming) for 10 minutes, remove the sage. MASH the potatoes with 1 cup of pumpkin puree and add a little salt to taste.

Let the mashed potatoes cool completely and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour until cold. Mix the mashed potatoes with 1 egg and 1 1/4 cups of flour. Flour a surface and roll the mashed potato mixture into a long rope and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they float, drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan, add 1/2 stick of butter and melt for a few minutes over medium-low heat until butter starts to get foamy and light golden brown (be careful not to burn!). Toss the brown butter with the pumpkin gnocchi, top with grated parmesan and some toasted pine nuts and additional chopped sage.

3. Pumpkin Spice Cake

Beat 1 stick of softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar with a mixer until fluffy, then beat in 2 eggs, 1/2 cup pumpkin and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Sift in 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture and bake in a greased baking dish for about 25 minutes at 350.