3 pumpkin recipes for fall

'Tis the season for pumpkins. From Halloween's Jack-O-Lantern's to Thanksgiving's pumpkin pies, the orange member of the gourd family becomes a part of our lives for a good month out of the year.

This season, mix things up a bit and create some new pumpkin classics for your family gatherings. Sheila Bryson, owner of Heart and Soul Cafe in Cave Creek, shares 3 delicious recipes, perfect for each meal of the day.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups of flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. Sugar
Mix dry ingredients together
2 eggs
3 cups buttermilk
¼ cup of oil
1 cup of spiced pumpkin (recipe below)

Mix wet ingredients together then fold wet into dry.
Do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy.
If you can, try to make the batter a few hours ahead or the night before.
When you are ready to cook give the batter a quick whisk to get the lumps out and mix the oils together.

Spiced pumpkin

3 ½ pounds pumpkin puree fresh or caned
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. ginger
1 ½ tbs. cinnamon
Pinch of ground gloves

Mix together

Pumpkin Soup

6 pounds pumpkin puree
1 large onion chopped
2 pounds of Jalapeno smoked bacon chopped
4 large carrots pealed and chopped
8 cup or more of chicken broth
1 cup of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheddar cheese

Sautee the onion, bacon and carrots until the bacon gets crisp. The pan will get a little brown don't worry it gives the soup color and flavor. Do not drain. Add the pumpkin and the chicken broth to the consistency you want. Do not make it too thick because it will thicken when you blend it. Cook for about 30 min. you want the carrots the get soft. Then in batches blend in a blender and put back in the pan. Add the milk and salt and pepper. You should not need to ad any thing else the bacon gives a lot of flavor. Top with some shredded cheddar cheese.

Pumpkin Martini

1 oz vanilla vodka
1 oz cake vodka
1 oz whipped vodka
½ oz pumpkin schnapps
1 tbs. spiced pumpkin mix
2 oz of half and half

Add to shaker with ice and shake! shake ! shake!
Serve up in a chilled martini glass and top with pumpkin pie spice.