It doesn’t take long this time of year to get your taste buds roaring in expectancy of some of our favorite fall recipes!  Key ingredient:  Pumpkin, of course!  We did a little digging around and came up with 5 scrumptious recipes that we know both the adults and kiddies will adore.

Pumpkin, packed with antioxidant beta carotene, is good for many fun recipes!

Pumpkin Dip:

• Yield Makes about 4 cups

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Ingredients

• 3 sugar pumpkins, about 2 pounds each
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing pan
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• Crudites, bread, and crackers, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the tops off of the pumpkins. Remove the seeds, and discard. Drizzle the insides of the pumpkins with 1 tablespoon olive oil each. Season with salt and pepper. Place 1 sprig each of rosemary and 1 clove of garlic into the cavity of each pumpkin.
2. Place the pumpkins in an oiled 11-by-13-inch pan, and bake in the oven until the skin is easily pierced with a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove pumpkins from the oven, and allow to cool.
3. Carefully remove the flesh from the pumpkins, reserving shell from most attractive pumpkin for serving. Squeeze roasted garlic from papery skins; place in the bowl of a food processor. Add pumpkin flesh; puree until smooth. If puree is watery or thin, place it in a fine-mesh sieve lined with damp cheesecloth, and allow liquid to drain for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Add the grated Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve at room temperature in pumpkin shell with crudites, bread, and crackers.

Martha Stewart Pumkin Dip in a pretty little carved out pumpkin!

Rigatoni with Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese:

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 1 hour
• Yield Serves 4

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Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 12 ounces rigatoni
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add butter, cheese, and pasta water; toss until butter has melted.
2. Gently fold in roasted pumpkin; season with salt and pepper. Divide among serving bowls, and serve immediately.

Pumpkin can make for a great comfort food in a pasta dish

Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage:

• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Total Time 45 minutes
• Yield Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide pumpkin, shallots, oil, and sage between two large rimmed baking sheets; season with salt and pepper, and toss.
2. Roast until pumpkin is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing once and rotating sheets halfway through.

This crunchy, tasty side dish can be prepared for the rigatoni or eaten all on its own. Yum!

Pumpkin and Pecorino Gratin:

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 45 minutes
• Yield Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 2 slices white sandwich bread
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 cups Sugar-Pumpkin Puree
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, combine bread and cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and pulse until large crumbs form.
2. Season sugar-pumpkin puree with salt and pepper; spoon into a 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with crumb mixture, and dot with butter. Bake until crumbs are browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Pumpkin and Pecorino Gratin makes a delicious casserole

Maple Roasted Pumpkin Salad:

• Prep Time 25 minutes
• Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 sugar pumpkin (3 1/2 to 4 pounds) peeled, seeded, and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 pounds arugula (2 to 3 bunches, thick stems removed), washed and dried
• 6 ounces feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread pepitas on a large rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
2. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss pumpkin with 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Remove garlic cloves from sheet pan; set aside. Drizzle pumpkin with 2 tablespoons maple syrup; toss to coat. Return to oven and continue roasting, tossing occasionally, until pumpkin is glazed, 5 to 10 minutes more; let cool.
4. Meanwhile, cut off root ends of garlic cloves; squeeze out garlic and mash to a paste with the side of a knife. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lime juice, mustard, and remaining maple syrup; season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, add remaining oil in a steady stream; set aside.
5. Add arugula and pumpkin and toss to combine. Serve salad sprinkled with toasted pepitas and crumbled feta cheese.

Fill up on this sweet arugula salad before eating dinner to slim down!

Now get ready to hit the pumpkin patch for some great eats!

Blogger Laurali Star can also be found on The Damsel in the Attic!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

Eco-fabulous twin brothers, Tristin and Tyler, show you how easy (and FUN!) it is to host a swap for National Costume Swap Day™!

Tristin and Tyler are 7 year old city kids who host their own series about having fun and going green in New York City called “Tristin and Tyler’s Tales from the City!” In each episode these mini reporters interview people finding unique ways to be creative and/or help the environment! Visit http://tristinandtyler.com and check out all of their fun adventures!

And check out T & T’s tell-all (about costume swapping) interview with us, here.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

(These ideas were featured today on Northwest Cable News)

Eek! It’s Valentine’s Day card time! What are you sending to school?

Packs of pre-made cards are typically made from virgin trees. With schools across the country celebrating this day ‘o love & friendship, imagine how trees are needed to supply all the cards!

100% Post-consumer waste cards can be hard to come by, so here are a few fun, green ideas to consider as an alternative.

Seed embedded card

Wool felted hearts

Sole Mate “card”

Catch more of Lynn & Corey’s eco-Valentine ideas on CelebrateGreen.net.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

2010′s Green Halloween in NYC was a screamin’ success!

“Screamin’ Green Halloween” was hosted by Brookfield Office Properties at the World Financial Center in the Big Apple.

Eek-o-fabulous fun was had by all (6,000 guests in just 4 hours!) with recycled art, a costume swap, poetry reading, marching band, healthy/green goodies and more.

Here are a few of the fab photos (by photographer Andrew Federman) for more, click here.

And check out this HUGE promotion banner hanging for all to see!

Corey Colwell Lipson of Green Halloween walks you through this heart-felt craft for Valentine’s Day!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.