Versatile pumpkin is the belle of fall

Several weeks ago, as I was having lunch with my co-worker Linda, we talked about what was reported as the great canned pumpkin shortage of 2009.

She had been eager to make a simple recipe for what her neighbor nicknamed "punkin' poo," and she went looking for canned pumpkin only to find her supermarket's shelf empty.

"Hmmm," I thought. "I probably wouldn't have noticed that until the week before Thanksgiving."

That's when I normally make my annual pumpkin pies.

I don't know which is scarier, though - calling a dish "punkin' poo" or facing October without its symbolic orange mascot.

Despite Linda's findings, I am happy to report that the canned pumpkin shortage caused by bad weather last year was short-lived. Just the other day, I spotted brand name, canned pumpkin puree at my grocery store.

Of course, there are always real pumpkins. If you use them, I suggest you buy the smaller, sugar "pie pumpkins" to make your own puree.

Either way, fresh or canned, it's time to roll out the pumpkin.

The stuff Linda called "punkin poo" is an easy dip made with two packages of cream cheese, one can of pureed pumpkin, 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar and some cinnamon and ginger to taste. It can be served in a hollowed out, clean pumpkin shell with bite-size cinnamon graham crackers or gingersnap cookies.

Pumpkin puree is quite versatile. I use it in pancakes, muffins and breads to add color, flavor and to keep them moist. The puree can also be used as an additive in place of butter or oil to cut fat. Just be sure the label says the contents are 100 percent pure - no additives, no preservatives and no pumpkin-pie spices.

Here's an easy recipe for a delicious breakfast nectar that uses just three ingredients and takes no more than five minutes to make. If you're trying to cut down on sugar, you can use reduced-sugar orange juice. Make a big pitcher of it and store the juice in the refrigerator for a healthy and surprisingly refreshing morning drink.

Lynn Kessel can be reached at lkessel@mac.com. For more of her recipes, visit southshore.tbo.com and enter the search words Lynn Kessel or look for her blog at www.lynnkessel.blogspot.com.

PUMPKIN & ORANGE BREAKFAST NECTAR