My friend Claire Bessette never met a pumpkin she didn’t want to chop up and cook.

Not that she’s opposed to carving jack-o'-lanterns or decorating with a festive burst of orange. It’s just that, well, she loves to cook with pumpkin.

She makes pies, the best pumpkin cookies, and a pumpkin soup that just shouts “Fall is here!”

“My motto for Halloween decorators is ‘Cook, don’t cut,’” said Bessette, a reporter at The Day. She counsels to paint or draw on the outside of the orange orbs and then cook them up for delicious consumption. She’s always on the lookout for pumpkins.

“I do grow my own, but it’s never enough for my needs, so I beg from friends and family after Halloween and buy some from farm stands,” she said.

Sure, it’s easy to crack open a can of pumpkin puree to use in your favorite recipe. And yes, it takes more time to buy a fresh pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and bake or boil until it’s soft enough to use in a recipe. But many swear fresh is better.

Judy Whittle of Whittle’s Willow Spring Farm in Mystic recommends the smaller sugar pumpkins for baking and cooking.

“The big ones won’t hurt you, but the sugar pumpkins are small and sweet and grown just for cooking,” she said.

She makes homemade pumpkin pies for the holidays from the pumpkins grown on the 109-year-old family farm, where sugar pumpkins are sold. There’s also a field of giant pumpkins where you can pick out your own. The smaller pumpkins are available this time of year at just about every farm stand and in grocery stores.

Bessette and Whittle both peel, chop and boil the pumpkin, much like you would do with potatoes. When the meat is soft, mash or put it through a food processor. (But no shame in going with canned pumpkin puree. I do not judge.)

The cooking water can be saved and used in soups, and the cooked pumpkin can be frozen and used all winter.

Pumpkins can also be roasted. Roasting a pumpkin is not hard. Cut the pumpkin in half, cut off stem, scoop out the seeds and the stringy insides and place face down in a shallow cooking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 1½ hours or until the flesh is soft. Scoop out and mash with potato masher or puree in food processor or blender. Voila — fresh pumpkin to be used in any recipe calling for canned pumpkin puree.

Bessette’s cookies are from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. She follows the instructions in the ninth printing of the book, dated 1983. She said it’s also in older versions because when she was growing up, her mom made the same cookies. Her pumpkin soup is one she’s cobbled together over the years from several different recipes.

And if you’re adventurous, I’ve included a sweet recipe from my sister, who makes this dream cake for family gatherings. Trust me, your friends and family will be impressed.

Pumpkin Cookies

(Betty Crocker Cookbook)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin (canned or fresh puree)

1/2 cup shortening

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

2 cups all-purpose flour (can use wheat flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins or chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions 

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, pumpkin, shortening and orange peel. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in raisins, chips or nuts.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cool. Makes about four dozen. 

Claire’s Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup finely chopped carrots

¼ cup finely chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves

2 tablespoons butter, or olive oil.

1½ to 1¾ cups cooked mashed pumpkin

13¾ oz. chicken broth (low salt variety. Can use vegetable broth.)

2½ to 3 cups water or saved pumpkin water.

½ teaspoon Poudre Forte, which is a ground combination of pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom.

1/8 teaspoon pepper.

1 bay leaf.

¼ teaspoon marjoram

¼ teaspoon thyme.

2 slices whole grain bread in cubes. I use wheat.

¼ cup half-and-half, evaporated milk or cream. (optional)

Directions

Saute onions, celery, leaves, carrots in butter or olive oil until tender. Place pumpkin, chicken broth, water or pumpkin water and all herbs and spices in stock pot. Add sautéed vegetables and simmer uncovered about 45 minutes. During last 15 minutes, add bread cubes to thicken and reduce heat. When done, allow to cool slightly and add cream.

Pumpkin Dream Cake

(from the theNoviceChef.com)

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (or your fresh puree)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

Frosting

12 oz cream cheese,

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

6 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans, or two 9-inch rounds. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl/stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, pumpkin and vegetable oil. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk.

4. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

5. Remove pans from oven and cool.

6. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Add confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.

7. Assemble the 3 layers with a thick layer of frosting in between each layer. Then apply a thin crumb coat on the top and sides. Pop back in the freezer to harden the crumb coat for about 10 minutes.

8. Apply one final thick and even layer around the outside of the cake. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.