Why is Doubting Believer talking about table gathering and eating and sharing recipes? Because gathering around the table with friends and family and people you don’t even know is community at its finest.

Wanna be all seasonal at the next church/office/neighborhood potluck without a whole lot of effort? Here are three easy ways to do just that.

Note: all the recipes call for at least one 15 ounce can of pumpkin. This is just the plain canned pumpkin not the canned pumpkin pie stuff. That could make things go sideways right quick.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

One box spice cake mix
One can pumpkin
Half bag of white chocolate chips

Mix cake mix with pumpkin until all the dry stuff is wet. Add the white chocolate chips. Put in lined muffin tins and bake according to the directions on the spice cake mix box. These are stupid good.

Pumpkin Dip (served with ginger snaps)

One can pumpkin
One block of cream cheese (softened)

Using an electric beater or food processor, blend the pumpkin with the cream cheese until smooth. Serve with the snaps.

Pumpkin Soup

1 small bag frozen chopped onions
2 cans pumpkin
6 cups of low sodium veggie or chicken broth

Put all of the above in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Immediately turn to simmer and let it do that for about half an hour and let the flavors talk to each other. Then,

3/4 cup of heavy cream OR keep it vegan with ¾ full fat coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste.

You can put your own twist on it by adding thyme or red curry paste or pumpkin pie spice. I don’t recommend adding all three.

Get fancy and use an immersion blender to make all the onions smooth out into the soup, or just serve it as is. It’s good either way.

You can always combine a pumpkin party and a Socktober event. Have everyone bring their fav pumpkin recipe and at least one pair of socks to donate to a local charity.