With Labor Day weekend fast approaching, I am already looking ahead to autumn. The changing of seasons will bring radiant foliage, harvest celebrations, and a bounty of colorful gourds. The crisp, cool days revive my energy, giving me fresh motivation to experiment with new dishes and entertain loved ones. For those of us drawn to all things pumpkin, a new cookbook from Eliza Cross offers recipes for bringing the quintessential symbol of fall into our seasonal menus. This week on A Little Loveliness, I will be sharing breakfast favorites from Pumpkin It Up!, as well as cooking tips from Eliza and a giveaway of her gorgeous new cookbook.
Baby Breakfast Pumpkins
Makes 4 servings
4 (1-pound) baking pumpkins
1⁄2 pound bulk breakfast sausage
5 eggs, divided
4 slices stale bread, cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1⁄2 teaspoon dried sage
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Use a sharp knife to slice the top quarter off each pumpkin; remove the seeds and stringy pulp.
In a medium frying pan, break up and fry the sausage until thoroughly cooked, 5–6 minutes.
Remove from heat, drain grease, and cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk 1 egg until foamy. Add the sausage, bread cubes, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper; stir until well combined. Fill each pumpkin with the bread mixture to about 1 inch from the top; transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the pumpkins are fork tender, 40–45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and use a spoon to gently flatten the stuffing in each pumpkin.
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Crack 1 egg and gently pour it over the stuffing mixture for each pumpkin, being careful not to break the yolk; sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon cheese. Cover the pumpkins lightly with foil, return to oven, and bake until eggs are set to desired doneness, 10–13 minutes.
Photos from Pumpkin It Up! Used with permission.
