Pumpkin Salad

As the leaves outside start to darken and fall, the cool, bright flavors of summer begin to fade away. Though the departure of summer's bounty is always a bit sad, it gives way to the more complex and soul-warming flavors of autumn. The taste, color, and texture of pumpkin has embodied this season for me ever since I was a child. Whether I'm reminiscing about baking a pumpkin pie with my grandmother or toasting pumpkin seeds with my mom, this recipe for a pan-roasted pumpkin salad (at the top of "Holiday Recipes") shows off the beauty of a vegetable that has a home on nearly every doorstep in America.