There are five ingredients in this dish and each one counts. Tender pea tendrils, the young shoots of pea plants, are a sweet addition to farm fresh eggs, cream and rich butter. Buy a cheddar cheese with a little bite to give the eggs a little pop.

The crunch of toasted, warm, freshly-baked bread, with melted sharp, nutty cheese, olive oil-fried, fresh, richly-flavored eggs, with bright orange yolks, browned on the edges, and crisp greens dressed in a sharp Champagne vinaigrette made with sweet summer shallots. This is how you celebrate the weekend’s treasures from the farmer’s market. Slowly, indulgently, and with great joy.

Airy and light-tasting yet just a little decadent, this soufflé combines sweet, crisp asparagus, salty, gamey Prosciutto and sharp, nutty Gruyère cheese in one spring dish that is perfect from breakfast to dinner.

Moist, lemony, rich, with a little crunch from the poppyseeds and cornstarch. The fennel honey butter - just melt them together - is the real star, transforming the flavor of the lemon and poppyseeds. It's just the right amount of everything and not too much of anything.

Roasted pumpkin purée adds rich flavor and silky texture to this red-letter-day oatmeal. A generous drizzle of sweet-tart cider syrup and a candied ginger, walnut and toasted pumpkin seed crumble make oatmeal special enough for a weekend indulgence.

I love cooking with pumpkin, but leave those orange lanterns out on the front porch in favor of a more flavorful heirloom or modern variety. Here are some of my favorites and the recipes I like to make with them.

Rich pumpkin and gingerbread spice lend plenty of heft to these pancakes without weighing them down thanks to separated and beaten egg whites. They are the perfect fall morning indulgence. Store extra pumpkin purée in the freezer for a winter breakfast that will warm you from the inside so you can enjoy the crisp outdoors.