October is the unofficial month of the pumpkin. Today, we enjoy pumpkin most notably in pies and spiced lattes, but pumpkin has been a culinary staple in the Americas for thousands of years.

Pumpkin is native to North America and was first cultivated in 3500 B.C.—making it one of the oldest known crops to be cultivated in the Western Hemisphere, according to the University of Missouri.

In the 1800s, people enjoyed pumpkin in many different ways. From pudding to marmalade to soup, here are nine old-fashioned pumpkin recipes to try this fall.

Recipe #1: Stuffed Squash

This recipe, from a 1839 Kentucky housewife, was made by Ron and Justine Rayfield of the Early American YouTube channel.

“In short: Stuff a halved squash with sausage, put it back together, and bake until tender! Easy peasy,” they share.

Ingredients:A large squashSpices to taste: salt, pepper, clove, paprika, rosemary, sage & thymeGround sausage, enough to fill the squash

Instructions:“Choose a fine, ripe squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and scrape the inside clean. Fill the squash with fresh sausage meat, seasoned to your taste. I seasoned mine with salt, pepper, clove, paprika, rosemary, sage & thyme. Put the two halves back together and place the squash in a deep baking dish. Bake in a moderate oven (about 350°F) until the squash is very tender and the sausage is fully cooked, or about 45–60 minutes, depending on size. Serve the squash in the same dish in which it was baked.”

Recipe #2: Pumpkin Cakes (Pumpkin Cornbread)

This is another 1839 recipe from a Kentucky Housewife made by the Rayfields of Early American.

Ingredients:1 pint (2 cups) cooked pumpkin, very well mashed1 quart (4 cups) fine cornmeal1 small dessert spoon salt — about 1½–2 teaspoons2 large spoonfuls butter — about 2 tablespoons2 eggs, beatenAbout 1½–2 cups whole milk, or enough to make a thick batterAdditional butter for greasing the baking sheet

Instructions:“Cook the pumpkin: Stew or boil a sweet pumpkin until completely tender. Drain it well. Puree the pumpkin: Mash 2 cups of cooked pumpkin very thoroughly, then push it........

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