Looking to pump up your pumpkin party and impress your pumpkin-pumped party people? Bunnies, Mileys, superheroes and giant angry birds alike, will unanimously approve of these sweetly spiced, homemade munchie foods.

First: Pumpkin Puree
This puree will serve as the pumpkin flavoring and texturizing agent for all following recipes:
Cut  just the top off of your newly acquired squash and be careful not to expose the ooey-gooey. Next, cut down the middle. Remove seeds and slime, set aside and cut the pieces in half.  Place the four pieces on a baking sheet and roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. After, the outer skin should easily peel off, leaving only soft, mushy goodness. Puree in a blender, food processor or that Magic Bullet your mom swore you’d use. Refrigerate or freeze until needed. If kept frozen, you can keep it for up to a year.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Start your day of pumpkin party planning with these lovely-scented, delicious fall time flapjacks. For every cup of pancake mix, add 1/3 cup of your newly made pumpkin puree. Dash in both cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor and prepare as directed for the mix. Enjoy with butter and syrup, whipped cream or peanut butter.

Miniaturized Pies
Just like the seasonal pumpkin pie favorite, but petite! Line a cupcake pan with wrappers and in the bottom of each, press a graham cracker crust, softened butter, crushed graham crackers and a little brown sugar thoroughly forked together in a bowl. With a hand mixer, combine two cups of your pumpkin puree, two eggs, 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Then, gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour over each mini crust half full. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, followed by 45 minutes at 350. Let cool and be cool- to all of your stoked house guests, that is. Serve with Cool Whip on the side.

Pumpkin Fluff
Fluff off, dude with”famous 7-layer dip.” Two cups of pumpkin puree, one container of Cool Whip, a package of instant vanilla pudding, cinnamon and nutmeg for bold flavors. Fold in the Cool Whip after combining the other ingredients, refrigerate and serve with graham crackers. Withstand irritation as guests begin gathering around with spoons and wiggling fingers.

DIY Pumpkin Liqueur
Ain’t no party like a pumpkin party ‘cuz a pumpkin party… has pumpkin alcohol. Obviously. Boil two cups of sugar into two cups of water. Add a half cup of your puree, five cinnamon sticks, a whole clove and two teaspoons of both ground ginger and nutmeg, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Run through a cheesecloth to extract solids, let cool and combine with two cups of vodka. Store in a sealed container for at least two days before serving.

Pumpkin Soup
The perfect, post pumpkin party snack. Bring to boil three cups of chicken stock, two cups of your puree, chopped onion, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a large pot. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. In a blender, further puree the heated mixture. Simmer for another 30 minutes, adding in 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Cuddle up and enjoy.

In the kitchen of his South Eugene restaurant, Chef Bruno is working alone, breading schnitzel, making sauces and delicately plating his extravagant dishes. He is silent and focused. With every ding of a bell, hot plates arranged with colorful garnishes appear in the window, ready to be taken to eagerly awaiting customers.

For 19 years, Thomas Bollag, otherwise known as “Bruno,” has headed the small kitchen in the South Eugene restaurant, Bruno’s Chef’s Kitchen. Despite its size, Chef Bruno’s unique cooking style competes with the best of them in the nation.

Growing up in Switzerland with a culinary-inclined father and French mother, Thomas’ path for excellence was set neatly. As a teen, he apprenticed under his father at his French restaurant, L’Auberge, and then at the esteemed Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, Switzerland.

Then, Bollag found his way to the Pacific Northwest, where he fell in love with the fresh air and now-wife, Bessie, the brightly smiling, charismatic front-house manager. The Willamette Valley’s focus on locally grown food reminded Bollag of the fresh and locally sourced cooking styles in the smaller French regions of his younger days.

Each week in his restaurant, Bollag conjures up a different menu, with all items seasonally inspired and based on what’s fresh and available.

“There are winter foods, and there are summer foods,” Bollag said. “During winter, it is important to eat the winter foods, because they are freshest … the body is meant to eat them [then].”

Every plate that Bollag produces features raw fruit and vegetable garnishes.

“Raw food is very important to the human diet,” he said. “The food we eat must be as close to living as possible … it provides incomparable energy.”

Some of Bollag’s dishes are especially inspired by fond memories of his childhood, like his grandma’s schnitzel or his mother’s spaghetti. They are recipes that allow him to pass something special onto others, just as they were passed to him.

“I once brought an elderly woman in this restaurant to tears,” Bollag said. “She was Swiss and my spaetzle reminded her of her mother’s, who had died 50 years earlier. Moments like that remind me of why I pass on what I do.”

Despite the high-quality dishes, Bollag runs his restaurant modestly. Ask him, and he’ll tell you the story about the time Wolfgang Puck told him he was jealous of his life. He acknowledges his talent and recognizes it as something needing to be shared in the world.

Every week, Bollag features a never-before cooked, newly innovated dish on his menu. Coming up with these different flavor combinations so frequently isn’t easy, but it’s this creativity that fuels Bollag’s passion. One of these dishes, plum-curried halibut, has since grown to become one of his signature dishes, and is featured on every week’s menu.

Bruno’s wife Bessie cheerfully makes rounds from table to table. Her friendliness at the very least adds to a likewise food experience.

“He cook’s everything himself, every day,” she said. “He’s doing something that no one else around here is.”

Someone once referred to the chefs dishes as a “symphony on a plate” and Mrs. Bollag proudly carries on the phrase.

Bollag wants students who experience his restaurant to understand they need to find what makes them happy and spend their lives doing it.

“I attended (the University of Denver) and walked out with a degree in Hotel Management. Today, I do what I really love and am much better off for it,” he said. “You should share your talents with the world.”

You can stop by Bruno’s Chef’s Kitchen at the corner of Hilyard and 34th, 5-9 p.m., from Tuesday through Saturday. Make reservations: 541-687-2433.

With all the burners atop her stove on, Yanhu “Betty” Zhang prepares her dinner, pointing out some of the ingredients in her pan.

“It means ‘tree fungus’ in English,’” she explained, regarding an ingredient she has combined with others such as pork, scrambled egg and a spice called “aniseed” in a large pan on the stove. In the other pans, she reveals pieces of chicken simmering in broth, potatoes and a boiling cabbage soup.

Zhang, a junior at  the UO, is from Tianjin, China, and has brought many traditional cooking methods and recipes she uses every night in Eugene.

Although she cooks for one, Zhang cooks plenty. Leftovers get tucked into her backpack and are served as mid-day meals.

When at large grocery stores, there is not much in the aisles that appeal to Zhang. Many of the ingredients she uses in her dishes are either imported or purchased from small specialty markets. Highly marketed snacks don’t catch her eye and sweets don’t tempt her.

“Everything I eat is good, and is good for me,” Zhang said. “I like to control what goes and doesn’t go into my food.”

Since the age of three, Zhang has been ushered around a small, traditional Chinese kitchen. Even growing up and attending school in Tianjin, Zhang would make and bring her own food. She believed that the school’s quality of food to be far from on par with her own. Her mother and father, keen on continuing the ways of their parents, strongly stressed the importance of traditional home cooking and its benefits for both mind and body.

In contrast, Keiko Matsunaga, a new UO international student from Tokyo, has instead developed a new love for tacos and takeout Chinese food in Eugene, straying from her usual home cuisine.

“I do not miss the food from Japan … [and] I cannot cook,” Matsunaga said.

Rafael La Madrid, a UO international student from Peru, offers an explanation as to why the girls’ perspectives on their home diets may greatly differ.

“It’s about convenience … it can be difficult to source some traditional ingredients,” he explained, “and the food here is good.”

Although La Madrid agrees that food is an important part of individual culture and identity, he notes that international students must make compromises to accommodate hectic lives and schedules.

However, Zhang does not compromise.

“It was my first choice.” she says gleefully, sporting her new house shirt with pride.

Meet Anissa Wilson: a Beaverton native, dancer, student leader…and a new Alpha Phi inductee.

“It’s a way that I can get involved, continue doing community service, and meet people… It’s everything in one,” said Wilson.

Heavily involved with student government and community service in high school, Wilson wished for nothing more than to continue her benevolent ways in college. She believed life provided her with not only a way to do so, but also a means by which she was able to search for year-long sisters.

Anissa’s contentment with her house didn’t come easily, however. What ended with a celebratory opening of an envelope, began with an intensive week of formal networking events. “More formal than expected,” she said.  This last week, girls who were rushing stood in alphabetically-ordered lines, Anissa being one of the hundreds.

“You do that for every open house, three or four houses a night, for three nights straight… [and] just talk,” Wilson said.

From that, comes “Philanthropy Day,” where the girls visit their top eight houses, and then, “House Tour Day,” where the girls’ rankings drop to six. During this time, the girls are also being ranked by the houses themselves. It’s what they call a “mutual process.”

A process, where, many find joy, but others find disappointment.

“It can be sad… I did get dropped by a house that I really liked,” Wilson said. “But it happens. It’s part of the process. The house wants you to be a good fit for them as well.”

Come Monday, a day in which the top three houses are chosen, things get a little easier.”It was a little more natural, less formal, and I began to feel a belonging,” Wilson said.

With Alpha Phi, Anissa noticed an ease in conversation that she didn’t elsewhere.

“It was like talking to old friends,” she noted, “There were less questions like, ‘so what’s your major?’ Every day I had really great talks with the girls.” Great talks that apparently resulted in a bid on Tuesday.

“It sounds really cheesy, but I was completely ecstatic,” Wilson said, when talking about the moment after opening her envelope.

Since that moment, Wilson has experienced an overwhelming wave of welcomes.

“It doesn’t even matter if I know them or not… When they see my shirt, they automatically come and give me a hug! So many people have already written on my Facebook wall, welcoming me.”

Over these next four years, Wilson would like to build her way up in the house and eventually hold a leadership position. She doesn’t know entirely what to expect in the experience, but she is excited for the good times to come — especially in a place where she feels like she belongs.

If you’re looking to explore the progressive Eugene food scene but aren’t quite sure where to extend to past familiar 13th hotspots, meet Rosalie Ruff: Dishcrawl Eugene ambassador, self-proclaimed foodie and organizer of events such as Saturday’s Battledish — a multi-city restaurant competition profiling local chefs and their delicious cuisine. Attendees are, at check in, given a map of six different Eugene eateries hand-picked by the knowledgeable Rosalie herself, and are sent off to explore for themselves. Featured at each stop is a chef’s signature dish and one cocktail concocted by their best mixologists.

The Emerald team was not disappointed.

Stop 1:

Tokyo Tonkatsu, 201 W. Broadway

The mood: Bright, young and livened with modern Asian decor, this restaurant is a new downtown addition and unique lunch spot.

The food: Chef Hiro Kamazuka presented his signature dish,”Katsu,” which is a Japanese-breaded pork cutlet, and a light serving of his spicy tuna roll. The pork was perfectly fried, was seasoned and paired well with the chef’s “Katsu sauce,” which has slightly barbeque-y in taste. The tuna was fresh and the roll was tasty.

Stop 2:

First National Taphouse, 51 W. Broadway

The mood: The first thing noted was the extensive beer list which is big and always changing. The wooden furniture gives the pub a classic old-time feel. With its dark and warm ambiance, First National Taphouse is a prime downtown shelter from the rain.

The food: The featured tacos, stuffed with amber-marinated beef brisket and pear cider-marinated pulled pork, were ridiculously flavorful. The meat was tender, juicy and left us reaching for extra napkins. Try them for yourself during the bar’s “Taco Tuesday” nights for $2 each.

Stop 3:

Belly, 30 E. Broadway

The mood: This long-time Eugene staple welcomes its lucky guests with an eccentric atmosphere, featuring unique and eye-catching decorative pieces. Later in the day, lights are dimmed to provide a finer, upscale dining experience.

The food: Chef Brendan Mahaney perfectly captured his “rustic-European farmhouse soul food” inspired cooking style with a warming Basque piperade, a slow-cooked mix of traditional French peppers, onions, tomatoes and a house-made andouille sausage atop a crispy polenta cake and garnished with a petite quail egg.

Stop 4:

The Cannery, 345 E. 11th Ave.

The mood: Fittingly eclectic, this busy new Eugene gastropub feels nothing short of homey. Catch a buzz and a bite as the hip young servers weave through the tightly knit, rustic wooden stools bearing trays of tall local brews and warm pub-favorites.

The food: The sign outside dubs their parmesan-crusted reuben the best in town. The Basil Julep Kentucky Bourbon has fresh squeezed sour egg whites and freshly muddled basil. Shaken and served over ice,  the drink was refreshingly light and crisp with a mint-green color and topped-off with a basil leaf for garnish.  The Bucha-cha was made with vodka, ginger syrup and fresh lemon and served in a martini glass. Both drinks complemented the heavy and filling sandwich.

Stop 5:

Cornucopia Bar and Burgers, 207 E. Fifth Ave..

The mood: A familiar joint to many, Cornucopia provides an energetic atmosphere perfect for catching a game or grubbing with friends.

The food: One of their famously juicy burgers would have done just fine, but we were pleasantly surprised, instead, by a Latin-inspired spread featuring a spicy scallop and mango ceviche, bacon-wrapped pork shanks in mole, and butternut squash stuffed empanadas. Respectively tangy, tender and to die for.

Stop 6:

Rye, 444 E. Third Ave.

The mood: Dim, rustic and warm. This upscale eatery takes you back a century but in the best way possible. A perfectly intimate dining experience.

The food: “Portuguese Pork Stew: Carlton Farms pork braised with mussels, onion, paprika, saffron and piri-piri served with smashed sweet potatoes.” Need we say more? Comfort food at its very, very finest.

As the Dishcrawl website homepage reads, “Have a food adventure,” and keep up with the local events by following on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcrawleugene, or “like” the page on Facebook, at Facebook.com/dishcrawleugene.

It’s about 7:30 p.m., and last night’s monsoon-like conditions still haven’t tapered off as I head to Sizzle Pie. Outside, the bright red lights showcase the name of our destination, which is located down the street from the all-too-familiar Voodoo Doughnut.

Here’s to hoping the pie toppings don’t include stale fruit loops.

The atmosphere is warm, to say the least. Kind of hell-like, actually, but it’s to assume that’s what the owners of Sizzle Pie going for. A grunged-out waiter to take our order. I admire her black hair — it reminds me of, well, everything else in the restaurant. Everything is black and red, including an off-putting vegan pie sitting in the warmer. Cartooned and creepy, mustached pizza faces lay out the pie sizes above our heads. My friend and I decide on the largest creepy, mustached pizza face topped with white truffle oil, goat cheese, green onions and pancetta.

Bling-bling.

A slice of cheese and a slice of pepperoni pizza from Sizzle Pie. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

A big sign lets us know that “good food takes time” and from this a near thirty-minute wait follows.

It goes by pretty fast. I take the time and scope out the crowd. It isn’t the kind to be expected, but the early time is probably to blame. Seated in the tables surrounding are middle-aged couples probably “grabbing a unique new bite downtown.”

As time ticks on, more unkempt beards — and fewer $150 Patagonia jackets — begin making their way inside. Many head toward the bar, which features concoctions so fittingly named things like, “The Def Leopard,” “Bad Brains,” and “Dopesmoker.” I spot no ironic cans of Pabst. Above the bar, more red showtime lights spell out, “EAT PIZZA EVERY DAY.” I wonder if I need be of age to follow this advice.

Alas, the awaited arrives. It’s cheesy, it’s hot and it’s big as hell.

I grab a slice, but then immediately grab a handful of napkins, instead. What I first thought to be a load of grease ends up being the pizza’s white truffle oil topping — the same thing, only pleasantly scented and loads more expensive. I think this particular pie is called “The Gold Chain” because it shimmers like one.

The toppings are spread out far between, but it isn’t bothersome. In fact, it kind of makes each bite different — sometimes green onion-y, sometimes pancetta-y, but always white-truffle-oil-y. The crust — an extremely important part of every pizza establishment — is thin, chewy and perfectly browned. The flavor combination actually ends up being amazing, and the other pizzas on the menu now have my trust.

Some of these: “Good Luck in Jail,” with white vodka sauce and bacon, and their signature “Napalm Breath,” with crushed garlic, pepperoni and fresh jalapeños.

I believe a return is now in order.

Annually, University Housing focuses on improving and innovating its food services to better suit the year’s incoming freshman class. This year, future 2017 graduates will be experiencing what may be some of the University of Oregon’s most refined dining programs to date.

“Our weekly food forum and focus groups helped a lot,” said Tom Driscoll, University Housing’s director of Food Services. “It’s all about what the students want.”

Administrators of the Global Scholars Hall say that the food this year will be fresher than ever. You can experience this yourself by trying the area’s ever-popular pasta bar, which now uses whole-wheat penne pasta, macaroni and fettuccine noodles made from scratch twice a week. Or check out the deli case for healthy veggie dishes made with locally grown vegetables and seasonal-inspired staff recipes.

What’s more, the Grab ‘n’ Go has a new “diner style” menu featuring custom-made skillets, house-made vegan sausages, gourmet waffles and  breakfast sandwiches available throughout the day, as well as hot sandwiches and fries. Also new is a numbering system by which students can be served directly at their tables by dining staff.

When it comes to international cuisine, Fire ‘n’ Spice now features a ramen bar. With both savory and miso broths being made by scratch daily, this custom, hot soup dish will be sure to warm up any cold, rain-stricken body. If you’re craving Asian food, pick up a Bistro Bahn Mi at the LLC’s DUX Bistro. Bistro Bahn Mi is a Vietnamese-inspired sandwich stuffed with shredded carrot and daikon, cilantro and a drizzled spicy aioli. Or pick up a hot, tummy-warming Bulgogi Cheesesteak, stacked high with korean-marinated steak, melted cheese and a made-from-scratch Ssam sauce.