A pumpkin promise to you

October is my favorite month.

When I lived in Ohio, it was my favorite month because it meant crisper fall air, changing leaves, Halloween decorations everywhere I looked, and all things pumpkin flavored.

In Arizona, it is my favorite month because it's the month when the heat finally breaks, when I can sit on restaurant patios again, when I can dust off and pull on my boots, and -- of course -- because I can indulge in all things pumpkin flavored.

And indulge I have.

A few weeks ago, I had to kill some time before a meeting. I located the closest Starbucks and hopped in my car, praying that the pumpkin lattes had already arrived. It was way too hot for a steaming beverage, but I didn't care. The flavor would be worth it. But not only had the latte arrived, Starbucks did me one better: pumpkin frappuchino light.

Yes, that's right. Refreshing, pumpkin-y and like 120 calories. *Bliss*

Then my husband and I took a weekend trip to Flagstaff, where the weather was significantly cooler (you know, 80 instead of 108), and where I discovered this in my favorite Flag chocolate shop:

That, my friends, is a pumpkin truffle. And it was as good as you are imagining it could be.

The next morning, I insisted on walking back over to the chocolate shop to buy another one before we hit the road back to Phoenix. I couldn't live with the idea that I might never eat one again. Of course, now that one is gone, too, and I'm trying to conjur up an excuse that will get us back up to Flag. Ideas?

No October is complete without a box of Pumpkin Delights snack cakes. (The name says it all.)

Once the weather really cools down, I will be hitting the gas station cappuchino, which is one of my first and lasting loves of pumpkin-flavored treats.

Kris and I bonded over pumpkin cappuchino during our college days, and we remain obsessed with all things pumpkin. We text each other with updates whenever we have a pumpkin pie blizzard from Dairy Queen. (DQ, if you're reading this, please don't wait until November to bring back the pumpkin pie blizzard. You torture me.)

Obviously, since we love to bake, we will be whipping up all forms of pumpkin goodies. Cookies, breads, muffins, pies -- you name it, we will pumpkinize it. In fact, Kris has wasted no time getting started. She's already warmed up her pumpkin baking chops with these easy Pumpkin Cookies and Pumpkin Bread Pudding (uh, yum!!).

So for the next several weeks, we will bring you a new, delicious pumpkin recipe every Friday. Because we know there must be others out there who love this stuff as much as we do.