Butterscotch Chip Pumpkin Cookies

I *think* this is the last of my Christmas cookie recipes. (Better late than never, right?) And once again, this was one of those pumpkin recipes that felt familiar as I was making it ... and then I realized it was pretty much the same thing as the Pumpkin Cookies I always make - except with the addition of butterscotch chips.

Ah well.

They were delicious, and since they have a cake mix base, they stayed extremely moist, which was great considering I was shipping these to various friends and family members across the country. And once again, ease to the rescue! The fact that this one batch made a ton of cookies was perfect for Christmas, too.

Ingredients

2 packages yellow or spice cake mix

1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin

2 cups butterscotch chips*

Directions

Preheat over to 350 degrees. With a spoon, stir cake mixes and pumpkin together in a large bowl. Stir in butterscotch chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-12 minutes.

Cool 2-3 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to a nonstick rack to cool completely.

 *Milk chocolate chips can be substituted for butterscotch chips.

Source: 101 More Things To Do With A Cake Mix by Stephanie Ashcraft

Cheating never tasted so good ...

When I was in Ohio last month visiting family, I made a discovery in my mother's pantry: Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix from Betty Crocker. These cookies are very similar to the Pumpkin Cookies I make, but they have a slightly buttery taste and aren't sticky like the others. They're super easy and are an inexpensive, quick way to bring a touch of pumpkin to your kitchen. I added chocolate chips to one batch, and as the photo shows, icing is always an option as well. I haven't seen them in my Florida grocery stores, but I *do* know they exist :)

Pumpkin Muffins

I was rooting through my cupboards a few weeks ago and found some cans of pumpkin leftover from last year. I decided it was close enough to fall and I wanted to bake something, so I searched a few sites for new recipes.

I found this one for pumpkin muffins, and they were amazing. Instead of sprinkling them with cinnamon and sugar, I opted for a slightly less-healthy option and used the topping from this bread and plopped a little bit on top of each muffin.

I froze a few of the leftover muffins so I can enjoy the taste of fall whenever I want :)

Pumpkin Muffins
Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/3 cup vegetable oil*
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Source: Smitten Kitchen

'Tis the season

The pumpkin season, that is! Even though I'm living in Florida, my favorite season in the Midwest is without a doubt fall. The crisp air, the gorgeous leaves, cute sweaters and boots - all things I miss while living in the Land of Palm Trees.

Last fall, Meg and I brought you Pumpkin Fridays - a new pumpkin recipe every week (which continued even after we found out there was a pumpkin shortage.) We didn't stop there with just Fridays, though - we love pumpkin, and we love to bake with pumpkin, so there were plenty of extra recipes

I've made a few new pumpkin recipes this fall that I'll be sharing on the blog, but I wanted to remind everyone of last year's weekly series. Whether you're in the mood for a pumpkin pie (or mini pumpkin pie, or a pumpkin pie pop), a warm pumpkin bread (with chocolate chips or without), a fluffy pumpkin mousse or a crowd-pleasing pumpkin bread pudding, we've got you covered. Just check out our posts tagged with "pumpkin" for cookies, cupcakes, muffins and more :)

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

I was in Ohio visiting family earlier this month, and I took full advantage of the crisp fall air and all of the pumpkin-flavored fare I could find. In a week, I consumed at least five pumpkin lattes or cappuccinos, two bowls of pumpkin ice cream, a pumpkin cookie and a pumpkin granola bar. To say I'm a bit obsessed would be an understatement.

Toward the end of our trip, we went out to dinner for my father-in-law's 80th birthday. Dinner and dessert were buffet-style, which can mean only one thing: Danger. I tried to behave myself, I really did, but I still had to sample some carmel-apple bars and a delicious-looking carrot cake. One thing I pointed out to my husband but did not try: Pumpkin angel food cake.

The yummy-looking cake did not stray far from my mind - and when I returned to Florida, I searched for a recipe. I found one easily, and it was quite simple. I realized I do not have a true angel food cake pan - I have a Bundt pan, and apparently there is a difference. But I used loaf pans and made pumpkin loaf, and while it was sticky (I don't think I baked it quite long enough), it was very good, and I knew that it was a lot healthier than the carrot cake I had consumed in Ohio.

I had a little bit of pumpkin left over, so I combined it with some whipped cream, added some cinnamon and other spices and created a "pumpkin spread" for my pumpkin angel food cake loaf. This treat did not last long in our house.

Ingredients

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 package (16 ounces) angel food cake mix
14 tablespoons reduced-fat whipped topping
Additional ground cinnamon, optional

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fold a fourth of the batter into pumpkin mixture; gently fold in the remaining batter. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

2. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 350° for 38-44 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour. (To make the loaves, I followed the baking instructions on the package.)

3. Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Garnish each slice with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Yield: 14 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 151 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 264 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch.

Source: Taste of Home

Thanksgiving in the desert (Part 3: Pumpkin Roll)

I've been making this pumpkin roll for Thanksgiving dessert for several years now. It's a recipe that takes a little extra time and effort, a perhaps a bit of luck. Each year, I worry that the cake part will crack and split or that I'll drop it while delicately transferring it from the counter to the fridge.

But I must say: this year's result was my best so far, and I think it has raised my roll-making confidence.

Ingredients

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
1/2 tspn ground cinnamon
1/2 tspn ground cloves
1/4 tspn salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tblspns butter or margarine, softened
1 tspn vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 15X10-inch jelly roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixing bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.



Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake into prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper.


Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.



Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Carefull unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake.


Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.


Source: Libby's

My notes

I like me some walnuts, but I think 1 cup is way too many. I usually use about 1/2 cup, and it is plenty.

When you flip the roll over from the pan to the towel, do it swiftly, with confidence. There is no real easy way to do this (and if you know of one, please share), but if you're are too slow or gentle about it, you risk it crumbling off the wax paper or collapsing in the process. If you do it right, some of the powdered sugar will puff up at you from the force of your flip.

My kitchen tends to get a little smoky when I bake this, thanks to some kind of reaction with the wax paper and the heat of the oven. I always worry that it will affect the taste of the roll, but it never does. So I don't know if I leave too much wax paper hanging off the edges or what, but oh well. It doesn't seem to hurt anything, so I don't lose any sleep over it.

My *gasp* first pumpkin pie

One might think - considering my love of Thanksgiving (favorite holiday!) and pumpkin and baking - that I would have made countless pumpkin pies in my 21 28 years in this world.

One would be wrong.

I cannot recall ever making a pumpkin pie. I used to ask for pumpkin pie instead of birthday cake, but I never made my own. During my childhood and college, my aunt, uncle or grandma always made the pies for Thanksgiving. I willingly ate my share. After I graduated college, that arrangement remained primarly the same, but I was almost always working on the holiday and would usually just partake in a work potluck. The rest of my family got to feast on my aunt's, uncle's or grandma's pies (which always included a pumpkin pie and a fruit pie, like apple or cherry).

But there have been two Thanksgivings since I got married, and last year, the holiday was soon after we returned from our honeymoon. I honestly think I bought a pre-made frozen pie to simplify my life. I was cooking a turkey for the first time last year and figured one new thing was enough to conquer.

This year, life wasn't any less complex, but I had all of my stock-piled pumpkin and wanted to make a pie.

Full disclosure: I'm weary of pies. I've made them from scratch, including a peach pie I started enthusiastically when I was about 14 and quickly lost patience with ... I love pumpkin pies largely because the whole crust factor is a lesser issue - no lattice on the top, just crimping on the side. And this year, I still went the easy way out with a store-bought crust. But it's progress, people!

My husband loved the pie and said I should make pumpkin pie more often. Will do, babe.

Here's our full spread:


Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)

Source: Libby's

Pumpkin Spice No Bake Cheesecake

I saw this recipe on a Katie's blog and really, really, REALLY wanted to try it. I just had no idea when I would make it, especially with all of the great pumpkin recipes I've found and made so far this year.

Fear not - I found a reason to make it :) While I home for a few days, my little brother and I were searching for a dessert that would be easy to polish off in a few days (my parents and brother are the only ones still in the house on a regular basis, so gone are the days of a cake disappearing in a mere day or two). We were also baking cookies for Operation Baking Gals, so we weren't entirely sure we wanted to make another thing in the oven.

Enter the no-bake pumpkin cheesecake. Delicious, and I wasn't worried about starting the holiday weight struggle early with this light, sweet dessert.

Ingredients:
8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (Katie substituted 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp allspice)
1/4 cup brown sugar, unpacked
8 oz Cool Whip Free, thawed
9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust

Directions:
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy.

Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth.

Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours (it took at least three hours for us to have it hold form), until firm.

Source: Katie's blog

Pumpkin Chip Cupcakes

We had a Halloween potluck at work at the end of October (cuz we like to come up with any excuse we can to eat good food).

I volunteered to bring in dessert, mostly because I love to bake (you probably already knew that). But also because I still had some homemade cream cheese frosting chilling in the fridge, begging to be used up. I made a big batch of it when I made pumpkin spice cookies for my mom, and I couldn't let the rest of it go to waste.

I tried to branch out and make something non-pumpkiny, since I've been making so much pumpkin stuff lately. But in the end, cream cheese frosting simply tastes amazing paired with pumpkin, and it *was* a Halloween potluck. So I caved. And, I told myself it was OK because I tried out a new recipe.

I snatched this recipe for Pumpkin Chip Cupcakes out of one of those little grocery store aisle booklets last year, vowing I would make them one day. Well, that day arrived. The combination of the frosting, pumpkin, pecans and chocolate chips sounded promising. Plus, I had some mellowcreme pumpkins to use up and some fall-inspired sprinkles.

My co-workers enjoyed them, and I threw the leftovers back in the fridge in the breakroom, where they sat all weekend. But they seemed to keep pretty well because people were still eating them on Monday (and claiming they were still just as good).

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tspn baking powder
1/4 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn salt
1/4 tspn ground cinnamon
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Vanilla, chocolate or cream cheese frosting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line muffin cups with paper baking cups; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Make well in center of flour mixture.

In another medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Fold in pecans and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake regular sized muffins for 20-25 minutes (mini muffins for 14-16 minutes), of until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Cool on wire rack. Tint frosting as desired; spread over cupcakes. Top with sprinkles.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens' Simply Better "Halloween Treats"

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

In the final hours before Thanksgiving, Meg and I thought we'd give you a special holiday gift: three days of pumpkin recipes! So check out the blog tomorrow and on (Pumpkin) Friday for more yummy goodies.

But back to today's recipe ...

I'm a bit slow.

Let me explain.

I was trying to break out of my pumpkin cookie/pumpkin bread/pumpkin pie rut. I turned to allrecipes.com and found a recipe for these highly rated (4.5 out of 5 stars!) pumpkin muffins. Throw "Easy" in the title, and I was sold. Another perk? I had all of the ingredients, and I set out to make them (some for me, of course, and some for a friend who recently had twins).

But as I was making them, I kept thinking, "Wow, these are so easy! And healthy! And wonderful!" And I wondered why these thoughts seemed so familiar ... when I realized they are the exact thoughts I have about the Pumpkin Cookies that are so near and dear to me.

Duh.

Sigh.

Essentially, they *are* the Pumpkin Cookies, but don't call for spice cake mix and give you a bit more creative license on how much cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves you want in your muffin.

They could easily be made in to Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes, too, with a bit of Cream Cheese Frosting on top. Yummmm.

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves until smooth. Spoon equal amounts of batter into the prepared muffin cups.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.


Source: allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Waffles

I was sick a few weeks ago and didn't have much of an appetite. I did, however, need to eat, and I wanted easy-to-make comfort food. I found a recipe for pumpkin waffles, and suddenly, I was starving. I made the mix and cranked out some waffles, and they totally hit the spot. The only complaints I have are that they didn't have a lot of pumpkin/spicy flavor, and they were a tad on the bland side. I think if I made them again, I'd use some brown sugar and crank up the cinnamon, as well as add to the dashes of allspice and nutmeg I tossed in.

I also found this recipe, which looks delicious. If I make pumpkin waffles again, I think I will try that one. Because when it comes to pumpkin, a girl has got to be fair.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Directions:
1. Set up the waffle iron on a countertop or table within easy reach of the cook. Plug in the iron to preheat it. (Remind your child never to touch the surface of the iron; she should touch only the handle and always cook with adult supervision.)

2. In a medium-size mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and pumpkin. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and stir just until combined.


3. Coat the preheated waffle iron with cooking spray. Pour the waffle batter onto the center of each section of the iron. (You will need 1/4 to 3/4 cup of batter for each waffle.)


4. Cook the waffles for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they are crispy and light brown. (Read the manufacturer's directions for details about how long you should cook the waffles in your particular waffle iron.) Serve immediately with maple syrup and butter. Serves 4.

Source: FamilyFun.com

Oopsie.

Have you all seen this story? Or similar stories?

Clearly, Meg and I are to blame. You cannot have Pumpkin Fridays on a blog without pumpkin, people! So if you are unable to make our delicious recipes because alas, we have used all of the world's pumpkin, don't fret - the recipes are timeless, and you can make them when the pumpkin supply returns to normal.

I urge you all to assess what kind of pumpkin needs you have for this holiday season and hurry to the grocery store to see what the supply is like in your area of the country. Be ahead of the baking curve!

I'm not going to lie - I did grin when I saw that I still have an extra can or two in the cupboard :) Maybe I should sell them on eBay and make some money for Christmas presents ...

Grandma's Pumpkin Bread

When I visited home for weekends during college, my family would often send me back to the dorm with snacking essentials. Cookies, Skittles, mini orange juice cartons, Nutra-grain bars. And sometimes, if I was lucky, a loaf of Grandma's pumpkin bread.

My friend Lesley was my roommate for my first two years of college, so she would often benefit from these snacks, too. In fact, she still remembers how my Grandma would send me back to college with a special loaf for her birthday.

Lesley emailed me several weeks ago asking me for the recipe. She was craving the bread. The email got buried in my inbox, and, well, I forgot. But as time got closer to her visit, I found the email again and knew what I should do: dig out the recipe and bake her a loaf.

It was my first time attempting Grandma's bread, even though I've had the recipe for years. I can say it was pretty darn good, but it's always just a little better when Grandma makes it, isn't it?

Since this recipes makes two large loafs, I took one to work, where it met with some enormously positive feedback and a couple of recipe requests.

Ingredients

2/3 cup shortening
2-2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3-1/3 cup flour
2 tspn baking soda
1-1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn cinnamon
1 tspn cloves
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two large loaf pans.

Cream shortening and add sugar thoroughly. Add eggs, pumpkin and water. Blend in dry ingredients, except nuts and raisins. Add nuts and raisins last, if desired.

Bake in preheated oven until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (40-50 minutes).

My notes

*Instead of 1 tspn cloves, you could use 1/2 tpsn cloves and 1/2 tspn nutmeg.

*I used the nuts but not the raisins. But I've had it with raisins, too. Either way, it's delish.

*These freeze very well.

Pumpkin Mousse

One of my favorite pumpkin recipes has quite a family history. When I was in high school, my sister, Marti, worked in the deli department at our hometown grocery store, mostly during winter and summer breaks from college. Our mom also worked in that deli department. Mom had spent most of our childhood volunteering, chauffeuring, and generally being involved in our after-school activities, but with one kid in college and the other two in high school, she decided to get out of the house a bit and work a few hours while we were in school.

After about six months, though, Mom got a bit of a surprise when she found out she was expecting our little brother, who is now 11. Since Mom suddenly was most certainly not on her way to an empty nest, her time in the deli was short-lived.

But from this family time in the deli department came access to the recipe for a fantastic fall dessert that the store sold: Pumpkin Mousse.

I later worked at the same grocery store as a cashier. The only thing that kept me from spending my paychecks on said mousse was the fact that Mom and Marti had gotten the recipe and we made it at home. All. the. time.

Since then, I've made it a few times each fall. It's not like cookies, where I can take them to work and they're instant finger food. The mousse does require a bowl and spoon. But for parties and potlucks, it's perfect. Sometimes I'll eat it as home with a side of graham crackers and it tastes just like pie :)

This is not a pretty creation (although it can be prettier if you serve it a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of cinnamon). But it is absolutely delicious and super easy to throw together. It also makes a lot, so if you're in a pinch for something to take to a get-together this fall, this is a perfect solution.

Ingredients:
1 30 oz. can of pumpkin pie filling (or use canned pumpkin and add cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.)
1 16 oz. container of whipped cream
1 small box of instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup crushed pecans (optional)
sprinkle of nutmeg/cinnamon (optional)
additional whipped cream to garnish (optional)

Directions:
In large bowl, combine pumpkin, pudding mix and whipped cream until completely blended.

Add nuts and extra spices if desired.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Serve with dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of nutmeg/cinnamon if desired.

Source: Hometown grocery store :)

Easy (and adorable) Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I've been making these cookies for years, and they're one of my mom's favorites. Every year, she strongly *hints* about how much she loves them and *wonders* whether she'll get to satisfy her craving.

If she happens to visit me during the fall, she gets fresh, pretty batch. If she doesn't visit, she gets a batch in the mail, and claims that although they arrive "mangled," they're still delicious.

This year, I sent them back to Ohio with my friend, Lesley, who recently visited. She hand-delivered them to a very happy Momma.

The pumpkin candies on top are essential, according to my mom. They take them up a notch from delicious to delicious, cute and whimsical.

Ingredients

1 package carrot cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 egg
Cream cheese frosting
36 candy pumpkins

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin, margarine and egg; stir until well-combined. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until puffed and set in center. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool 15 minutes or until completely cooled.


Frost cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting. Press 1 candy pumpkin onto each cookie. Makes 36 cookies.


Source: Pillsbury's 40 Easy Meals & Treats

My notes:

In the past, I've always used regular store-bought cream cheese frosting. But after I made homemade cream cheese frosting this summer, I knew it was worth the extra effort. If you've got time, make your own. It's just so much better. But if you need to use store-bought, that's ok. They'll still be a hit.

Pie Pops

My friend Darla sent me a link to these cute pops a few weeks ago. I was intimidated but intrigued. Then I found a simplified version posted a few weeks after that and knew I'd be making them. Darla made them before I did (and has made them several times since!) and stressed using lots of egg white (to make them prettier) and to utilize the cornstarch tips (the Luxirare link has been updated with answers to some FAQs).

I struggled finding the perfect size for the cookie cutter - my shapes were either too small for filling or too big to stay on the stick. But they taste amazing regardless, and they were a huge hit.

I ended up with a lot of extra pie filling (I used a total of four pre-made crusts and two cans of filling - cherry and pumpkin) but they were perfect - a whimsical hint of fall's pies, which excites me to no end. The reason I include them in Pumpkin Friday is because the pumpkin truly was the superior flavor. And for someone who can simply not get enough pumpkin pie (I think I've bought at least ten cans of pumpkin already this fall), these are amazing.

I hosted a jewelry party when my friend Lindsey was in town last month and made the pops. They were a hit, even though I ended up taking a lot of them off the stick. The biggest complaint Darla and I have about them are that they are time-consuming, but they are so adorable that it's easy to forget that fact. Until the next time you make them, when you remember all over again :)


And normally I would put the exact, thorough recipe here to make the pops. But seriously, Bakerella explains them clearly. I'll summarize, but I encourage you to check out the above Bakerella and Luxirare links for clarification.

Ingredients:
Refrigerated pie crusts
Pie filling (flavor(s) of your choice)
Egg white
Lollipop sticks (Wilton sells these)

Directions:
Dust flour and/or cornstarch on your preparation area. Unroll your pie crusts. Using a cookie cutter, cut out pieces of dough.


Place one piece of cut-out dough on cookie sheet.

Place a small spoonful of filling on the dough. Place stick on dough/filling area.


Cover with another piece of cut-out dough. Seal edges gently.

Brush dough with egg whites.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

My notes:
Be careful of the size of your cookie cutter. If your cut-out dough is too large, it will fall off the stick. If it's too small, you won't be able to fit any filling on the dough, and it will also take you FOREVER to use up all the dough.

And again, the cornstarch and flour will help make your pie crust cut and come up easier. Keep in mind, though, the more you handle the dough, the harder it gets to rework it. The egg white will make your pops brown and pretty.

Source: Bakerella and Luxirare

A visit from a friend (and more things pumpkin-related)

My friend Lesley came to visit me recently for several days. We shopped, we got pedicures, we watched football and we had some wine at a local wine bar. It was a fun time. Here we are, on our "ladies night."


Being one of my oldest and best friends, she knows (and shares in) my love of all things pumpkin. That is why she, being the awesomely amazing person she is, brought me pumpkin spice coffee. And it's why when we happened past Sprinkles one afternoon, we knew we had to stop in on a whim, in case -- please God -- they would happen to have pumpkin cupcakes that day.

Have you ever had a Sprinkles cupcake? If not, you must. They are stupidly expensive ($3.50 for a cupcake? Wha?) and worth every darn cent.

And they had them. Bless them. I think I used up a large chunk of my good karma on that one.

So we went back home, brewed some pumpkin spice coffee, lit a Mexican Pumpkin candle, ate our pumpkin cupcakes and pretended like it wasn't 102 outside in the middle of October. What a great afternoon.

Itty-Bitty Pumpkin Pies

When I came across these last week, I nearly fainted. They are quite possibly the cutest pumpkin dessert I'd ever seen. I vowed to make them immediately.

I knew mine wouldn't turn out as pretty as Bakerella's version (cuz let's face it -- she is good). But I can live with that.

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tspn cinnamon

1/2 tspn ginger

1/2 tspn nutmeg

1/2 tspn salt

2 packages roll-out refridgerated dough

Directions

1. With wire whisk, beat pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt. Set aside.

2. Roll out dough with roller to make it a thinner consistency. Use a pumpkin cookie cutter to create pumpkin shapes, and press the dough into mini-muffin tin, making sure to keep the stem sticking out.

3. Spoon filling into the cups so that it is just about (or slightly less than) full.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of one the pumkins comes out clean and crust is golden brown.

My notes:

*When you roll out the dough, be judicious with how you are cutting out the pumpkin shapes. Cut them out very close together and try to eliminate scraps as much as possible. I figured I would just lump the scraps together and re-roll it out to make more, but the more I handled the dough, the less it wanted to cooperate and stretch out, so handle it and roll it as little as possible.

*Using two packages of the roll-out dough will get you about 24 mini pumpkin pies. With this pumpkin pie recipe, you'll have a LOT of batter left over. Luckily, I had bought frozen pie shells recently, expecting that I would want to make pumpkin pie on a whim. So I poured the rest of the batter into a frozen pie shell and popped it in the oven. For the pie, bake it at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, and then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the pie about one inch from the crust comes out clean.


Full disclosure: I added WAY more whipped cream after I took that picture.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

For Round 13 of Operation Baking Gals, I made some Vanilla Cake Mix Coolers
and some pumpkin bread. I went in search of a pumpkin bread recipe and found one that included 1 cup of mini-chocolate chips - just the amount I had left over from the last time I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip. Since I'm all about not letting ingredients go to waste, I thought I'd try this one out.

The recipe I found yielded three loaves, which seemed a bit much, but I'm glad I made it. I sent one to our soldier, Josh; part of one to his wife, Kara; a few slices to my friend, Sara; and uh, Tim and I *might* have eaten the rest. Maybe.

Aside from the deliciousness of this moist, rich bread, I was pleased to find a reason to pull out some of the bread pans my grandmother had given me. There are a lot of baking pans that she passed on to me when I moved from Pittsburgh, and I feel like I don't use them enough.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans.


2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full.


3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.

Source: allrecipes.com

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.