Pumpkin pickin

my wonderful sister and I decided to pick up some pumpkins last weekend. I had rolled out of bed to go car shopping before (and got a new car-yay!) and then rushed over to the event (note why I look frumpy and have no makeup on). Anyway- Our city has an annual event where you are able to go and get them for free... so my family always makes sure to go! Now we just gotta wait a couple weeks to start carving them. I have some creative ideas of what I am going to do (coming from a not so creative person). 

and to keep comin' with the pumpkin-ness/fallness on my blog I thought I would inform everyone that I am going to be making my favorite PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE this weekend and maybe throw some pumpkin cookies or scones into the mix. It is only the season once :) 

why hello pumpkin bread

well.. what is better then pumpkin bread? not too much so if you are looking for a good recipe, I got one for you!

 delicious crafted pumpkin bread 

3 cups flour

1 tsp. ground gloves

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter (basically melted)

3 eggs

1- 16 oz canned pumpkin

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease two medium loaf pans.
2. In medium bowl mix flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. set aside.
3. In one large bowl add sugar and half melted butter. Add eggs. Cream together on medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add pumpkin.
4. Add dry ingredients (recommend doing it in three pieces). Mix gently until each batch is incorporated. 
5. Pour batter into greased loaf pans.
6. Bake for 1 hour 

 tasted great. Now onto the next pumpkin thing to make... maybe some soup? 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I know I know... I have been doing lots of pumpkin posts but I cannot get enough of it!!

So I promise this will be the last pumpkin-y post of the 2011 year.

But  I do have to say this one is my favorite!

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1.3 Cups graham-Cracker crumbs (10 crackers)

1/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

 4- 8 oz bar cream cheese, very soft

1 1/4 c. sugar

3 tablespoons flour

15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350- rack in center

2. Make crust- mix crackers crumbs, sugar, butter until moistened. Press firmly. Bake until golden (10-12 minutes)

3. Create the Filling. Beat cream cheese and sugar (low speed) until smooth.

mix flour, pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla and salt. Mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time.

4. Remove the crust from oven and add filling. 

5. Transfer to oven and reduce oven heat to 300 degrees.

6. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in over for 2 hours more

7. Remove from oven, cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about 4 hours)

to end this pumpkin- season I thought I would share Caribou's tweet about Pumpkin (b/c I think we have the similar feeling of bittersweet!)

ALSO... I am looking for some Thanksgiving Recipes! My family historically does not cook a whole lot... until I came around SO I am searching for some GREAT side dishes to add to our Thanksgiving meal!

Pumpkin Cupcakes & Frosting

There are only a  few fall weeks here in Minnesota (we always get snow in November  ALWAYS.) In light of this I decided to make pumpkin cupcakes before it feels much more like winter then fall. As I have mentioned before I love anything with pumpkin so this was the perfect recipe. I haven't really had time to cook lately but saw a great recipe on Pinterest to make super easy pumpkin cupcakes. The ingredients are shown below..

That is right... 2 ingredients{ 15 oz Pumpkin Puree & 1 Box of cake mix }

& they were superb!

 Add the two together.... bake following directions on box and the end product is done

My favorite part of this easy recipe was the frosting I put on them...

Ingredients: 

8oz Pumpkin Cream Cheese

1 Cup Powered Sugar

Mix until Creamy

How easy was that! Everyone should try this festive recipe before the seasons change!

Exodus 15:2 "The LORD is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him"