Pumpkin

The leaves are almost off of all the trees here. The change of of leaves is something I have really grown to love. The first time I really experienced it was when we went to college in NWA. I realize the change of seasons is something I really enjoy and is one thing that will keep us further north (as in upper south ) when we move (which for now we have put off for a bit until some stuff is finished with Cooper.... he has been approved for more PT and ST also now).

ANYWAY, the point of this post is PUMPKIN! Pumpkin Pie does NOTHING for me, thus I have veered away for all things pumpkin in the past. But we have had a fun pumpkin filled week this week! I bought (no I did not stew and puree my own.... maybe next year) a can of pumpkin and we have had pumpkin oatmeal, pumpkin flax pancakes, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and pumpkin apple streusel muffins. They have all been SO YUMMY! I think along with the pumpkin patch, apple orchard (which we hit up again this week.... man the apples from the orchard are AMAZING!), and now these recipes we have some fall staples around here.

Pumpkin is actually really healthy for you. I am sure I cancel out its healthiness with all the sugar, butter and oil in my recipes... oh well! Here are the recipes I used if you are interested....

Pumpkin Apples Streusel Muffins

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners.
In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. combine flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

For the oatmeal I just did stove stove oatmeal (rolled oats, milk, cinnamon sugar, vanlla, butter, pumpkin, ground flax seed). And then the pumpkins are good old Krusteeze mix with added flax seed, vanilla, and pumpkin.

YUM YUM!!

Happy Fall!