pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!

last saturday we had such a great time going apple picking.  we continued the fall festivities the next day on sunday by taking a drive out to creekside gardens to explore their "pumpkin walk."  we didn't know what to expect, but boy were we impressed!  thousands of pumpkins arranged in such clever configurations as far as the eye could see!

we dressed up our little pumpkin in his pumpkin outfit and pumpkin hat for the occasion.  the weather was glorious, and we had such a great time exploring the pumpkin displays!

love, laurie

pumpkin time!

we decided to skip our annual trip to roba family farms this year because their admission prices got so darn expensive.  however, we did take a trip up there on sunday evening to purchase a pumpkin for the fall season.  we picked out a cute squatty pumpkin that weighed in at over 10 pounds!  it's looking cute on our back screen porch for now until we carve it and put it out front for halloween.  when we brought it home and put it on the table, leko curled up next to it!

love, laurie

pumpkin carving and painting 2017

i can't believe that halloween is tomorrow!  before work on sunday morning, ryan and i got our pumpkins ready for halloween.  we carved our big pumpkin with a goofy face and used some puffy paint to decorate leko's small pumpkin.

we roasted the pumpkin seeds and have been snacking on them too!  i'm looking forward to seeing our pumpkin lit up tomorrow night for trick-or-treaters!

love, laurie

. . .

previous pumpkin carving: 2012, 2013, 2014

pumpkin spice baked french toast

happy autumnal equinox today.  it's officially fall, and we're on a pumpkin roll over here!  recently we made pumpkin spice french toast which was out of this world.  keeping with the pumpkin breakfast theme, we also recently made pumpkin spice baked french toast.

there's something wonderful about baked french toast.  it's like bread pudding for breakfast.  cubes of bread get covered with pumpkin goodness and spices, then topped with chopped walnuts and brown sugar, and baked until crusty.  yum!

this recipe is a great way to use up any old bread that you have sitting around (like the stale old white and wheat rolls that we recently inherited from a co-worker's family reunion).  it's a warm and comforting breakfast that will put you right in the mood for crisp autumn air, apple cider, and colorful leaves.

pumpkin spice baked french toast
prep time: 10 minutes
baking time: 30 minutes
yields: 4-6 servings

ingredients:
10-12 rolls (or thick bread) cut into cubes
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  arrange the bread cubes evenly in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish (making sure you have enough bread to cover the baking dish).  in a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, milk, vanilla, and spices.  pour the mixture over the bread and toss to make sure that all of the bread is evenly coated.  evenly distribute the brown sugar and the chopped nuts across the top of the bread.  bake for approximately 30 minutes until brown and cooked throughout.  serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar and with maple syrup.

enjoy!

love, laurie

pumpkin spice french toast

ryan woke up the other day with an idea . . . he rolled over in bed and said: "have we ever made pumpkin french toast?"  after thinking for a minute, i replied: "surprisingly, no."

thus, off to the kitchen we went to conquer the pumpkin french toast.  luckily we had a loaf of bread in the fridge and a can of pumpkin puree in the pantry.

it's september.  tis the season to pumpkinify anything and everything!

that husband of mine gets some ideas from time to time, and this one was genius.  why hadn't we thought of this before?

it's dangerous how easy this is to throw together.  you can totally do it while you are still half asleep on a lazy weekend morning . . . and perhaps while you are trying to not trip over an orange kitten who weaves his body in and out of your feet, while you attempt your best balancing act in an effort not to trip and drop 4 large eggs on the kitchen floor . . . maybe that's just at our house.  it's only 2 adults and 1 feline, but it is a circus some times.

you could use any bread that tickles your fancy for this french toast.  we had a loaf of our favorite multigrain bread in the fridge.  it's packed with oats and seeds which give it some great crunch.

this french toast is gorgeous and golden.  the pumpkin coats the bread and makes it super delicious.  the spices make you feel like you are taking a bite right into fall.  dust it with powdered sugar and drizzle it with maple syrup and it will be heavenly!

pumpkin spice french toast
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time 10-15 minutes
yields: 3-4 servings

ingredients:
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 slices of bread

directions:
warm an electric griddle or a large frying pan on medium heat.  in a shallow and wide bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, and spices.  melt butter on the griddle.  dip each slice of bread into the mixture, then place each slice on the griddle.  cook about 5-7 minutes on each side until brown and cooked throughout.  serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar and with maple syrup.

enjoy!

love, laurie

pam's pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting

over labor day weekend, we spent the day visiting ryan's parents on saturday.  while we were there, ryan's mom had made a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert.

our family absolutely loves pumpkin desserts, especially during the fall months, and this cake was the perfect treat to kick off the fall season.

this cake is absolutely divine!  the cake itself is light and fluffy, and it has just the right amount of spice from the cinnamon without being overpowering.  it is a gorgeous orange color too.

the cake by itself isn't too sweet which makes it a perfect compliment to the sweet cream cheese frosting.  the cream cheese frosting is rich and sinful, and so smooth and velvety.

ryan's mom sent us home with leftover cake and we were super grateful for that.  we have been savoring it all week for dessert after dinner.  yum!

pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting
prep time: 15 minutes
baking time: 25-30 minutes
yields: 18-20 servings
recipe source: taste of home

cake ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

frosting ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  to make the cake: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin.  beat until well blended.  in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.  mix well to combine.  pour the batter into an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan.  bake for 25-30 minutes, until set and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.  allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

to make the frosting: in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  mix to combine.  add milk gradually to achieve desired consistency and thickness.  spread the frosting over the cooled cake and store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

enjoy!

love, laurie

pumpkin carving 2014

i can't believe that halloween is tomorrow!  where did october go?!  last night after work, we carved our pumpkins that we got when we went to roba family farms back in september.  we kept our pumpkins simple this year.  we carved our big pumpkin to look like a jack-o-lantern, and at leko's request we carved our little pumpkin to look like at cat.  of course, leko helped out by supervising the pumpkin carving.  after we finished carving our pumpkins, we roasted the pumpkin seeds.  they are such a great fall snack!

love, laurie

. . .

previous pumpkin carving: 2012 and 2013

pumpkin spice cookies with pumpkin frosting

we really enjoyed getting together with ryan's family to celebrate christmas in october this weekend.  for dessert on saturday, ryan and i made pumpkin cookies with pumpkin frosting.  (even though we were celebrating "christmas" it's still october!)



i just love the combination of pumpkin and fall spices.  these tender cakey cookies have such a great spice flavor.  they are perfect for fall, and they are delicious with a cup of coffee.

we have made several different types of pumpkin cookies over the years, but i think these have to be my favorite pumpkin cookies so far!  our whole family loved them, including our two-year old nephew davis.  we will definitely be making these cookies again!

pumpkin spice cookies with pumpkin frosting
prep time: 20 minutes
baking time: 12-14 minutes
yields: approximately 18 cookies
adapted from minimalist baker

cookie ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 can pure pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk

frosting ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pumpkin butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon almond milk

directions:
to make the cookies, cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.  beat well.  mix in the pumpkin.  sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice into the mixer bowl.  mix together.  add the almond milk then beat together until well combined.  freeze the dough for 15 minutes.  meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  scoop 1 tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet (be sure to space the cookie dough balls apart).  dip the bottom of a glass into granulated sugar, then gently smash the cookie dough balls down into discs.  bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.  once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.  allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.

to make the frosting, cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  add the pumpkin butter, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and almond milk.  beat well until combined.  add more powdered sugar or almond milk as needed to reach desired frosting consistency.

enjoy!

love, laurie

apple and pumpkin recipes for fall

fall  is such a wonderful season.  there are so many great colors and smells, and there is just something extra special about crisp fall air.  of course, along with fall comes a ton of great food too!  we absolutely love apple and pumpkin recipes in the fall.  if you're looking for some inspiration in the kitchen this season, here are some of our favorite apple and pumpkin recipes that we have made over the last few years.

apple recipes:
apple pancake rings
german apple puffed pancake
apple cake
classic apple pie
deep dish apple pie with streusel topping

apple cider recipes:
apple cider doughnut pancakes
baked apple cider doughnuts

pumpkin recipes:
baked and bruleed pumpkin spice oatmeal
pumpkin spice pancakes
pumpkin spice waffles
pumpkin spice biscotti
pumpkin spice cookies with cinnamon glaze
pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies
pumpkin spice bundt cake with cinnamon glaze
pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
pumpkin pie
pumpkin frozen yogurt

ps: here's how to make your own pumpkin pie spice.  and of course, fall just wouldn't be complete without roasted pumpkin seeds too!

enjoy!

love, laurie

pumpkin frozen yogurt

i know that it's april, so it's not prime pumpkin season at all.  however, i was really in the mood for pumpkin ice cream recently.  i had a can of pumpkin puree in the pantry, and some yogurt in the refrigerator, so i decided to whip up a small batch of pumpkin frozen yogurt.

this recipe could not get any easier.  all you have to do is mix 4 simple ingredients together.  the hardest part is waiting for it to freeze.

simple, tasty pumpkin frozen yogurt . . . and it's actually good for you!

pumpkin frozen yogurt
prep time: 5-10 minutes
freezing time: 1-2 hours
yields: 2 cups (4 servings)

ingredients:
1 cup nonfat vanilla greek yogurt
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

directions:
mix all ingredients together in a bowl until completely combined.  our the mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the ice cream maker's instructions (about 30 minutes).  remove the frozen yogurt from the ice cream maker and transfer to a freezer-safe container.  freeze until completely set (about 1-2 hours).

note:  if you don't have an ice cream maker, you can put the mixture in a covered bowl and place it in the freezer.  stir the mixture every 30 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency.

enjoy!

love, laurie

pumpkin spice biscotti

without a doubt, biscotti are a popular coffee house cookie.  their crunchy texture makes them the perfect treat to dip into a cup of warm coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.  i have never found myself drawn to biscotti in cafes since they tend to be overpriced and hard as a rock.  however, as is the case with most baked goods, the homemade version is a whole different story.

i needed to bake a treat to bring into work for my co-worker's birthday last week.  instead of making cupcakes or cookies again, i decided to change things up a bit and to make these pumpkin spice biscotti.  biscotti are so easy to make at home.  just a few simple ingredients.

these biscotti are loaded with a ton of spices.  our whole house smelled absolutely amazing as they baked in the oven.  they smelled just like pumpkin pie baking.  (the smell even lingered around until the next morning.  it was great.)  the pumpkin and the spices are a perfect combination.

for an little bit of extra pizzaz, i drizzled royal icing over the top of them too.

these biscotti are full of flavor and they are not too sweet.  they are the perfect companion to a warm cup of coffee on a chilly fall day.

needless to say, there were a huge hit at work!

pumpkin spice biscotti
prep time: 10 minutes
baking time: 50 minutes
yields: 20-25 biscotti
adapted from simply recipes

ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose four
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions:
preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  sift together the flour, sugars, baking powder, spices, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.  add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla to the dry ingredients.  mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated.  (if the dough is a bit too sticky, add up to 1/4 cup of more flour.)  using two spatulas, spread the dough out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  form the dough into a long oval loaf (approximately 15 inches long by 6 inches wide.)  the loaf should be only about 1/2 inch high.  bake for 30 minutes, until the center is firm to the touch.

remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.  using a serrated knife, cut the loaf into pieces.  (either 1/2 inch or 1 inch wide depending on the size of the biscotti you desire.)  lay the cut pieces on their sides on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  reduce your oven temperature down to 300 degrees F and bake the cut biscotti for an additional 20 minutes.  once baked, allow the biscotti to cool completely.  once completely cooled, drizzle with royal icing if desired.

note:  the biscotti will be a tad moist and chewy.  if you prefer traditionally crisp biscotti, let them sit uncovered overnight in a dry space.

enjoy!

love, laurie