One of my favorite fall memories is from our first years of marriage. When travelling home from a weekend trip, we passed a little farmer's market with all sorts of pumpkins outside. I made Alex pull over and before he realized what was happening, we were stuffing 10-12 pumpkins in our car all in between our luggage. The Southern Living that year had done an article on decorating with random colors and sizes of pumpkins. I was determined to make our first little home feel something like the spread I’d seen in the article. My sweet husband kept quiet as we shoved probably 10-12 white/orange/tall/fat pumpkins in our car. But I loved it! We put them all over and our sweet little law school apartment felt like fall.
Now fall comes differently with a little one. No time to search out the great pumpkins. Instead the search is for a Halloween costume (which we’ve found – she’ll be a strawberry). We’ll soon be getting out our cute fall plates (which some girlfriends and I found for a steal – not at Pottery Barn but the look alikes at our local Wal-Market a few years back). And we're looking forward to some newer October traditions consisting of downtown trick-or-treating and costume parties.
I can't leave out some of my favorite fall recipes...all of them involving pumpkin. There are many more...I had to pick my faves.
Creamy Pumpkin Dip
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin (on baking aisle usually)
Serve with nilla wafers, gingersnaps, sliced apples/pears, etc.
- Set cream cheese out to soften to room temperature
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and spices until totally smooth
- Beat in pumpkin until smooth
- Chill at least 2-4 hours or overnight- Freezes great! Let thaw in fridge for a day
And a favorite recipe that my mom makes year round:
Pumpkin Bread
2 c sugar
2 c flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 c oil
2 eggs
1 c pecans, chopped (optional)
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add pumpkin, oil, eggs (and pecans if using), and stir until all are moist (do not overstir). There will be a few lumps.
- Pour into greased pans -- I spray with Pam with Flour (can be done in loaf pans, muffin pans, etc).
- Bake at 350 for 40-45 min for loaves or muffins 18-20 min. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
- Cool 10 min in pan, remove to rack to finish cooling.
- Serve plain or with cream cheese frosting.
- Makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins.
I also love the pumpkin cheese ball from Southern Living a few years back -- not pumpkin flavored -- shaped!
And these pumpkin chip muffins are a favorite of my Orlando roomies!
I also have a pumpkin creme brulée that is great...but I'll spare you! Happy fall!
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7 comments:
i'm going to make that pumpkin dip for tailgating on saturday!! thanks for the good idea - i needed it. we need to post recipes more often. every now and then i need a little idea boost. :)
also, jacks's school is having a family pumpkin decorating contest. i told joe he had to paint a pumpkin, and he betta make it goooood! i'm totally pumped up for fall. it's my favorite, too.
I know, I love getting new recipes! I've tried to resist posting tons...I could get really out of control! I love the dip but sometimes it sketches people out -- gotta make them try it!
I am hating you left out the pumpkin fudge recipe!! (Right here is where my mom would insert her famous comment, "Who in the world wants PUMPKIN FUDGE???") Well, mom, apparently Holly and me...and that's all that matters. :) I still stay pumpkin flavored things are the best!! And I had a similar incident with wanting hay bales one year...imagine them all stuffed into the trunk of Mark's honda accord!! Prior to the SUV... I knew he loved me for sure!
We have never decorated for fall since we have always rented and I never got in the spirit....until this year. Now that we have a house I have totally got the decorating bug!!!! I bought a little scarecrow that sits by our door that says Happy Fall and Welcome along with some mums....its a start! And I saw great leaf plates at Wal-Mart again this year. I contemplated getting them-maybe I should go back.....
That pumpkin dip is one of our favorites and has become an appetizer for our family Thanksgiving every year since you gave it to me!!
I want yall to post some fall recipes!!! I printed a few more to try today...I need some fall main dish recipes...
Holly- i love that i can remember your sweet apartment all decked out in it's "pumpkined" glory! I want you to know, my recipe card for "Holly Muncie's pumpkin bread" is WELL WORN! It is one of my absolute favorite fall recipes and i have made it too many times to count. Thank You!
Do i dare to claim that i got to partake of the very first pumpkin- shaped cheese ball you ever made? I think i did! What great memories...
love, Christy
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