Happy Halloween!

I won't be posting anything the next week or so because we are going on an adventure in Florida! We are going to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and are headed to the Kennedy Space Center to see the space shuttle launch (hopefully).  But I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!  Below are pictures of our pumpkins we carved this year, which was several weeks ago cause we were so excited to carve them.  Mine is obviously the cupcake pumpkin!  My husband carved a fish since he loves all things fishing.  I also included the recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds that I used this year.  Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups cleaned, raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon (or more) Johnny's seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Combine all ingredients and pumpkin seeds.  Mix thoroughly and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I've been trying to get in as much fall baking as I can.  And that means a lot of pumpkin, which I love but my husband doesn't love.  My husband will be happy to learn that I have exhausted my list of pumpkin recipes to try this fall and will be moving onto my (very long) list of baked goods to try.  Ever since I heard about whoopie pies, I knew I needed to make them.  It's pretty much a cakey-cookie sandwich with creme or frosting in the middle.  I have another recipe for red velvet whoopie pies that I must try soon, but first, enjoy these!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 pouch (1 pound, 1.5 ounce) sugar cookie mix
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 egg
Filling:
2/3 cup marshmallow creme (from 7 ounce jar)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and flour.  Add remaining cookie ingredients; stir until stiff dough forms.
Onto ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by 36 rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart.  Lightly press tops with floured fingertips to flatten slightly.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.  Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.  Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  For each whoopie pie, spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling on bottom of 1 cooled cookie.  Top with the second cookie, bottom side down; gently press together.  Store tightly covered in refrigerator.  Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar just before serving.

Amy's Notes:
Sometimes when I am following a recipe I get so excited to make the recipe that I miss steps.  I tend to skim over recipes too quickly because I just want to get to the baking.  It's not a good thing.  Not only does it lead to missing steps but sometimes leads to not having all the ingredients on hand.  And that leads to my husband being irritable because I sent him to the store for eggs or milk.  Like as I was typing this recipe just a minute ago, I read the step that says, "lightly press tops with floured fingertips to flatten slightly" and have no recollection reading that while I was baking them.  And because of that, my pumpkin whoopie pies are pretty thick, but otherwise delicious.

The cookies are done and ready to be frosted

whoopie pie!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

I love pumpkin.  So much.  And while I can find canned pumpkin in the store, I have to make all the pumpkin recipes that I can find!  Sadly, my husband isn't a huge pumpkin fan, but he is willing to try anything once.  Seriously, he will try anything.  I've convinced him to taste straight vanilla, cocoa powder, shampoo, face wash....  Anyway, he tried these and liked them.  They are a creamy pumpkin flavor as pumpkin-y as regular pumpkin pie.  So, go and make these right now while there is an abundance of pumpkin!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Source: Bakerella.com

Makes 30 pies

Ingredients:

1 box refrigerated pie crusts

3 eggs
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Chocolate Drizzle:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:

Bring pie crusts to room temperature for 15 minutes.  Unroll pie crusts, using rolling pin, roll out each crust to 12 inches.  Use 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut 15 rounds from each crust.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In small bowl, beat 1 egg white (reserve yolk); brush dough rounds with egg white.  Press rounds, egg wash side up, into 30 miniature muffin cups.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add pumpkin, reserved egg yolk, remaining 2 eggs, the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice; beat on medium speed until smooth.  Spoon 1 generous tablespoon filling into each dough cup.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is set and crust is lightly browned.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on 50% power at 20 second intervals, stirring each after each interval until the chips cane be stirred smooth.  Stir in oil.  Spoon into small resealable food storage plastic bag, seal bag.  Cut off tiny corner of bag.  Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over cooled pies or decorate pies with pumpkin faces.  Store in refrigerator. 

Amy's Notes:
Let's just say, I think I have a special talent for burning chocolate.  It's super annoying.  It took me three tries to get this tiny bit of chocolate melted for these little suckers.  The chocolate was worth the burning hassle, but they would be delicious without the chocolate also.  These are amazing and really not too hard to make (with the exception of me burning lots of chocolate).  I love pumpkin pie and these make for a yummy two-bite pumpkin pie.  I think they are the best right out of the oven!

A perfect mini-pumpkin pie!

The chocolate drizzle makes them look even prettier!

The chocolate after it had cooled

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Is it cake, or muffins, or cookies?  I'm not really sure, but I'm going to call them muffins.  The original recipe is for cookies, but I put them in in mini muffin tins because they seem more cakey than cookie-y to me.  Plus, I am always thinking "I wonder if I can make that in a muffin tin"--and that's exactly what I did with this recipe. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Or Cookies)
1 box spice cake mix
1 small can pumpkin (15oz)
1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix pumpkin and cake mix together.  (You don't need oil or eggs, just the dry mix.)
Add chocolate chips and mix together well.
Spray cookie sheet or mini-muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray and scoop mix onto cookie sheet or into mini-muffin tins.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 

Amy's Notes:
It's been in the 90's here since about May, with a few days in the 80's thrown in.  Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I am craving cooler days, sweaters, pumpkin spiced lattes, and pretty much anything 'fall' related.  These muffins are my hot weather protest.  I have been wanting to make these for several weeks now, but have not been able to find pumpkin anywhere.  Thankfully, one of my co-workers knew I was looking for it and told me where to find it today.  (Yay Rachelle!) I stopped on my way home from work and made these a few hours later.  I couldn't wait any longer to try them.  Delicious!  A super easy recipe, for a fast fall baked treat!

Start with pumpkin.

Add cake mix.

Stir it all together

Add some chocolate chips

Stir it all together again.

Scoop it up. 

Bake it.  Let cool.

Eat. 

Oh my gosh.  I love pumpkin.