pumpkin treats

I love everything about pumpkins: the bright color, the way they smell, the slimy feel when you scoop out seeds, the way seeing one can cheer me up immediately, but I especially love the way they taste.

This weekend I decided to make a few of my favorite pumpkin treats.

Pumpkin Spice Latte:

• 2 Tb canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1-2 shots brewed espresso (i always lean toward more)

Combine the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, pie spice and milk in a small saucepan.

Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly until frothy. Do not boil.

Pour the espresso into a mug and add the pumpkin spiced milk over it.

Add nutmeg and cinnamon to taste.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Large pumpkin

Butter (or non-stick spray)

Salt (or other seasonings)

Clean seeds out of pumpkin, wash thoroughly. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Soak seeds in melted butter or thoroughly grease pan. Spread seeds out in a single layer.

Sprinkle seeds with salt or other seasoning. (i sometimes use seasoned salt or onion salt. sometimes even cinnamon.)

Bake for about 25 minutes or until toasted. Check and stir often.

Pumpkin Pecan Bread:

{Probably my favorite bread EVER}

3 1/2 cups flour

3 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2/3 cup water

1/2 cup pecans (i usually add more pecan or almonds and walnuts)

Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl. Combine the pumpkin, oil, eggs and water. Stir mixture into the dry ingredients. Add nuts.

Spoon into two greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for ten minutes before removing from pans.

(TIP: lay pans on their sides to easily remove loaves.)

{image via}