Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

You may have finished your Thanksgiving grocery shopping days ago, but there are many home cooks who are still scrambling to piece together their Turkey Day feast. I know because I just drove past a parking lot full of them outside our local market. (Hard-core shoppers and it’s not even Black Friday yet.) Regardless, it just goes to show that there are some people out there who have yet to finalize their Thanksgiving menu yet. If you are still searching for the perfect dessert to share on this day of giving thanks, then consider the simple pumpkin creations listed below: … Continue reading →

Affordable Autumn-Inspired Quick Bread Recipes

Now is the time to take advantage of the low prices for pumpkins & apples and stock up on these healthy ingredients. You can use them in my favorite quick bread recipes. (My family loves to eat quick bread at breakfast and for afternoon snacks.) To save even more time and money consider doubling the recipes and freezing the extras. Then, when it’s time to feed overnight guests during the holidays all you need to do is remove the quick breads from the freezer, allow them to thaw, and you’re good to go. PUMPKIN APPLESAUCE QUICK BREAD Ingredients: 3-1/2 … Continue reading →

The Perfect Pumpkin Cookies

It’s a virtual pumpkinpalooza in our home. Last week it was all about pumpkin seeds. Then, we made pumpkin pizza, pumpkin waffles, and pumpkin muffins to take to various Halloween parties. Now, we’re moving on to pumpkin cookies. If you are looking for an easy dish to pass at a Thanksgiving-related party, or if you need to bring a seasonal dessert to a November playgroup (like me), I highly recommend the following delicious recipes. Both are for Pumpkin Cookies, though they have decidedly different flavors and textures. The first recipe calls for pumpkin, plus the added bonus of chocolate chips … Continue reading →

Jazzed Up Pumpkin Desserts

Looking for a way to jazz up your Thanksgiving dessert table while still keeping with an autumnal theme? Then, consider the following pumpkin recipes. Both desserts are simple to prepare and travel well in case you opt to make them as your contribution to Thanksgiving dinner at grandma’s house. CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CRUNCH DESSERT PIZZA Ingredients: 1 19-ounce pre-made ball of pizza dough 3 cups pumpkin puree, or canned pumpkin 1 cup brown sugar 1 1/4 cup Nestle Crunch Bar pieces 1 cup half and half 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar 1 1/2 cup small … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Pizza

If begging were an Olympic event my young daughter would have more gold medals than Michael Phelps. The day before Halloween she saw a jack-o’-lantern shaped pizza complete with a pepperoni mouth, olive eyes and a mozzarella cheese nose. Once she saw it she refused to leave the store without it. I told her we could make the same pie at home for half the price. No dice. The entire time we were in the store she badgered, begged and pleaded for the pizza. Long story short, we left without the pizza. However, I did promise her that we would … Continue reading →

Perfectly Delicious Pumpkin and Chocolate Treats

There’s no time like the present to make the most of a fall favorite: pumpkin. Of course, with Halloween upon us, chocolate is also in abundance as well. So why not marry the two ingredients in mouthwatering creations that will have your guests begging for more? The following recipes make great additions to holiday parties. Both the Chocolate Pumpkin Bars and the Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins can be made in advance and travel well. What’s more, both dishes follow standard recipes for bars and muffins, so if you’ve made either in the past, you will have no problem baking these. … Continue reading →

No Fuss Pumpkin Pie

If you have (or have had) a picky little eater in your family then you know the sheer delight that overcomes you when he or she finds a new favorite food. Two years ago I worked a miracle and got my picky eater (she’s not very picky anymore) to try a bite of pumpkin pie. Two bites later and my toddler was pumping her fists proclaiming her love for the spicy dessert. It was a Hallelujah moment and I immediately went online to hunt down every pumpkin pie recipe known to man. I spent months experimenting with pumpkin pie recipes, … Continue reading →

Fall Treats: Combining Chocolate with Pumpkin

You can’t go wrong when chocolate is in the mix. (At least in my family.) Whether you are adding chocolate chips to pumpkin pancakes or perking up an ordinary pumpkin muffin with swirls of chocolate, nothing beats the seasonal combination of sweet and sweeter. However, if you want to take the combo to an entirely new level consider the following recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Pie. I tried my first piece last Thanksgiving. A friend of mine made it, though she didn’t create the recipe (she got it from a friend of a friend). If I knew who to thank for … Continue reading →

Sweet Treats to Serve Up on Halloween Morning

What better way to satisfy your family’s sweet tooth on Halloween morning than with seasonal recipes that feature two of the holiday’s most popular ingredients: pumpkin and chocolate. Your children will love starting off the day with a special Halloween breakfast, and considering they will likely be too excited to eat much dinner prior to trick-or-treating, these dishes might contain some of the only nutrients they’ll get until November 1st. These Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes and Pumpkin Waffles are simple ways to get your family into the Halloween spirit without leaving behind a frightening mess in your kitchen. CHOCOLATE CHIP … Continue reading →

Sweet Pumpkin Party Treats

Finding a fresh pumpkin to eat is far less stressful than finding the perfect pumpkin to display on your front stoop. I should know since my daughter has allowed us to cook two of the six pumpkins we recently picked at the pumpkin patch. The pumpkins sacrificed for cooking purposes were not front stoop worthy (at least in her opinion), but boy, were they tasty. Before you leave your local pumpkin patch consider picking a few extra orange globes to cook with. The following recipes are ideal for the season not only because they make wonderful edible additions to your … Continue reading →