Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Everywhere...

It's the time of year when pumpkin-flavored everything is everywhere, and my house is no exception.  It's one of my favorite flavors any time of year, but I really embrace it in the Fall.  I've been cooking with it, baking with it, playing with it :-)  

Lotsa pumpkin.

My daughter has been begging to carve a pumpkin for weeks now...I finally caved a few days ago, knowing full well that even now there's little chance a carved pumpkin will survive until Halloween.  lol sometimes I have to make myself push logic aside for the sake of having a little fun with my daughter, though.  Life will go on if her pumpkin rots before Halloween arrives- or we'll just have to carve another ;-)

Am I the only parent that gets the honor of doing most of the scooping and gross work when it comes to carving pumpkins?  Every year I say that she has to do her share...and every year I cave and take over anyway!  I'm a pushover, what can I say... my next plan for pumpkins?  This recipe for pumpkin slime from Allison at learnplayimagine.com.  I think it will be PERFECT for my little guy, I'm always trying to find new ways to play through his sensory issues.

Click to see the recipe on Allrecipes.com

  We don't just play with pumpkin around here, though- my favorite soup in the entire world is Pumpkin Turkey Soup.  It's a little spicy, but the heat is really easy to control and cools off a bit with a dollop of sour cream when it's served.  Full of sweet peppers, onion, pumpkin...it's really one of my favorite sweet-meets-savory dishes out there (the addition of gooey cheddar cheese and tangy sour cream really puts it over the top!).  I use turkey and chicken interchangeably when I make this depending on which is on sale.

After you've quelled your appetite for a cozy, filling dish for dinner, the perfect way to end the evening is with some cookies for dessert.  Personally, I like these paired with a cup of coffee, but they're pretty great on their own.

Have you ever made spritz cookies?  I grew up with them, and I make them every year for Christmas.  I have so many fond memories of making fun shapes with the cookie press with my mom and then topping those little guys with way more colored sugar than was necessary.  

I recently found myself with a little extra pumpkin in the fridge and the wheels in my head started turning- why is it that I only break out the cookie press at Christmas?

Click to see the recipe on Allrecipes.com

 Meet Iced Spiced Pumpkin Spritz Cookies!

These little babies are tasty without being overly sweet, and with a cookie press you can make them into any shape you want.  I chose pumpkins, but that was mostly because Christmas trees and wreaths seemed a little weird for a pumpkin cookie :-)  I've included the recipe at the bottom of the post or you can find it typed up over at Allrecipes.com, but I'd definitely give these a try.  Don't be scared off by the amount of spice, I promise the measurements are correct- and perfect!

Do you have any favorite uses for pumpkin?  Have I left out any great ways to enjoy them this Fall?

Iced Spiced Pumpkin Spritz Cookies

For Cookies:

1 C brown sugar

1 C butter, softened

2/3 C pumpkin puree

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 1/2 C flour

2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

For Icing:

2 C powdered sugar

1/4 C milk

3 Tbsp light corn syrup

1 Tbsp and 1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream brown sugar and butter in mixer.  Mix in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla.  
3. In another bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, cinger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, salt, and baking powder.  Mix dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture.  Place dough in cookie press with desired stencil shape.  Press cookies onto ungreased baking sheet, 2 inches apart.  Bake for 5-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown.  Allow cookies to cool on cooling racks.
4. In medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Dip cooled cookies in icing, shaking gently to remove excess.  Place iced cookies on wax paper while icing hardens.