pumpkin latte, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream...

...pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie.. and on and on and on.. it is that time of the year again. the time we all get so excited for, when Starbucks breaks out their holiday cups and pumpkin latte's. although thanks to my best friend my holiday beverage is the hazelnut hot cocoa! not to stray to far from the "fruit of the season" this blog if you have not guessed already is going to be about a few little things i like to do with pumpkins!

toasted pumpkin seeds i have just toasted pumpkin seeds for the first time ever this year.  i attended a pumpkin carving party at  a friends house and decided that it was just wrong to throw away that many seeds, so i was gonna toast them! i really enjoyed my flavor combo, so ill share it with you.
wash the seeds and pat them dry. spray with a little cooking spray and sprinkle them with salt, cayenne pepper and brown sugar.  the spicy sweet combo gets really cool when its baked.  the cayenne gets almost smokey and the brown sugar begins to caramelize on the seeds almost masking the spice.  bake at 350 for 20 minutes, and enjoy!

pumpkin pie cheesecake! ladies, take note.. when i was just a young woman in high school, coming into my own, i was told something so profound that i would literally live and die by this statement "the way to a mans heart is through his stomach" and on a cold october day in my freshman year of high school i put this cliche to the test and made my crush a sweet and creamy pumpkin pie cheesecake, and what was the result you may ask?! i got myself a date to the winter formal #winning.  so ladies... and gents.. here is my recipe for pumpkin pie cheesecake:
2 bricks of 8oz of room temperature cream cheese
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla
 4 oz of sour cream
1/2 a can of pumpkin puree
pinch or two of cinnamon
1 stick of butter and any type of graham cracker for the crust -- i prefer cinnamon with the pumpkin pie

start by creaming your cream cheese and sugar together.  once this has come together, add the eggs in one at a time.  when the eggs are incorporated add the sour cream, the pumpkin and blend.  here is where i like to give a little taste.  if you want it sweeter by all means add a little extra sugar, but once the vanilla and pinch of cinnamon goes in i really think that you will be all set! stop the mixer a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. and ALWAYS taste it before you bake it, to add in anything else you need

set the filling aside because its time to talk CRUST!  melt one stick of butter #pauladeenlove and combine it with a package and a half of crushed graham cracker crumbs (easiest way is to food process it, but i always end up smashing them with and empty wine bottle in a ziploc bag) the butter cookie crumb combo will turn almost pasty.  press it into the bottom of your spring form pan so it forms a tight layer of crust.  now like i mentioned above, i really enjoy cinnamon graham cracker, i think it keeps with the holiday theme, or try smashed ginger snaps YUMMY.

pour your filling over the crust and bake your cheesecake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes.  you want the consistency to be firm with a slight jiggle.  allow your cheesecake to set for a few hours, preferable overnight.
i tend to make my cheesecake in individual cups so that i can just grab one and go or so i can easily share them.  in this case, just line a cupcake liner with the crumb mix and pour filling over it.  bake the cupcakes at 350 again, but for 20-30 minutes, until you achieve firmness with a slight jiggle..

until next time, eat, laugh, love & enjoy!