Fall Frenzy.

Mondays are my "Get-things-done" days. So, everything I think about doing, I do. Please enjoy my fall frenzy!!!

Dinner: I made a delish dinner, sponsored by Jalene. Her Taco Soup was divine, and so easy to make, and fast! [all of my favorite things in one recipe!] I used white beans since I didn't have kidney, and added sour cream, shredded cheese, and diced green onions. Tyler had 4 servings. Thanks Jalene! 

Miniature Pumpkin Cream Pie:

[disclaimer: I really do not like pumpkin anything. At all. I don't believe that veggie type things should be desserts. So, don't be as skeptic as I was. This amazes even the worst critic. Ahem. Me.]

For the recipe I used, click here!

I crushed my graham crackers in a ziploc bag and smashed them to bits using the pumpkin pie filling can. There is definitely not room in my tiny kitchen for a food processor yet, but I'm willing to make room for it! [hint, hint Tyler!] I used 1 individual package and another graham cracker plank or two in order to get 1 1/2 cups. 

Combine the melted butter (6 tbs) and 1/3 cup sugar and get ready to scoop them into your tiny mason jars!

 

Next, scoop graham cracker crust into the mason jars, about this full. I would love more graham cracker crust the next time around [thanksgiving]...cause I'm like that. I used 1.5 large spoon-fulls. Very technical, I know. 

The directions I used said to press the crust with your fingers. Well, the jars I used didn't allow for my hands to fit inside, since the neck narrows. So, I improvised and used a plastic cup instead! It mashes well. 

 Should look like so:

Next, I wanted to press down the edges, so I used that same large spoon and pressed around the perimeter, until I was satisfied :) Next, let these chill, since you won't bake this crust. [I just let mine sit at room temp while I prepared the rest.]

 Prepare the pumpkin pie filling! I used the whipping cream and made my own pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin pie spice was my favorite thing in this recipe by far!

Pumpkin Pie Spice:

1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground cloves [they smell divine!], 1/4 tsp ground ginger. 

Mix and this will = 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice. 

Adding the dallop of whip cream was fun. I would really let it thaw for a minute or two before you try spreading it all around kingdom come!

I spruced it up by making the button-magnets, leaves, etc. The lids came like this with the jars I bought! I bought Better Homes & Gardens jars [they were the same price as all the others!]. The other neat thing about these jars is that the ribbons are made especially for the jars, and since I didn't have any ribbon, this was perfect. They were an amazingly good deal too! [Yes, I checked. haha]

These chill for 3 hours. OH MY.  They were seriously the highlight of the evening! So delish! [Can you tell that I love that word? Yeah, me neither.]


These will make great gifts for friends, family, VT, etc. I am so excited to make more for my work friends! Who will you make them for!?

Pumpkin Carving:  

We didn't carve pumpkins last year since Ty had started school again and I had just started my job. Its funny how happy Tyler gets when we celebrate the holidays, traditionally. So, this year, WinCo had pumpkins on for 8 cents a pound. How could we say no?! 

So, with a little patience, laughter, and a dull paring knife, we set to work:

Yep. Pretty sure I love him. 

While Tyler finished cleaning up the guts from the pumpkin, I decided to try and roast the seeds! It was so easy and they turned out so well!

Boil 2 cups of water + 1/2 tbs salt + drained/rinsed off seeds for 10 mins.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread seeds in 1tbs olive oil on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-20 mins until brown. Cool, enjoy!

Happy Halloween! 

What are your fall frenzies!?