A fall favorite

Published 9:07 am Friday, November 9, 2012

Photo by Brandi Hagen

 

As seen in Southern Minnesota

This feature is from the fall edition of our magazine, available throughout Albert Lea.The winter edition will be out by Nov. 19.

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By Jennifer Levison

Whether you prefer to pick, carve, decorate, bake and cook with them, or wait for one to turn in to a coach to take you to the ball, there’s no denying it. Pumpkins are synonymous with fall. I prefer the cooking route myself. I’d rather see a pumpkin roasting in the oven, than sitting carved on my front step. Besides, I’ve already found my prince charming.

Usually my tendencies align with the savory over the sweet, but there’s no denying the joy of a warm pumpkin pie straight out of the oven, generously topped with whipped cream of course, and I will admit, my husband’s love of pumpkin-flavored coffee drinks has rubbed off a little.

 

Pumpkin pie bites

Ingredients:

2 refrigerated ready-to-roll pie crusts

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Tools needed:

24-cup mini muffin tray

1 round cookie cutter approximately 3 inches wide

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use cookie cutter to cut 12 circles from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.

Press dough shapes into a 24-cup mini muffin tray. Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure crusts don’t overlap.

Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining two eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture into each pie crust. I ended up pouring the mixture into a gallon Ziploc and squeezing the mixture into each pie crust through a hole cut in the bottom corner.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for reuse.

Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

Recipe from www.bakerella.com.

 

Slow-cooker pumpkin spice lattes

Ingredients:

8 Tablespoons pumpkin puree

5 Tablespoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

8 cinnamon sticks (optional)

4 cups strongly brewed coffee

6 cups milk

8 Tablespoons sugar

Whipped cream

 

Directions:

Combine the milk and coffee and pour into the slow cooker.

Whip together the other ingredients, minus the cinnamon sticks and whipped cream, and pour into slow cooker. Mix together well.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours. Serves 8. Top each with whipped cream and cinnamon stick.

Recipe from alwaysamrsforeverakidd.blogspot.ca/.