{ Friday’s Favorites – Pumpkin }

Oh my goodness!! We are in it, my friends – the thick of Fall! (We just need our temperatures to catch up, right?!?!) Can I be honest? My obsession with pumpkin may have jumped a notch this Fall. I am not sure what has spurred the additional room in my heart for all things pumpkin, but it is there; it is big and it is delicious!!

With all that being said, I have been a pumpkin-baking machine and I can’t wait to share these YUMMY recipes with you.  I wanted to expand my pumpkin palette and found some pretty amazing items to bake (and buy). And I took one for the team, everyone, and did some baking and sampling and YOU must enjoy these tasty treats ASAP!!!

Also, if you are near a Kroger, they have THE CUTEST pumpkin-shaped cookie decorating kit that I purchased. We decorated the super yummy sugar cookies. What a sweet little treat!

Here you go- the tastiest Fall pumpkin treats you can eat!!

Pumpkin Waffles

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 2/3 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Directions:
1 – Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a large bowl.
2- In a second bowl add eggs, sugar, pumpkin, milk and butter- beat well.
3- Gently fold in the flour mixture.
4- I do these in my Belgian waffle iron and it uses about 1 cup batter and takes 4-5 minutes to bake. They come out a nice, deep golden brown.
5- Add butter and syrup on top of your waffle and enjoy!

No Bake Pumpkin Spice Truffles

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
4 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
4 oz cream cheese

Directions:
1- In a large mixing bowl, add gingersnap cookie crumbs, pumpkin puree, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, cream cheese and cinnamon. Using an electric hand mixer beat mixture until smooth and combined.
2- Melt the 1 cup of white chocolate chips in a microwave- safe bowl, in 20 second increments then stirring, until melted. Stir melted white chocolate into pumpkin mixture. Cover bowl and chill 2 hours in the refrigerator. Once the dough is chilled. roll into 24 one inch balls.
3- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. Microwave the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish in 20 second intervals until melted. Dip each ball, one at a time, into the melted chocolate. Use a spoon to help coat and lift the truffle out of the chocolate. Place coated truffle onto the baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle top with sprinkles.
4- Chill truffles in fridge, uncovered until chocolate has set and ready to serve.

Find out more about how I am “Capturing Life’s Beautiful Moments” in my All Natural Light Studio and On Location as the Augusta GA Newborn Photographer and Augusta GA Family Photographer in the greater Augusta, GA area by visiting my website www.MaryBethsPhotography.com.