Saturday, October 2, 2010

Ringing in October

October is here!!!  We can celebrate because:
-It's officially ok to cook with pumpkin.

-The weather is really getting chilly, at least in the morning and at night.  Which meeeeaaaans...we don't have to run the air.  Ka-ching!
-There are 5--- count 'em ---FIVE Saturdays this month!
-We are 12 weeks from Christmas, as of today. 

Yesterday we went over to Haney's Appledale Farm in Nancy, KY.  Here are some photos from the day.






We spent a little time getting the house ready for fall [still doing that today] and we made the season's first batch of McDonald chili.  Well, the hubster makes it but I enjoy sitting back and letting him have fun in the kitchen.  We also watched The Great Pumpkin and Dan in Real Life last night. 

Homemade pumpkin spice lattes!  Take that over-priced coffee conglomerates!  Nothing against the commercialized coffeehouse, but I don't happen to live near one.  Also, I don't particularly want to consume manufactured coffee syrups.  So, what's a girl to do?  Make these!  Check out the link for the original recipe, but here's how we did it.  This recipe is for 2 lattes.

Ingredients:
About 1/2 cup coffee per latte
2 cups milk
4 Tbsp pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp sugar [or sucanat]
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp roasted Saigon cinnamon [or whatever cinnamon you have]

Directions:
Brew your coffee.  We like ours in a French Press.
Heat your milk on low, whisking in the pumpkin puree and sweetener of choice.  Once it's hot, remove it from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. 
The original recipe states that you can add the warm milk into a blender for about 15 seconds to froth the milk.  We have an immulsion blender with a frothing attachment that we used, or if you happen to have an espresso machine you can steam the milk with that. 
Pour even amounts of coffee and then the milk into 2 mugs.  Top with froth, and whipped cream if you so desire.  You can garnish with more cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

It sounded kind of weird to me to cook the pumpkin puree into the milk, but it totally works.  You should try it today!  I can't wait to make another one...possibly right now.

1 comment:

  1. yum!!! i've just spent some time catching up with all of your october blogs. i can't believe you are my friend (and houseguest every once in awhile!) i'm a definitely intimidated but i know you well enough to know how nice you are even though i cut WAY more corners than you. you make taking the longer, more authentic way sound much more appealing though! love you.

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