Delicious Autumn

Delicious autumn!
My very soul is
wedded to it, and if I were a bird
I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot

This says it all and I couldn't describe my feelings any more perfect then if I had 100 lifetimes.

The only thing I might want to add is that delicious has another meaning for me. To me delicious autumn means pumpkin and everything that I eat should and will have pumpkin. This pumpkin frenzy lasts from about September right through December. I will post some of my favorites every once in a while but I just came across these 2 and they were fabulous. The first I found blog surfing on my sis in law Julie's blog and it was so easy it wasn't even funny. A little dangerous because it is so easy and well those are staples in my cupboards and it takes all of 1 min. to make. The second came in the mail on a Realtor letter. That's funny right?

Pumpkin Cookies
1 Box of spice cake mix
1 can of 15 oz. pumpkin
1 c. chocolate chips

Cook 14-16 min. @ 350 degrees That's it and they are great! You can add a little cream cheese frosting if you want!

Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Gingersnap Crust
1 1/2 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs
3/4 c. ground hazelnuts
3 tbsp. brown sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. canned solid pack pumpkin
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. maple syrup
1 tbsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 in. spring form pan. Using fork combine gingersnaps, hazelnuts and 3 tbsp. brown sugar and melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of the pan to form the crust. With an electric mixer beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin and mix in the cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Pour batter onto prepared crust. Bake for 90 min. or until the center of cheesecake is set. Allow to cool in pan for 30 min. then refrigerate overnight.

I am unbelievably grateful for delicious autumn!