Tuesday, October 30, 2012

pumpkin season

We've had a spectacular autumn here in Chicago. Walking around campus has been beautiful.
Chicago autumns don't usual have as much flash and color as places like Door County or the North Shore of Lake Superior, but this has been a good year.
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The fruits of our labor at a pumpkin carving party last weekend -- mine is the smirking Jack O' Lantern second from the right. Some people got really fancy, but I like to wing it!
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in the kitchen

Comfort food and autumnal spices are just the ticket with our cool temperatures here in Chicago. Chicken Fennel Lemon Rice Soup is simmering away in my crockpot as I type, and we've been munching on some yummy pumpkin cookies for the last few days.


(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free) Pumpkin Cookies

1/4 C. pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/2 C. almond butter (or any natural nut butter) (I like the "grind your own" from Whole Foods since it isn't separated)

1/2 C. honey

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 C. almond meal/flour
(available at Trader Joe's)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/3 C. dark chocolate chips  (I use Whole Foods vegan)

1/3 C. dried cranberries 
1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

- Combine all wet ingredients together, then add the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. 

- Scoop batter to whatever size you'd like. Flatten them out to the desired thickness becuase these do not spread on their own. 

- Bake ~ 10-15 minutes, according to thickness.

- Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great pumpkins! we only have two on our porch this year. I tend to like the "classic" jack o lantern look. What a great building in your photo! wonderful details.
~Dawn

Ginger said...

I'll have to try that recipe. My SO's daughter is gluten and dairy free and loves pumpkin pie, bet she'd love it and they'd be way easier than my tweaked pumpkin pie recipe!!!

Tracy Altieri said...

Wonderful photos and recipes! The soup sounds divine!

Lap Dog Knits said...

the recipe sounds wonderful...
I'll give it a try...
the Door County pics - super.
My family lives in Door County and way out here in California I think of it often - my husband is sick of hearing about it...thank you for the pictures, hopefully one day - I'll visit again

Katie M. said...

What happy pumpkins! That soups sounds amazing, too ... and I never can say no to pumpkin cookies.

Rachel said...

I think you certainly know how to bring in fall the right way! The soup and the cookies sound perfect!