We’ve had a few nights where the temperature dropped below freezing, but not really a hard, killing frost.

We DID break a 102 year record for the rainiest October and October 2016 is now the rainiest October on record. The exact record amount is yet to be determined as we have 1 more day and it has been and is forecast to be rainy all the way to November 1.

The good news is that since the ground is not frozen, all of this rain is seeping in and giving the trees and ground a very good drink of water – badly needed!

The bad news is that it would be nice to have some very cold temperatures as in “freeze the ground” temperatures, before it snows. Otherwise, too many bugs/wasps, etc. live and potentially make outdoor Summer life miserable. However, much as Auggie believes that the weather is my responsibility, it is not and it will be what it will be.

It has been beautiful between showers with the typical cloudy- small sun-break skies and vibrant Fall colors. Leaves and the gold Larch Pine needles are dropping and likely by next week the trees that lose leaves and needles will be bare.

Meanwhile.

The frost may not be ON the pumpkins, but they are being harvested and I continue to cook them every few days. Some I use and some goes in the freezer for the off-pumpkin season.

After cooking and de-seed/de-pulping, it almost looks like “that’s all???”.

But a three pound pie pumpkin, yields about 4 cups of pumpkin puree.

I use my Vita-mix blender to puree the pumpkin.

Now, one of Vita-mix (and Blendtec) selling points is that you use the blender to clean itself by putting hot water and some dish soap in it and running at top speed: it is its own dishwasher! While that is true, in some cases I clean it another way…

To “clean” the pumpkin, I prefer to use warm milk with some pumpkin spice…

Cleanish blender (just needs a rinse :)), add some coffee to the foamy pumpkin-spice-milk and oh boy!!! – you have a pumpkin spice latte which actually has pumpkin in it! (***and fiber in your coffee … :) !! )

And then !!! …

You dip your King Arthur Flour’s Pumpkin Biscotti in your pumpkin spice latte and you are one happy person!

Or you could have your pumpkin latte with one of Mel’s Kitchen Café: Pumpkin Cinnamon rolls.

That makes for a happy person as well.

All of that sweetness.

All of that pumpkin.

BUT!

… My most favorite pumpkin recipe (prepare to be surprised!):

Dishing Out Health’s Pumpkin Kale Turkey Sausage Spaghetti Pie!

Yes, a pasta dish. I’m more of a savory than sweet kind of person and although the biscotti, the cinnamon rolls and the latte are wonderful, this dish is the pumpkin dish that really makes my day!

Although it is written with kale and turkey sausage, I’ve made it with spinach, with arugula, with chard. And with turkey sausage, ground beef and even with white beans and no meat.

I make 1/2 the recipe in one of my 5 1/2 inch pie dishes and that feeds me two meals plus a large spoonful to be added to a broth and make a lunch soup.

Cheers!