I feel like baking...

I don't know what it is, but I have been in a baking mood. Actually, I know exactly what it is - it's the clock inside me that is telling me there should be aspen trees outside changing colors and there could be a chance of snow anytime now (which it did today in Colorado). It's the anxiety telling me it shouldn't be summer anymore. So, to help with the innate desire for it to be fall again, I have started baking. Laura came over last weekend and we made the best pumpkin cookies in the entire world...
(I have included the secret recipe at the end of the post)


and then we made chocolate molten cake for Top Chef Wednesday...
(This actually came out of a box from Williams-Sonoma. I wish I could take the credit)


and then as Greg and I were walking through the grocery store with decorative pumpkins galore, we decided that we HAD to change all plans for the afternoon and make a pumpkin pie...
(We made the crust from scratch and it's half whole wheat flour, so you can pretend it's good for you. And, sorry about the fuzzy photo. My camera was dying so I just took a quick little snapshot.)



Here's the pumpkin cookie recipe. My sister gave it to me and I have absolutely no idea where she got it, but it's delicious...

PUMPKIN COOKIES

2 cups of butter (room temperature)

2 cups of sugar

1 16-ounce can of pumpkin

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon of salt

2 cups (or more) white chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla; beat well. In another bowl mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Add to batter and mix well. Stir in white chocolate chips. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes 7 dozen.