Pumpkin Spice Truffle Cookies

I actually made these cookies at Thanksgiving, but I've been so busy preparing for Christmas that I haven't had a chance to share this recipe until now! Autumn is the season for pumpkin spice everything, and these cookies embody the aroma and flavor of traditional pumpkin pie with a modern twist. The soft, cake-like texture is studded with tasty truffles for a burst of fall flavor in every bite!

Pumpkin Spice Truffle Cookies
Yield: 3-4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups (9 oz pkg) Nestle Toll House Pumpkin Spice Filled Baking Truffles (or substitute white chocolate chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
3. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
4. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add pumpkin and mix; then add egg and mix. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
5. Fold in pumpkin spice truffles.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets. (Small cookie dough scoop works well for this step!)
7. Bake 9-11 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool completely.
8. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. (Cookies are moist and will last longer if stored in refrigerator.)

Recipe adapted from Very Best Baking by Nestle.

Oven Roasted Squash

Every fall, my in-laws generously share their bountiful squash harvest with us. And every year, I forget what settings I need for my oven and timer to cook it. So this time around, I remembered to make note of that information so I no longer have to guess!

Oven Roasted Squash
Yield: 1 sheet pan

Ingredients

• Pictured: 1 buttercup (round) & 1 butternut (oblong) squash

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Trim stems off squash. Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
3. Line pan with foil. Place squash in single layer on pan. Pierce with fork. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with foil.
4. Bake about one hour, or until squash is fork tender.
5. Let cool on counter, still covered, about 20 minutes.
6. Scoop flesh into bowl. Cover and store in refrigerator (for a few days) or freezer (for a few months) until ready to use.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Simply put, this aromatic recipe embodies all things fall, which just so happens to be my favorite season! These tender, fluffy muffins are filled with autumn spices, studded with pecans, and topped with a sweet crunch.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Yield: 15 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (or squash)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, thoroughly mix pumpkin, almond milk, avocado oil, and vanilla.
3. Add flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt to wet ingredients. Mix just until combined.
4. Fold in pecans.
5. Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill each 2/3 full. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of brown sugar on top of each muffin.
6. Bake 16-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove from pans to wire rack.
7. Serve warm. Spread with plant-based butter and/or drizzle with maple syrup, if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Apple of My Eye.

Squash Casserole {Dairy Free}

When I first published this recipe, it was laden with cheese. I altered the ingredients to accommodate my new dietary needs (I explain more here) and transformed this recipe into a deliciously dairy free side dish!

Squash Casserole {Dairy Free}
Yield: about 8 side dish servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb yellow squash (2-3 medium) - peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1 large (or 2 small) yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic (fresh, not dried)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Daiya cheddar style shreds
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions

1. Steam squash, onion, and garlic in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, or until tender. Drain off excess liquid. Use immersion blender to desired smooth, or chunky, consistency.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
3. Stir mayonnaise into squash mixture. Beat eggs and slowly whisk into squash mixture. Stir in cheddar shreds, nutritional yeast, and salt until evenly distributed.
4. Pour into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle top with parsley.
5. Bake 35 minutes, or until top turns golden brown. Serve hot from the oven and enjoy!

Note

• Zucchini can be used in place of yellow squash, or try a combination of the two! Acorn squash also works well. Really, any savory squash will do!

Recipe adapted from Genius Kitchen.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

If you're looking for a meal that will warm you up both inside and out, you've come to the right place! Cooler weather outside means it's okay to turn your oven on for the afternoon to heat up your house while at the same time taking advantage of that bountiful harvest of squash you grew in your garden over the summer for a hearty, satisfying dinner.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 acorn squash
• 1 lb mild Italian ground sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (any color will work, red used here)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like, Mexican blend used here)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut each acorn squash in half and scoop out seedy inside. Place on baking sheet with inside facing up and skin side facing down. If squash halves won't lie flat, slice off a small piece of squash skin on underside to level it. Pierce inside flesh with fork. Lightly coat squash with nonstick cooking spray and tent with foil. Roast in oven for 80 minutes, until flesh is fork tender.
3. While squash is roasting, brown sausage on stove top over medium heat. Once sausage is no longer pink, add onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are translucent.
4. When squash is ready, remove foil tent and discard. Spoon sausage mixture into cavity of each squash half. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and turns golden brown.
5. Serve warm from the oven. All you need is a spoon!

Casserole Option

1. Follow steps 1-3 as stated above.
2. Once squash is tender, scoop flesh into large bowl and use potato masher to reach smooth consistency.
3. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon squash into prepared pan; level with spatula. Spoon sausage mixture on top of squash layer. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Cook in 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Caramelized Onion Butternut Squash Soup

Now that winter has officially arrived, it's time to expand my repertoire of soup, stew, and chili recipes because nothing warms you up better than a steaming hot bowl of satisfying comfort food!

Caramelized Onion Butternut Squash Soup
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cups cooked butternut squash (or 2 cans pumpkin puree)
32 oz carton vegetable stock
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions
1. In pan over medium heat, saute olive oil and diced onion for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let onions burn. Allow them to slowly brown and then start to caramelize.
2. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Use immersion blender to achieve smooth, creamy consistency.
5. Top individual servings with goat cheese crumbles and sprouted pumpkin seeds.

Recipe adapted from With Food + Love.

Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins

Fall seems to be filled with the aroma of pumpkin-spiced everything... and these muffins are no different! Whether you make this recipe with sweet potato, pumpkin, or squash, these cinnamon- and nutmeg-spiced muffins will be the perfect complement to a steaming bowl of comforting chili, soup, or stew. The next morning, warm the leftovers in the microwave and spread them with a little butter and/or honey for a quick and easy breakfast!

Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins
Yield: 15 muffins

Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (substitute coconut oil for dairy free)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (can substitute pumpkin or butternut/buttercup squash)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk (substitute almond milk for dairy free)
2 large eggs, room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
2. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.
3. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add sweet potato (or pumpkin/squash) and honey; mix until thoroughly combined. Add milk and eggs; stir until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and stir until few lumps remain.
4. Using ice cream scoop, divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until muffins are golden and cooked through (toothpick inserted in center will come out clean).
5. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then place muffins on wire rack to finish cooling.
6. Enjoy muffin(s) hot from the oven spread with butter, honey, or all on its own!

Note: For mini muffins, bake about 9 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Peas and Crayons.

What's for Lunch?

I rarely cook myself anything from scratch for lunch, but I had a number of odds-and-ends ingredients leftover in the fridge from other meals I've made this week that I wanted to use up... and that's how this "recipe" was born!

I made homemade onion rings baked in the oven one night with dinner (recipe to be shared another time!), so the scraps from that were chopped up and ready to go. For dessert this week, I made my chocolate chip squash bread and my pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, and I didn't quite need the full quart-size bag of buttercup squash I had defrosted from the freezer. Then I had some fresh spinach that was on the verge of not being salad-friendly anymore, so it would be perfect to cook and wilt down.

Voila! It even looks good enough to be served in a restaurant. :)

Servings: 1

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup mashed buttercup squash (or butternut squash)
pinch of ground sage
pinch of salt
1 large egg

Directions
1. In nonstick pan over medium heat, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add spinach. Cook until wilted. Remove vegetables from pan onto plate.
2. Meanwhile, stir sage and salt into mashed squash (season to taste). Heat in microwave to warm through. Place on top of cooked spinach and onion.
3. Lastly, fry egg in same pan used for onion and spinach to your desired doneness. Place on top of squash.
4. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

Let's be honest here: these moist pumpkin bars are really just a catalyst for the sweet cream cheese frosting layered on top!

Pumpkin Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
For bars:
 4 eggs
 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
 1 cup vegetable oil
 15 oz can pumpkin (or 2 cups mashed butternut/buttercup squash)
 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 2 tsp baking powder
 2 tsp cinnamon
 1/2 tsp salt
 1 tsp baking soda

For frosting:
 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
 2 cups powdered sugar
 1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Make bars:
 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
 2. Using electric mixer at medium speed, combine eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
 3. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and batter is smooth.
 4. Spread batter in greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Make frosting:
 5. Combine cream cheese and butter in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.
 6. Store frosted bars in refrigerator.

Notes
• Cut recipe in half to make 8x8 pan. Cook 25-30 minutes. (I still make the full frosting recipe even when I make them in the smaller pan!)

Recipe adapted from Paula Deen on the Food Network.

Squash Casserole

I first started making this dish when my in-laws had an over-abundance of yellow squash in their garden one year, and I needed to figure out a way to use up all those veggies besides just slicing them and eating them raw (with dip, of course!). It's now become a staple at our house, and I purposely buy yellow squash just to make it!

Here's a look at the "finished" product (prior to baking), all assembled and ready to go into the oven.

Good thing I took the above photo, because as soon as the casserole came out of the oven, my family was ready to eat dinner! I served it alongside pork tenderloin and carrots cooked in a separate crock pot. Here's a look at what was leftover.

Squash Casserole
Yield: about 8 side dish servings

Ingredients
Main Dish:

• 1 lb yellow squash (2-3 medium) - peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 egg, room temperature
• seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, Captain Mike’s, etc.)

Topping:

• 1/4 cup shredded cheese
• 2 Tbsp Kraft Parmesan cheese (we call it shaky cheese at our house!)
• 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions

1. Steam squash, onion, and garlic in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, or until tender. Drain off excess liquid. Use immersion blender, leaving smooth or chunky texture, to taste. Beat egg and slowly whisk into veggies (important so it won't cook!). Mix in additional ingredients.
2. Pour into greased casserole dish. Top with additional cheeses and parsley.
3. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, or until cheese on top turns golden brown. Serve hot from the oven and enjoy!

Notes

• Zucchini can be used in place of yellow squash, or try a combination of the two! Acorn squash also works well. Really, any savory squash will do!
• I use a four cheese Mexican blend because it melts nicely. Colby Jack or any other soft cheese blend would work well, too.
• The dairy free version of this recipe can be found here.

Recipe adapted from Genius Kitchen.

Chocolate Chip Squash Bread

My in-laws live in Minnesota and grow a bountiful garden every year. There is always an abundance of butternut squash, so I adapted a pumpkin bread recipe many years ago to take advantage of the fresh produce they give to us each fall.

Mini Loaf (perfect for gift-giving!)

Large Loaf (easy to double!)

Chocolate Chip Squash Bread
Yield: 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

Ingredients
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup mashed butternut squash*
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

* Buttercup squash also works well in this recipe since it's sweet. Or you can substitute canned pumpkin in place of the squash for a more traditional recipe!

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 335°F. (I have a convection oven. If using a standard oven, increase temperature to 350°F.)
2. Grease loaf pan with Crisco.
3. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until well blended. Set aside.
4. Beat eggs, pumpkin, sugars, milk, and oil in large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
5. For full size loaf: Bake 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. For mini loaves: Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
8. For easier slicing (and moister bread), wrap bread in plastic wrap and store overnight before cutting.