Pumpkin Butter

When life gives you pumpkins, make butter. The good news is, this pumpkin butter doesn't actually have any butter. The bad new is, this pumpkin butter doesn't actually have any butter.

Quick flash back: I experienced a very dark time in my life 6 years ago. It started with a love affair with peanut butter. The affair soon turned into an unhealthy, overly-dependent relationship. Don't get me wrong, peanut butter can be a healthy addition to toast, bananas, smoothies, etc. However, there comes a point when a spoon becomes a dangerous and evil tool that allows pure, untainted peanut butter to melt on the roof of your mouth a couple dozen times a day. You begin to consider a Costco membership just to bypass those pesky 18oz. jars in exchange for a vat.

Don't act like you've never done it.

Ok, so maybe that's a little dramatic. But in all seriousness, I cannot purchase peanut butter and have it lying casually around the house. I've come to terms with this reality; the pumpkin butter helps ease the withdrawals.

Grab the following ingredients:

1 can pure pumpkin

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 C apple sauce

2 tbsp pumpkin spice

1/2 C sugar

Throw it all in a heavy pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil, turn to low and simmer for at least 45 minutes. Inhale fall.

A spoon is totally appropriate.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

I don't know when my peanut butter obsession developed, but I know it has been alive and thriving for the last 3 years. In fact, there have been times when I was not allowed to keep the creamy/crunchy goodness in the pantry. It was just too tempting to dip a spoon in for a quick bite...8 times a day. There's nothing I don't love with peanut butter...whole wheat bread, a toasted tortilla with cinnamon, melted with chocolate and drizzled over popcorn, brownies, apples, pancakes, waffles, straight up from a spoon, spread on a saltine and of course, paired with jam-but have you ever wanted to cut straight to the good stuff? Cut out that pesky bread and sink your teeth into meat of it? Here we are:

If I had a jar on hand, I would have used it for the ease. Alas, I did not. Who would have thought those freezer burned strawberries would have gotten use? Boiled them down with some suga and lemon juice and ran it the ol' bullet. Yes, the Magic Bullet. Yes, it has lost its magic over the years.

Now, onto the peanut butter! Seriously, you'll need a full cup of it.
Add a cup of sugar. Then add an egg and a teaspoon of baking soda. The end.
Ok, not quite-but might as well be-it's so simple! Roll into balls, you choose the size.
Make a nice well to hug the jam. Kinda like you would with mashed potatoes and gravy. Except it's not Thanksgiving. And these aren't potatoes. And that's not gravy. Ahem, moving on.
Fill with jam. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
Eat warm.