Pumpkin Banana Bread with Pepitas & Dried Cranberries

 Crunchy pepitas & dried cranberries lend a little crunch and tart sweetness to this moist (and healthy-ish!) Pumpkin Banana Bread...

My most favorite time of the year has finally arrived here in Erie, Pennsylvania- fall!  I have to admit that when we first decided to move here a couple of months ago, I had a few reservations about living here.

Yes- my fiance, my daughter, and I would be hours from our hometowns and families. And we would have to adjust from life in our small hometown to living close to a bigger city (which actually wasn't all that difficult to do! ;) ). 

But one thing that caused me a bit more apprehension than maybe it would the average person was this question- what would the autumn season be like this much further north? Would I still get to see and enjoy the fall colors, crisp weather, and fun fall activities that I had come to love in my home state of West Virginia?

And let me be the first to tell you all- the fall foliage here is simply amazing! And the weather? It definitely has its moments (like the 3-4 days straight of non-stop downpours when it rains- yay, lake effect!), but all in all, I have been enjoying the cooler temps here since I get to don my favorite fall sweaters, hoodies, and boots just a little earlier than normal.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo

This creamy & decadent Brown Butter Pumpkin Alfredo sauce with fettuccine is perfect fall comfort food...

Up until today's post, I had never made brown butter before... or used it in a recipe. And honestly? I have no clue why. For some odd reason, I had always been intimidated by the thought of making it. 

Maybe it is because I had it in my head that making brown butter was some sort of delicate, fancy French cooking technique that I was sure to mess up. (I mean, the French do refer to it as beurre noisette- sounds fancy, right?) But that couldn't be farther from the truth, you all.

Brown butter is so super easy to make! It literally consists of one ingredient- unsalted butter. And if you can simply swirl butter in a pan for a few minutes, then can you too can successfully make brown butter. ;) Looking back, I feel silly now that I avoided trying to make it for so long. 

For my very first recipe on the blog using brown butter, I decided to add it to a decadent, creamy homemade Alfredo sauce. But this isn't just any Alfredo sauce, folks. It is a dreamy, comforting pumpkin Alfredo sauce that is perfect for fall...

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Ale Beef Stew

Stay warm & cozy this fall with this hearty & flavorful Slow Cooker Pumpkin Ale Beef Stew...

I know that most of you all are ready to get into that holiday mode now that Thanksgiving is over and done, but bear with me for just a second, okay? 

It is still officially the month of November, and I am not ready to give up on all things fall quite yet. I am determined to squeeze in just one more pumpkin recipe before going all-out Christmas on here starting next week. ;)

So, say hello to what is probably my very last fall recipe of 2016- this hearty & flavorful Slow Cooker Pumpkin Ale Beef Stew! Because even though the fall season is just about over, a lot of us still have some pretty cold and wintry days ahead of us, right? 

This slow cooker beef stew happens to be a tasty way to stay warm and cozy on even the most blustery of days...

Pumpkin Pecan French Toast for One

Transform a couple of pieces of leftover bread or rolls into this quick and easy Pumpkin Pecan French Toast for One...

Before we jump head first into the land of all things peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog flavored, I have one last pumpkin recipe to share with you all for the fall season. (I swear, this is the last one!) 

And this one is perfect if you happen to have a couple of leftover rolls or some bread from that Thanksgiving dinner. ;) It is a super quick and easy to make Pumpkin Pecan French Toast for One! 

Maybe you had a lot of guests over for that big dinner. Maybe you need a little quiet time to yourself after the hustle & bustle of those Black Friday sales. Maybe you need to get up just a bit earlier than everyone else this holiday weekend to carve out a little time for yourself because that is the only me time that you are going to get until Monday. 

But regardless of why you are looking to get a little alone time one morning this weekend, this french toast in a mug should definitely join you. In less than 8 minutes, you can be enjoying this moist pumpkin french toast with crunchy pecans. Drizzle a little maple syrup over top, and it's heaven, my friends...

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Dough Ice Cream

An ice cream favorite gets a perfect for fall flavor makeover in this homemade Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie Dough Ice Cream...

So can we talk about how it is has been in the 70's and 80's here the past few days, and it also happens to be NOVEMBER? Usually by this time of the year, I am donning flannel and jeans with boots on the regular. 

But not the past couple of days- I am sporting short sleeves and broke back out the flip-flops (I decided to ignore the fact that I am in desperate need of a manicure. Carpe diem, right? ;) ) I figured these warm, summer-like days were the perfect time to finally share this new homemade ice cream recipe that I have had in the works for well over a year now. 

Yes, folks. I have been holding out on you all with this one for 365+ days now. Please forgive me, but I have my reasons. My first round of photographs for this recipe didn't do it justice. I mean, it is crazy how much you can improve your food photography skills in just one short year. 

And so I broke down and made this recipe again some time the beginning of last month, photographed it, went to edit said photos, and realized that I hated those too (let's just say there was a lot of orange going on in that round of photos). So, I figured third time had to be the charm! :) 

Finally. A round of photos that I couldn't wait to share with you all. And let's just talk about this ice cream for a sec, k? Bite-sized chunks of pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough and mini chocolate chips folded into a creamy homemade vanilla ice cream- pretty much fall ice cream perfection here, folks...

Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti

These Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti are perfect for dunking in a warm cup of coffee on a chilly fall morning...

Okay, friends... so, I had fully planned to share this recipe with you all last Thursday. And then blogger funk set in. Blogger funk as in... I don't feel like writing. I don't feel like doing social media. I don't feel like doing much of anything blog related. 

Blogger funk (or burnout as someone like to refer to it) happens to just about every blogger that I know every now and again. I decided that it was best not to force it (because nothing good ever comes from that), and then made the decision that this post would go up on Saturday morning. 

I rarely post on the weekends, but I thought who wouldn't want to be looking at these delicious homemade biscotti while sipping on their Saturday morning cup of coffee? 

And then Thursday happened... On Thursday, the food blogging community that I am a part of took a huge blow. And I needed a few days to take it all in and recover.

A blogger that I considered a mentor, an inspiration, and a wonderful friend slipped away suddenly leaving us all reeling and in utter shock. There is a good chance that many of you all may already be familiar with Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate, and More and all of her amazing sweet treats & dessert recipes. 

I would encourage you all to visit her blog often as the holidays approach and use it over and over again as a dessert resource for all those get-togethers, family gatherings, holiday dinners & parties. 

Help us keep her legacy to her three children- her blog- alive and thriving. And be looking for a very special post from me on Wednesday (aka, National Chocolate Day) dedicated to my good friend Joan and everything chocolate.

Honestly, I am not going to talk too much about these Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Biscotti in today's post. But I do have a feeling that Joan, being the chocolate lover that she was, is approvingly giving me a thumbs up from above because I just totally made it okay for you all to have some chocolate for breakfast this week... ;)

Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

Moist cake donuts are packed with pumpkin and then drizzled in a cinnamon glaze in these delicious Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts...

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website.

Since becoming a self-rising flour convert last month when I made & shared with you all the recipe for these beyond amazing Easy Pumpkin Cream Biscuits, I have been on the hunt for even more fabulous fall baking recipes I could come up with using this miracle flour. 

I say miracle flour because for whatever reason self-rising flour produces a much more fluffier end product with an amazing texture that I was just never really able to achieve by simply sifting the flour, baking powder, and salt myself. Don't ask me why- it just must be all in the way that it is sifted at King Arthur. ;)

When I was doing my self-rising recipe research a couple of weeks ago, it occurred to me that I really don't have that many homemade donut recipes on the blog. Actually there is one to be exact- my Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Butter Donuts. I decided that it was time to change that already. 

Seeing as how I had some buttermilk leftover from another fabulous fall baking recipe I had been working on a few days before (stay tuned- that one will be on the blog before too long!), I knew I wanted to make a moist buttermilk cake donut. And what says fall has arrived more than pumpkin? Am I right here, folks? :) 

Moist cake donuts are packed with pumpkin and then drizzled in a simple cinnamon glaze in these delicious Cinnamon Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts...

Easy Pumpkin Cream Biscuits

You just need 4 ingredients & 30 minutes to make these soft and fluffy Easy Pumpkin Cream Biscuits. Serve savory with your favorite soup or chili, or drizzle with honey for a sweet treat...

I am partnering with King Arthur today to bring you all this recipe. As always, all opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

Brace yourself, my friends. The season of all things pumpkin is almost upon us! And quite frankly, I have been having a hard time not sharing this recipe for Easy Pumpkin Cream Biscuits with you all sooner. But I figured I should at least wait until it was almost September. ;) August 28th is close enough, right?

I have actually been in the kitchen for a couple of weeks now creating and then photographing a few pumpkin recipes to share with you all on the blog a little later on. 

Granted, it felt a little strange whipping up pumpkin recipes in the middle of August, but deadlines are deadlines and often brands want recipes for Halloween & Thanksgiving a couple of months ahead of the curve. 

But I haven't been complaining! I adore pumpkin... and fall... and baking for the fall holidays. :)

First up for Fall 2015? These super simple, soft & thick Easy Pumpkin Cream Biscuits. And when I say easy, I really mean easy, folks. 

Thanks to the good folks at King Arthur, I just became a self-rising flour convert. I brushed off self-rising flour before simply because I thought how hard could it be to add a few ingredients to flour myself and be done with it? 

But I found something out real quick after receiving and using my first bag of King Arthur Self-Rising Flour- the right self-rising flour makes THE BEST homemade biscuits...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Layered Brownies

Cookie dough, pumpkin, and chocolate lovers alike will love these decadent Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Layered Brownies...

I certainly hope that you all are not over pumpkin yet this season.  Because these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Layered Brownies just may change your mind about that if you think that you are. ;)

These brownies are kind of insane, folks.  They start with your favorite boxed brownie mix, although you could certainly use a homemade brownie recipe with this as well.  

Then those thick, fudgy brownies are covered with a creamy and egg-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough layer. And if that wasn't enough, I went and topped the whole thing off with a simple chocolate ganache.  

Yep. Delicious insanity.

I dare you to try to eat just one. ;)

Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I hope you all are ready for everything pumpkin because I am not holding back with this simple, yet delicious Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake...

I know today is technically the start of the last weekend of this summer, but honestly? I have been ready for all the pumpkin things since like.... last month.  

I broke out the cans of pumpkin puree around mid-August and started whipping up some perfectly pumpkin recipes for you all.  First up? These airy, yet moist Pumpkin Pie Angel Food Cake with a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting...

Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies {A Total Recipe Makeover}

I have so many recipe posts from last year that deserve a little makeover.  None more so than my Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies I posted last November.  Usually my recipe makeovers equate to giving the finished products some glamour shots- prettier backgrounds & plates, relevant food props, better lighting, WAY better photography skills.  I typically do not change the recipes at all or very little.  But this one is different... I gave my Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies a TOTAL makeover- photos, the recipe, the whole deal.

Not that there was anything terribly wrong with my old recipe for Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies.  But the 2012 version were dense & chewy...

Again there is nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to go for a thicker, more cake-like blondie for the 2013 upgrade. (Yep, that is the token less than stellar pic of my Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies from my original recipe last year.)

The new & improved version is moist, cake-like, thick, and chock full of crunchy, chewy Butterfinger pieces and mini chocolate chips.  This is the first fall when I have really started to appreciate the pumpkin-chocolate flavor combo more.  I felt that the addition of the chocolate chips were essential to this total recipe makeover. ;)

Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies {Makeover}

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25-30 miuntes

6054852

Ingredients (9-12 blondies)

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 Fun Size Butterfinger bars, chopped
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x9 baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, & cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the brown sugar. Then beat in the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture one half at a time, mixing with a with a wooden spoon.

Add in the chopped Butterfingers & the mini chocolate chips and fold to mix them evenly throughout the batter.

Turn the batter out into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the blondies cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Powered by Recipage

You could eat these with a fork, but no utensils are required for this decadent, perfectly pumpkin blondie!

I really like both versions of my Pumpkin Butterfinger Blondies recipe, but I think I prefer the 2013 version over the 2012 one.

Which one do you think you would like better?

Denser, chewier, & more fudgy (blondies can be "fudgy", right?) blondies?

Or the new thicker, moist, cake-like blondies?

(Ahem... not that there is a wrong answer to that question! ;) )

If you love this recipe, you might also like my...

Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake

Spiced Pumpkin Ale Bread