Happy Thanksgiving!

This is what it's all about!

In my family, we're big on tradition.  Sure, we are open to trying new things, but we like our traditions.  In a world of constant change, it's nice to know there are some things you can count on.  Thanksgiving is no different.  My dad has to have his lima beans, cranberry sauce from a can (although he likes the homemade whole berry type also), and pecan pie--he is a Southern man after all!  My little sister has to make the crescent rolls from scratch and I have to make Senator Russell's sweet potato souffle, a recipe handed down from my dad's grandmother.  And while we tend to kitchen duties, we also watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and yes, we still wait to see Santa!

As an adult now, I love returning to my parents' home to continue with these traditions.  I love that no matter how old I get or how far away I may be from my family at times, I can always come back and find comfort in these traditions and comfort in the people who make these memories so special.

Since neither Josh nor I are willing to part with our families for the holidays, we decided to start our own tradition together this year and celebrate Thanksgiving at our home this past Sunday.  We (ok maybe just I) dubbed it Tashua's (Tashy + Joshua) First Annual Thanksgiving Celebration!  As it turns out, he's not so keen on many of the dishes I grew up on.  Seriously, though, who doesn't like cranberry sauce?!  Anyway, thanks to Josh's free turkey from work, we enjoyed a delicious meal together.  Even Ricky Ricardo got in on the turkey action!  We never feed him table food since he has a sensitive tummy, so this was really a treat.

I hope you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones!

From The Kitchen || Mini Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecakes

Truth be told, I was not a fan of cheesecake until just a few years ago.  I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I loathe cream cheese unless it is thoroughly disguised, as in my mom's delicious cream cheese pound cake.  There is just something about seeing someone's teeth imprints in inch-thick cream cheese caked on a bagel that makes me gag.  Or even worse when people squirt the packets of cream cheese directly into their mouth and follow it with a bite of bagel (walk around a college campus if you don't believe me!).  Grosses me out to the core!  It must have been my mom's cheesecake that got me over this fear and thankfully allows me to enjoy sweet treats like these mini pumpkin spiced cheesecakes.

You may remember from this post that this recipe was on my list of must-tries for the Fall baking season.  I've never baked cheesecake before so this was going to be an adventure.  I'm happy to report that all went well and these little guys were a hit with my boyfriend and his family as we sat around the table carving pumpkins a couple weeks ago.

Having never baked a cheesecake before, I obviously wasn't prepared in the pan department.  And since I love all things mini (who doesn't!?), I had my eyes on this pan from Sur La Table which I am happy to report was perfect for the job.  Clean up is super easy, too.  I'm also a big fan of this little gadget that, while not absolutely necessary, does make it easier and cleaner to distribute batter among pans or for pancakes/waffles.  Sure it adds another item to wash, but it's easier than using a measuring cup and your fingers/spatula.

As for the recipe itself, the only adjustment I made was to substitute the cream cheese to 1/3 reduced fat in an attempt to make myself feel less guilty should I have decided to eat 5 in one sitting!  I ended up with more whipped topping than was needed, but I can always find another use for it, like on top of a pumpkin spiced latte!

If you have any great fall cheesecake recipes, share in the comments below!  And if you aren't sick of pumpkin baking recipes yet, check back next week for DELICIOUS mini pumpkin spice latte bundt cakes with coffee glaze!

From The Kitchen || Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

When it comes to desserts, Josh is very simple in his likes.  And since it's just us in the house, baking normally requires that I keep him in mind unless I plan on eating the goods all by myself.  Confession: I've dusted off more than I care to admit on my own and my thighs are thanking me now.

Back to Josh...  For his birthday, he originally requested chocolate whoopie pies with mint frosting.  Sure, it's his call since he is the birthday boy but I wanted to try something new and take advantage of my pumpkin fever. Seeing as how he loves snickerdoodles and cream cheese, I figured I couldn't go wrong.  Lucky for me I got to knock out two birds with one stone (no actual birds were harmed in the making of these cupcakes) and easily convinced him that I should make these instead.

The verdict?  Yum!!!  The cake is extremely moist and isn't overpowering with either the pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie spice flavors.  To me, subtly is key when you're using such powerful spices.  And while I'm normally not a fan of cream cheese unless it's thoroughly disguised, this frosting won me over.  Josh requested I leave a few without the frosting so I just dunked the tops in the sugar/spice mix and served them at breakfast.

A few notes/variations I made on the recipe. 1) I used yellow cake mix instead of the alternative, white; 2) I opted to use oil instead of applesauce since that's what I had on hand; 3) I only used 3T of butter to coat the tops and it was more than enough; 4) Trying to keep my expanding waistline in mind, I went for reduced fat cream cheese; and 5) I found the right amount of powdered sugar for the frosting is 4 cups.  Another change to the recipe is the oven temp; I've found that 325 for 20 minutes with each cup filled 3/4 full is the magic equation to perfect cupcakes.  I'm also a big fan of baking with these party cups since they can be pulled apart easily, making eating a bit less messy.  I still use a cupcake pan so that each cupcake bakes evenly.

Pardon the day after iPhone photo.

These cupcakes were a hit with Josh and his family and super easy to make.  I'm always looking for new pumpkin recipes to try, any suggestions?

Tradition || Apple Annie's Pumpkins and Apple Orchard

Every October since my parents moved back to Arizona, we have traveled to Willcox to visit Apple Annie's Produce & Pumpkins and Apple Orchard.  Since we don't experience Fall like the rest of the country, this trip marks the official change of season for me.  Now I can officially go pumpkin wild!

Not to break with tradition, we made the annual trip this past weekend to pick out pumpkins, produce, and eat the necessary staples: kettle corn, pumpkin ice cream, and apple cider doughnuts.  Sharing this tradition with my niece now makes these trips even more special. 

The real reason Josh takes the trip: kettle corn!

We tried the maze one year, that was more than enough for our lifetime.

         

This ham LOVES the pumpkin patch...

...almost as much as she loves her momma!

       

Another tradition: portraits at the patch.

       

My favorite flower.

       

Really, he loves his kettle corn!

GIANT pumpkins!

       

She's quite pleased with her picks.

       

Fresh, organic produce for the picking.

       

I love baby pumpkins!

       

Farm stand under the big tent.

       

Bargain!

       

It took a couple takes...

       

...but we finally got it! Our best one yet.

       

The REAL reason we go down the road to the apple orchard: pumpkin ice cream...

       

...and apple cider doughnuts!

       

Looks like Fall at the orchard.

Changing Seasons || Fall

Fall in Central Arizona is a state of mind, not an actual season.  Sure, the weather cools down come late October, but the leaves don't really change colors rather they just fall off the trees unceremoniously.  Sadly, nothing special. Since 2009 I have either lived in or visited Seattle during the Fall so I could soak in my fill of the changing season.  I'm a bit bitter this isn't the case this year so without the visual cues, I'm looking to Trader Joe's, Starbucks, Target, grocery store baking aisles, our annual pumpkin patch trip, and the likes to get me into the spirit.  I'm longing for the first opportunity to bust out the riding boots, leggings, and sweaters.

Perhaps I overcompensate, but I get full fledged, borderline obsessive, pumpkin inspired fever!  It's everything pumpkin from granola, pancake/waffle mix, chai tea latte mix, and PSL's to pumpkin cookie jars, cupcakes liners, sprinkles, puree, and more.  I can't help myself.

If I can't have Fall outside, I can at least have Fall in my stomach!  To throw myself into the season, I've rounded up a few recipes to whip up over the next couple months.  Some I've already tried and loved, others I'm just drooling over.  What are your favorite fall recipes?

Get The Recipes 

Caramel Apple Cupcakes | Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies | Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes | Pumpkin French Toast Bake | Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies