One of my goals for this fall was to try a new pumpkin or apple recipe or treat each week. Talk about fun for your taste buds! It has been so great to bake, buy and taste so many new flavored goodies.
Before you keep reading, just know that Trader Joe's is not sponsoring this post haha! I just happened to peruse (don't you just love that word? It makes browsing sound so fancy!) their aisle and turn up with several delicious new fall items. Their large display of seasonal goods makes it easy to check this goal off.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese - Delicious. Not too pumpkiny or too sweet but juuuuust right. I picked up a small tub of this from the back of Trader Joe's and have enjoyed it from the first bite. They suggest it would be great on pumpkin bread, which I haven't tried yet, or on the more obvious option, a bagel. So far, so good - smeared on toast and as a dip for apple slices.
Spiced Cider -I've definitely had apple cider before this fall, just not TJ's version. It tasted like fall in a cup when you warm it up and sip it out of a mug. We are already enjoying our second batch of cider from the store and it's just as yummy. Last weekend, we drove to the drive-in for a double feature and brought along a thermos. Adding a little flavored rum in it gives it an extra oomph, too.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies - One of my favorite new pumpkin recipes! These brownies are easy to make, have simple ingredients and are so moist. I've made these twice and by far, the first batch was better because I didn't bake them quite as long. Follow along with what the recipe suggests and don't go too much further timewise or you rise drying them out. Nothing that some chocolate chips can't help distract from, right??
Sweet Crock Pot Apples - For a I-feel-good-about-eating-it treat, these soft baked apples are the best! My mom and my grandmother both make scrumptious versions of this that make anyone happy to have gotten a taste. I used a recipe from Tone It Up and made these in the crock pot, easy peasey! Although I nixed the raisins. Just not for me.
Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps - The most savory fall item I've tried, these were OK. I think they would have been so much better if we had eaten them alongside goat cheese or another creamy spread. Instead they also joined Dean, Madison and I at the drive-in, straight out of the bag. If you're interested in a less sweet, more savory fall bite, try the crisps.
Pumpkin Banana Muffins - These muffins were a result of, "Hey, it's Breakfast Sunday at church tomorrow. I have both pumpkin puree and bananas in the fridge. What should I make?" Like the brownies, these were relatively quick to make. Just measure, pour and stir. We decided to bake them in our mini muffin pan and he one downside was they came out quite lumpy and looked more like pumpkin bites, as Dean called them, rather than muffins. But getting past its rough exterior, these muffins were yummy. OH, and I added a few handfuls of chocolate chips.
I'd love to know - have you tried any new fall foods or recipes? Which have you liked?
