The Farm Chicks

A Pumpkin Here, A Pumpkin There

Want to know the quickest way to cheer up your house for the season? Tuck pumpkins here and there.

a bookend

a chandelier

a coatrack

the kitchen.

A little or a lot.

Hooray for pumpkins!

Pumpkin Treatstands

A fun, quick, and easy way to display your seasonal treats is on stands. I happen to own LOTS of cakestands, but thought it would be fun to make some specific to the season. With pumpkins and paper plates.

I've found an abundance of little pumpkins left in the field from the pickers, who accidentally broke off their stems. Once the stems are gone, they're not really desirable to most people buying pumpkins, so there they sit - all broken hearted. In an attempt to rescue these orphaned pumpkins, I've discovered they're great for stacking on each other for decoration and for these cute little stands.

Step 1.) Start with a mini pumpkin. If your pumpkin has a stem, cut it or break it off:

Step 2.) Hot glue a paper plate atop the pumpkin. I've used a small salad-sized plate here, as the pumpkin is small:

This pumpkin is slightly larger, so I've used a dinner-sized plate here:

Step 3.) Fill plate with treats:

or stack the stands two high for double the treats - double the fun:

And there you have it. Changing the world - one pumpkin at a time. :)

Spiced Pumpkin Sippers

Cooler autumn weather calls for warm cupfuls of deliciousness. These sippers incorporate what's best about the season - pumpkin and pie-like spices. And yes, they're beyond delicious!

Spiced Pumpkin Sippers

4 cups whole milk

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and whisk together over medium heat. Whisk occasionally until hot. Ladle into mugs. Optional: Drizzle with whipped cream that has been softly whipped and sprinkle with ground nutmeg.

Serve hot.

Tips:

If you prefer a less sweet drink, you can reduce the sugar by half.

These sippers are a great drink to serve to guests. To ease the work at party time, prepare the recipe in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.

Keep a crockpot full of the mixture to serve warm throughout your gathering.

Or, drink it one cupful at a time, simply reheating in the microwave.

Y-U-M !

The Miniest Pumpkin

Hello! Welcome to Pumpkin Week! This week I'll be sharing pumpkin inspiration with you. Decorating, celebrating, and baking. It'll be fun!

Today let me tell you about this cute little pumpkin - the miniest of them all.

Isn't it adorable?

It's actually not a pumpkin at all, but a cute little seed pod called a Putka Pod.

These little pumpkin look-a-likes have so many decorative uses around the home - today I'll show you two ways.

Our Realtor, Jack, stopped by to see our new house and brought me some beautiful fall mums. So I took out a little galvanized tub, some fabric, and putka pods to make a happy fall arrangement.

1.) I removed the wrapping from the mums, saving the elastic band.

2.) I re-wrapped the mum with fabric and attached it with the elastic string I had saved.

3.) I placed the plant in the tub and surrounded it with the pods. They just add that extra bit of Autumn cheer.

Now, how about some tea? Tea to celebrate the season. How should we serve it to our guests?

Let's start with this great little wooden box:

Line with Putka Pods, and fill with tea bags, spoons, and sugar:

So simple and festive.

Tips:

Putka Pods can be found in craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby, or online.

The pods are pretty delicate. They can last for several seasons, if handled with care. Once you're done with them for the season, seal in a ziploc bag or sealed container. Keep away from an area where there may be mice, as mice love seeds and pods.

 

Serena's No Bake Pumpkin CheeseCAKE

I'm a huge fan of cheesecake, but not of the preparation.  When I lived in remote Alaska, I loved a blueberry cheesecake that the local Arctic Pizza restaurant would serve.  It was served in slices like a cake, containing several layers and looking more like a cake than a cheesecake.  I was always so baffled as to how they got the teeny tiny thin layers of the cake until one day I pulled it apart and realized that the "cake" was actually graham crackers!  I devised this recipe with that concept in mind, and boy is it tasty (and easy!)

Serena's No Bake Pumpkin CheeseCAKE

3 8ounce packages lowfat cream cheese

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 15ounce can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

13.5 full-sized graham crackers

Beat cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl until completely combined and cream cheese has softened up.  Add pumpkin puree, whipping cream and vanilla, beating until the mixture is completely combined and fluffy.

Line a 9"x9" ungreased baking pan with 4.5 graham crackers, followed by 4-5 big scoops of the filling.  Repeat the layers two more times, ending with the filling as the top layer:

  

  

  

Cover cake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.  Do not cheat, do not eat early!  Because I promise you, if you let it set up overnight, the filling will become thick and rich and the layers will be like thin thin cake.  And you will see, it. is. heavenly.

You may be tempted to add spices, but I highly recommend leaving it simple.  Unbaked pumpkin has a very subtle flavor and will be overpowered by any spices.  If you allow the pumpkin to shine, you'll be so happy you did.

And here's another fun idea: Want to make a taller cake?  Use a loaf pan instead.

Oh pumpkin, I adore you.