no pumpkins were harmed in the making of these recipes

Pumpkin hasn't entirely taken over my kitchen.  I have been making other things, too.

Seriously, I have!

Well, to be honest, the only reason I made ginger snaps was because I needed them for the [failed] truffle recipe and I forgot to pick them up at the grocery store.  I'll tell ya what...I'll never buy ginger snaps again.  This recipe is fantastic.  Homemade, all the way, baby.

I was inspired by this pizza that caught my attention on Pinterest.  It has been stuck in my mind ever since.  I used this pizza crust recipe (delicious!) and made my own version of the chicken BBQ pizza using rotisserie chicken tossed in BBQ sauce, three kinds of cheeses, diced red onion, and spinach.  I don't really like to toot my own horn, but this was, in my opinion, the best pizza I've ever made.  It gave Travis heartburn (we think it was the BBQ sauce), but that won't stop me from making it again.  He said he'd just take Tums afterwards - worth the potential heartburn.  That says something.  

Have you been to Disneyland?  Yes?  How about the Blue Bayou restaurant at the Pirates of the Caribbean?  If yes, you likely know the deliciousness of their Monte Cristo sandwich.  If no, this sandwich will, seriously, change your world.  It did mine.  And now I can make it at home because of this recipe. 

I started off by making some challah bread a few days prior to making the Monte Cristo (Cristoes?).  Alone, this bread is amazing, but with Swiss cheese, deli turkey and ham, dipped in batter and fried?!  Forget about it!  Your taste buds will sing a heavenly tune when you bite into this sandwich. 

This sandwich is worth the calories AND the mess of frying.  It's the kind of sandwich that you vow to make only once, or twice, a year, but secretly wish you could eat it once, or twice, a day week.  It's that good.  And it tastes just as good as the sandwich served up at the Blue Bayou - maybe even better because you didn't have to pay park entry fees and a restaurant bill.  Well, nothing beats the experience and atmosphere of Disney and the restaurant itself, but still...you catch my drift.

There's some serious YUM going on right here.

On a healthier note, this lasagna soup is the perfect meal for a chilly evening.  Dip a little left over challah bread in your soup-filled bowl, and you've got a heart-warming dinner (and left overs for lunch the next day.)

Homemade toaster pastry.

I love watching "5 Ingredient Fix" on the Food Network.  Lots of delicious recipes with minimal effort (and only 5 ingredients...)  I scribbled down the recipe for these breakfast pasties while I was watching a recent episode.  Ask me why I didn't just go to the website and print it out, I have no idea. Anyhoo - I used sugar-free blackberry jam for the filling of mine, but you could used just about anything.  Nutella would be amazing.  I'm sure of it.  Or maybe a pumpkin butter...hmm.  These were a lovely Saturday morning treat. 

And then there are these cream cheese mints. 

I'm a sucker for anything mint.  These are no exception.  I have a small tupperware of them in the fridge - they are a perfect after meal sweet treat.  Kind of like the ones you grab on the way out of a restaurant.  Only better.  They melt in your mouth.  So delightful.

So, see?  My life hasn't been all pumpkin.  I'm on a bit of pumpkin hiatus right now.  Give me a few days, though...I'm sure I'll be scoopin' out canned pumpkin in no time.