PUMPKINS!

Remember when Kelsi and I dressed up as pumpkins for Halloween? Well, combine that with a serious homesickness for Midwestern fall foods, flavors and colors, and you can see why I have been missing pumpkin in my life lately. No more, my friends. South America tropical climate and all I made it my mission this weekend to get some pumpkin-y goodness happening in our apartment.

The beginning inspiration...

Saturday afternoon I spent the weekend laying out at the pool (yes, fall in a tropical country is so hard, I know) and stopped at the grocery store on the way home to discover the cutest little pumpkin ever. I decided to make good on several conversations with coworkers lately and test out this making my own pumpkin puree business. I came home and declared to Kelsi and Stetson, "I'm going to roast a whole pumpkin." {directions here} Roast it I did, and in just 90 minute there was warm, soft, pumpkin-y deliciousness ready to blend into pumpkin puree. I even saved the seeds to roast later! Win.

Roasted pumpkin being cut into slices to scoop out the seeds!

Homemade pumpkin puree, no preservatives or Cub Foods necessary! 

Two containers of pumpkin puree later and we left the apartment to go to dinner. I woke up this morning with pumpkin on my mind, used the online dictionary to learn nutmeg (nuez mostada) and cloves (clavos) in Spanish, and headed back to the grocery store. A successful mission later and I had all the supplies for pumpkin baked goods of all kinds. Now what to use my precious pumpkin puree for??? I started with pumpkin muffins and I could not be happier. {recipe here} 

 Pumpkin muffins! They're orange!!! YAY!

 Cinnanon, nutmeg and sugar on top! Porque no?

If ever a muffin could change your life, this is that muffin. Seriously people. I woke Kelsi up from a nap to make her eat a warm one. She wasn't even a little bit angry about it.

With a bit more pumpkin to use up (don't worry, I still have one container in the freezer!) Kelsi and I made afternoon pumpkin spice lattes. Move to a foreign country for three years where pumpkin spice lattes don't exist then go through a 10 step process to make your own. You know what it will taste like?  Happiness. In your mouth. I'm still milking mine as I type this.

Pumpkin spice latte! In Colombia!! Cheers to fall flavors! 

Now....what to use the second container of pumpkin puree for??? Suggestions?