Making it a Texas Fall

I know it sounds like blasphemy, but pumpkin isn't all the rage in the UK during Fall. People don't have pumpkin pie, or carve jack-o-lanterns, or even place pumpkins around their homes or work to celebrate fall and Halloween. So, with that, comes a lack of canned pumpkin.

Really, pumpkin as a sweet isn't heard of here. The market sells whole pumpkins that people cook as a savory vegetable, but that's about it. These people actually think that pumpkin pie and bread sounds gross!

Pumpkin is my favorite thing about fall, and today I was in a mood to create pumpkin EVERYTHING! Thank God for Panzers, the little market by our flat that sells some American goods. They have a special American section, and today they had a display of canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice, marshmallows, and Texas Chili spices! Yum! I hit it up BIG TIME!

Firstly, I made this pumpkin bread today:

From http://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=7181

 

Oh man, was it ever delicious! It is almost like cheesecake on the top. We have already eaten one of the loafs...in just one day! Definitely make it for a fall treat!

Since I had some left over canned pumpkin, I decided to make my own latte out of it. On the stove top, I poured in about 3/4 of my cups worth of almond milk (regular milk and me just don't mix well), lots of pumpkin pie spice, a couple of scoops of pumpkin, some stevia, and instant coffee. I whisked it together until it was hot, then poured it in my cup and enjoyed. Not really latte-y...the whisking and pumpkin made it pretty thick (and I mean that in the best way). I thought it tasted great!

To complete our Texas-fall night, we opened up the windows to feel the cool breeze (our radiators work a little too good and our place was steaming hot) and I made a huge pot of Texas Chili. Panzers sells a spice kit that is actually shipped there from Mongomery, Texas! Now, I know I could just use the spices I have to make chili...but it never turns out as good as when I use the kit. So, I cooked up the chili, added some carrots, onion, spinach, and beans, and voila! Would have been perfect with fritos, but we used some black bean tortilla chips instead, Delicious!

Feeling TOTALLY huge and full now, but really, isn't that what Fall is all about?