Chocolate Pumpkin Delights

   Here it is, Monday again. Another week full of challenges and possibilities. I'm ready for it. Happy day after Halloween by the way! I didn't post yesterday. It was the first day I've missed, sad. I just didn't have time. I was too busy decorating, getting dressed in my costume, making homemade candy, greeting trick-or-treaters, bobbing for apples, and watching scary movies. Well, actually that's just a bunch of lies, but doesn't that all sound fun and festive? Though I didn't do all those things I did have a very nice Halloween. I got all my lesson planning done, went on a beautiful Autumn walk with my parents, and my husband and I had a few of our friends over last night. We ate lots of delicious food and watched a somewhat scary movie called "Ghost Ship." I don't know that I'd recommend it but it was terrible. Just hanging out with our friends and stuffing ourselves silly was the best part. My yummy contributions were sweet potato fries which we (especially my husband) devoured like a bunch of German Shepard, and cookies. I was quite smitten with the cookies I made and really must share the recipe.

Double Chocolate Pumpkin cookies

• 1 box dark chocolate cake mix (I used gluten free so one of my friends could enjoy them)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c. pumpkin puree
• 1tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup (or however many you desire) semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl mix together first five ingredients then fold in chips. Place spoonfuls of dough 2 in. apart on cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes then allow cookie to cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack. 

   The pumpkin flavor in these is slight but so yummy and the cookies are very moist and fluffy. We have some left over that I'm trying to deny myself of as well as lots of Reese's Cups. I bought the candy in case we had any trick-or-treaters, but I suppose my fall wreath scared them all away? I would say that at least I'll know not to buy candy next year, but I'm sure I'll be feeling just as optimistic then and be once again disappointed by the lack of costume-attired children.

   Happy November 1st everyone. Am I the only one who started listening to Christmas music this morning?