Reminds me of a scene from Sleepless in Seattle where Tom Hanks gets introduced to the realities of modern-day dating. "What's Tiramisu?... you'll find out" Thanks for the Pumpkin version, FlowerLady: a sweet treat to enjoy while watching a sweet movie. Nell's Brownies sound like they'd be great with the cream cheese frosting, too, if one has the patience to make it. Similar to what's traditional on carrot cake? Maybe we make little almond paste pumpkins instead of carrots to decorate. Ana, who uses oven-roasted, home-grown, butternut squash, cooled and mashed, in place of pumpkin with good results. (A field-cured squash keeps for ~ 3 months at dry room temp in our northern climate. Like under my bed. Good company for the dust bunnies!)

I began reading this and wondered what do I put in my pumpkin pie. I know molasses and cinnamon but what else I make it once a year had to search for the recipe and while I put cinnamon in apparently there is also nutmeg. It's a recipe I found in a story about a farm from when I was a teen. I didn't write down what book or who wrote it. I just remember asking my mother is we could try this recipe this year and she agreed. It has been the recipe for pumpkin pie ever since.

trance - it's probably Pratt & Lambert. P&L uses the circle shape because it's based on their logo and brand and a color portfolio they used to give out free. It's a folder and you pop out the circles and insert them into your color portfolio -- kind of like coin collecting pages with little pockets for coins. It's not based on any reasoning for visual function. They are just regular paint chips and very small - like smaller than a U.S. quarter. wormgirl, smart move sampling. Will check out your pix. Glad you see a diff with the circles! What I've finally decided to use for circles are called Chippliqué (tm) and they are not board-like at all. Not like any of the typical and ubiquitous sample boards on the market past or present. Chippliqué is literally a decal - appliqué. Thus the name Chippliqué. The whole thing sticks to the wall via a low-tac (yet secure) adhesive. It's repaintable/reusable, removable and repositionable. In other words, it's a paintable sticker. Boards just did not work for me. No matter what, they never lay flush against the wall and there is always a shadow cast around the edges - a critical area for previewing color! Can't use boards to preview color on the ceiling unless you tac up each corner and even then it always falls down, IME. And the sample boards available aren't flexible. Chippliqué is totally flexible, malleable and wraps into/around corners, into trim dado, around a cabinet door, etc, and then returns to its original flat shape, no creasing or flaking. Again, I do not directly sell these. Will share free if curious. However, I do use them as part of my process working with my clients thus making a name, trademark and a patent necessary. Because someone else might want to be in the paint sample decal business and then I would be very upset and screwed. jeannie - yes, you can paint directly on the wall. I think we've all done that. I know I have. But once you do it, you will have to live with it until you paint. If you paint right on the wall, you have to feather out the edges REALLY well or else they will telegraph through - even two full coats of good paint - you'll still be able to see the dot. Just be neat and do it on a wall that is never hit by any sort of direct light -- which might not be the best for testing color so might be a trade off.

I love the Pumpkin Spice cappuccino at Kwik Trip. Also, KT's pumpkin bars (available year round). I've tried a few recipes for pumpkin bars and haven't hit on a 'just right' one. Just as well that I'm happy with an occasional one from there vs. having a whole pan full of them at home! (The rest of famdamily isn't enamored with pumpkin anything.) I make pumpkin custards and pumpkin pie. The custards are simple a pie filling recipe baked in custard dishes. Quick & easy. I've done the 'roast the pumpkin & strain in cheesecloth' thing a few times. What I like better than pumpkin is roasted & pureed Kabocha squash substituted for pumpkin. The Kabocha isn't watery like pumpkin so there is no need to strain. Freezes beautifully. Much, much better than canned pumpkin, too. I don't venture into the Pumpkin Spice World beyond those few items. Agree that there is Pumpkin Spice overkill...pumpkin spice beer, no thank you. I just inhale deeply, love the aroma, & pass them up. So that cappuccino or occasional pumpkin bar stays 'special' to me.