Pumpkin shortage?

I've heard talk on the internet about a shortage in canned pumpkin. I think some even mentioned a shortage in real pumpkins. Oddly enough I've noticed that there are no pumpkins at the grocery store - only at the Pumpkin Patch or the local nursery. I have no idea how much they'll cost either.

But canned pumpkin...I didn't seem to see a shortage there. Yet. We're still quite a few weeks from Thanksgiving. It's because of some crop failure, but I wonder if it has anything to do with the few (ok, maybe several) Pumpkin Spice Lattes I've had from Starbucks this season???

Either way I dove into my first pumpkin recipe of the season this past weekend. I decided a few weeks ago to take something to the church bake sale. I really didn't have time to put in a lot of effort - like doing decorated cookies - so I went for something simple. I saw this recipe on the Nest a few weeks earlier and decided to try it. It was a hit! Jason and I filled up the tray that I'd bought for the bake sale (a cute little ceramic Jack-O-Lantern) and had a few squares left over to try. They were fantastic and Jason had turned his nose up the night before because he thinks he doesn't like pumpkin. Even though he eats the pumpkin roll any time I make it...

Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies from Loves to Eat

• 2 cups flour
• 1 T pumpkin pie spice
• 1 t baking soda
• 3/4 t salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 12-oz pkg white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9*13 baking pan with foil, leaving some hanging over the edge of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. Set aside. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may look curdled). Reduce speed on the mixer and slowly mix in the dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the baking dish.

Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs (about 30-40 minutes). Let it cool completely in the pan and use the foil to remove from the pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Rule #1: No talking while baking...

Rule #2: Read the directions more than once! Rule #3: If you follow Rule #1, you won't need the rest of them.

While baking for my WC Nest Recipe Exchange, I messed up royally. Jason and I are vising his parents for Christmas and, as usual, I waited until the last minute to complete my recipe exchange. So, this morning, in the middle of visiting with my mother -in-law, I mixed up the Mud Bars for my exchange. Fortunately, I have this really bad habit of licking the spoon (don't worry, I put it right in the sink...not back in the batter!!) and noticed that it was a little...bitter! "Something is not right." You think? I then turned around to see the bag of brown sugar and canister of granulated sugar on the counter. ((light bulb goes off)) "Well, I forgot the sugar and the eggs." I quickly proceeded to dump the mix back into the bowl, add the sugar and the eggs, and voila! I have Mud Bars. In the end, you don't have to follow the rules, but it sure would have helped!!

Mud Bars

• 1 cup oatmeal (not instant)
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 2-4 T baking cocoa (to taste)
• 1 (12 oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

In a large bowl, pour boiling water over oats and margarine. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in sugars and eggs.

Combine dry ingredients and add to oats mixture. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9*13 baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining chips and nuts. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.