In case you didn't notice, we're all fans of pumpkin

I've heard before (and have no facts to back this up) that Fall/Thanksgiving is the time of year that we eat the most season foods.  I've learned not to mess around when it comes to this.  As a young "adult" living with friends I've sky rocketed from (okay.. grown past)  sticking to just pumpkin pie and pumkin roll made with canned pumpkin at my mom's house.  I now know enough to have every course of every meal contain pumkin, and am sure to finish it up with a Dogfish Head Punkin or a Southern Tier Pumking (once again, no time to mess around when it's pumpkin season). 

I've realized I cook and bake as I do all things in life:  very slowly with a lot of emphasis on process and method, followed by super awkwardness towards any praise or goodwill I receive in regards to the finished project.  This recipe is a strong example, but I'm sure an advanced baker could whip these up in no time.  It's taken from a Mrs. Field's cookie book and I found it online here, but I have included my (quite possibly pointless) step by steps.  Here goes my most complimented recipe:

Pumpkin Harvest Cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter (if you're going to brown it, add an extra couple of tablespoons)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (All of our flour is mixed together, I typically end up using wheat flour)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (Trader Joe's has a really good and inexpensive one )
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2c (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup solid-packed unsweetened pumpkin puree (follow my lovely roommate's instructions to make your own)
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
10 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped (I just use white chocolate chips, feel free to throw in the whole bag)
1 cup pecan halves and pieces, toasted

Yield: About 3 dozen.

• Set everything out for it to be room temperature.  Possibly pointless, but after a few mishaps I swear by it. 

• Brown that butter. I went off of this recipe. It has a great color guide.  Once again, possibly pointless and may be omitted, but it smells awesome and adds a nutty flavor.  I brown and then throw the butter back in the fridge or freezer a little so it gets more solid. 

• In a small bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda.  I usually sift the flour (pointless), but sometimes weird flakes come out of the wheat flour. 
• In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla, then the pumpkin puree. Next comes the flour mixture.  Stir/beat just til combined.  Stir in the chocolate and pecans.
• Throw it in the fridge, but just for a little.  It makes it easier to drop onto cookie sheets and it makes it so they don't spread out as much.
• Preheat to 300 F.  I seriously wait til this point to do this, unless it's cold outside...
• Finally spoon out the dough, roll into balls, and place a couple inches away from each other on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until it's brown around the edges.  

• Enjoy and share!

These pumpkin cookies are often requested by my coworkers and great to take to a party.  Hope this recipe stands a good introduction to blog for me.  For the first time ever this week I'm creating my own recipe so I'll be sure to report back, good, bad, or otherwise.