Do you love pumpkin?

So it's fall, chilly and grey outside and boy do I love pumpkin.... I have been whipping up pumpkin everything. I feel like every time I'm at the grocery store I pick up another can of 100% pumpkin. First I found a recipe on Betty Crocker for pumpkin and sausage manicotti, it called for 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée so I knew I would need to use the rest of the can.... So I made pumpkin snicker doodles. Below are both recipes... Pumpkin-on. 

Pumpkin and sausage manicotti: (I halved the recipe when I made it for M and I) 

Ingredients:

16 uncooked manicotti

1 lb of pork sausage ( I used spicy) 

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbs sage leaves

1 egg

1 container (15oz) part skim ricotta cheese 

1 cup of canned pumpkin

1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups do Italian blend shredded cheese

3 cups Alfredo sauce ( 2-16 oz jars) 

1/2 pepper and mushrooms (optional) 

Directions:  heat oven to 350' cook and drain shells.

Meanwhile, cook sausage, garlic, sage, peppers. Drain. 

In a medium bowl- beat egg, stir ricotta,pumpkin, parm, pepper, 1 cup of Italian cheese, sage and sausage. 

Stuff shells, put 1 cup of sauce on bottom of pan. Put shells on top and any leftover mixture on top. Add the rest of the sauce, cover and bake 30-35. Uncover and top with rest of cheese and bake 10 minutes. 

Pumpkin snicker doodles: 

I got the recipe from sallysbakingaddiction.com. They were gone in 2 days! Next time I will double the recipe. 

1/2 cup of unsalted butter

1/4 cup of light brown sugar

1 cup of granulated sugar, divided 

1 tsp of vanilla

6 tbs pumpkin purée

1-1/2 cup of flour 

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon, divided

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup of chips ( chocolate, white or I think cinnamon would be good) 

Directions: melt the butter in the microwave. In a medium bowl mix together butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix in vanilla and pumpkin till smooth and set aside.

In another bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients except the chips. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix. Fold in the chips, cover and refrigerate 30 min. 

Preheat oven to 350' roll dough into balls and dip into 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.  Press them down slightly. Bake 8-10 minutes. They look under baked but do not overcook. Allow cookies to cook on pan 10 minutes then put on racks. Keep at room temperature. So good! I might have to make a batch right now!!