Pumpkin Spiced Latte

We've had quite the pumpkin harvest this year.

I have good intentions of cooking more with pumpkin this year, but since I find cooking with real pumpkin a pain in the keester, we usually just give them away to friends. Because seriously, who can eat 12 pumpkins (besides Peter Peter, of course).

The other day I grabbed a couple out of the garden and set them on the floorboards on the passenger side of my car to make a surprise pumpkin delivery to a friend.

As I was driving, I turned a corner and the pumpkin rolled over, exposing this:

A slug. An icky gross slimy slug.

I got all flustered. I couldn't really pull over or stop where I was at, but the pumpkin kept rolling around and I just imagined trying to clean squished slug out of the floormat.

Ew.

Still driving, I decided the pumpkin needed to stop rolling. I took the very tip of my index finger on the pumpkin, trying to avoid the slug's path as it slowly crawled on the bright orange skin. I finally found a place to pull over and using the only thing I could find to scrap it off (a clean diaper), I scraped it onto the pavement.

Ew.

So Michelle, glad you liked the pumpkin. Sorry about any slug juice.

But Michelle, as a coffee-holic (and any other members of the Caffeination Nation out there), I think you'll dig this.  I know I did.  I don't make coffee at home, but it's always around at work.  A few of my co-workers are diehard coffee aficionados, which means the coffee is always good...ok, sometimes a little strong, but usually good.  I caught this on Aunt Shoe's blog and had to try it.  To make this at work, I mixed up the milk, vanilla, and spices in a little jar at home, and took it to the office.  At work, I just shook the milk jar, poured half a mug of it in my cup, microwaved it for a few seconds, then topped off my mug with coffee.  Blissssssssss. 

Pumpkin Spiced Latte
Thanks Marianne!  This is a great recipe (and so much cheaper than a Starbucks run).  :-) 

3 cups hot whole milk
4 teaspoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or just substitute a mix of 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/8 tsp. nutmeg)
6 ounces double-strength brewed coffee
Whipped cream and additional pumpkin pie spice for garnish (optional)

Combine the hot milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice in a blender; blend until frothy. Pour the mixture into 3 coffee mugs to about 2/3 full. Pour 2 ounces coffee into each mug. Garnish each mug with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.