Team Pumpkin: October Poetry

This month our poetry group picked the theme Pumpkins. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it's a gift because today's my birthday, but I'm pretty happy to have my (rhyming) say about pumpkins. They take quite a beating right about now. Not so much because people don't love them, probably because bloggers and websites pluck them way too early, starting to post pumpkin recipes in the summer and keeping it up steadily straight through October.

Not me. I have a hard fast rule, all things Halloween, including pumpkin recipes don't start until October 1st. But then, well, all bets are off. 

 Team Pumpkin

Little seed so small and brown,
planted in the Spring. 
Burrow deep into the ground,
happiness you'll bring.

In the patch grow big and round,
green to gold to ripe.
Soon the kids will be farm bound,
October's favorite hype.

Corn maze, cocoa, a hay ride,
caramel apples too.
Picking and choosing with utmost pride,
ends in holding you.

Jack-O-Lantern you'll become.
And recipes, a slew.
I'll be making more than some,
pies and cake and stew.

Pepita Harvest Bars

Oh, I've heard it, the boo-hoo,

complain and whine and groan. 

"Too many recipes, too soon too".

Please! Quit your insufferable moan.

'Cause on my blog . . .

For one month out of every year,

I'm sorry happy to publicly say, 

I'm "team pumpkin" and to be clear,

and that's (more than) OK.

Before you go, click on these links to more poetry from some of my friends:
Dawn of Cognitive Script shares Pumpkins.
Diane of On the Border shares Pumpkin Time. 
Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares 4 Little Pumpkins.

Pepita Harvest Bars       

                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 packages Chips Ahoy Thins Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
3/4 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup cranraisins
1 cup Pepitas, roasted and shelled
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
*Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and press into the bottom of the pan.
*Sprinkle the prepared crust with the white chocolate chips followed by the quick oats, then the cranraisins and last the Pepitas. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Pour over the top.
*Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the top is bubbling and has browned. Remove from oven. 
*Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edges. Cool completely before cutting.