Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

It is finally September, that means cooler weather and the invasion of everything pumpkin. For me, the pumpkin invasion is a welcomed sight. 

This is my first year spending late summer/early fall in the south and it seems like the cooler weather is never coming. Low 90's as the high almost everyday this week doesn't make for the perfect weather for a pumpkin spice latte. I imagine a piping warm cup of pumpkin, tall boots, sweaters, college football and the crisp wind biting at my ears but here we are still in shorts, flipflops and carrying around sunscreen in my purse, sigh....where is fall.

So to get my pumpkin craving under control, I switched it up a bit.  Honestly I have never tried a cold pumpkin drink but the outcome was wonderful. Something I could sip on while I watch  my kids play on the tramploine and in the pool dreaming of those cooler days to come.....well hopefully!

Here is what you will need:

1/4 cup of pureed pumpkin

2 cups of your favorite vanilla milkshake

3/4 teaspoon on pumpkin pie spice

nutmeg and cinnamon 

Add the pumpkin, ice cream and pumpkin pie spice into the blender. 

Blend until nice and smooth. 

Transfer the milkshake to a cup and garnish with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon on top.

You could add some whipped cream and crushed vanilla wafers to the top for an extra little garnish.

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Copy Cat Starbucks Frappuccino

Are you surprised that I found an amazing copy cat recipe for a Starbucks drink, yea me neither. I don't drink these very often but when I am on a road trip and need a pick me up or when I am out running errands on a warm summer day, something about this just hits the spot. Granted I could go for the super caffeinated version of this drink on most days. 

I ran across this recipe not because I was particularly looking for a Starbucks recipe, I just wanted a good iced coffee recipe that I could make that didn't require lots of things that I normally do not keep stocked in my pantry. Plus every now and then its nice to have a cold drink that isn't water.  With summer around the corner, this is something that I will keep on hand for a nice treat and mid-day pick me up.

First lets brew some coffee. Now let me tell you, I actually added 20oz of coffee because with just the 10oz it was too sweet for me. Start with the 10oz first, if its too sweet, add some more coffee. 

To your pitcher add Vanilla coffee creamer.

Then sugar

and a little more sugar.  Pour the hot coffee on top of the sugar mixture in the pitcher. Stir it up and refrigerate for a couple hours, overnight is better though. 

Now when you need a pick me up, something a little cold while you are playing with the kids, just head on over and get a tall glass.