Level of Excitement: first pumpkin retail purchase of 2009!
Level of Surprise: moderate … not sure how I overlooked these last year, unless they just didn’t exist
Level of Flavor: Not bad.  Admittedly, the pumpkin begins to fade the more of them that you eat, but seeing as how candy corn are pretty much just pure sugar anyways, what do you really expect?!
Gourmet?: Agreed, primarily because they’re larger than the old-fashioned kind that you would traditionally expect from the likes of Brach’s and other such knock-offs.  They’ve also got a nice color to them, so even if you weren’t looking to actually eat these, they might look classy in a nice candy dish or something.
Decorating Tips?  Is That What You’ve Been Reduced to?: Hey, it’s been a slow year…

Time of Creation: late night (about 15 minutes ago)
Ease of Creation: as easy as pie…or cake, rather, in this case
Scent: Definitely strong enough to help build a healthy pumpkin-prep!  The whole kitchen pretty much filled with the pumpkin spice smells as the ‘cakes cooked, which was a nice touch.  Whether making pancakes or waffles, I think these would be a great breakfast for a cool, autumn morning.
Flavor: Paired with a nice Mrs. Buttersworth syrup … Mmmmmm!  I think I ended up under-cooking them by just a bit because they were still a little soft in the middle, but for what it’s worth, I sometimes like my pancakes a little gooey in the center (as opposed to overcooking and drying them out) and with the addition of the syrup, it made for an almost dessert-like snack!
Recommend?: Yes.  I picked this one up at Super Target around the holidays, so I’m not entirely sure if they still have them around, but this simple mix would go great in a gift basket of sorts for fans of fall and pumpkins alike.

Pumpkin Surprise: What date is it?!  Praise Target for keeping the pumpkin flavor alive all year round!
Justifiable Enthusiasm?: kinda
Explain: While not the very best pumpkin flavor in a cake-like form that I’ve tasted since this blog first began many moons ago, credit is still due for simply making said limited flavor available long after every other grocer has cleared their shelves of pumpkin until next fall.
Official Verdict: Frankly, it was a bit on the dry side, even when sampling the whipped cream-laden portion. As a side note, I did attempt to consume this after stowing it away in the fridge for a few hours after returning home, so perhaps bringing it back to room temperature might help? That and maybe a scoop of ice cream or something, though, and I think this mini-treat could still be enjoyable to the pumpkin fan who hasn’t seen a pie since New Years…

Initial Reaction: a bit of surprise, as I don’t really expect to see much more with regards to pumpkin-oriented products on the shelves this time of year
Origin: Where else?  Super Target!
Good Find?: Well … maybe. Despite my poor assumption that these would be just like any other granola bar, but pumpkin-y, they definitely live up to their description at fruit and grain bars, which are much different from the traditional Quaker Chewy Granola Bars that I tend to enjoy.  The “fruit topping” is definitely very pumpkin-ish – about the consistency of maybe the pumpkin butter that I sampled earlier this year, which was ok – but the pecans on top I could’ve done without.
Ultimate Verdict: A bit too grainy for me, and the pumpkin fruit topping just isn’t enough to help me limp past that.  It wouldn’t surprise me if it takes quite a while to work through the remainder of this box…

Aside Plea to the Fine Folks at Quaker: This is your opportunity to fill a much-needed niche market!  Just take one of your regular chewy granola bars, splash some pumpkin-y goodness into the recipe, and presto – instant success, at least with this pumpkin fanatic, anyways!  Something to think about, guys…

Pumpkin-Fanatic’s Warning: Don’t believe that just because it has pumpkin in the name that it will actually be tasty.
Why?: …because these things were disgusting.  Dry, flavorless – like the kind of cookies that somebody’s Grandma who doesn’t cook would put out for company.
Maybe?: It could technically be possible that these horrible treats are intended for consumption with afternoon tea or something, but even then … just stay away.
Really?: Trust me on this one…

Origin: Where else?!  Super Pumpkin, errr, Target
Influence: Despite having grown up in the Boy Scouts, the chances of finding me out on the open trail with nothing but a hiking stick and a bag of mixed nuts are about as good as the chances of us finding such a wild array of pumpkin delicacies like these the rest of the year!  Still, I can’t blame the nuts themselves for the fact that I’m no longer an outdoorsman, so I thought I’d give these a shot.
Flavor: Like nearly all trail mix, some pieces were certainly better than others – I, for one, could do without the “graham squares” and “yogurt raisins” in this one, but as for the pumpkin slice almonds?  Heavenly.
Marketing Note to Target: How about a festive, holiday jar of nothing but the almonds for this pumpkin-lover’s stocking next season?

Origin: another Super Target super-find … sort of
Prospective Ease of Creation: easy
Actual Ease of Creation: not so much
Explanation: This kit is presented as a very simple, out-of-the-box-type recipe – you know, just add water, but unfortunately when your recipe consists of 90% flour and 35% other dry goods, just water doesn’t exactly make for easy mixin’!  I finally ended up just diving in and kneading it with my hands after nearly breaking a wooden spoon in the mixture, but even then, this was a pain in the butt.  Prepare to get messy…
Enjoyability: Despite constructive difficulties, this pumpkin-y version of the old favorite still tasted quite good out of the oven, however once allowed to cool even the microwave couldn’t soften them back up – the entire batch definitely needs to be enjoyed by four or five friends fresh from the oven.  I didn’t end up making the suggested Powdered Sugar Glaze because they already seemed pretty fattening as it was.
Flavor?: I think the mix itself smelled more of pumpkin than the final product, but the spice was still decent in the bread, too.

Caveat: Don’t let yourself get caught up on the name – it’s really just cream cheese.
Found At: Super Target (where else this year?!)
Flavor: Yes!!!  This, baby, is the real deal – a delicious, creamy, cheesy spread for your breakfast eatables that brings forth the sweet flavors of pumpkin without tasting absolutely horrible.  As with many pumpkin-based foods, the color truly speaks of the flavor – very good, indeed.
Try It On…: I had mine on a fresh, plain bagel to ensure that I really got to savor the flavor, but I’m sure it would go equally well on other breakfast pastries as well.

Foreward: After the last less than favorable post regarding pumpkin pie, I felt it was necessary to end Thanksgiving on more of a high note…
First Impression: Jackpot!
Flavor Scale: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being awesome, this tasty treat definitely scores an 11!  I originally snagged this jar in the ice cream section as a new way to spice up a sundae, but tonight we proved that ice cream is only the beginning of this topping’s arsenal.  Boasting the consistency of caramel, but with a very distinct and sweet pumpkin flavor, this is by far the single best pumpkin flavor additive that I’ve discovered this season, hands down!  A rich aroma makes clear that you’ve got a great topping from the moment you’ve removed the lid, and once it’s been drizzled across the dessert of your choice – look out!  I first tried it on a piece of New York-style cheesecake from The HoneyBaked Ham Company with amazing results, and I’m sure by the end of the weekend I’ll have tested it on actual ice cream as well.
Buy Factor: This stuff is so good I’m definitely picking up a second jar to stash away for a rainy day – the expiration on my current jar isn’t until 2010, so there’s definitely no worry of spoilage.  The only challenge you may face is in actually finding the stuff – I found my at Target, but I’ve yet to see it at any other grocery store, so keep your eyes peeled and it nothing else, this is one pumpkin flavor that’s definitely worth a road trip!

In a Word: Yummy.
In Several More Words: Wow – what a find!  I honestly didn’t really expect to find too many more pumpkin treats this time of year as we make our way into Christmastime, but low and behold as I wandered throughout Super Target earlier this evening in search of the ingredients for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving feast, who knew I would stumble upon such greatness?!  Once again, the Target Bakery delivers awesomeness in the form of dessert!
Flavor: Almost as good as the pumpkin cookies that my own Mom makes, with a delicious combination of chocolate and pumpkin these little puppies are nearly just as good.  And although I could clearly see the chunks of white chocolate in the cookies, it honestly didn’t taste as much specifically like white chocolate as merely chocolate in general, which seems to result in a great combination.  My only disappointment was that there were only six cookies in the package, and those certainly didn’t last long around our house…
Recommendation: There was only a single package of these left on the shelf and I nearly passed them by because I was in such a hurry to finish shopping and get home, but if you happen to see them in your local Target bakery in the next couple of weeks, I highly recommend spending the $3.49 for this little piece of heaven!