Each year I go crazy buying canned pumpkin in November. I think it has to do with the fact we hear there is going to be a shortage every year, so when it finally shows up I just go crazy with it. So, I always find myself with extra cans in the cupboard this time of year. I also seem to have a lot of pumpkin recipes that I never got around to making in November as well. I love pumpkin, but you get a little burned out on it during the holiday season. Around this time every year I find myself adding canned pumpkin to quesadillas and other places I wouldn't normally use it. This year I saved a can especially to make this recipe. I have been thinking about these pastries for a while now. I almost brought them to several potlucks, but then changed my mind. It is the pastry dough that scared me away. I don't make a lot of it, so I don't get a lot of practice. This one was actually really easy and came together quite nicely. I rolled out the first batch a little too thick, but the second batch was really quite delicious. I also made the first batch much smaller, but you really can't fit much filling in them, so in the second batch I returned to the size recommended in the original recipe. We had these for lunch one Saturday afternoon, but I recommend taking them to a party as appetizers. When I tried them at room temperature later in the day, I actually liked them better. If you cut them in half on a diagonal, they make great finger food.
