There seems to be a run on pumpkin spice these days and here I am contributing to the "Fall of 2014 Pumpkin Spice Everything Craze". Truth be told: I can't get enough and I am not ashamed to admit it. I'm not craving light and refreshing melons and fresh from my garden tomatoes. No, I'm officially in pumpkin mode and will be until November 28th or when the first sighting of "Egg Nog Everything" appears.

For this parfait, I dug up a trusty old recipe and lightened it up by eliminating the brown sugar and amping up the spice. Feel free to adjust the sweetness and spice to your liking. Before layering the parfait, I warmed up the pumpkin butter. Not too much. Just enough to contrast with the cool creamy yogurt.

Ingredients for the pumpkin butter:

1-29 oz. can pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

2/3 cup pure apple juice or cider (preferably organic)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

Small pinch of ground cloves

Ingredients for the parfait

1 cup greek yogurt (I use Siggis Vanilla)

2 tsp. pure maple syrup

1/4 cup granola (I prefer Nina's Fresh Batch Three Nut Ginger Granola, but you probably knew that)

Combine all the pumpkin butter ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook covered over medium low heat for about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally, especially near the end. Lower heat if mixture starts to scorch. Stir carefully as mixture tends to splatter. Scrape butter into bowl. Cover and refrigerate. The pumpkin butter will last up to three weeks in the fridge.

When ready to make your parfait simply warm about 1/3 cup of the butter until slightly warm and layer with granola and yogurt as shown in the photo. Drizzle with maple syrup and a sprinkle of the granola

You will have leftover pumpkin butter to use for more parfaits or you can...

• Swirl into overnight oats of hot oatmeal

• Use in smoothies

• Spread on toast

• Use in pumpkin muffin recipes in place of pumpkin puree (adjust spices in recipe)

• Use as a dip for fresh sliced pears or apples