Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of my kids' favorites!

Here's a recipe that I like to use:

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
1.5 cups sugar
1 15-ounce can of 100% pumpkin (around 1.5 cups)
2-3 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
1/4 tsp. cardamom (optional)
4 cups chocolate chips

Mix butter and sugars together.  Add in pumpkin, vanilla and eggs and mix well.  Add in flour, baking soda, salt and spices and mix.  Add chocolate chips and mix using a large spoon until chips are distributed fairly evenly.  I use a small cookie scooper and put them on a ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for around 10 minutes.  After removing cookies from oven, let them cool on the cookie sheet a few more minutes.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

These are SOOO yummy and also make a fancy looking dessert.  I got the brownie recipe from my college friend and the toppings from Our Best Bites.

Brownies:

1 cup butter, softened

5 Tbsp. cocoa

2 cups sugar

4 beaten eggs

2 cups flour

Mix butter and cocoa.  Add sugar and eggs and beat.  Add flour and mix well.  Spread into 9x12 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for around 18-22 minutes.  If you double the recipe, you can bake it on a jelly-roll pan (bake that one for around 20-28 minutes). That's what I usually do. Don’t overbake.  Add the toppings below or for a less sweet dessert just serve the brownies without toppings. These freeze well (cut and then put in ziplock bags in the freezer).

Toppings (double frosting if you doubled the brownie recipe):

Green Frosting:

1-2 Tbsp. milk

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup butter, softened

2-3 drops peppermint essential oil, food grade (or 1 ½ tsp. peppermint extract)

Green food coloring

Mix the powdered sugar and butter.  Add milk little by little until you get desired consistency. Add flavoring and food coloring. After brownies have cooled, spread the green frosting over the brownies.  Put it in the fridge for a few minutes to chill. 

Chocolate Topping:

1 cup chocolate chips

6 Tbsp. butter

Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Cook for 30 second intervals and stir in between until it is melted and smooth.  Let it cool for 10-15 minutes and then spread the chocolate over the green frosting layer.

Chill finished dessert in the fridge. About 10 minutes before serving, take dessert out of the fridge and cut into serving-sized pieces. I like the cut the edges off the brownies so they look even on all sides (then my husband eats all the leftover edge pieces). These brownies do not need to be kept in the fridge but it makes it a lot easier to cut them nicely and they stay fresh longer.

Funeral Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes

1 (30-32 ounce) package frozen shredded potatoes

1 cup sour cream

1 cup diced onion (I sometimes use a frozen blend that has onions and bell peppers)

2 1/2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or I use the blend from Costco)

4 T melted butter, divided

2 (10 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

Pepper

2/3 sleeve of Club Crackers

Put the shredded potatoes in a mixing bowl and defrost in the microwave for 3 minutes. 

Place 2 T butter in a pan and saute the diced onions.  

Add the sour cream, cheddar cheese, onions (including buttery liquid), soup, and pepper to the potatoes and mix thoroughly.  

Pour mixture into 9x13 glass pan that has been sprayed with Pam.  

Melt 2 T butter in a small mixing bowl in the microwave.  

Crush up the crackers with your fingers and use a spoon to mix with the butter.  

Place the cracker mixture on top of the casserole.  Use more crackers and butter if you like a lot of topping.  

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for around an hour (or until cooked through and golden on top).  

Serves 12-15 people.

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
2 diced yellow onions
4-6 minced garlic cloves garlic
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup flour
16 cups of broth (I use water with bouillon cubes)
2 cans of chicken breasts or chop up a roasted chicken if in a hurry (optional)
1 large bag of frozen broccoli pieces (or fresh is fine - about 4 heads of broccoli)
salt & pepper to taste
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
1 16 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese chopped into little chunks
1 cup grated mixed cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic until tender. Set aside.  Mix flour and butter and cook over low heat (to make a roux).  It will be ready when it bubbles and starts to turn brown.  Mix together.

In separate pot, mix water and bouillon to make a broth.  After it is warm, add the roux mixture stirring the whole time so it doesn't clump up.  Add the chicken, broccoli, and spices and cook for around 30 minutes.  Add cheese and milk and stir.  When cheese is melted in, the soup is ready to serve.  Top with grated cheese.

This makes A LOT of soup (serves 16-20?).  We eat some fresh and freeze some for another day.  Warning, this has a kick to it so use less cayenne pepper if you'd like it more mild.

Lemon Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon extract (or I used 5-6 drops lemon essential oil instead)
2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 cup oil (I used canola)
6 eggs
zest of two lemons

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Sugar Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil, eggs and lemon zest. Add in and mix flour, baking powder, baking soda.  Put cupcake liners in muffin tin.  Fill to about 2/3 full.  I sprinkled sugar sprinkles on top of the muffins before baking.  Bake until cupcakes are done (don't overbake).  I think I baked them for 11-15 minutes but time will vary based on your oven.  You can also make this in a bread pan but you'd need to cook it longer and grease the pan first.  I did it both ways and like the muffins a lot more.  This recipe was originally supposed to be a copycat recipe for the Starbucks Lemon Loaf but I altered it a little and didn't use the glaze they suggested.  If you want to try the glaze, it is 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tbsp skim milk, and 1 tsp lemon extract (or a few drops of lemon essential oil).  Combine those ingredients and pour over the cooled muffins or loaf.

Lemon Curd

1 cup of sugar

3 eggs

1 cup of lemon juice freshly squeezed (or frozen)

1/2 cup of butter (melted but cooled)

Zest from 2 lemons

Directions: Whisk eggs and sugar together, stir in juice, lemon zest and butter ... place in microwave for 2 mins then continue to stir after cooking another minute to 5 minutes until it thickens homemade lemon curd. CAN BE FROZEN UP TO A YEAR !!!!!

From my British friend, Maxine Arrington

Hot Fudge Sauce

My friend served this with ice cream and brownies earlier this week and it was delicious!  She was gracious enough to share the recipe with me.  Enjoy!

Mix together in a sauce pan:

2 cups of sugar

1/3 cup of cocoa

Add:

1 can of evaporated milk

Bring to a slow boil, as mixture starts to thicken stir often to keep from burning.

Add:

1/2 cube of butter

Stir until butter melts and bring back to a slow boil until mixture gets a little thicker.  Take off heat and let stand until cool enough to eat.

Store in an air tight container and it will reheat in micro several more  times before it goes sugary.