Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were really good!! The texture is like the texture of these Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies but a little more dense.I have to admit that pumpkin scares me a little! I think it kinda smells funny. I have never tried pumpkin pie, and every time I almost convince myself to try it, I take a look at it and decide against it... I'm crazy I know! When I was working in Spanish Fork someone brought some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in to work... I tried one... and LOVED it!! No weird looking pumpkin goo made it a little easier to swallow! :)

I found this recipe on annies-eats.com and the only thing I did different was use chocolate chips instead of butterscotch.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In an electric mixer bowl mix the eggs and sugar on medium high speed for about a minute until it is light in color and smooth

Add in the oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Mix until combined well.

On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Scoop some dough and plop it onto the cookie sheet, doesn't have to look perfect... they are not the prettiest cookies. I used a small cookie scoop, I probably should have made them a little bigger, but oh well! Space them a few inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes if you make them small or if they are a little bigger then for about 12-13 minutes turning halfway through the cook time. They are done when the tops feel firm and don't sink in when you poke them. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5+ minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.

Sugar Cookie, Candy Pizza

Sadly I didn't get a picture with all of the toppings on because I brought it to an activity for girls to assemble themselves.
I am a leader for Activity Girls in my ward at church and I was in charge of bringing the treat. (I am always very quick to volunteer for bringing treat :) ) I decided to make 2 soft sugar cookies in my tart pan, bring some vanilla frosting for them to spread on and then some kit-kats, reese's, and mini m&ms for the toppings... YUM!

I got the recipe out of my Taste of Home cook book and the only thing I changes was I took out the almond extract and added 1/4 tsp extra of vanilla extract.

Soft Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Toppings

vanilla frosting

Kit-Kats, cut into small pieces

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut into small pieces

Mini M&M's

(whatever you like best!)

Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add the the creamed butter mixture. I used my tart pan that has a removable bottom and it worked great because I think it would be hard to get out otherwise, if you don't have one I'd suggest using a pizza pan that has a small lip and just serve it in the pan (if you use the pizza pan it'd probably just make one really big cookie instead of 2 medium sized ones like I made.). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Spread with frosting and top with candy!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Bites

These were not as easy to make as I thought they would be but they were definitely delicious! I got the idea from this raspberry cream cheese braid recipe and these pizza bites.

Just use a bread recipe or you can use the bread from the raspberry cream cheese braid for the dough, I used my roll recipe.

Dough

3/4 cup water, warm

1/2 TBS yeast

1 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Filling

the measurements are a little weird because I halved the recipe for it because it makes a lot!

1/2 package cream cheese (4 oz)

1/2 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/16 tsp salt

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Glaze

1/2 + 1/8 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBS milk

Make the dough. Mix the warm water, yeast and sugar, then add the salt and flour. Let it rest while you make the filling. Soften the cream cheese and mix it with the sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. Break your dough into small pieces, about 1/3 of the size you would make for a roll. Flatten each piece, not too thin or the filling will ooze out. Put a little bit of the cream cheese filling and a little bit of raspberry jam into each piece of dough and fold it around the filling and seal it. Put it into a 9 inch round cake pan seam side down, each pan should fit about 24 pieces. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and drizzle the glaze over the raspberry cream cheese bites! They were very yummy! Just a different way of serving the delicious raspberry cream cheese combo! YUM!!

Butterscotch Peanut Butter Bars

This is a recipe my mom made a lot... it is out of some cook book that she has but I just have it written in my recipe book so I'm not sure which one!!

I tried to make these with my friend Holly when I was younger and because butterscotch is in the title, I thought there were butterscotch chips in them... I put a whole bag in with the peanut butter mixture. They actually weren't too bad, but there was a layer of butterscotch on the bottom that was kinda hard and weird... OOPS!! :) haha I had many food mishaps when I was younger and thought I could cook. Now that I am older and think I can cook I still have a few, but luckily not as many! :)

Butterscotch Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Melt the butter in a 2 qt sauce pan. Add the brown sugar and peanut butter, mix well. Bring the mixture just to boiling over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, let cool to lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. While cooling, sift the flour with the baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, set aside. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan. With a wooden spoon beat the eggs and vanilla into the cooled peanut butter mixture. Stir in the flour mixture. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes (the top is going to kind of bubble up and look flaky) let it cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars and eat while still slightly warm.

A yummy treat that is a little different than what we usually have!

Cinnamon Rolls

These were AMAZING!!!!!!! Seriously the best cinnamon roll I've ever had! (I somehow didn't get a picture with the frosting on)

I got this recipe from sisterscafe

Cinnamon Rolls

2 Cups milk

2 cubes (1 Cup) butter

2 TBS yeast

1/3 Cup warm water

1 1/3 Cup Sugar

1 tsp salt

4 beaten eggs

8 Cups flour

1 cube softened butter

Lots of cinnamon

Sugar

Heat milk and 2 cubes of butter until the butter is melted. Cool and set aside. Mix the yeast and water, let stand for 5 minutes. Add cooled milk mixture, sugar, salt and eggs. Add 4 cups of flour and mix then gradually add the rest of the flour until it is the right consistency (Firm but not sticky). Cover and put in a warm place and rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, it should be nearly double in size. Separate dough into 2 equal pieces and dump out onto a floured surface and knead a little. Roll out into a rectangle that is 1/2 inch thick. Spread on 1/2 cube butter onto this half of the dough, completely covering it. Sprinkle a layer of sugar. Then put a generous layer of cinnamon.

Oh yeah, I added a little bit of brown sugar too.

Roll up tightly into a long roll, pinch the edges and cut with a piece of thread. Place on a cookie sheet (cover with parchment paper if you have it). Do the same thing with the other half of dough. Cover with a clean dish towel and put into a warm place without drafts.

Raise for 2-5 hours, until doubled in size, I let mine rise for 3 1/2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, just until they are barely browned. Remove from oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. Drizzle with glaze while still warm. Makes 3-4 dozen.

Butter Cream Glaze

1 cube (1/2 cup) softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
dash of cream of tarter
1 1/2 lbs powdered sugar
scalded milk or cream

Add all together adding milk a little at a time, alternately with the powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. It needs to be a little thinner than regular icing.

YUM YUM YUM!!!! I highly recommend making these! (but it makes a ton so make them for lots of people or give some away :))

Chocolate Frosting

This is the recipe my mom usually uses for Texas sheet cake and also the red velvet bundt cake I'll tell you about in a minute. This frosting is SO good, I can eat it by the spoonful... not kidding... SOOO good!!

Chocolate Frosting

4 TBS butter
3 TBS cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
abt. 4 c. powdered sugar
3 TBS milk

Melt the butter in a small saucepan (or you can just melt it in the microwave, I just do it in a saucepan cuz that is how my mom does it... I think because back in the day they didn't have microwaves :) hehe just kidding mom... but really is that why?) Add the cocoa to the melted butter. Add the powdered sugar... it will get really dry and kinda clumpy just keep mixing together and try to smooth it out as much as you can. Add vanilla then add the milk 1 TBS at a time and whip it until it is glossy and the right consistency. You want it to be runny enough so that it will drizzle, but not too runny so that it'll drip all the way off your cake! (Look at picture below)

This recipe is just off of the side of the box of a cake mix (it is really called devil's food pound cake) and I like to make it with a red velvet mix instead of devil's food. I don't make cake from scratch cuz honestly I think the box kind tastes better, maybe I'll find a good recipe somewhere that I do like better, anyone have one that they'd like to share??

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

1 package red velvet cake mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1 1/4 c. water

1/2 c. vegetable oil

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Mix cake, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and water in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Fruit Dip

This dip is SO good! (and really simple too!!) I didn't take a picture when I used it as fruit dip, but I had some of the leftover on my pancakes and OH MY it was so good!! Definitely using this for my crepe filling in the future! I also made "peaches and cream" for my husband to bring into work, they do a themed potluck on days when they grade tests and last weeks theme was southern foods... not really my area of expertise :) anyways so I made this fruit dip and cut up a bunch of peaches. This dip is SO good with any fruit!

My mom got this recipe from Maile Grover, who was one of my leaders in young women's... when I was a young woman FOREVER ago :)

The only thing I changed is that I put about half as much cream cheese, I like the subtle taste of it and not for it to be the flavor of the whole dip.

Fruit Dip

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 oz softened cream cheese

8-12 oz cool whip (add it to taste, but I suggest at least 8 oz)

Put them all in a bowl and whip it with an electric mixer for a few minutes until it is all mixed in and is a thick consistency. Dip fruit in it, use it in your crepes, on waffles... whatever your little heart desires!! :)

Madeleines

Holy Smokes! That was a long vacation! I went to visit my family for a few weeks and had a blast, but now down to business! I made two batches of these for the mother daughter activity for Activity Day Girls, the theme was under the sea and I thought these would fit in perfectly!

I found this recipe here

Madeleines

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon zest (I just added a little bit of lemon juice cuz I didn't have a lemon)

1 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 3 inch madeleine mold.

In a mixer beat the eggs, vanilla and lemon zest on high for 5 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix for 5-7 minutes, until smooth and satiny. Sift the flour and baking powder together, sift 1/4 of the flour onto the egg mixture and gently fold in. Repeat until all flour is folded in. Add melted butter. Spoon batter into prepared molds 3/4 full.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the tops spring back up when pushed down. Cool for 1 minute in molds on racks, then if necessary, loosen with a knife (mine slid right out) and invert onto the rack. Roll in powdered sugar or dip the ends into melted chocolate. Store in an air tight container.

Chocolate Fluff

This is a recipe my family has always made for Thanksgiving dessert, I guess because it is kinda like a pie... but way better! This is so simple to make and it tastes so good... that is usually what I look for in a recipe!

Chocolate Fluff

70 ritz crackers, crunched up (I usually just use 2 sleeves which has abt. 74 crackers)

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 small or one large chocolate pudding mix (milk to make it with)

8 oz tub cool whip, thawed

1 stick plus 2 TBS butter

Crunch the crackers all up until they are coarsely ground. Mix with the powdered sugar and butter and set 1 cup of the mixture aside and press the rest firmly into a 9x13 pan. Make the pudding as directed. Mix the pudding with the cool whip and pour onto the crust. Let it chill in the fridge until it is set up. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top when you serve. You could put the crumbs on before you put it in the fridge but I like them to be more crunchy so I wait until right before serving.

Banana Pudding cake

Almost forgot to post about this one! My friend Jen that was here visiting last week told me about pudding cakes, so I looked at what I had in the pantry and found a white cake mix and banana cream pudding! Easiest recipe ever!!!

Banana Pudding Cake

1 box of white cake mix

1 package of banana cream pudding

2 cups milk

1 8oz tub cool whip, defrosted

strawberries

couple dashes of sugar

Make the pudding as directed, pour into the cake mix and mix until it is mixed well, pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. The cake is going to be pretty dense. Let the cake cool completely then cover it with the cool whip. Cut up some strawberries and sprinkle them with a little bit of sugar and cover the cake with them! I'm not a big fan of banana but it was still really good! I'm definitely going to be trying this with other flavors of cakes and puddings!! oooo that just sparked an idea... maybe I'll try it with chocolate and make it into and orange or raspberry jello cake... that could be good! (or it could go terribly wrong! I'll let you know!)

P.S. I got those strawberries at Costco and they were Amazing!!

Pralines

I live in Charleston, South Carolina now and when we go down town we always get free praline samples... but we never buy them because they are 16 dollars a pound... not gonna happen!!! So my friend Jen came to visit me and she suggested we look up a recipe and try to make them ourselves!! Genius!! They turned out really good, a bit too sweet if you have more than one! I think I'll try tweaking it a little but I was really happy with the results!

I got this recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pralines/Detail.aspx

I used half and half instead of milk and I didn't have a thermometer (gotta get me one of those!!) but we just guessed and it turned out pretty good, we probably let it go just a bit too long like 30 seconds or so but it was still good :)

Pralines

1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (I used pecan halves and only roasted them for a few minutes)

1 1/2 cup white sugar

3/8 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup half and half

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine pecans, sugar, butter, brown sugar, half an half, and vanilla. Heat to between 234-240 degrees F or until a mall amount of the syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball the flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface... like I mentioned we just kinda guessed at when it was ready. Drop by spoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet and let them cool completely. Instead of a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil I just buttered up my counter (we have a silestone counter top... not quite the huge marble slab they use in Charleston but it worked great!

Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from my Aunt Karen, they are AMAZING!!!! For reals, I love them!!! So go get some cloves and nutmeg and try them out!!!

Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup applesauce
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 package chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate... for these ones I did half white chocolate chips because I didn't have a whole bag of choco chips... not great, but it worked)
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup nuts (I don't like nuts in my treats! I only like nuts by themselves with a little salt... OR coated in cinnamon sugar of coarse mmm!)

In a small bowl combine the applesauce and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl mix the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, spices and salt, mix all together. Add the applesauce mixture. Mix in the flour. Add the chocolate chips! SO easy... such great results (just how I like it!!).

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (or grease it) plop a scoop of dough on there, bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

S'more Brownies

THESE WERE SO GOOD!!!!! I got this recipe from http://theidearoom.blogspot.com/2009/11/smore-brownies.html
S'more Brownies

Crust:
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 TBS sugar
a pinch of fine salt

Brownie:
8 TBS (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I didn't have any so I just used cocoa powder)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp fine salt

4 large cold eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

Topping:

4 cups large marshmallows (I used half a bag of mini marshmallows)

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil so it hangs over the edge 1 inch.

*Crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter, stir the rest of the butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

*Brownies: Put butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl, melt on 75% power for 2 minutes, stir, microwave another 2 minutes until fully melted (or use a double boiler). Since I didn't have the chocolate I just mixed the butter and cocoa. Stir brown and white sugars, vanilla, and salt into melted chocolate. Add eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick glossy batter. Add flour and stir until just incorporated. Bake until crispy and a toothpick comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Put rack 6 inches from broiler on low, layer the marshmallows on top and broil until they are golden, for about 2 minutes (keep a close eye on them cuz it'll look like nothing is really happening and then it will all of a sudden be done :) that is always how it seems when I'm broiling anything!) Use the foil to take them out of the pan and let them cool.

Sopapillas

I am an assistant to the activity day girls for church and we had a "fiesta" on Tuesday night. I made sopapillas for dessert... honestly I don't know if they eat these in Mexico, but growing up they were "Mexican food" to me.

I had these at my Great Uncle Glenn's when we went for 4th of July and my mom got the recipe from them, thankfully!!

Sopapillas

2 cups hot mashed potatoes (instant or real, either way should work... I used instant)

1 TBS salt

2 cups milk

2 TBS sugar

4 TBS butter, melted

1 TBS yeast

2 eggs, well beaten

6 cups flour

Oil for deep frying

Mix the milk, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Add potatoes (really hot) then let the mixture sit until warm. Add the beaten eggs. Let the yeast dissolve in a little bit of luke warm water, then add it to the potato mixture. The dough will be really sticky. Stir in the flour and knead lightly, just enough to mix in the flour. Let it rise to twice it's size, knead lightly again, rise it to twice it's size a second time. Roll out to about 1" thickness. Cut into the size you desire. Dough needs to be sticky so just use enough flour so you can handle it (I like to use cooking spray on my hands instead of flour) Deep fry until golden. I drizzled some honey and butter on half of them and the other half I sprinkled cinnamon sugar over them.

Golden Grahams S'mores

These are quite delicious and really easy to make I don't know where I got the recipe but probably off of a box of golden grahams ??

Golden Grahams S'mores

1 box of golden grahams cereal

3 cups mini marshmallows

1 package milk chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

5 TBS butter

1/4 light cup corn syrup

Melt the butter with 2 cups marshmallows and the chocolate chips on low heat. Add the corn syrup. Take off heat then add the vanilla. Pour a box of cereal into a large bowl and pour the mixture over that and mix until evenly coated. lightly grease a 9x13 pan and pour cereal mixture into it, add the remaining cup of marshmallows and fold them in until evenly distributed. Press into the pan and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or so (until it is firm... but not too firm)

Jello Cake

I guess this isn't really a "recipe" recipe because it is just using mixes but it is dang good!!!

When I was younger living in Connecticut I remember my Aunt Karen making this cake, I've never really liked cake, and I really don't like cake with frosting... weird I know... but this cake is YUMMY, and the "frosting" is pudding!!!

Anyways all you do is make a White cake mix, with the oil, water and egg whites

Bake it and let it cool, then poke it all over with a fork.

Then make a strawberry Jello mix (as directed, with the boiling water/cold water :))and pour it all over the punctured cake.

THEN make dream whip (as directed... not gonna lie I skip this part and put straight up pudding on the cake)And make a box of vanilla pudding as directed... milk... and mix the 2 together with a little red food coloring to make it pretty... we only had green food coloring... that wouldn't have been so pretty! let it chill in the fridge for a few hours and Tada voila, a jello cake!

SO... Everything you need

White cake mix
oil
water
egg whites
Strawberry Jello mix
water
Dream Whip... don't know what you need with this ... milk maybe?
Vanilla Pudding Mix
Milk

I think I'm going to try to make a chocolate version... with raspberry jello... do they make raspberry??? hope so cuz that sounds good!!! :)

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls were really good! It has been a long time since I've made cinnamon rolls, but my friend Maricela and I made them for a play group we had and everyone seemed to love them!

mykitchencafe.blogspot.com is great! I've been trying a lot of the recipes and there are definitely some keepers! You should check it out! I got this recipe from : http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/2008/09/vanilla-pudding-cinnamon-rolls-with.html

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 mins

Rolls:
1/2 cup water
2 TBS active dry yeast
2 TBS sugar
3 1/2 ounce package instant vanilla pudding (prepared)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
6+ cups flour

Filling:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups brown sugar

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar ;))
2-3 TBS milk

In a small bowl combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir until dissolved set aside. In a large bowl make the pudding mix as directed on the package, add butter, eggs and salt mix well, then add yeast mixture blend gradually add flour. Knead until smooth. Do not over flour the dough!! it should be very soft a but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl and cover. Raise until doubled in size. roll on floured surface to 34 x 21 inches take one cup of butter and spread over the dough. Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkle over the top. Roll up tightly put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. cut with thread and place on a greased baking sheet one inch apart. cover and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 350 degrees until they start to turn golden brown (15-20 mins)

Frost the warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting; mix the butter and cream cheese and mix well, add the vanilla and sugar, mix again. add milk until you get the desired consistency.