Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I started a bit early this year to insure I could make ALL of my

favorite pumpkin recipes before I move on to "holiday" treats.

My family always asks for these cookies - this year

I frosted some with cream cheese frosting

(my husband says it's overkill, but no one really asked:)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil (you can easily sub applesauce for 1/2 the oil)
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. milk
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
3-4 drops orange food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg. Once combined add spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves), then add vanilla, milk and salt. Add flour, baking soda and baking powder - then lastly add the chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly.

Drop by spoonful on a greased cookie sheet and bake for approx. 10 mins.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese and butter until creamy - add vanilla and powdered sugar, mix well.

Once cookies are cooled, frost at will.

Bon Appetit!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies, hands down. Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate anyway?


1 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 butter, softened
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 T milk
40 mini-chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, both sugars, peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Roll into 40 balls and place into ungreased mini muffin pans.

Bake for about 8 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, press a peanut butter cup into each cookie. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Pumpkin Torte

My favorite season is almost here.

I love baking with apples and pumpkin,

which leads me to my first "FALL" offering.

Pumpkin flavor is infused in both

the cake and frosting,

making this dessert super rich.

Pumpkin Torte:

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, divided
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs
2 t. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat with success)
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 (16 oz) container Cool Whip (I used light and it worked fine)
1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping
1/3 c. toasted pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of your Kitchen Aid, combine - cake mix, 1 c. pumpkin, milk, oil and eggs. Mix well then add 1 t. pumpkin pie spice. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then medium for 2 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans before removing to wire racks. Cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, sugar, remaining pumpkin and 1 t. pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
Split cake horizontally. Place a layer on a plate; spread with a fourth of filling. Repeat layers three times. Chill in fridge for 3 hours or until ready to serve.
Just before serving drizzle the torte with caramel topping and pecans.

Bon Appetit!

Bowtie Pasta Salad

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted anything! I think the whole back to school thing stresses me out too much to do anything fun like cooking and blogging.
This is a pasta salad Tamara gave me the recipe for last year when I was looking for food to make for my sister's baby shower. This was a popular one with everyone who was there and I have since made it a ton of times. It is really easy and versatile-- you could add some chopped, cooked chicken to make it more of a main course meal or vary what vegetables you add to it.
It tastes better if made the day (or at least a few hours) before. I reserve some of the coleslaw dressing and fold it in before serving to make sure the salad is moist. Also the cashews shouldn't be added until just before serving so they don't go soft.


1 454 g (1 lb) box of Farfalle (bowtie) pasta
1 lg bottle (2 cups) of Coleslaw salad dressing
1/2 C mayonnaise
4 stalks of celery, diced
2-3 cans of mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 C chopped green onions
1/2 C of red grapes, cut in half
1/2 C unsalted cashews (optional)
1/4 C Craisins (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Lemonade Cake

This is a glorified "cake mix" cake.

If that offends you, move on.

After reading the reviews about this cake I knew I would be trying it soon.

People were so critical that this cake uses a

cake mix as the base of the recipe,

they actually lowered their ratings!

I guess I'm not as easily offended:)

I thought it was really good.

I did exactly as the recipe stated and I loved

the punch of flavor that the lemonade glaze gave.

Lemonade Cake:

1 - 3 oz. package lemon flavored jello
3/4 c. boiling water
1 lemon cake mix
3/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
3/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan, set aside.
Dissolve lemon jello in boiling water and set aside.
Combine cake mix, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add the jello, then beat for 5 minutes. Pour prepared batter into the pan.
Make the lemonade glaze by combining the lemonade concentrate and sugar in a small pan, cook long enough to dissolve the sugar.
Bake for 1 hour. While the cake is still warm (and still in the pan) - puncture the cake with a long knife to give the glaze somewhere to go, then pour the lemonade glaze over the cake.
Let the cake cool completely before removing to a decorative plate.

Bon Appetit!

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes - take horrible pictures.

Thankfully they taste SO MUCH BETTER than they photograph.

Here is a recipe I found on Allrecipes (a favorite website for recipe searches.)

I was looking for something simple, lower in fat than funeral potatoes or Au Gratin potatoes, and this is what I came up with.

Everyone loved them!

Scalloped Potatoes:

5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3/4 c. chopped onion

3 T. butter

1/4 c. flour

1 3/4 c. chicken broth

2 T. mayo

3/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Paprika

1/2 c. cheddar cheese (optional)

In a greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish, layer potatoes and onion. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayo, s&p. Cook and stir for 2 mins or until thick and bubbly. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until tender.

Cook's Note: This recipe is quite forgiving. I used more than 5 potatoes...so I made slightly more sauce...but it wasn't enough to cover all the potatoes I'd peeled - so I opened a can of evaporated milk and poured the entire can over the potatoes. I then baked for 3 HOURS!!! I added cheddar cheese to the top of half of the pan at the last minute. There was plenty of sauce, and they were fantastic!

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Salad with Tarragon

This is one of my favorite sandwiches courtesy of Ina Garten. It has a lot of memories for me: one of my Dad's favorite spices was tarragon. It reminded him of his years in France, since that is a french favorite. We found Ina's recipe and made it for a church luncheon where people loved it and we have both enjoyed it many times after that. Tarragon really adds a wonderful flavor that is second to none in this recipe.

It makes for moister, tastier chicken to cook bone-in, skin-on breasts in the oven and then cool and chop the chicken, however, I usually use what I have on hand which is of the boneless, skinless variety.

3 to 4 cooked and cooled chicken breasts
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 1/2 T chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 C small-diced celery (2 stalks)
1/2 C to 1 C of green grapes, sliced in half
salt and pepper to taste

Cut chicken into a 3/4-inch dice. Place in a bowl; add the mayonnaise, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, salt and pepper and toss well. Serve as a salad, or fill up your favorite rolls.

Jen's Lemon Bars

This a recipe I got from my good

friend and neighbor Jen.

They are simple and fantastic all at the same time.

The crust has a shortbread quality to it and the filling is super lemony!

This is my go-to recipe, since I always have the ingredients on hand

and they just hit the spot.

Jen's Lemon Bars:

Crust:
2 c. flour
1 c. butter
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine until a dough forms. Spread dough (I use my hands) into a sheet cake pan, the one I use is 13x15, but larger would work too.
Bake crust for 13-15 minutes.

Filling:
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
4 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon extract (I added this because I like intense lemon flavor, it's optional)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 c. flour

Mix all ingredients for the filling together. When smooth, pour onto the hot crust and return to the oven for 20-25 minutes, until light brown and filling is set.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

If your house is anything like mine - you've got lots of banana's in need of use.

I make banana bread on a regular basis, along with banana muffins and smoothies...ho hum.

This recipe is a breath of fresh air for my

freezer full of bananas!

Since it incorporates a fruit, I consider it healthier than say, chocolate cake.

Add some cream cheese frosting and it is over the top!

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Banana Bars:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. or 4 ripe bananas

1 (16 oz) container cream cheese frosting, or homemade cream cheese frosting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan (mine was 13x17 and worked just fine.)
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and eggs. Add the sour cream, bananas and vanilla. When incorporated, add the flour, baking soda and salt.
Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 mins until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting.
Cut and enjoy!

***Chef's Note: I am always amazed at how many people don't know that you can freeze your over-ripe bananas. They work perfectly for banana bread, muffins, smoothies and this cake! I won't lie...they are ugly, but you can thaw them in the microwave and use them in any recipe calling for ripe bananas:)

Bon Appetit!

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

I get hooked on one cookbook and everything I cook comes from it for a while. Yes, Giada again. There are no changes here except I added some cornstarch to thicken the sauce. It was not as much creamy, but rather runny before the miracle of the thickening power of cornstarch helped it out.
It has a lovely, fresh lemon flavor which tastes great on a warm summer night-- or any night. Herbes de Provence sounds fancy, but it can be picked up at any grocery store in the spice aisle.

1 lb penne pasta
3 T olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1" cubes
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
pinch of salt, plus 1/2 tsp
pinch of pepper, plus 1/4 tsp
1 C chicken broth
2 C heavy cream
zest of one lemon
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 C fresh, flat-leaf parsley
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Season the chicken with the Herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Take the chicken out of the skillet and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over med-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes. ( At this point, I dissolved about 1 T of cornstarch in a little cold water, or you could us chicken broth, and stirred it into the sauce.)

Add the pasta, chicken, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve. Bon Appetit!

Peanut Sesame Noodles

This is a recipe I've adapted from The Pioneer Woman.

She called her recipe Simple Sesame Noodles.

You may look it up if you'd like, the changes I made were subtle.

You could add chicken to this dish for a more "manly" meal,

but mine was working, so I didn't need to worry about his needs:)

I added 1 T. peanut butter to the sauce

and chopped peanuts as a garnish.

Both could be left out if you have nut allergies to consider.

On with it...

Peanut Sesame Noodles

12 oz, fluid thin noodles, cooked and drained (angel hair pasta is what I used)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. rice vinegar
3 T. pure sesame oil
2 T. sweet chili sauce (this will still have some heat to it, despite the word "sweet")
6 T. canola oil
2 T. hot water
1 T. creamy peanut butter
4 green onions, sliced thin, to garnish
1/4 c. dry roasted peanuts to garnish

Whisk all ingredients (except noodles, green onions and peanut butter) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Pour sauce over hot noodles and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with green onions and peanuts, toss.

Bon Appetit!

Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake

Very few chef''s do "butter" better than Paula.

I knew that I would love this recipe before it was made.

I was not disappointed!

The recipe says to bake it for 40-50 mins, I checked it at 45 minutes

and wished I'd checked 5 minutes sooner.

Make sure the center is slightly giggly when you take it out:)

Paula Deen's Gooey Butter Cake:

Cake:
1 yellow or white cake mix, dry
1 egg
1 stick of butter, melted

Filling:
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 stick of butter, melted
1 16 oz (1lb) box of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix, egg and butter in a bowl. Mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan. Prepare filling.

In another large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and butter. Beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well.

Spread filling over the cake batter and bake for 40-50 mins. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Bon Appetit!

Creamy Orzo

I really love this recipe from Giada. The creaminess reminds me of a speedy risotto-- comfort on a plate. If you haven't cooked with Orzo before, it is a fun change from other pasta noodles.

1 lb orzo pasta
2 T olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, juices drained
1 1/4 C of whipping cream
1 C frozen peas, thawed
3/4 C freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Bring a heavy large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving one cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture, continue stirring until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bon Appetit!

Paula Deen's Southern Peach Cobbler

Apparently great minds think alike: Tamara and I must have been channeling peaches! This is different from any cobbler I have made before-- maybe that's what makes it southern, who knows. This cobbler is definitely best made and eaten the same day--there is so much moisture in it from the peaches and juice and butter that it doesn't keep as well the next day. But since it is made in an 8X8 pan, it shouldn't be a problem to eat it in one day. I cut back some of the sugar and butter from the original recipe and it still tastes great.

4 C of peaches, sliced and peeled (I'm sure canned peaches would be fine too, but drain them)
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C water
Combine all together in saucepan. Stir. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 6 T of butter in an 8X8 pan. Put in the oven to melt the butter.

In a bowl, mix together until smooth:
1 1/2 C flour
3 tsp baking powder (unless you are using self-rising flour then omit)
3/4 C sugar
1 1/2 C milk

Pour batter over the melted butter. Do not stir. Carefully spoon the peaches onto the batter, then gently pour the syrup over top. Sprinkle with cinnamon. The batter will rise to the top as it bakes. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Cool and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Peach Crisp...Cobbler...Crumble.

My intention was to take a captivating picture of this creation once it was plated up with a generous scoop of whipped cream...but literally, before I knew it - the pan was empty.

So, while this picture does nothing to visually inspire you to make it,

let me mention a couple of things.

1. I am the ONLY one in my family who enjoys peaches...

yet there was nothing left.

2. One-dish dessert.

3. I used...shhhh...canned peaches.

4. You likely have everything you need in your house to make this, right now.

'Nough said.

Peach Crisp...Cobbler...Crumble...whatever you want to call it.

3-15 oz cans of peaches with juice (you could easily use 4 cans or 2-27 oz cans)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg (I didn't have any so I used "apple pie spice")

1 t. cornstarch

1 yellow, white or vanilla cake mix, dry

1/2 c. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour peaches with juice in a 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch. The sprinkle the brown sugar over the peaches.

Next, sprinkle the dry cake mix over the peaches to cover. Drizzle the melted butter on top of the cake mix.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is browned.

Let it cool then serve with whipping cream.

Bon Appetit!

Creamy Cheesy Bruschetta

Like my grandfather before me, I love the clearance produce deals at the grocery store. Yesterday I found a package of 8 tomatoes for $1.50 and had to come home and do something with a few of them right away. These are really quick and tasty; a great thing to have with a salad in the summer for dinner.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut baguette into 3/4" pieces. Toast pieces lightly in the oven. Take out and set aside.

Topping:
2 medium tomatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces. I like to cut the tomato in half and squeeze out most of the seeds before I dice.
1/2 C (or more) of grated cheddar cheese
2 T of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C mayonnaise
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
dash of pepper

Mix all ingredients together and spread on the baguette toasts. If you like, grate a little more Parmesan on the top, and then put back in the oven for around 6 minutes or so to warm the topping and melt the cheese. Eat warm. Bon Appetit!

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake

Unfortunate picture...

I was trying to take a picture, while 5 kids were nipping at our heals.

Fortunate recipe find!

Very yummy cake!

It is beyond easy and a nice change from regular cake.

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake:

1/2 c. hot fudge topping, room temp
1 - 80 oz tub of Cool Whip, divided
1 - 3 oz pkg. instant chocolate pudding
12 Oreo cookies, chopped or smashed:)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped

Pour hot fudge topping a medium size bowl, add 1 c. Cool Whip, mix until well blended. Add dry pudding mix. Mix for 2 minutes, then add chopped up cookies. Set aside.

Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side by side on a 24 inch piece of aluminum foil. Top with half of the cookie mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. Frost top and sides with remaining Cool whip. Bring up foil sides and loosely fold ends of package.
Freeze at least 4 hours before serving, preferably over night.

Here is the "how to video" if you'd like to see it done.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Oreo--Fudge-Ice-Cream-Cake-Video/Details.aspx

Bon Appetit!

Oven Roasted Broccoli

I love the way oven roasted vegetables taste but for some reason, I have never tried Broccoli this way--until now. I am Addicted!! It is so good that if someone asked me if I wanted this broccoli or some chocolate, I would have to side with the broccoli.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Broccoli-- whatever amount, but into florets and then washed and patted dry.

Put the broccoli on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook for 15 minutes. You don't need to turn over-- just leave it. Some of the edges of the florets will be dark and crispy, but it tastes amazing.

Place on a plate or serving tray and grate some fresh Parmesan over top. I made it two nights in a row; once with the addition of some lemon zest which was really good, but I think I prefer just the Parmesan.

Farfalle with Pesto, Chicken and Tomatoes

This is a great alternative to the usual pasta salad.

It incorporates

*pasta

*basil pesto

*chicken

*tomatoes

*feta cheese.

It could even be served as a main dish if you

paired it with a nice crusty bread.

Farfalle with Pesto, Chicken and Tomatoes:

1 lb. farfalle pasta, cooked according to directions

8 oz. pesto

1 1/2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded

5 roma tomatoes, diced

8 oz. feta cheese, I used the tomato and basil variety

1/4 - 1/2 c. oil - whatever kind you prefer, I used vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta, drain and cool by running under cold water. Add pesto, chicken, tomatoes and cheese. Stir well. Add enough oil to moisten the pasta. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to serve. If the pasta seems dry, add a little more oil.

Bon Appetit!

Simply the Best Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookie

What more can I say?

These are the best.

They are soft and chewy

+

they are crisp and melt in your mouth.

Does it sound too good to be true?

Give them a try.

Simply the Best Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookies!

4 1/2 c. flour
2 t. soda
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. butter flavored Crisco
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. chocolate chips
2 c. butterscotch chips
2 c. walnuts, chopped & optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In the large bowl of your mixer, place butter and shortening. Mix well. Add brown sugar, white sugar and pudding boxes. Mix until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, combine. Add the flour slowly so you don't make a mess, add soda. Mix until everything is incorporated. Finally add the chips and nuts if you want.

Place spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Bon Appetit!