Fluffy Pumpkin Pie

Our family's Thanksgiving tradition.

(This makes enough for two pies.)

2 Graham Cracker Pie Crusts

1 15 oz. Can pumpkin

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

Heat oven to 425. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Turn into pie crusts. Bake 15 minutes; remove pie. Reduce ov en to 350. Sprinkle topping evenly over pie. Bake 40-45 more minutes. Cool; refrigerate leftovers. Serve with whipped cream.

Topping (I usually double, I like a lot of topping.)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T flour
2 T cold butter

Combine first 3 ingredients and cut in the butter until crumbly.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

These are our new favorite:

1/2 cup mashed bananas (1 large)

1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter (creamy works too)

1/2 cup agave nectar or honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup raisins or any other dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir together bananas, peanut butter, agave, and vanilla. In a small bowl combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in raisins.

Using 1/4 cup, measure and drop cookie dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Dip a spatula in water and flatten cookies and make them round. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Yum.

Oatmeal Spice Cookies

These are really soft and chewy cookies.

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

Beat butter in mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, regular sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and cloves. Mix until combined, add eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour and then the oats. Bake at 375 for 7 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Mmm, tasty.

You could also add 1 cup raisins after adding the oats if you want.

Homemade Peach Cobbler

1 quart Fresh Peaches
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 stick of Butter (cut into small pieces)
1/4 cup Water
2 Pie Crust

Start by peeling and cutting peaches in a large mixing bowl. Then pour in Sugar, Nutmeg, Butter and Water and toss until peaches are covered. Then put one pie crust in the bottom of you baking dish. Pour peach mixture on top on pie crust. Take the remaining pie crust and cover your peach dish. Press edges of the top and bottom crust together. Sprinkle a little sugar and nutmeg on top of your crust.

Bake @ 350 for 1hr

Famous Monster Cookies (Jinny)

This is another recipe from my sister Jessie. Anytime I make these cookies, everybody raves about them and asks for the recipe. They are very moist.

6 eggs
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temp
24 oz peanut butter (3 cups)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
9 cups quick oats (you can also use 1/2 flour, 1/2 oat mixture. Last time I made them I used 6 cups oats, 3 cups flour and they turned out really well.)
1/2 lb. m & m's
1/2 lb. chocolate, or peanut butter chips (I use about 1/4 lb, whichever you like)

Mix first 6 ingredients until creamy. Combine the dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops just start to crack.
Note: This makes a HUGE batch of cookies. When I make this much, I have to mix all the dry ingredients by hand. I almost always 1/2 this recipe. My sister always takes the leftover cookie dough and rolls them into cookie dough balls and puts them a ziploc bag and freezes them. You can take them out and bake them whenever you want some fresh cookies. Or just pull a ball of dough out and eat it.

Peanut Butter Popcorn (Jinny)

3 quarts popped popcorn (2 microwave bags)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Deseed popped popcorn and place in a large bowl. In a saucepan, bring sugar and syrup to a boil over medium heat and let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add peanut butter. Stir until melted. Add vanilla. Pour over popcorn and mix.

Vanilla Popcorn (Jinny)

This is similar to caramel popcorn, we just like it better.

3 quarts popped popcorn (2 microwave bags)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Deseed popcorn and place in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir until mixture is golden, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat.
(I think it tastes best right away, while it's still soft. Mick likes to wait awhile until it hardens up a little bit.)

Southern Moon Pies (Jinny)

These are awesome!
1/2 C butter
1 C white sugar
1 egg
1 C evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C marshmallow creme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lighly grease a cookie sheet.

To make cookie crusts: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1/2 C butter and white sugar. Add egg, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Add flour mixture slowly to sugar mixture while stirring. Mix just until all ingredients are combined. Drop the dough onto greased cookie sheet by rounded tablespoonfulls (don't do it any bigger than this, the cookies really puff up). Leave at least 3 inches in between each one. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until firm whe pressed with finger. Allow to cool at least an hour before filling.

To make Marshmallow Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, blend together 1/2 C butter, confectioners' sugar, flavored extract, and marshmallow creme. Mix until smooth. Add filling to the pies.

Coconut Cupcakes (Gretchen Smoot)

makes 2 dozen

3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup coconut milk
8 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Your favorite vanilla frosting
fresh roasted coconut, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.

4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture; stir in shredded coconut.

5. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each with a heaping 1/4 cup batter. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto rack; then reinvert and let cool completely, top sides up. Frost cupcakes with seven minute frosting, swirling to cover. Cupcakes may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Garnish with fresh coconut just before serving.

Double Orange Cookies (Jinny)

THESE COOKIES ARE SO ORANGY, FLUFFY, MOIST, AND TASTY. TRY THEM, THEY'RE SO GOOD!

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
2 eggs
1 can (6 oz) orange juice concentrate, thawed, divided
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 T grated orange peel

FROSTING:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 T grated orange peel
1 T reserved OJ concentrate
2 T milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and eggs. Beat untl well blended. Reserve 1 T OJ concentrate for frosting.

Add the remaining concentrate with combined dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; mix well. Stir in the orange peel. Drop by rounded tablespoons full onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 for about 10 min. or until edges are golden brown.

For frosting: Combine fall ingredients until smooth. Spread a little on each cookie.

No-Bake Cookies

1.5 to 2 cups sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine
½ to 1 cup of nuts
2 ½ cups of quick cooking oats (not instant)

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa and butter in heavy saucepan. After it comes to a bubble, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and nuts and mix well. Then mix in oatmeal thoroughly. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Putting them in the fridge helps them firm up.

Haystacks

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups butterscotch chips
1 12-ounce can of cocktail peanuts
5 ounces chow mein noodles

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Stir in nuts and noodles. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Cool. Store covered in the fridge.

Pistachio Salad

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 (20 ounce) can crushed
pineapple, drained
1 (3 ounce) package instant
pistachio pudding mix 1 (8 ounce) container frozen
whipped topping, thawed
1/2 (10.5 ounce) package
miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple and dry pistachio pudding mix. Fold in thawed whipped topping and marshmallows until well mixed. Refrigerate until chilled and serve.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

"These cookies have a sweet peanut butter cup center."

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut
butter cups, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
3.Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well.
4.Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
5.Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
Bottom Layer
4oz Cream Cheese, softened
1Tbsp Milk
1 Tbsp Sugar
8oz Cool Whip, divided
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Top Layer
1 cup Milk
1 can Pumpkin
2 pkg (4serving) Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions:
MIX cream cheese, 1 tbsp milk and the sugar in large bowl with whisk, until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spread on top of crust.

POUR 1 cup milk into large bowl. Add pumpkin, dry pudding mixes and spices. Beat with whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Spread over cream cheese layer.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining whipped topping just before serving.

Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding (Jinny)

Okay, I love all the Halloween recipes. We haven't tried this one yet, but I thought we'd make it the same night as Dinner in a Pumpkin. You cook this one in a pumpkin, too.
1 small (5 or 6 lb. pumpkin)
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 T quick cooking tapioca
4 eggs
4 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla
Whipped cream, cream to pour or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Cut a 4 or 5 inch lid on the pumpkin top, lift off, remove any tissue and set aside. Scoop out and discard seeds and strings, scraping pumpkin as clean as possible Sprinkle 1 tsp of the spice inside the pumpkin/ roll it to dust interior evenly with spice. Set top back on pumpkin and place pumpkin on a rack in a broiler pan. Place in a 350 degree oven, then pour boiling water into the pan to a depth of 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Bake about 45 minutes. After the pumpkin has cooked about 20 minutes, start the tapioca pudding. In a 3 or 4 quart pan, mix together the sugar, salt, tapioca, eggs and milk. Let stand for10 minutes. Place on stove and stir over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. (Keep pudding hot.) Remove pumpkin from oven and set lit aside. Pour hot pudding into the pumpkin and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp spice. Continue baking, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until pudding is set. Remove from oven and replace lid; let sit about 30 minutes to cool slightly. Serve warm, scooping out some pumpkin meat with each serving. Serve with cream or ice cream.

Snicker's Bar Tarts

I know this is not a Halloween Treat, but I couldn't resist putting it on the blog. These looked great. I am going to have to try these.

CRUST:
15 ounce box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

FILLING:
2½ regular-sized Snicker's Bars (you'll have to eat that extra half!)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs + 2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbs sour cream
2 Tbs creamy peanut butter

TOPPING:
2 Tbs whipping cream
½ cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll pie crusts on work surface. With rolling pin, roll each crust lightly into 12-inch round. With 3-inch round cutter, cut 24 rounds from crusts, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Press 1 pie crust round in bottom and up side in each of 24 ungreased mini muffin cups, so edges of crusts extend slightly above sides of cups. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until very light golden brown; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

2 Cut candy bars in half lengthwise; cut into 1/8-inch pieces; chop coarsely. Place candy bar pieces in bottoms of cooled crust-lined cups, reserving some for garnish.

3 In small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in egg until well balanced. Add sour cream and peanut butter, beating until mixture is smooth. Spoon 2 teaspoons cream cheese mixture over candy bar pieces in each tart. Bake at 325°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).

4 In pyrex measuring cup, place whipping cream. Heat in microwave until bubbling. Remove and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. If necessary, return to microwave for 30 seconds until hot enough to melt. DON'T OVERHEAT.

5 Place a dollop of chocolate ganache on top of each tart. Garnish with pieces of Snicker's Bar. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serving. Keep any unused tarts refrigerated.

Servings: 24

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

Fun fall treat...



PUMPKIN BATTER:
1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs all-purpose flour

CHOCOLATE BATTER:
5½ ounces best-quality semisweet- chocolate, finely chopped
1¼ sticks (5 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 13x9-inch baking dish.

2 Prepare pumpkin batter: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter with cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar, scraping bowl occasionally. Bet in egg, then add pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Stir in flour.

3 Prepare chocolate batter: Combine semisweet chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with 1-inch of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, combine eggs with sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat at low speed until light and fluffy- about 4 minutes. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in melted chocolate. Sift flour over the batter and fold it in just until combined.

4 Spread chocolate batter evenly in prepared pan. Using a Tablespoon, drop dollops of the pumpkin batter all over the top. Using the back of a butter knife, swirl the pumpkin batter slightly into the chocolate.

5 Bake for 30-40 minutes (starting checking on brownies at 30 minutes to see if they're done- a toothpick inserted into center should come out clean).

6 Let brownies cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 24 brownies

Cooking Tips
*Let eggs sit on counter for 30 minutes to achieve "room temperature" eggs.

Dirt Cake

This is a fun Halloween recipe that uses gummi worms and crushed Oreo cookies. To make it lots of fun you can add plastic eye balls.

Ingredients:
1 (6 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding, make as directed
4 ounces cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip
1 (20 ounce) package Oreo cookies, crushed

Directions
1Mix Cool Whip and cream cheese, blend in pudding.
2Layer in serving dish with pudding mixture, cookie crumbs, worms. End with cookie crumbs so it looks like dirt. Chill.

Boston's Most Favorite Holiday Sugar Cookies

This is my sister Jessie's sugar cookie recipe. She is very picky when it comes to good food, this is a sour cream sugar cookie, very moist, not dry and crumbly. We make them every holiday!

1 C Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 C Butter, Room Temp.

1 tsp vanilla

4 C flour

1 C Sour Cream

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Lemon Extract

Combine dry ingredients. Set aside. Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, dry ingredients and then sour cream. Mix after each addition. Roll and cut out. Bake at 325 for 13-15 minutes, until very very light brown. These don't really brown up, so make sure to not overbake them. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (made with Lemon or Almond Extract.)

Don't forget to lick the beaters!!