Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

We're big pumpkin fans around here. Anything with a pumpkin taste will be devoured in virtually no time. These are our favorite pumpkin cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup oil (I use canola)
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

In a large bowl combine pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add flour and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.


Note: Feel free to add some whole wheat flour in place of the regular flour if you're like me and like to use whole wheat flour. I use 2 cups all purpose, 3 cups whole wheat.

Fudge Sauce

Here is a delicious homemade hot fudge sauce. It's good warm or cold. We love it on ice cream!

Fudge Sauce

2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
4 tablespoons butter
1 can evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Stir sugar and cocoa in saucepan over low heat for 2-3 minutes (this helps to avoid lumps in your sauce). Add butter and evaporated milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes or until sauce is at desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken more once it sits in your refrigerator). Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir for a few minutes. Refrigerate. Warm for serving, if desired.

Fruited Green Salad

I love any salad that has greens and fruits. It's easy because the dressing is purchased (Brianna's poppyseed dressing). If you don't like one of the fruits, just add more of the others. Hope you like it!

Fruited Green Salad

8-10 cups mixed greens (you can use lettuce, spinach, spring mix, or whatever else you want)
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 pear, diced
1 apple, diced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 1/2 cups diced and cooked bacon (hold out until ready to serve if you're making the salad ahead of time)
1 cup candied pecans (add just before serving)

Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Serve with Brianna's poppyseed dressing.

Candied Pecans: Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place 2/3 cups brown sugar and 1/4 cup water in a skillet, stir until dissolved. Heat to boiling and reduce heat to a slow boil. Add 2 cups pecan halves (chopped if desired), stir constantly until sauce thickens and coats the pecans. Spread pecans on a cookie sheet, separate, and cool. (This makes more than you'll need for this salad, you can half the recipe if desired).

Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a quick and easy recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup. Finally, a soup that even my kids will eat! I love how the cream of chicken soup thickens it slightly so the soup isn't just broth.

Quick Chicken Noodle Soup

4 chicken breasts

Boil chicken breasts in water for 20 minutes and then cut up into small pieces. Set aside

5 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
10 cups water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups noodles (any type)

Boil vegetables, bouillon and water for about 8 minutes. Add noodles and reserved chicken and cook another 8-10 minutes.

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon dried basil
pepper to taste
1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Add cream of chicken soup, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil again before adding defrosted peas. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Orange Rolls

I've never met a person that didn't love these rolls. We used to have competitions in my family at Thanksgiving to see who would eat the most orange rolls. They are definitely one of the best rolls I've ever eaten. I can bet that my sisters will be jealous that they are not at my house when they see this post!

Orange Rolls

1 cup scalded milk (or 1 cup warm water and 1/3 cup powdered milk)
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon yeast softened in 1/4 cup warm water
2 well beaten eggs
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
5 cups all purpose flour

Glaze:
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Mix first four ingredients together and cool to lukewarm.

Mix together remaining ingredients and add enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Cover, let stand 10 minutes. Knead dough. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise until double in bulk. Punch dough down and let stand 15 minutes. Cut dough into approximately 2 inch chunks and roll lightly between hands until shaped like a snake. Tie into a knot. Arrange rolls on a baking sheet and tuck under ends. Cover, let rise till double. Bake at 400 degreess for 12 minutes until lightly golden brown. Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen rolls. Cool and brush with glaze.

For easier frosting, make these ahead of time and freeze the rolls. Frost while still frozen and let stand at room temperature for a few hours and they will be defrosted in time for dinner.

Bran Waffles

In our house, a waffle has to be topped with fruit. This time of year, we're so excited to see strawberries again that we don't really care how much they cost, we just have to buy them. Here's one of my favorite waffle recipes. It calls for bran cereal (or multi-grain or cracked wheat). Use whatever you have on hand. I personally really like the crunch the cracked wheat cereal gives these waffles, but my family isn't crazy about it. Tonight I used half rolled wheat and half oat bran cereal. I've used a lot of combinations in this recipe, and they all taste great! Don't forget that if you don't have buttermilk on hand you can add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to each cup of milk. I never have buttermilk when I need it and use this substitution a lot. Top your waffles with maple syrup or if you're like us, lots of whipped cream and fruit!

Bran Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup whole bran cereal (or multi grain, or cracked wheat cereal)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 beaten egg yolks
6 tablespoons melted butter (can substitute a healthy oil like canola if desired)
2 stiffly beaten egg whites

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a large measuring cup whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fold in egg whites, do not overmix. Cook in a waffle maker to your desired crispness. Enjoy!

Breakfast Casserole

I love having breakfast for dinner. This is a perfect casserole to go along with pancakes or waffles, or serve it on it's own with some fruit on the side.

Breakfast Casserole

12 ounces sliced bacon, diced (I used turkey bacon)
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
6 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) small curd cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp, drain. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add bacon mixture and stir again. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until set and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 12.

Easy, Juicy Pork Chops

The first few times I made pork chops, they were bland and dry. One day, I found a recipe in the Cooks Illustrated Book "The Best New Recipe." I learned about a technique called brining. It was like magic! All of a sudden my pork chops were moist and delicious. This is a simple recipe that results in a quick dinner. I use the thick boneless pork chops that I buy at Costco. The one thing you really need to make these chops is a meat thermometer, so that you don't overcook the pork.

Pork Chops

3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup table salt
6 cups water
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon oil

Dissolve brown sugar and salt in 6 cups of water. Place in a gallon size ziploc bag. Add pork chops and seal the bag. Refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour. Remove the chops and rinse then dry completely. Season chops with pepper.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In an ovenproof skillet, heat oil. Place chops in the skillet and cook until well browned and a nice crust has formed on each side (about 3 minutes per side). Place skillet in the oven and cook (turning chops over once in the middle of the cooking time) for 10-15 minutes until chops register 140 degrees on a meat thermometer (sometimes this takes longer for me, it depends on how thick your chops are). Remove skillet from oven and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes and check internal temperature (it should register at least 145 degrees). Serve immediately.

Homemade Applesauce

When I was a child, my grandma used to make Baked Apples. I loved the cinnamon smell, the soft apples. This applesauce recipe reminds me of those baked apples I loved as a child. When you have the applesauce baking in your oven it makes your house smell absolutely divine. This applesauce is great eaten on it's own, on toast, on pancakes, or with pork chops. This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found in the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. It makes a lot, but keeps for quite some time in the fridge. My husband loves this stuff and is always thrilled when I make it.

Homemade Applesauce

Zest and juice of 2 large navel oranges
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup water
6 pounds of apples (use a mixture of apples, the more kinds the better. I usually use a combination of granny smith, fuji, jonathan, gala or anything else I have on hand)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and chop the apples. Combine water, juice, and zest. Toss apples in the juice mixture and then pour into a large nonreactive Dutch oven or enameled pot. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice and cover the pot. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the apples are soft. Mash apples with a potato masher or whisk until applesauce is at desired consistency. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Muffins

I found this recipe at the King Arthur Flour website. Those people know how to bake! I absolutely LOVE anything that is chocolate, so this had to be tried right away. I made a few modifications to my muffins: I added some whole wheat flour and raspberries (because I love raspberries with chocolate) and I left out the espresso powder. The original recipe can be found here: Chocolate Breakfast Muffins . And my version is below. Hope you enjoy them!

Chocolate Muffins (adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe)

2/3 cup (2 ounces) Dutch-process cocoa
1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour
3/4 cup (3.25 ounces) all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (9 3/8 ounces) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/2 cup (4 ounces, 1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup mashed raspberries (fresh or frozen), optional

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper or spray muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup or medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, milk, vanilla and vinegar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend; then gently stir in the mashed raspberries, if desired.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin (about 2/3 full). Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven, and after 5 minutes remove them from the pan, allowing them to cool for about 15 minutes on a rack before peeling off the muffin papers or silicone cups. Makes about 18 small muffins.

Au Gratin Potatoes

I was feeling lazy tonight so I picked up some ham at Costco. Au Gratin Potatoes sounded pretty good so I made them to go along with the ham. If you have a food processor, this dish whips up in practically no time at all. I use the FP to cut the onions too, using my small shredding disk.

Au Gratin Potatoes

4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices (I prefer red potatoes, unpeeled, I used about 9-10 potatoes)
1 onion, sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (the sharper the better)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 1 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Layer half of the potatoes into the bottom of the dish. Top with onion slices, then add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, stirring constantly for about a minute. Add milk slowly and cook until mixture has thickened, stirring frequently. Add cheese and continue to stir until the cheese has melted. Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes and cover the dish with foil. Bake about 1 1/2 hours in the oven. (I like to uncover my potatoes for the last 10 minutes or so, that way the tops get a little bit browned).

Banana Bread

A few weeks ago my mom gave me a bunch of bananas that were turning brown. What to do with leftover bananas? Make banana bread! I've had a recipe that I've used over and over again, but tried a new one this time. I made some healthy changes (sometimes I'm in the mood for full fat deliciousness, other times I'm a little more health conscious). I'll post my healthier recipe, and if anyone wants the original, not as healthy, version let me know!

The thing I love about this recipe is that you bake the bread at 300 degrees. I thought this was really strange since almost all quick breads call for a 350 degree oven, but I found that 300 degrees worked wonderfully. I didn't get the super dark crust that eventually turns hard like most banana breads. It was moist and wonderful, despite all the whole wheat flour that I put in it. We ate a loaf right away and froze the rest. It freezes perfectly.

Banana Bread

5 large ripe bananas
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups sugar
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In mixing bowl, beat eggs; add bananas and beat until smooth. Add butter, applesauce, and sugar and mix well. Add flour, soda and salt to combine. Pour into 3 greased (8x4") loaf pans and bake at 300 degrees for 60-65 minutes, or into 2 greased large (9x5") loaf pans for 75 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.