My Favorite Pumpkin Cookies

1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. Crisco
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 15-oz can pureed pumpkin
2 C. flour
2 C. oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a shake or two of nutmeg
chopped nuts, if desired

Beat the first four ingredients together until light and fluffy. Blend in egg, vanilla and pumpkin.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Blend them into the wet mixture and add chopped nuts and a touch more flour if the dough seems sticky.

Drop by generous teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Caramel Frosting

Melt 1/2 C. butter, 1 C. brown sugar, 1/8 tsp. salt and 1/4 C. milk. Boil 3 minutes; cool for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1 1/2 C. powdered sugar. Beat until mixed.

Red Red Cake

Our traditional "birthday" cake on Minnesota Mom's side of the family. I have been known to substitute a boxed mix in a pinch (Duncan Hines being the preferred brand), but I always make the frosting from scratch!


1 C. butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 2-oz bottle red food color
2 T. unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 C. cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vinegar

Cream butter; slowly add sugar and eggs. Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, make a paste out of the food coloring & cocoa. Blend into the butter mix. Add buttermilk and baking soda to the wet mix. Add vinegar; fold in flour.

Grease and flour one 9 x 13 pan or 2 8" round pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting

Whisk 1 1/2 C. milk with 1/2 C. all-purpose flour. Cook on low until thick. Cool. In bowl cream 1 C. butter with 1 1/2 C. sugar. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. almond extract and a pinch of salt. Add flour until light & fluffy.

*It is very important that your butter not be too warm when you add the flour. Your frosting will curdle! I like to refrigerate the butter & sugar after blending them for a spell and have much better luck when I do so.

This frosting is well worth the extra effort--it makes the cake!

May all your family birthdays be blessed,

Margaret

Monster Cookies! A Fall Favorite

Aptly named because this recipe makes a big huge batch of big huge cookies: half a recipe is good for about 5 dozen. Perfect for sharing with the neighbors!

These are really very good.

4 C. sugar
2 C. (1 lb.) butter or margarine
2 lbs. (4 1/2 C.) brown sugar
3 lbs. crunchy peanut butter
1 dozen eggs (yes, you read that right)
1 T. vanilla
8 tsp. baking soda
18 C. oatmeal (a 2-lb. 10-oz box)
1 lb. M&M's
1 lb. chocolate chips

Combine first 7 ingredients. Mix very well. Add last 3 ingredients; mix well. Make each cookie about the size of a golf ball; flatten slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

*Ed. note: this dough keeps well in the refrigerator, and the cookies freeze beautifully. You may want to make half a batch on your first try.

Double Chip Pumpkin Muffins

I found this recipe in a bed & breakfast cookbook that we stayed at in Duluth. I had the best time just sitting in that lovely room copying down recipes while my husband read Butchering Deer on the bed. It was such a Mars/Venus moment.

This recipe makes two dozen.

3 C. flour
2 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs
1 can pumpkin puree
6 T. butter, melted
1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins.
2. Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs slightly. Stir in pumpkin puree, butter & chips. Blend well.
4. Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

This recipe was the winner of the "Apple Pie of Emeril's Eye" contest on Good Morning America in 2001. This pie is such a keeper. I make it every year, including last year when it was my birthday "cake" and I forget to let it cool before adding the colorful wax candles (which of course melted all over the place). "Look!" my kids were delighted. "It's an M&M pie!"



1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie (store-bought is fine)
1/2 C. sugar
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt to taste
6 C. thinly-sliced peeled apples
1 recipe crumb topping
1/2 C. chopped pecans (toasted for extra flavor)
1/4 C. caramel topping

Ingredients for Crumb Topping

1 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. all-purpose flower
1/2 C. quick cooking oats
1/2 C. butter

Directions for Crumb Topping

1. Stir together brown sugar, flour & and oats.

2.Cut in butter until topping is like coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Directions for pie

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt

2. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.

3. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell.

4. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture.

5. Place pie on a cookie sheet so that it doesn't bubble over into your oven.

6. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil.

7. Bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and put back for another 25 to 30 minutes (until crust is golden but not too dark).

8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans and drizzle with caramel.

9. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature, a la mode or no! (Although apple pie & vanilla bean ice cream is a must around here!)

Just in Time for Autumn Baking

This is an amazing cookbook.

Caramel Popcorn

Really Good Caramel Corn
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
1/4 C. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 quarts popcorn, popped

Microwave the first five ingredients on high for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the soda. Put your popcorn in a brown paper bag and pour the caramel over everything. Microwave the popcorn (bag and all) for 1 minute, shaking after 30 seconds.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of my dear friend Tanya