Oreo Balls

I used these as they eyeballs in our Halloween treat bags for school this year.

1 pkg. Oreo cookies

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 (16 oz.) pkg. vanilla almond bark

1. Crush cookies in food processor*.

2. Add cream cheese and process until smooth and doughy.

3. Form into 1" balls.

4. Dip in melted almond bark.

5. Cool on wax paper in fridge until set.

*Since I do not own a food processor, I used my blender to crush the cookies finely, starting with the Crush Ice setting.  Do one row at a time, pouring out the crushed cookies into a large mixing bowl after each row is well ground.  Mix in cream cheese with a hand mixer on low, then increase speed and mix until it is smooth and doughy.

To Make Them Look Like Eyeballs:

1. Place one mini M&M on top of ball after it has been freshly dipped in almond bark, with the 'M' side down.

2. Spray with red food coloring spray.

{Abby and Lauren's Halloween Treat Bags--2010}

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have to be honest.  I'm not one to change what works.  I like regular pancakes, I like blueberry pancakes, I wasn't sure how I would like pumpkin pancakes.  Before I could even sink my teeth into them, the girls had devoured half of theirs and declared, "I like them," with a thumbs up.  Well then, need I say more?

Thank you, LeeAnn, for this tasty twist on flapjacks!



2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

1-¾ cups milk

½ cup pumpkin purée

1 large egg

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1. Combine dry ingredients with a wire whisk.  Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat milk, pumpkin, egg, and oil.  Gradually add dry ingredients.  Mix only until wet.  Batter will be lumpy.

3. Heat griddle.  Brush with oil.  Make pancakes using ¼ cup batter.  Cook until top is bubbled and edges dry.  Flip and cook for another minute or so.

What I liked about these:

They're tasty pancakes.  Not too much pumpkin, but enough to give them Fall flavor.

What I didn't expect:

This recipe makes thick pancakes.  I like them thick, but if you prefer them thin, increase the amount of milk to 2 cups.

These would taste good with:

Nuts on top, walnuts or pecans.  Or spruce them up with chocolate chips or raisins.  They would even make great pigs-in-a-blanket with maple sausage links!

Next time I would:

Use pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg.  I opted not to add ginger, but adding ¼ tsp. ginger may have given it a boost.  The recipe I had called for 1-¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice, but since I am fresh out of that one, I had to rearrange my thinking.

I'm giving these pancakes 4 out of 5 pumpkins.  The recipe needs a little tweaking, but is destined to reach the 5 pumpkin mark!

Pumpkin Bars

This one is an old standby from my mom.  She usually makes these as bars, baking them on a jelly role pan.  I didn't want to have that many left to contend with, so I made mine more like a cake.  Even so, it won over the approval of the committee at our pumpkin carving gala tonight.

Bars/Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup salad oil

4 eggs

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. ginger

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. If baking bars, spread on a greased jelly role pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck into the center.  If baking in a 9x13" cake pan, bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck into the center.

4. Frost when completely cool, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup shortening

2 cups powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

Mix well with a mixer and frost bars.

What I like about these:
Unless someone is completely offended by pumpkin, it's a hit with everyone!

What You Should Know:
If you make this as a cake, at the 30-minute mark the edges will be done.  I covered them with aluminum foil (yes, it can get tricky) then baked the cake for another 20 minutes.

Also, because there is less surface area, the cake requires less frosting, so I did end up discarding some.

I'm giving this recipe 5 out of 5 pumpkins.  A classic pumpkin treat!

Chichen and Dumplings

Thanks, Warrene, for sharing this tasty comfort food treat!  I loved it when you made it for us in Wenatchee, but it's even better when it's cold outside (except that you weren't here to make it, of course.)

4-6 chicken thighs
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
3 chicken bouillon cubes
4 cups water
1 lb. bag egg noodles
1 recipe for dumplings on side of Bisquick box

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, add water, carrots, celery and onion.  Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes.

2. Add chicken to the pot and let simmer until chicken is cooked, about 1 hour.  Add 3 (or to taste) bouillon cubes.

3. Remove chicken from pot.  Cut or separate into bite-size pieces and return to pot.  Let simmer.

4. Make dumplings by following Bisquick recipe, and place on top of soup.  Cook 10 minutes with lid on, and 10 plus minutes with lid off. (I found the dumplings needed slightly longer to cook.)

5. While dumplings are cooking, prepare egg noodles according to package.  Drain and set aside.

6. Remove dumplings from soup, put on plate and set aside.  Add drained egg noodles to the soup, stir, and put dumplings back on top of soup.  Let soup sit 10-15 minutes until soup starts to thicken.

Apple Pizzas

This recipe came from one of the veteran teachers at our preschool.  This makes the perfect after-school snack.  It's even one a junior chef could do almost entirely on their own.

1 can Pillsbury biscuits, 10 count

1-½ Tbsp. butter, melted

1 cup applesauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Sprinkle of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400º.

2. Spread biscuits out onto a baking sheet or stone.

3. Brush each with melted butter.

4. Spread a spoonful of applesauce on top.

5. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle on top.

6. Bake about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

What to do with that left over pumpkin?  Well, stick it in hot chocolate, of course!  Thanks, Nicki for the suggestion.

Mix a glass of your favorite piping-hot chocolate, then add 2 Tablespoons of pumpkin purée. 

Voilà!  Now, if they just made pumpkin marshmallows!

What I like about this:

It's a tasty twist on a classic treat.

This goes well with:

A cool Autumn afternoon.

What I didn't like about this:

The pumpkin collects at the bottom of the mug.

Next time I would:

Keep my spoon in the mug to stir as I go. And top with whipped cream.

I give this recipe 4 out of 5 pumpkins.

 



Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares

Here it is, the first recipe in my 12 Days of Pumpkin challenge.  The great thing about pumpkin is that it is loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene (vitamin A). Thank you, Susie, for sharing this delightful taste of autumn, and I feel even better knowing it is packed with a nutritional punch!

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. pumpkin-pie spice OR 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1-¼ cups sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin purée*
2 cups (12 oz.) chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray 9x13" baking pan.

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

3. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin purée (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool completely in pan.

*Ironically, my sister made these yesterday as well.  She added the entire can of pumpkin purée (15 oz.) and said it was delish.  Waste not, want not.... add the whole can if you like!

What I like about these:
What don't I like about these?  They literally taste like Fall, laced with chocolate.  Yumm!

These go well with:
A warm tasty beverage.... tea, coffee, hot apple cider.  Or if you prefer, a cold glass of milk.

What I didn't expect:
That the house would smell so amazing, even hours after they came out of the oven.  I went to bed breathing in its fragrant glory.

I recommend making these for:
An office treat, a family gathering, a school snack, an after school snack, or a neighborly offering.  Frankly, just having them on the counter to be devoured is reason enough to stir these up.

This recipe easily receives the 5 out of 5 pumpkin rating.

Caramel Corn

This is one of my mother's classic recipes.  It was always a hit when I made it for the staff at Crate&Barrel, it was a hit with my coworkers at school today, and it went over well at Bunco last night.  Hands down, the best caramel corn I've ever sunk my teeth into!

6 quarts popped popcorn

2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

½ cup light Karo Syrup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1. Pop popcorn. I fill my roasting pan with the fresh air-popped stuff.

2. Combine brown sugar, syrup, butter & salt in large sauce pan. Bring to boil & let boil for 5 minutes. Take off heat & add soda.

3. Pour over popcorn & mix well.

4. Place on 2 cookie sheets and bake for 1 hour @ 200º. Stir every 15 minutes.

5. Once finished, remove from sheets & place in containers, the sooner the better.

Meatball Minestrone

This recipe is so simple and so tasty, it left Geoff wanting more.... which says a lot, since I haven't had the best lucky with new dishes in recent weeks.

A perfect cold weather soup!  Did I mention how quick and easy it is?!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken broth
14½ oz. can diced tomatoes, in their juice
15½ oz. can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup orzo pasta
16 oz. bag frozen, fully cooked meatballs
grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot, warm olive oil over medium-high heat.  Sauté onion and garlic until soft, about two minutes.

2. Add carrots, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and orzo pasta.  Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and add meatballs.  Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are heated through and the pasta is tender.

Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

Serves 6