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

Gingerbread Men

Circa 1983, the recipe I dug up in Mom's recipe drawer that I brought home from kindergarten.  It puts a smile on my face to know they still do this activity in the kindergarten classrooms in Owatonna.  And since my babes aren't there to partake in the fun, we created our own.

1½ cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. almond flavoring

2½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. allspice

1. Cream powdered sugar & butter. Mix in egg, then flavorings.

2. Blend dry ingredients together.  Stir into creamed mixture.

3. Refrigerate 1½-2 hours.

4. Heat oven to 375°.  Roll out 3/16" dough.  Place on lightly greased baking sheet once cut out.

5. Bake 7-8 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Makes approximately 3 dozen 2-2½" cookies.

The gingerbread men turned out well and tasted great even without frosting.  However, I opted to frost them with a simple butter cream frosting.

I don't have specifics for this recipe.  It is one I follow strictly like my grandma.... I just throw it in.  Here's my guide:

1. Put powdered sugar in a bowl (depending on the amount of frosting you are making--usually 1-2 cups or so).

2. Add a small amount of vanilla.

3. Add a small amount of milk (to stiffen, heat milk first)

4. Add butter (approx ½ stick), softened.  Add to taste to dilute sweetness.

5. Mix in food coloring, if desired.

Mix with a hand mixer; do not let stand.

Lauren's Happy Trail Mix

Lauren's inspiration for this recipe came from preschool. Another class had made it for all of the students to enjoy at snack time. Lauren raved about it on our way home and decided it was a must-have for this afternoon.

She did ALL of the work. She listed the ingredients she needed, poured them in and stirred. It's a healthy, tasty treat, and we've got a bowl full just waiting for her big sister when she gets off the bus!

A little bit of Gold Fish crackers
So many oyster crackers
100 chocolate chips
100 raisins
100 Cheerios

Make circles with the spoon in the bowl.

Banana Bread

There's nothing fancy about this baked good, but hands down it is the best banana bread I've ever sunk my teeth into. Not to mention a great use for those over ripe bananas!

3 bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1½ cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1. Cream bananas, sugar & butter.
2. Mix in egg.
3. Blend together with flour, baking soda & salt.
4. Add finely chopped walnuts, mixing in well.
5. Bake @ 325° for 1 hour, 20 minutes or until golden brown.