Pumpkin Cookies "Cakey or Non- Cakey!?"

There are two recipes here.  One is for the traditional cakey type of cookie and the other is for one more like the traditional choc. chip cookie.  I made both, and we compared them to decide which type of family we are:  Cakey or Non-Cakey  cookie people! 

Well, the verdict here in our house, after much sampling, ......

the kids like the non-cakey, and the adults like the cake like ones.  But, the kids

did eat quite a few of the cake like ones while deciding!

posted by Lisa

Cake like recipe:

source:  www.allrecipes.com , by Gina

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 c white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

frosting:

2 c confectioner's sugar

3 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

*Preheat oven 350

* Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt.  Set aside

*Cream 1/2 c butter, white sugar.

*Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 tsp vanilla, beat until creamy.

*Mix in dry ingredients.

*Drop onto cookie sheet, flatten slightly.

*bake for 15-20 minutes. (I only needed 15 min)

*Cool, and drizzle with glaze if you like.

Glaze directions:

*combine confectioner's sugar, milk, and 1 tbsp. melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla.  Drizzle away!

(Non-Cakey) Pumpkin Spice Chocolate chip cookies

source: www.chelseasmessyapron.com

Ingredients:

1/2 c unsalted butter

1/4 c white sugar

3/4 c light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 large egg yolk, white not needed for this recipe

1 tsp vanilla, Mexican preferred

1/3 c canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4-1/2 tsp ground allspice

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 c white all purpose flour

2/3 c chocolate chips

Directions:

*Melt butter, mix with white and brown sugar

*Add egg yolk

*Add vanilla, pumpkin.  (If pumpkin isn't high quality and is watery, your cookies will be cake like)

Combine well.

*Add salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and allspice

*Mix baking soda into the flour, stir into the pumpkin mixture.  (note that too much flour will also lead to cakey cookies.  Make sure you load measuring cup with a spoon and level off)

The mixture should pull away from the edges of the bowl once all flour is added. 

*Add choc chips

**IMPORTANT:  chill the dough for at least 1 hour.  If you do not,  your cookies will spread like a pancake.**

*line pan with parchment paper, drop cookies and bake for 9-12 minutes.  On her website she gives some elaborate directions on how to roll these and stack them to get a crispy outside and chewy inside, I did not do this....I just scooped them and dropped like a traditional cookie.  If you are having a strange outcome, look up her site and see if her method works better for you.

Chow Mein

posted by Lisa Banks
Chow Mein
Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond




One of my kids favorite things is chow mein, this hit the mark!


Ingredients

8 ounces thin lo mein noodles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 head napa cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 onion, sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Sliced green onions, for topping

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the peanut oil. Add the carrots, cabbage and onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame oil, then toss in the noodles. Top with sliced green onions.

Beef with Broccoli

Posted by Lisa
Beef with Broccoli
Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond



This was so good!  Very simple to make and tasted just like
we got it from a take out place.

Beef with Broccoli
Total Time:
15 min
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
5 min
Yield:4 servings
Level:Easy
Ingredients

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced very thin against the grain
3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
1 pound broccoli florets
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup oyster sauce
Salt as needed (use sparingly)


Directions

In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss with your hands. Reserve the other half of the liquid and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add the broccoli and stir for a minute. Remove to a plate.





Allow the skillet to get very hot again. With tongs, add the meat in a single layer. Spread out the meat as you add it to skillet, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn the meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.



Pour the reserved sauce into the skillet along with the beef broth and oyster sauce. Cook over high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the beef and broccoli back into the skillet and toss to coat. Season with salt if needed




Serve over Chow Mein.

Orange Chicken

Posted by Lisa
Source: Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond





I watched the Pioneer Woman make this dish and wanted to give it a try.  It
was very good and the kids and hubby loved it.  Not hard to do, and much
simpler than a usual breading on chicken.  I will make this again for sure.


Chicken:

2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 egg whites
4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces







Sauce:

1/2 cup orange juice (I used Simply Orange)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 packed tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Dash salt
Dash crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, pressed
A little grated or minced ginger
1 teaspoon cornstarch




Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying






Directions

For the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and egg whites with a fork until almost frothy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken to the mixture and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

For the sauce: Meanwhile, put the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic and ginger in a small nonstick skillet and whisk. Heat until bubbling and starting to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Mix in and thicken for 1 minute.

Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Carefully drop the chicken into the oil and move it around, flipping gently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the pieces drain on a plate lined with paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes. Then drop them back into the oil for 1 minute to really solidify the coating.

Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve.

Chilis Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers

Source: www.food.comPosted by Lisa

The thing my kids order most when we eat out...

boneless wings.  These homemade ones

are amazing!  The sauce is terrific, and my

family is already asking when I will

make them again.  

INGREDIENTS

12 chicken tenderloins

shortening (or vegetable oil, 6 cups for frying)

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

2⁄3 cup honey
1⁄4 cup water
1⁄4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper (McCormick makes a powder)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Batter
1 egg, beaten
1⁄2 cup whole milk
1⁄2 cup chicken broth (Swanson)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

Breading

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
3⁄4 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Make honey-chipotle sauce by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until boiling.

1. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

1. Remove from heat.
2. Heat shortening or oil in fryer or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Whisk together all ingredients for the batter, excluding flour, in a shallow bowl for at least 30 seconds.
4. Whisk in the flour.

1. Make the breading by combining all ingredients in another shallow bowl or pie pan.

1. When you are ready to fry the chicken, dip each piece of chicken into the batter.

1. Lift the chicken out of the batter and let some of the excess drip off.

1. Toss the chicken into the dry breading and coat completely.

1. Repeat with 2-3 other pieces.
2. Carefully drop the breaded chicken into the hot oil and fry for 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

1. Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on paper towels.

1. Repeat steps 8-13 until all the chicken tenders have been cooked.
2. When all the chicken tenders are done, drop them into a large glass or metal bowl.
3. Pour the sauce over the top, and toss gently until all the chicken tenders are coated with sauce.

Mini Mac and Cheese bites

source: www.oldhousetonewhome.net
Posted by Lisa

 In an effort to make some new fun things for the family, I saw these and gave them

a try.  All in all I like them.  There is a bit of fussy work involved,  but if you

want a different type of appetizer or "fun food" for the kids, these are

the ticket.  The boys gave them a "thumbs up".

 Makes 48 mini muffin sized bites

• 12 oz. elbow macaroni
• 5 oz. of garlic and herb cheese (boursin, alouette, or even herbed cream cheese works, any soft spreadable herbed cheese)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• pinch salt and pepper
• for the crust:
• 2 cups crushed Ritz Crackers
• 6 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray 2 mini muffin tins with cooking spray.

Begin by melting the 6 tbsp. of butter and then mixing in the crushed Ritz and the 1/2 cup cheddar.

 Press about 1 tsp. of crumb mixture into the bottom of the mini muffin tin. Press down until firmly packed. Crust should come up a little on the sides.

Prepare macaroni noodles. Cook in boiling water until a few minutes shy of al dente. When done, strain and then put into a large bowl.

 Add the herbed cheese, cheddar, milk, eggs, cold butter, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until cheese is starting to melt and no large clumps remain. 

Spoon about 1-2 tsp. of mixture into each well over the prepared crust. 

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit at least 10 minutes.

 If you try to remove them before that, they will crumble as you take them out. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges and then gently remove each one. Serve warm.

Chili Rice

Recipe courtesy of Guy Fieri, 2007

Posted by Lisa

This recipe is one of my kids favorites.  What I love about it is how simple

it is to make.  All these ingredients are usually on hand and when the

weather is chilly and you are short on time, this is a great option!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 red onion, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup Roma tomatoes, diced
3/4 pound ground beef or turkey
2 cups long-grain rice
8 ounces kidney beans
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons green onion, sliced, for garnish

Directions

In medium stock pot over medium heat, add oil, onions and peppers and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, tomatoes and ground beef. Cook until meat is browned.

Add rice to mixture and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, coating rice with the oils from the pan. Add beans, chicken stock, water and seasonings, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.

Fluff with fork and garnish with green onions.