Pumpkin Cookies

Christmas tended to be a little too sweet around here.  We just returned home from visiting family, and I'm back to finding life sweet enough.  Here's some cookies I whipped up tonight.

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup pumpkin

3 Tbsp. butter, softened

2 Tbsp. canola oil

3/4 cup pureed prunes
1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

3/4 cup high cacao chocolate chips

Beat all ingredients until well blended.  Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.  Scoop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degress.

Gingerbread Play Dough

Birthday party in December...must have gingerbread scented play dough!

Makes the house smell like Christmas!

Gingerbread Play Dough

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

4 tsp. cream of tartar

2 cups water

3 tbsp. oil

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ginger

Mix all ingredients in a large pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches a "dough" consistency.  Remove from heat.  Knead dough for 5 minutes.  Add color with food coloring.  (I tried liquid and paste - both worked equally well.)

Smoothies

Our favorite family treat...smoothies!  We enjoy them so much, we often have smoothies and popcorn for dinner.  Could be bad, but with a healthy recipe like this, it's a guilt-free indulgence.

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Smoothies

fresh fruit

frozen fruit

vanilla

milk

Sometimes simple is best!  Add fresh fruit to bottom of blender.  Next add frozen fruit until blender is 3/4 full.  Add vanilla (to taste).  Add milk until level is even with the top of frozen fruit.  Puree until smooth.

Here's a few of our favorite flavors:

banana mango

strawberry banana mango

banana strawberry blueberry

Chili

Nothing quite like chili on a cold fall day.  Keep it simple with ready to go ingredients and a crock pot.

 Crock Pot Chili

2 cans chopped chicken breast, undrained

1 can black beans, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can chili beans, undrained

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cans tomato sauce (large)

1 cup chopped onion (or rehydrated onion flakes)

1 bag frozen chopped onion/pepper blend (onions with green, red, and yellow bell peppers)

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. chopped garlic

4 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. cumin

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

large pinch red pepper flakes

Dump everything in the crock pot.  Simmer for 3-4 hours.  Enjoy!

I loved all the colors after adding the spices.

Applesauce

What do you do when your husband comes home with a HUGE bag of apples from a co-worker's tree?  Make applesauce, of course.  Growing up, I watched mom make applesauce every year, so applesauce brings back memories.  I didn't have any fancy equipment, but applesauce is simple.  Try it!

Applesauce

Ingredient:  lots of apples

Peel, core, and chop your apples.  Dump all those apples into a large pot.  You'll end up with something like this.

 

Cook them on medium heat for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.  When the apples soften, mash with a potato masher.

Taco Soup

This should be titled "Dinner in 10".

Today was a busy one at our house.  This afternoon I looked at the clock and thought...

10 minutes until dinner.

Humm...

What in the world can I make?

Ten minutes later, my husband walks in an dinner is ready to go.

Do you have a favorite "Dinner in 10" recipe?

Taco Soup

1 can chicken breast

1 can tomato soup

1 can tomatoes

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can green beans

1 can corn

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Open all those cans.  Dump everything into a pot.  Cook until thoroughly heated.  Serve!

Apple Friendship Bread

After several rounds of traditional Amish friendship bread, I was looking for something healthier.

I found a fantastic alternate recipe and adapted it.  Yum!

Guilt-free friendship bread.

Apple Amish Friendship Bread

1 c. flour

1 c. white wheat flour

1/3 c white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 C. AFB starter

3 eggs

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp vanilla

2-3 shredded apples (Granny Smith tastes best)

Mix all ingredients together.  Stir well.  Pour batter into two well-greased loaf pans. Bake 50 minutes at 350, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Place pans on rack to cool completely before removing.  Stores well in fridge or freezer wrapped well in plastic wrap.