Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding

It's that time of year again - pumpkin everything!  I love it and hate it at the same time.  I love it because most of the time pumpkin foods are yummy and delicious.  I hate it because some food bloggers take it too far and make some pretty gross stuff all in the name of pumpkin.  Let's keep it real, people.  Like this Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding!

This is simply an adaptation of the Rich & Creamy Rice Pudding recipe I posted back in April of 2012.  We're using canned pumpkin in place of the half-and-half and pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon.  Easy peasy.  My daughter LOVES this stuff and I found my husband eating a bowl of it late last night - which means he likes it.  :)  I only got one serving of it and that makes me sad.  Guess I'll be making more!

Wondering what to do with leftover canned pumpkin?  Here are some ideas: Pumpkin Spice Granola, Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins, Pumpkin Spiced Almonds, Pumpkin Bread, Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Soft Pumpkin Ginger Cookies, Creamy Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie, Easy Pumpkin Crisp (Pumpkin Dump Cake).

PUMPKIN PIE RICE PUDDING

3/4 cup uncooked white rice (not instant)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Garnish, optional:
whipped cream
cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add milk, sugar, and salt and cook over med-low heat until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally (about 15-20 minutes).  <---this as="" cook="" don="" if="" is="" it="" kind="" like="" long="" longer.="" nbsp="" of="" p="" pudding="" really="" rice="" step="" t="" taste.="" thick="" thin="" to="" you="" your="">
Mix the beaten egg with the canned pumpkin; whisk into rice mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.  Let cool a bit before serving warm with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.  Pudding will thicken upon standing.  If you want to serve it cold, cover and refrigerate until chilled.  You may need to stir in more milk if the rice pudding has thickened too much while cooling.  Makes 4-6 servings, depending on size.

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

I first shared this recipe in December of 2010.  They are something different, pretty, and definitely very holiday-ish. These are shortbread so they have a different consistency than other cookies, and the almond extract just takes it to another level. My family can't get enough of them. I suggest using seedless jam and you aren't pigeonholed with one flavor. In fact, the cookies pictured in the photo above are not made with raspberry jam, but boysenberry because that is what I had on hand. But raspberry is my favorite.

The best trick for making the holes to fill with jam, is not to use the traditional thumbprint, but a ChapStick tube!  Of course you want to make sure it is clean before you use it - I soaked mine in white vinegar for a few minutes then wiped it off just to be sure.

RASPBERRY AND ALMOND SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINTS
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2+ cup raspberry jam

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. milk

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add almond extract. Beat in flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Using lid-end of clean ChapStick tube, press holes into balls, swirling slightly to widen. Fill holes with jam.

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Let cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

(I got 22 cookies out of this recipe.)

Honey Spice Cookies

 This recipe was originally posted about 2 years ago.  It's an old family favorite.  In fact, these cookies sealed the deal with my husband when we first started dating a thousand years ago.

These are my favorite holiday cookies. I got the recipe from my mom and I'm not sure where she got it from. They are spicy and chewy without being one of those molasses cookies. They look pretty so they are great for gift giving. I can eat at least 4 of these at once, which is saying a lot because I generally can't eat more than one or two of any other kind of cookie I make. And that's not because they don't taste good, I'm just not a sugar fanatic. I feel sick if I eat too much of it. But these...they are like potato chips - I can't eat just one.

HONEY SPICE COOKIES

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Beat in egg and honey. Add flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until thoroughly mixed (dough will be stiff). Shape dough into 1-inch balls and dip one side in water, then in sugar. Place sugar side up, 2 inches apart on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove to wire rack.

Makes a little over 2 dozen cookies.

Easy Rocky Road Fudge

This is a gem of a recipe.  I found it in the December 2006 issue of Good Housekeeping.  I've made it almost every year since for Christmas.  My husband likes it because it's not as rich as some fudge recipes can be, and I like it because it uses simple ingredients and still tastes delicious.  It's so pretty looking that it makes a great gift for friends or neighbors. 

EASY ROCKY ROAD FUDGE

1 pkg. (12 oz. or 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips*
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. butter
1 pkg. (10 oz) miniature marshmallows

Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan (for thicker fudge - like pictured above) or a 9x13 pan (for thinner fudge) with aluminum foil, with edges extending over the sides a bit.  In a large saucepan, combine chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter.  Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until ingredients are melted, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows.  Pour into lined pan and spread evenly.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

Pull fudge out of the pan by the foil edges and let sit 10 minutes before removing foil and cutting fudge.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*If you do not have butterscotch chips, you can substitute with more semi-sweet or even milk chocolate chips.

Chocolate Orange Cookies

You know those chocolate oranges that people give around the holidays?  Well, I'm excited to share the cookie version!  These were super popular at a recent church function, so they are tried and tested.  And they look so pretty with the sugar and orange zest.  I think these would be great for a cookie exchange - something different from the usual.

You'll probably need to zest two oranges, depending on their size.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. orange zest
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and 1 Tbsp. orange zest until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended.  Mix in the chocolate chips and pecans, if using. 

In a small bowl, combine the 1 tsp. orange zest and 1/2 cup sugar; mix with your fingers.  Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls (I use a medium-sized cookie scoop for uniformity) and then roll in the orange sugar to coat.  Place on ungreased or parchment-lined cookies sheets, 2 inches apart, and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and press cookies gently with a  flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup (this creates the cracks and crinkles).  Let cookies cool on cookie sheets for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Savory Pumpkin Dip

I made this on Sunday for a little pumpkin-themed potluck get together after church.  I found the recipe on Gimme Some Oven after searching Google for "savory pumpkin recipes" Saturday night.  I actually had all the ingredients on hand - woo hoo!  Well, except the roasted pecans.  I did have some raw almonds, so I roasted those instead.  The dip was popular, so I figured I ought to share it here.

SAVORY PUMPKIN DIP
slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese or neufchatel, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds or pecans
4-6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced


In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, pumpkin, and seasoned salt.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Here's a photo of the dip from Sunday:

It looks great garnished with crumbled bacon and green onions.

Icebox Bran Muffins

My mom got this recipe back in the early 70's.  You can find all kinds of variations of it online.  I keep coming back to this one (probably because it's what I expect of a bran muffin - moist, dense, delicious).  The recipe calls for two different bran cereals: bran flakes and 100% bran.  These days the 100% bran cereal I use is Kellogg's Original All-Bran.  This is NOT the same as the original Fiber One cereal.  When it comes to the flakes, I buy what's cheapest.  This time I used the Kroger brand, which are 40% bran, I think.

And since this recipe originates in the 70's it calls for shortening.  Some people balk at using shortening these days.  For the most part, I don't.  Probably because I don't use it very often, so I don't feel like I'm constantly clogging my arteries with horrible trans fats.  Plus all that bran probably scrubs it right out.  If you do the math, it boils down to 1 teaspoon of shortening per muffin.  If that's just too much for you, you can sub the shortening for a stick of softened butter + 1/2 cup of applesauce.  However, if you make this substitution, I can't vouch for it's moistness (since I never do it myself) and your batter will have a shorter shelf life: one month vs. seven weeks.

Which brings me to the beauty of this recipe.  It makes enough batter for 4 dozen muffins.  You can bake them all at once, or store some of the batter in the fridge for the next time you get a craving.  The recipe will divide perfectly into four, 1 quart jars.  Each jar makes a dozen muffins.  I think it makes a great neighbor gift for holidays when people are overloaded on sweets and super-rich foods.

If you do decide to store the batter in jars, might I suggest you use wide-mouth jars (for easier scooping) and take a trip to Wal-mart to buy some of these handy-dandy babies:

These are BPA-free plastic lids for canning jars.  They are not meant for the actual canning process, but are great for storage and sharing (when you have an open jar of applesauce in the fridge or want to give your neighbors a cookie mix).  They fit both brands of mason jars (Ball and Kerr) and even fit the Better Homes and Gardens brand jars.  You'll find both regular-mouth and wide-mouth lids and at my Wal-mart (in the Phoenix area) a pack of 8 was less than $3!  Much cheaper than the Ball brand of lids.  Just a thought.  And no, I'm not being paid for any of this.  I just think they're fabulous.

Okay, enough talk. Here's the recipe:

ICEBOX BRAN MUFFINS

2 cups 100% bran cereal (All-Bran)
2 cups boiling water
1 cup shortening (or 1 stick of softened butter + 1/2 cup applesauce)
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 quart buttermilk (low-fat is fine)
5 cups all-purpose flour
5 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
4 cups bran flakes cereal

To make batter:

In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over 100% bran (All-Bran) and let cool.

In a very large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar; add eggs, buttermilk, and bran and water mixture.  Stir in flour, soda, salt, and bran flakes until thoroughly combined.  Store batter in 4, 1 quart mason jars in the refrigerator up to seven weeks (unless you made it with butter and applesauce, then you can keep it up to one month).

To make muffins:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease or line a muffin tin.  Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and tops spring back when pressed.  (Mine are usually done right at 16 minutes.)  Store muffins in an airtight container up to one week - if they last that long!

Easy Pumpkin Crisp

Holy smokes, I never meant to neglect this blog for so long!  First I came down with pleurisy in my right lung, so I was out of sorts for a week or two.  Then I was busy planning and executing our local Cub Scout Pack Meeting for December.  Then I was scrambling to finish preparing for Christmas.  Then I got sick again with a crummy throat bug (that just refuses to leave, dang it).  I actually made this yummy dessert at the end of November and it's been sitting in my pile of drafts, waiting to be finished and shared. 

There are at least 100 different variations of this recipe on the internet.  Some call it a "Dump Cake," others call it a "Crunch Cake."  Personally, it reminds me more of a crisp than a cake, so that is what I'm calling it here.  The majority of the recipes call for 2 sticks of butter (gag) and suggest you just sprinkle the dry cake mix over the pumpkin filling, then pour the melted butter over.  The problem with doing it this way is you end up with some dry spots and those do not taste good at all.  I've found 1 stick of butter is more than enough, and by mixing the butter and cake mix before sprinkling it over the pumpkin, you get the proper proportions over the entire dessert, with no dry spots or greasy puddles.  Plus, it looks nice and crumbly, like a streusel topping.

I know the pumpkin season is pretty much over since we usually save pumpkin recipes for the holidays, but I encourage you to use up one of those last cans of pumpkin sitting in your pantry and make this dessert (especially since it's still cold outside).  It's a great alternative to pumpkin pie.  It's also a bit rich, so a small serving will usually be enough to satisfy.  I like it best when it's still a little warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.  But it's good cold, too.  Just ask my daughter, who could have finished off the entire pan by herself if I let her.

EASY PUMPKIN CRISP
adapted from Pumpkin Crunch Cake on Allrecipes.com

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed!)
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1 (18.25 oz) box yellow or spice cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup roughly chopped pecans, optional
vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.  In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and spice until well blended.  Pour into prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine cake mix and pecans, if using.  Stir in melted butter with a fork until crumbly.  There may be some big lumps, but you can break them up with your fingers.  Sprinkle cake mixture evenly over pumpkin mixture.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and set.  Let cool before serving.  Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge.

Cranberry Orange Salad

This is a new twist on an old recipe that I posted on here long ago: Cranberry Jello Salad.  The recipe is from my mother-in-law and it's my favorite gelatin salad to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This year I wanted to change it up a little and decided to try it with some orange juice and a bit of orange zest.  I wish I had added a can of mandarin oranges instead of the zest because that would have added more color and better "orange" flavor.  The zest pretty much got lost in the cranberry sauce.  Next time I am definitely adding the oranges.  But even without them, I now like this salad better with the orange juice.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SALAD
 adapted from Cranberry Jello Salad

2 boxes (3 oz each) cranberry Jello (raspberry or black cherry will also work)
1 (14 oz) can whole cranberry sauce
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, well drained
2 (15 oz each) cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 cups boiling water

In a large bowl, dissolve Jello in boiling water.  Add cranberry sauce and stir until well mixed and no lumps (other than cranberries) remain.  Add pineapple, oranges, and orange juice and stir until combined.  Pour into 2 qt. serving dish and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

This is the other pie I made for Thanksgiving.  My daughter is in love with it and ate two pieces of it on Monday.  I love that it combines two of my favorite desserts: cheesecake and pumpkin pie.  Mine didn't turn out as pretty as the one on the King Arthur Flour website, but it still looks good enough to eat.

The recipe makes more pumpkin filling than will fit in the pie, so I just put the rest of it in a ramekin and baked it alongside the pie until it was done.  Who doesn't love a recipe that results in a bonus dessert?

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PIE
from King Arthur Flour

9-inch deep dish unbaked pie crust

Cheesecake filling:
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Pumpkin filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 cup (8 oz) evaporated milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated and pour mixture into the pie crust.  Refrigerate while making the pumpkin filling.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, and spices.  Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and eggs and whisk gently until smooth.  Slowly and carefully spoon pumpkin mixture over the cheesecake filling (you may have some leftover - see note above).

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Pie is done when it looks set, but center is still a bit wobbly.  Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until serving.

Note:  I like to wrap strips of aluminum foil around the edge of the pie crust before filling, then remove the foil about 20 minutes before pie is done baking.  This keeps the crust from getting too brown.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Here's a great way to use up that little bit of leftover pumpkin!  I discovered this little gem of a recipe last year and made this oatmeal quite often (for myself...).  The recipe is for an individual serving, but you could easily bump it up to make more.  Although, I would recommend cooking it on the stove top if you're making it for more than 2 people - I think you'd get a better result.  Just for reference: 4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup.

PUMPKIN PIE OATMEAL (individual serving)
slightly adapted from The Craving Chronicles

1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (I use a heaping 1/3 cup)
2 Tbsp. canned pumpkin
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. milk
1/8 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger*
dried cranberries, optional
chopped pecans, optional

Stir together pumpkin, brown sugar, water, milk, vanilla, salt, and spices in a microwave-safe bowl.  Stir in oats and cranberries and/or pecans, if using, until well mixed.  Microwave on HIGH for 1-2 minutes, or until desired consistency.  Top with more pecans and cranberries, if desired.  Serve immediately.

* You could also just use a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice.

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies

I saw these cookies on Pinterest and thought they looked really yummy.  Then I followed the pin to a food blog from Singapore and the entire recipe was in metric and I did not feel like converting it.  Lucky for me (and for you) I found a similar recipe from Southern Living (which pretty much ensured they'd be good).

Oh my, I love these little cookies!  Even my husband loves them, which is AMAZING because he is not a fan of Craisins (he even goes to the trouble of picking them out of my homemade granola bars).  The dough requires at least 4 hours to chill, which could be a hassle, but it's totally worth it because all that time in the fridge lets the flavor of the orange zest diffuse throughout the dough.  I just made my dough the night before and baked it the next day.

I made these without the almond extract because I was out (whoops) and they still turned out yummy.  So if you don't have almond extract either, no worries.

I gave some of these goodies to some friends recently and took a cue from rolling and wrapping the dough and rolled and wrapped the cookies in wax paper:

Cute for gift giving, eh?  If you don't eat them all first, that is.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES
from MyRecipes.com

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. orange zest (from 1-2 oranges, depending on size)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
wax paper

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.  Stir in chopped cranberries, orange zest, vanilla, and almond extract until well blended.

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Shape dough into 2 (7-inch) logs and wrap each in wax paper.  Chill dough for at least 4 hours or freeze logs in a Ziploc bag for up to one month.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  If frozen, let logs stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Slice each log into 24 pieces (about 1/4-inch thick slices).  Place slices about 1 inch apart on lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges of slices are golden.  Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 4 dozen.

Frostbite Cookies

Don't these look good?

This recipe comes from Southern Living magazine and calls for peppermint extract in the white chocolate.  Personally, I have a hard time imagining these cookies tasting good with peppermint, but I may be wrong.  I do like them without it, and I also like them chewier than the original recipe's baking time permits.  I think the cornflakes add a nice crispy texture that fulfills the crunch factor for me.  But if you want a truly crunchy cookie, follow the original bake time.

If you are not a fan of vanilla almond bark, these cookies probably aren't for you since that ingredient is what really makes these cookies stand out.

FROSTBITE COOKIES
slightly adapted from MyRecipes.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups cornflakes
12 oz. vanilla (white) almond bark
2 Tbsp. shortening
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract, optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well blended.

In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening with sugars; add eggs and vanilla.  Add flour mixture and beat just until combined.  Mix in oats and cornflakes.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls (or use a medium-sized cookie scoop), 2" apart, onto lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets; flatten slightly.  

For chewy cookies, bake for 8-10 minutes or until a light golden brown.  Let cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

For crunchy cookies, bake for 12-14 minutes or until an even golden brown.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl, heat almond bark and 2 Tbsp. shortening on HIGH for one minute.  Stir until smooth.  Add extract if using.  Dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted bark, letting excess drip back into the bowl.  Place cookies dipped side up on wax paper and let stand for 1 hour or until bark is set.  You can speed this along by putting the cookies in the fridge or freezer.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  

   

Pumpkin Spice Almonds

So, I've made homemade Smoked Almonds and Cinnamon Sugar Almonds before for my husband who loves nuts.  When I found raw almonds on sale for $2.99 a pound at a local store, I thought I'd make him some more.  And then I wondered if they would be good with pumpkin pie spice and ... they are!  But I think the vanilla in this recipe is what sends these nuts over the top.  Even my daughter can't stop eating them and tells me they taste like pumpkin pie.

These make a great snack and would be a yummy gift for someone over the holidays.

PUMPKIN SPICE ALMONDS
slightly adapted from Cinnamon Toasted Almonds on Taste of Home

4 cups raw almonds
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp. vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy; whisk in vanilla.  Stir in the almonds until evenly coated.  In another bowl, mix together sugars, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until thoroughly mixed.  Add spice mixture to almonds and toss to coat.

Spread almonds in a single layer on each baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes, then stir.  Bake 15 minutes more and then let cool.  Store in an airtight container.

*Substitute for 2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice:
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Pumpkin Ginger Cookies

These cookies are FABULOUS.  They are chewy, moist, and spicy - the top three things I love about a cookie.  They are essentially a chewy gingersnap with a pumpkin twist.  My husband and daughter can't stop eating them and neither can I, frankly.

This recipe comes from Two Peas & Their Pod; a blog full of fantastic cookie recipes (you should definitely check it out).  Maria calls them Soft Pumpkin Gingersnaps, but I'm a weirdo and have a hard time naming a soft cookie a "snap."  So I'm going with Pumpkin Ginger Cookies.  I've only made one alteration and that is to reduce the amount of ground cloves.  Cloves are a delicious but strong spice and I felt that a full teaspoon kind of covered up the pumpkin flavor too much, so I've reduced the amount to half a teaspoon.

The molasses makes the cookies chewy, the pumpkin makes them soft.  And they STAY soft - up to a week (though they usually don't last past the first day or two).

And stay tuned:  these cookies only use 1/2 cup canned pumpkin.  I'll be posting more recipes soon to use up the rest of the can.  :)

PUMPKIN GINGER COOKIES
slightly adapted from Soft Pumpkin Gingersnaps on Two Peas & Their Pod

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup sugar (plus more for rolling)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, egg, and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until completely combined (dough will be very sticky).  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough at least one hour.

When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment or Silpat.  Add about 1/2 cup of sugar to a small bowl.  Roll tablespoon-size balls of dough (I used a medium-sized cookie scoop) in sugar until well coated and place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and cookies look cracked.  Let cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack.  Makes about 3 dozen, depending on size.

New Year's Day Bean Soup

I know this is an odd time of year to be sharing a recipe for something with "New Year's Day" in it's title, but I love this soup and make it year-round.  The name comes from the idea that you will make this soup with the leftover ham bone from your Christmas dinner.  Certainly that is a good plan, but what about the rest of the year when you just feel like some ham and bean soup?  Well, I simply buy a ham steak and dice it up.  Or you can get some ham hocks (which will add more flavor, but are more work to remove the meat).

My grandmother got this recipe from a co-worker a few decades back when you had to buy individual bags of each type of bean and then mix them together.  Now you can just purchase a bag of fifteen bean soup.

If you've never cooked with dried beans before, there are a few things you should know.  Most dried beans (legumes) need to soak before cooking to soften and plump them, but more importantly, soaking dissolves some of the sugars that can cause...negative gastrointestinal effects.  We all know the song about the "musical fruit," right?  Well soaking helps alleviate some of that. 

There are two methods for soaking: the long method and the short method.  The long method involves soaking the beans in a bowl, covered with cold water, for 8-24 hours (or overnight).  I recommend the long method because I think it's more effective and I've found the beans don't seem to get as mushy.  But if you forget to soak the beans the night before, all is not lost.  The short method is as follows (and quoted directly from my Betty Crocker Cookbook):  Place dried legumes in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover them.  Heat to boiling; boil 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for at least 1 hour before cooking.  Drain, then cook in clean, cold water.

NEW YEAR'S DAY BEAN SOUP

1 (20 oz) bag fifteen bean soup
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. ham bone, ham hocks, or ham steak (diced)
1 large onion, chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large can (29 oz) crushed tomatoes (pulse in a blender if you don't like chunks of tomato)
1 tsp. chili powder
2-3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. minced garlic


Soak beans (see above); drain and add 2 quarts (8 cups) water and ham bone, hocks, or diced ham steak.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 30 minutes.  If using a ham bone or hocks, remove from pot, shred meat and return meat to pot.  Season with salt and pepper.

Ham and Potato Casserole

Here's a great way to use up your leftover holiday ham. If you don't have leftover ham, a ham steak should do. I used a brown sugar ham steak and the sweetness from the sugar added a pleasing dimension to the flavor of this casserole. If you use smoked ham, you may want to use a low-sodium cream soup to minimize the amount of salt.

If using a ham steak, I recommend cooking it in a skillet first to draw out the excess water so your casserole doesn't turn out runny.

Slice your potatoes 1/8 of an inch thick or thinner to ensure they cook through.

HAM & POTATO CASSEROLE
adapted from End of the Line Ham Casserole on Allrecipes.com

2 cups diced, cooked ham
4-5 cups scrubbed and thinly sliced potatoes
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of celery soup
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dehydrated minced onion
black pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup french fried onions, slightly crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish. In a large bowl, combine soup, milk, onion, and black pepper. Stir in potatoes and ham; pour into casserole dish and spread evenly. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove casserole and sprinkle with cheese and french fried onions; bake, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.

Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs

Happy Easter! I meant to post these yesterday but ran out of time - busy day! These are not the creamy peanut butter centers similar to buckeyes or Reese's Eggs. Instead they are chewy and crispy almost like a Whatchamacallit candy bar. They take some patience to make but are well worth the effort.

CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS
adapted from Crunchy Chocolate Eggs on Allrecipes.com

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups corn flakes, slightly crushed
2 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal
3 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. shortening
candy sprinkles or white chocolate for drizzle

In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Stir in corn flakes and rice cereal until thoroughly mixed.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto wax paper lined cookie sheet (I use a medium-sized cookie scoop). Roll into balls and pinch one end slightly to create egg shape:

Refrigerate until firm.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip eggs in chocolate; allow excess to drip off and place on wax paper lined baking sheets. Decorate with candy sprinkles or drizzle with white chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

Eggs are best eaten at room temperature.

Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

I found this recipe on a blog called Not Just Decorating. It makes me wish I liked nuts because while it's baking, your house smells divine. These were ultimately more popular than the smoked almonds I also made - probably because of the sugar. They would make a great gift at the holidays, or any time for that matter!

CINNAMON SUGAR ALMONDS
from Not Just Decorating

4 cups almonds
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Beat egg white until foamy. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Add sugars and cinnamon and toss to coat. Spread evenly on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally (2-3 times). Allow to cool then store in an air-tight container.

English Toffee

When I lived in Georgia I had a friend who would bring me homemade toffee every Christmas. It was so darn good and I would hide it so I could have it all to myself. Well, this is the third Christmas since we moved away and no one has stepped up and given me toffee, the nerve. So I figured I should finally make my own.

I tried making toffee once. Actually several times. And it never turned out. I think I can blame a few different things for my failures: low quality butter, humidity, etc. Tonight I finally had success and I owe it to The Idea Room's recipe. And good quality butter. And a perfectly calibrated candy thermometer.

Here are some tips for making toffee:

1. Use good, name brand butter. NO Wal-mart butter here. It has a higher water content and will not turn out right. This recipe calls for salted butter, but if all you have is unsalted, add a pinch of salt at the end.
2. Calibrate your thermometer. Our Best Bites has a tutorial here.
3. Use a wooden spoon. The first batch I made I used a plastic spoon and it started to melt. Not cool.
4. Be careful. Be very careful. This stuff is hot and will melt your skin off! Two words: oven mitts.
   
5. Use a heavy duty saucepan. This reduces the chances of hot spots forming and burning your candy.
6. Line your cookie sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. It makes it easier to break the toffee in pieces. And there's less clean up.

ENGLISH TOFFEE
adapted from The Idea Room

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 - 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (depending on how much chocolate you like)
1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds or pecans

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a heavy saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, and water. Bring to a boil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thermometer reads 290 degrees F. (Watch it carefully once it reaches 280 degrees because the temp will increase quickly and you don't want this to burn). Pour onto cookie sheet and quickly spread to desired thickness. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over warm toffee. Let sit 1-2 minutes or until softened and gently spread melted chocolate into an even layer. Sprinkle with almonds and lightly press so the almonds stick. Chill in refrigerator until hard. Crack into pieces and store in an airtight container. Makes 1 1/2 pounds.

VARIATIONS:

Extra nutty: Quickly stir in an additional 1/2 cup chopped or sliced almonds into toffee before pouring onto cookie sheet.

Salty/sweet: Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt instead of almonds.