Time for Pumpkin

...cookies that is!  I've been a little mentally off lately.  It happens.  And today was quite a day.  I've been meaning to make these cookies for a while and I think that is as good an excuse as any.  Plus I needed the smell of pumpkin in the house.  I found this recipe online last fall (not sure where) and since then they have been my favorite.

I have always loved fall and everything that comes with it.  I'm looking forward to hot apple cider, pumpkin patches, autumn fashions, jack-o-lantern carving, and a slight chill in the air.  And of course, the annual tradition of watching Hocus Pocus while handing out candy to all the neighborhood kids.

 I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
(Makes about 36 cookies, if you make them NORMAL sized)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canned (or fresh, recipe for that coming later) pumpkin
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (make your own! vodka+vanilla beans+time)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch of nutmeg (buy it whole and grind it yourself, trust me)
1 tsp baking power
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use less, I'm not always big on the chocolate)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the pumpkin and beat until well combined.  Add the egg and beat until well combined.  Finally, add the vanilla and yeah, beat until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking power, baking soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, about 1/3 cup at a time, until fully combined  Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
4.  Spoon batter onto cookies sheets that have been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Watch these cookies a little more than you might some other cookies, you do not want to overcook them.  They should be soft, not crunchy.  Let cool on baking sheet and then wire rack until done.

I suggest serving them refrigerated.  Delicious!

Rainy Day

This afternoon I was sitting around watching the rain and decided it was about time to get this blog up and running.  There are so many things I had wanted to put on here the past few months and I didn't want to miss all the good food, good times with friends, and fun seasonal trips coming up this autumn.  So while Alex graciously cleaned and organized the house, I got myself up and running!


Oh, and baked us a little something for dessert (or mid afternoon treat.)

(Peanut butter and jelly bars, courtesy of Barefoot Contessa) Recommended, as long as you have a large glass of milk! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/peanut-butter-and-jelly-bars-recipe/index.html