Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Begin by sifting the first 5 ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl; set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream the sugar and shortening, then add the pumpkin; blend well. Add the egg; beat well.



Next, gently stir in the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to form a smooth batter. Finally, add the vanilla and stir to combine.



Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake for around 12 minutes.



Once cookies are done, cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.


Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - These were delicious. I gobbled them up. The batter is very fluffy and not like a regular cookie dough. The cookies are more like cake than a cookie.

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy liked them.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loved these cookies. He licked the batter from the bowl and couldn't wait for the cookies to come out of the oven. He said these reminded him of muffins.

Leftovers: Leftovers didn't last long. I keep them in a ziploc container in the pantry.

Chocolate Fudge

This is the easiest fudge recipe ever. It's fool proof.



Ingredients:

12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
14 oz. condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla



Directions:

Melt all ingredients in sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until melted.



Line a 9 x 9 pan with wax paper. Pour mixture onto the wax paper.



Cool in the refrigerator. Once the fudge has hardened, cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This fudge is easy make and delicious to eat.

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy likes it.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan had a piece and loved it. Then he ran circles around the living room. Too much sugar.

Leftovers: The leftovers don't last long because everyone eats them up. Keep them in the fridge so they don't melt.

Apple Pie

Ingredients:
1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 apples)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice



Directions:
Heat oven to 425 F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.

In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients.



Spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge; pressing edges together to seal. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.



Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2 to 3 inch wide strips of oil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.



Makes 8 servings.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This pie was the best. I'll have to make another one.

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy loved it.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loved it.

Leftovers: Of course they were delicious.

Chocolate Crinkles

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup powdered sugar



Directions:

Beat brown sugar and oil in medium bowl with electric mixer. Mix in sour cream, egg and vanilla. Set aside.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and pepper in another medium bowl.

Add flour mixture to brown sugar mixture; mix well. Refrigerate dough, until firm, 3 to 4 hours. ( I wrapped my dough in plastic wrap before storing it in the refrigerator.)

Preheat oven to 350F. Place powdered sugar in shallow bowl. Set aside. Cut dough into 1-inch pieces; roll into balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar.



Bake on ungreased cookie sheets 10 to 12 minutes or until tops of cookies are firm to touch. Do not over bake. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 6 dozen cookies

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - These cookies look fancy and are easy to make. They taste delicious. They would be great to give as a gift this holiday season.

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy liked them and keep popping them in his mouth.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loves all cookies.

Samantha - Thumbs Up - Samantha liked these cookies. They were great.

Leftovers: The leftovers were great. I stored them in a plastic container. After a couple of days the powdered sugar started to get gummy. Not sure why this happened. They still tasted great but were a little messy to eat.

Freestyle Apple Tart

Prep: 15 minutes Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15 oz. pkg.)
4 oz cream cheese
3 red and/or green apples
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp cinnamon sugar
1 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping (I used vanilla ice cream instead.)



Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line 9-inch pie plate with crust.



Carefully spread cream cheese in 6-inch circle in center.



Slice apples and place in large bowl.



Add sugar and flour.



Toss apples.



Spoon over cream cheese.



Fold crust partially over apples.



Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.



Bake 25 minutes, covering loosely with foil for last 5 minutes.



Cool. Serve with whipped topping or ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.



Makes 8 servings.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This recipe is fast and easy. It is very delicious. I made this right before we sat down for dinner. It had cooled down for an after bath treat for Nathan.

Randy - Thumbs Up - I like the tart but would like it better without the cream cheese.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loved this. He also loved the ice cream.

Leftovers: The leftovers are great. I heated my up in the microwave and add ice cream. So yummy!!

"Fruit Smoothie" No-Bake Cheesecake

Prep: 15 minutes Total: 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
4 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg (12 oz) frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries), thawed, drained
1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed, divided



Directions:

Melt butter.



Mix in graham crumbs.



Mix in 2 Tbsp of sugar.



Mix until well combined.



Press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.



Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer.



Mix on medium speed until well blended.



Thaw out the berries.



Drain the berries.



Smash berries with fork.



Stir into cheese mixture.



Gently stir in 2 cups of the whipped topping.



Spoon over crust.



Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Top with remaining whipped topping. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Makes 16 servings, 1 piece each.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Down - This was not very sweet. It tasted like a brick of cream cheese. I won't make this again.

Randy - Thumbs Down - Not good. Don't make this again.

Nathan - No response. Nathan didn't eat any.

Leftovers: No leftovers. We threw them out.

Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

I know it's "What's Cooking for Dinner?", but I have to throw in some desserts once in awhile. These brownies take some time to make, but they are worth it. We have lots of leftovers, so come by and help us eat them.



Prep: 40 minutes Total: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pkg brownie mix, prepared in 13x9-inch pan
1 cup cold milk (I used vanilla soy milk.)
1 pkg Jell-o Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
3 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped (I omitted these.)



Directions:

Prepare your brownie mix. I mixed water, oil and eggs with the brownie mix.



I poured the mixture in a prepared pan that was sprayed with butter flavored Pam.



I baked my brownies for 26 minutes.



While your brownies are cooling, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes.



Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well.



Cover and refrigerate pudding mixture until brownies are completely cooled.



Once your brownies are cooled, spread pudding mixture over brownies.



Microwave whipped topping and chocolate on HIGH 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds.



I microwaved the mixture for a total time of 1 minute 30 seconds, while stirring every 30 seconds. Then, I stirred until all the chocolate was melted.



Spread over pudding mixture. Then, sprinkle with nuts, if you are adding them.



Refrigerate for 1 hour. After 1 hour in the refrigerator, my top chocolate layer was still runny. I was thinking that it would get hard. Check the leftover section to see if it hardens up overnight.



Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 32 servings.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - These brownies are so good. They are very rich. You might need to have a glass of milk close by when you eat them. Yum! Yum!

Randy - Thumbs Up - These are really good and very sugary. Randy had two brownies for dinner.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loved them. I think he would have eaten the whole pan. After he ate his brownie, he ran circles around the house. No joke!

Leftovers: These are so yummy every time I eat them! The chocolate topping did thicken up a bit, but is still gooey.