Gingerbread Crinkles

Today we have a guest who never disappoints - a little something from Krysta's kitchen to warm your bellies! :)

Enjoy!
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I found this recipe on a foodie blog that I frequent almost daily. Why do I go to this blog nearly everyday, you ask? Because the recipes simply DO NOT disappoint! I love checking to see what new things Annie is whipping up in her kitchen - and using them for inspiration in my own kitchen!

This dough works to make cut-out cookies as well, I just find most cut-out cookies to be a bit on the large side for my taste - and I like the "rustic" look of the crinkles.

So, without further ado - here is the recipe! I hope you enjoy!

*krysta*

Gingerbread Crinkles
(adapted from recipe found at Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:
4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt
1½ Tsp Baking Powder
½ Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1½ Tsp Ground Cloves
2 Tsp Ground Ginger
1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Molasses
1 Large Egg

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Mix in the molasses and egg until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
• Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 Tbsp scoop (I used the smallest Pampered Chef scoop) form a ball and roll it in the granulated sugar - then place on the parchment lined sheet about 2 inches apart. Take a fork and flatten the ball to about a 1/4 inch thickness.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

Creamy White Chili

A great way to warm up on a cool day!  This chili has just the right amount of kick, without sending the kids running!  We serve ours over some sticky white rice, with cheese sprinkled on top (I dare you to try it).  YUM!

Enjoy!

Creamy White Chili

1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Oil
2 - 15 1/2 oz Cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 14 1/2 oz Can Chicken Broth
1 - 4 oz Can Chopped Green Chilies (add another can for more kick)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp Ground Pepper
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Whipping Cream

In large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream.  Serve immediately.

Pumpkin "Brownies"

Looking for a healthier "brownie" when the mood strikes?  Well, this one should do the trick.  :)  Close to the consistency of cake, but denser/chewier with yummy dark chocolate bits!  I definitely intend on trying this without the chips and maybe just sprinkling a little powdered sugar on top.  Mmmmm....so good!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Brownies

1 1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (I use the blend that has white flour)
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (canned is fine)
1/4 Cup Buttermilk
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (Ghiradelli 60% Cocao Chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 9x13 pan and set aside.  Combine all dry ingredients, then add pumpkin puree, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips and spread into prepared pan.  Bake in center of oven for 30-40 minutes.

Gingersnaps

Oh man, just the smell of these baking...  These are the melt in your mouth goodness, Grandma always served in the fall, at Thanksgiving, or maybe even Christmas.  If you love spice in the fall, you won't want to by-pass this recipe.  I use butter flavored Crisco when I make these - if you wish to use butter, they will just be a little more crunchy.  When mixing the dry ingredients, I simply use a whisk to stir them together - no sifting necessary. :)

Enjoy!

Gingersnap Cookies

2 Cups Flour
1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Dark Molasses
1/3 Cup Cinnamon Sugar

In medium bowl; sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt - set aside.  In separate mixing bowl, beat shortening until fluffy then slowly add sugar.  Add egg and molasses until well combined.  Lastly, add flour mixture a little at a time, a soft ball of dough will form.  Scoop/make 1" balls of dough and roll and in cinnamon sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.

Yields: Approximately 3 Dozen Cookies

Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

Happy Halloween from MCC!!  Hope all of your gouls and goblins are ready for tricks and treats tomorrow.  :)  I love this recipe!  I've had this recipe since my high school days of baking cookies with my good friend Laura.  This is my go-to cut-out recipe for every season - here are some delightful pumpkins for you all!!

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Cutout Cookies

1 Cup Butter, Softened
1 - 8 oz Package Cream Cheese, Softened
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Almond Extract
3 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder

In mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Then, add egg, vanilla, and almond extract - beating well after each addition.  In another medium bowl, mix flour and baking powder - slowly add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until well-combined.  Divide dough in half, cover, and chill for 1-2 hours (or overnight) until dough is easy to handle.  On floured surface, roll dough to 1/8" thickness.  Cut with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes (top will just be starting to brown).  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Decorate with almond frosting.

Almond Frosting

The perfect cut-out cookie frosting recipe!  Vanilla extract can be used in place of the almond (if your pantry needs stocking like mine).  This recipe makes the perfect amount of frosting for one batch of these cookies.  :)

Almond Frosting

2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp Butter, softened
1/4 Tsp Almond Extract
4-5 Tsp Milk

In bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, and extract until smooth.  Beat in enough milk until frosting gets to piping consistency.  For spreadable frosting, add a little more milk.  Stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.

Sorry!

I ran over here quick today realizing it had been awhile since I last posted.  Then, I actually looked when my last post was and determined it has been over two weeks!  I'm so sorry - I just wanted to let you know, I'm still baking and cooking up new recipes! :)  Our household's schedule has been uprooted and probably won't calm down for a few more weeks.  BUT, I do promise I'll get some more scrumptious recipes up for your enjoyment and that give-away I've been promising SOON!

Hope you're enjoying the cooler weather!  It seems Fall is here to stay in my neck of the woods!

Easy Egg Bake

I got this recipe from sister-in-law many years ago now.  It's an easy, go-to type of egg bake that never fails me.  It's nothing fancy, but the flavor is all there!  This recipe is also nice because it doesn't require you to make it the night ahead, you just whip it together the morning you want it!

Enjoy!

Easy Egg Bake

3 Cups Seasoned Croutons (the small ones work best, but it really doesn't matter)
3 Cups Shredded Cheese (use whatever your heart desires - I used cheddar on this particular day)
Bacon, Ham, or Sausage - cooked/cubed/cut-up
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
10 Eggs, Beaten
2 Cups Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Layer croutons, cheese, and meat.  Mix soup, eggs, and milk together well (I use an immersion blender) and pour over croutons.  Bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

We have had some beautiful, almost fall-like, weather in my area.  With cooler weather, I usually have the desire to bake more and these beauties were first on my list!  I've had this recipe in my stash since I first saw it over at MKC - her recipe's haven't failed me yet, this one included!  Talk about YUMMY!!
Note:  If you don't have fresh pumpkin puree, you can use one - 15 oz can without any problems.  Also, as you can see, I'm not real picky about my cream cheese being in the center - you can be as picky as you want when you make them! :)

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Yields: 24 muffins

Muffins:
3 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tsp Ground Cloves
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking Soda
4 Eggs
1 1/4 Cups Oil
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Pumpkin Puree

Filling:
1 - 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese
1 Cup Powdered Sugar


Streusel Topping:
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Tbsp Cold Butter, cubed
1 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

Prepare the filling first by combining the cream cheese and powdered sugar - whip until smooth.  Form into a log on plastic wrap or wax paper - make sure the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan.  Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened - 1 to 2 hours.

For the muffins: combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.  Mix well and set aside.  In a separate large bowl combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and pumpkin - mix until well combined.  Add in the dry ingredients - mix until just combined.

For the streusel topping: combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two muffin pans with paper liners.  To assemble muffins, fill each muffin well 1/3 full with batter.  Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices.  Place a slice on top of the batter in each muffin well and gently press just slightly into the batter (not to the bottom).  Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups on top of the cream cheese.  Sprinkle the struesel topping over the top of the batter.  Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the top of the muffin comes out with moist crumbs.  Let cool completely on wire rack before serving.

**I don't have two muffin tins and I didn't feel like doing two batches, so I poured the rest of the batter into my small loaf pans.  I had to bake about 20 minutes longer, but they worked out perfect!  You could easily put this recipe into a bundt pan (you wouldn't need the struesel topping) and just bake a little longer.  So this batch yielded 12 muffins and 4 mini loaves.  :)

Baked Apple Pudding

I grew up eating this dish at my grandparent's river home every summer.  They had several apple trees that we were always helping clean apples up from.  I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to pare apples as well or fast as my Grandpa could (he must have really liked this stuff)!

This could be named a few different things - crustless dutch apple pie, apple crisp, but I'm going to stick with my gram's original name of baked apple pudding! :)  This is pretty much a throw together dish, so I've done my best to get measurements close.  The recipe below is made in an 8"x8" pan (a 2 quart casserole dish could easily be used) - make a double batch for 9"x13".

Eat warm or cold, with ice cream, whipped cream, or my personal favorite, heavy cream (fat free of course!).

Enjoy!

Baked Apple Pudding

Apples
1 Cup Sugar, divided
Cinnamon
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Butter, Chilled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill baking dish (8x8) with apples.  Sprinkle with sugar (1/2 cup) and cinnamon, then dot with butter (2 tbsp, cut into dots).  In medium bowl, cut (with pastry blender, forks, or clean hands) flour, last 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup cold butter until crumbly (similar to pie crust).  Cover apples with topping mixture.  Bake for 45-60 minutes, until apples are tender when you test with fork.