Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Sorry for the bad photo- I had to snap it on my cell phone. I made these tonight after my friend brought them over to our Mom's Night In the other night and they went faster than our wine! They are so good.
* note- These are so soft and yummy- I think the secret is not smashing them down with a glass as stated in the recipe. I just dropped balls in the sugar/cinnamon coating and let them bake for 8 minutes exactly.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles


Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

Dash of allspice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Thanksgiving Menu

I've been putting together the Thanksgiving Menu recently. I just started to wonder what you all were making, too.
Tell us what you're planning! Post a comment with your menu, traditions, and/or what you're doing for the holiday this year!
Here's mine so far. I'll post the complete menu when it's all figured out!
APPETIZER: Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese (Ina Garten)
TURKEY: Still working on the Turkey. I'm thinking about brining this year. Has anyone done this before?
STUFFING: Caramelized Onion & Cornbread Stuffing (Tyler Florence)
SWEET POTATOES: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey Butter (Tyler Florence
VEGETABLE: Creamed Corn with Crispy Bread Crumb Topping (Texas Monthly)

HOLIDAY POTATO CASSEROLE

There must be 100's of versions of this casserole, but its always a favorite. Here is mine.

1 package frozen hash browns (you can also use Potatoes O'Brien)
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup onions (omit of using Potatoes O'Brien)
1 stick butter (melt and save 1/4 for top)
1-2 cups cornflake crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Place potatoes in 9x13 greased pan. In a separate bowl, mix together: cheese, soup, water, sour cream, onions and butter. Pour over potatoes. Cover with layer of cornflake crumbs. Pour remaining butter over the top and bake 350 for 1 hour.

JAMIE'S CRANBERRY SPINACH SALAD

I make this salad all the time. Its really, really good. I cut the sugar in the recipe by 1/2. I also add a tbs or so of cranberry juice in the dressing if I have it. I also do not use the butter, but buy already toasted almonds. I use baby spinach in the bag..
This is a dish I always bring or make for Thanksgiving.

1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.



allrecipes.com

LUCIOUS 4 LAYER PUMPKIN CAKE

I bake this cake around this time every year. Its great for Thanksgiving.. or Mommy groups served with coffee.. its super easy, yummy and looks amazing!

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup Chopped Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round baking pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP.
CUT each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers

Tip: I use DENTAL FLOSS to cut through the cake(s) creating the 4 layers.

Just pull off 12-14 inches of floss. Wrap around your fingers to make taught. Place the floss at the edge of the cake, making sure it is as close to being in the middle as possible and pull! It cuts clean and slow and you can really see where you are going.

PUMPKIN BARS

These are my favorite cake like pumpkin bars. Yummy!

4 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1 16 oz can pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 ts. baking powder
2 ts. cinnamon
1 ts. salt
1 ts. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until creamy. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Pour into greased cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.