Gingerbread Cookies For Halloween

From Cooking Light. I think the recipe is a little drier than my other one, but this one is lowfat, if you don't replace their powdered sugar icing with buttercream like I did. When I want the lower fat version, I will make this one again, but the dough is a little crumbly and hard to work with. We had no complaints from those who ate them. Did not last long! :)

• Cookies:
• 10.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1 large egg
• Cooking spray
• 
  Icing:
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Preparation

1. To prepare cookies, weigh or lightly spoon flour into measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, ginger, and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine brown sugar, butter, and molasses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes. Add egg; beat well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until well blended. Divide dough in half (dough will be sticky). Gently press dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap. Cover with additional plastic wrap; chill 1 1/2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. Roll each portion of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured work surface; cut with a 3-inch gingerbread man or woman cookie cutter to form 48 cookies. Place cookies 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheet; cool completely on a wire rack.

4. To prepare the icing, combine sifted powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Spoon the mixture into a zip-top plastic bag. Snip a small hole off the corner of the bag. Pipe icing onto the cookies as desired.

Pepperoni PIzza Quiche

Even our resident finicky 5-year-old devoured this.
I used reduced-fat pepperoni and fat-free evaporated milk.

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4 cup volume) frozen pie shell
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded Italian-blend cheese, divided
• 2 ozs. thinly sliced pepperoni (about 20 to 30, 1 1/2 to 2-inch diameter slices), cut into quarters, divided
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

SPRINKLE 1 cup cheese and half of pepperoni pieces onto bottom of pie shell.

WHISK evaporated milk, eggs, flour, basil and garlic powder in medium bowl until blended. Pour mixture into pie shell. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Decorate top with remaining pepperoni pieces and any other topping you like. Place quiche on baking sheet (if pie pan is made of aluminum foil).

BAKE for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

TIP:
• Choose 1/4 cup of any of your favorite toppings (such as chopped onions, red or green peppers or sliced black olives) and add as topping with the remaining pepperoni pieces.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes -- Martha Stewart

Martha uses Seven Minute frosting, but I prefer my own regular buttercream (powdered sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla) frosted on each with cinnamon sugar sprinkled generously on each one.

Makes 28

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• Buttercream frosting
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (Ateco No. 809 or Wilton No. 1A), pipe frosting on each cupcake: Hold bag over cupcake with tip just above top, and squeeze to create a dome of frosting, then release pressure and pull up to form a peak. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Slow-Cooker Italian Beef

• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (5 pound) rump roast

1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
2. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.

Almost-A-Candy-Bar Cookies

1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (16 oz)
4 nutty s'mores trail mix bars, chopped (1.23 oz)
1 pkg butterscotch chips
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups miniature pretzels
1 pkg peanut butter chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 pkg milk chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Let dough stand at room temp for 5-10 min to soften. In large bowl, combine dough and trail mix bars. Press into a 13 X 9-inch ungreased baking pan. I suggest lining the bottom and two sides with foil (or nonstick foil) so you can lift them out. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Sprinkle with butterscotch chips and marshmallows. Bake 3-4 minutes or until marshmallows begin to brown. Sprinkle with walnuts; arrange pretzels over the top. In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter chips, corn syrup, and butter; spoon over bars.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Spread or drizzle over bars. Refrigerate one hour or until firm. Cut into bars. Makes 3 dozen.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Red Velevet Crust Ingredients:

2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Red Velevet Filling Ingredients:

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten slightly
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 (1 ounce) bottles red food coloring

Topping Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Mix together chocolate graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Add melted butter and mix well.

2. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes; cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl combine cream cheese and sugar and beat with a mixer until combined.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Add cocoa, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla extract, vinegar and red food coloring and continue to beat until filling is smooth and well mixed.

6. Pour batter into prepared crust and bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake looks almost set. Remove cheesecake from oven and cool in pan. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight (in pan).

7. To make the topping: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of spring-form pan and garnish if desired with fresh strawberries.

Broccoli Slaw

1 Package Broccoli Slaw Mix
2 Packages Ramen Oriental Noodle Soup Mix (One must be chicken flavor.)
1 Cup Toasted Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1 Bunch Scallions, chopped
1/2 Small Red Pepper, chopped
1 Cup Dried Cranberries

Dressing
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Vinegar
1 Packet fo Chicken Stock Flavoring from Ramen Noodle Packet

Break up the Ramen Noodles and mix with other ingredients. Mix up dressing and pour over and mix.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

From Bridget Zinn's blog. http://www.bridgetzinn.com/blog/ She puts Ghirardelli's double chocolate chips in them, but HEB didn't have them. So, I got Guittard's 63% dark chocolate chips and they were perfect.

1 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur makes this as does someone else)
1 cup plus 2 TBL unbleached flour
¾ tsp salt
1 TBL baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ cup milk (2 % is best)
1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 TBL canola oil
1 TBL vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup chocolate chips (If you’re going to the trouble, I’d recommend Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Chips as they are the Best)

Instructions:
Whisk together dry ingredients in one dish and whisk wet ingredients minus the chocolate chips in a different dish. Pour dry into wet and mix until just moist, adding in chocolate chips as you go. An hour or so of letting the dough set improves the texture and flavor. We usually leave it overnight in the fridge.
Take dough out of fridge — it could use a bit of time at room temperature but it’s not essential to get it all the way to room temp. Preheat oven to 375.
Spray muffin tin or cups if using with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon batter into muffin cups, fill to the rim.
Cook approximately 20 minutes, more if the dough was still cold. Muffins should be light golden brown and a toothpick should come out clean or at least not covered in dough (sometimes chocolate chips can interfere with the toothpick test). Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing.

(NOTE: You can replace milk with buttermilk [might need a tiny bit regular milk still to thin it out] and replace yogurt or sour cream with ricotta or cottage cheese if you have extras of one of these ingredients on hand and want to use it up. They key is to have one liquid [milk or buttermilk] and one solid [yogurt, sour cream, ricotta or cottage cheese] for the right consistency, one “sour” [buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream] and one “neutral” [ricotta or cottage cheese] for the right flavor)

(NOTE #2: If you are looking to make them a little healthier, you can replace ¼ cup of the white whole wheat flour with ground flax seeds and reduce the sugar to ¾ cup).

Chocolate Chip And Pecan Bars

I can't figure out what is different about these, compared to my other chocolate chip cookie recipes, but this one is extra good.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

3. Add eggs, one at a time until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla. Mix until creamy and smooth.

4. Slowly add flour mixture a little at a time until mixed thoroughly.

5. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips by hand.

6. Pour batter into a greased 9 X 13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until center is set through and top is browned. Cut into squares and indulge!

http://www.stephanieskitchen.com/2008/08/chocolate-chip-and-pecan-cookie-bars.html