Witches Hats Cookies

These are a great Halloween classic, and they're so easy to make.

This comes straight out of one of my favorite Betty Crocker recipe books.

Get the kids involved and celebrate together!

Happy Halloween!!

Witches Hats Cookies

(Original recipe by Betty Crocker)

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Ingredients

• 32 Hershey's® Kisses® brand milk chocolates, unwrapped   
• 1 package (11 1/2 ounces) fudge-striped shortbread cookies (32)
• 1 tube (4.25 ounces) orange or red decorating icing

Directions

Attach 1 chocolate candy to chocolate bottom of each cookie, using decorating icing. Pipe decorating icing around base of milk chocolate candy.

Tips: Place a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a shallow bowl. Make a face with miniature chocolate chips and decorator candies; top with a Witches' Hat. Quick, eat the witch before she melts!

You can use any 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-inch chocolate or chocolate-covered cookies instead of the shortbread cookies.

Yields 32 cookies.

                                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                               

Icy-Cold Banana Milk

This is a drink I make when I want to make breakfast just that much better.

It goes perfectly with some french toast, waffles, or just a simple bowl of oatmeal.

Icy-Cold Banana Milk

(Recipe by Sara Corpening Whiteford and Mary Corpening Barber)

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Ingredients

•  2 cups milk
• 2 small bananas
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ice
• pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Directions
Combine the milk, bananas, maple syrup, vanilla, and a handful of ice cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth and frothy, about 1 minute. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

Me and my little man made these tonight, and oh my goodness, are they heavenly.

I'm definitely going to have to watch myself with these. Maybe give a few away or something, so I'm not tempted to eat them all. The cookie alone is good... nothing too special, just a fluffy pumpkin cookie. But with the frosting?? To die for.

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

(Original recipe by Peggy Ackerman,

Adapted by Danelle)

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Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in pumpkin. In a medium bowl, sift together the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

To make frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine butter, cream, and brown sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool then stir in confectioner's sugar. Spread frosting over cooled cookies.

Tip: The cookies don't flatten when baking, so while they're cooling, try flattening down the top a little. This way the frosting doesn't just roll off. :)





Pumpkin Waffles and Cinnamon Syrup

Okay, okay. I know I said I wouldn't overdo it on the pumpkin recipes.

But I had to share this one too.

I made this yesterday for breakfast for me and the little man. Noah is actually pretty picky about his breakfast. Actually about food in general, but breakfast particularly. He likes his standard toast, eggs, and blueberries. So I went out on a limb with this one. But it was all chilly and rainy, and the morning was just crying out for waffles.

Maybe I've been living under a rock or have just been too nervous to try, but I've never made my own breakfast syrup before. It's actually really simple! And the cinnamon with the pumpkin waffles??

Oh my goodness gracious. Make sure you have room for seconds. It's that good.

Pumpkin Waffles with Cinnamon Syrup

(Original recipe by Amy @ The Idea Room)



Pumpkin Bread Waffles:
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 2 TBSP canola oil

Directions

 

Mix dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients. Mix together. Batter will be thick. Cook in waffle maker. (Use pam to prevent sticking.)

 

Cinnamon Syrup:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water

Directions

Stir together the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir in vanilla extract and water. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue to boil and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes before serving.

Layered Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

I was a tad busy over the weekend. My family went to the beach (which you can read about here), so I didn't do a whole lot of recipe testing. However, my mom and I did plenty of recipe swapping. We both read cookbooks and cooking magazines like it's the latest issue of People. Before I even sat down, she was already telling me which pages to turn to, because I had to look at such-and-such recipe.

I know. We're so cool.

Anyway, yesterday I had to bring a finger food dessert to church for our women's Bible study. I kept going back and forth on a few recipes before I finally settled on this one. And I'm SO glad I did.

I cut these into about 24-36 small bars, and I kid you not, within 5 minutes? They were gone.

I had saved a couple at home for the hubs to try.

When I got home, he told me that I need to make more, that they were so incredibly good. He has officially requested I make them for Thanksgiving.

The recipe itself is really simple, so don't let all of the little steps intimidate you. Because it's a layer bar, the steps are necessary. But each one is super easy. Also, most of the ingredients are things you would normally keep in your pantry. So no extra shopping for random ingredients you'll never use again!

Layered Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

(Original recipe by BHG)

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Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

—–

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

—–

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut up, or 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter

—–

• 1-1/4 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar

—–

 

Garnish: pinch of pumpkin pie spice + chocolate curls or chocolate shavings

 

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in the 1/3 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1-3/4 cups sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt on low speed just until combined. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the mixture.

3. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1-1/4 cups pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Carefully pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed and center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
5
. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Gently spread over cookies. Cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into bars.* Before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg and/or chocolate curls. Makes 24 to 36 bars.

*Test Kitchen Tip: To make triangle-shape bars, cut the cookies crosswise into four strips. Then cut each strip into five triangles (you’ll end up with two half-triangles from the ends of each strip).
To Make Ahead: Bake and chill cookies as directed; cut into bars. Place in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.



Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Growing up, every meal had to be rounded off with bread. Whether it was biscuits, crescent rolls, or just buttered toast; we always had bread with our meal. I don't know why. For some reason, the big pile of carbs spaghetti on our plates just wasn't enough. :)

Anyway, I took that with me, and I now have a hard time not including some sort of bread with dinner.

I made these for the first time forever ago, and they've been one of my favorite "quick and easy" biscuit recipes ever since. Sure, they're not as easy as the canned biscuits, but they're pretty darn close.

And who doesn't love the combo of garlic and cheese??

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

(Original recipe by Paula Deen)

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Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups biscuit mix
• 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• 1/2 cup water

Garlic Butter:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the biscuit mix and cheese in a small bowl. Add the water and stir just until combined. The dough will be slightly moist. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the biscuits are firm and beginning to brown.

While the biscuits are baking, make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, salt, and parsley flakes. Mix well. As soon as you bring the biscuits from the oven, brush them with the garlic butter using a pastry brush . Yields 12 small biscuits.



Slow-cooker Beef Stew

I love me some hearty beef stew, especially on a chilly rainy day.

This one is my favorite.

And for you Weight Watchers fans, a cup is only 5 points.
Not too bad for how delicious and filling it is!

The red wine gives it a deep flavor, which is nice. But if you shy away from using wine in your cooking, you can always add some good quality red grape juice.

It only uses a 1/2 cup, so it shouldn't alter the flavor enough to make a massive difference.

Enjoy!

Slowcooker Beef Stew

(Original recipe by Rosa Minehan,
published in Nov/Dec 2007 Paula Deen Magazine)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium baking potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato soup
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions

In a 6-qt electric slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on Low 8 to 9 hours, or until beef is tender.

Bean and Pasta Soup

A few years ago, I invited my coworkers over for dinner. It was right after Christmas time, I think, and the first time they'd seen our new home. One of them brought me a Taste of Home "Heartwarming Soups" magazine. It's chock-full of incredible recipes.

This one comes from that magazine and is one of my favorites.

The flavors blend together perfectly, and most importantly, it's healthy!

It's perfect for a chilly evening and super cheap to make too.

And if you prefer vegetarian dishes, this one is for you.

Bean and Pasta Soup

(Original recipe by Maria Gooding)

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Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked small pasta
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick saucepan, saute the celery, carrots, onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Stir in the water, tomatoes, broth, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.
• Drain pasta; stir into vegetable mixture. Add the beans; heat through. Stir in spinach; cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Yield: 5 servings.

Autumn Chopped Salad

Who knew a salad could taste like Fall??

This one is perfect.

Flavorful, colorful, and still gives you that festive Fall feel.

Autumn Chopped Salad

(Original recipe by Madison at Espresso and Cream)

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Ingredients

• 6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 medium pears, chopped (I used apples)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• Poppy seed Salad Dressing
• Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions

 

On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (she estimated that she used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.





Southern Style Slowcooker Pork BBQ

I'm a tad partial to Carolina-style BBQ (of course).

However, I've never tried to make it myself. I guess I would get a little intimidated by the thought, figuring there's no way it'd come out as good as, say, Sticky Fingers.

When I saw this recipe, I decided it was time to give it a whirl. It seemed simple enough.
Turns out, it's pretty darn good!
I'm definitely a fan, and hubs inhaled it!
Just give yourself plenty of time for it to cook. Altogether, it takes about 9 hours.

[Funny sidenote: To my horror, I realized I was out of brown sugar. And there was NO way I was going to make BBQ without brown sugar. So I raided the pantry, did some googling, and finally came up with a solution. I mixed white sugar with some dark corn syrup until I got a good consistency. It worked great! You'd never know the difference! However, I still recommend using real brown sugar if you have it. It's a lot less stressful. :)]

Southern Style Slowcooker Pork BBQ

(Original recipe by Ashley at lilblueboo.com)

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Ingredients:

• 4 lbs of pork roast (or I use 2 2lb pork roasts)
• 2 white or yellow onions
• 2 cups of apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups of apple juice
• 1 tsp of liquid smoke
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I substituted with paprika. I figured the crushed red pepper flakes were going to give it enough kick.)
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 a bottle of regular/classic BBQ sauce (about 9 oz) ...try using Sticky Fingers' "Carolina Sweet". That's our personal favorite.

Directions:

Cut up both onions. Place half the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker or crock pot. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and top with the rest of the onions. Place half the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker or crock pot. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and top with the rest of the onions.
Mix together 1 cup apple cider, 1 cup apple juice and 1 tsp of liquid smoke and pour over the roast and onions. Set the slow cooker to cook on low for approximately 6 hours. The roast should be ready to fall apart when you stick a fork in it.
Remove the roast and remove the liquid and onions. (Note: You can strain the onions and add them back into the pot if you like….I prefer to discard them.)
Shred the roast and add it back to the slow cooker. Mix 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup apple juice, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and half a bottle of BBQ sauce in a bowl.
Pour over the shredded pork and cook on low for another 2 hours. Transfer shredded BBQ to another container. I like to chop mine up a bit more before serving. Serve by itself or on bread for sandwiches.