Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup butter
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3 cups quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips (semisweet)

Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.

Separately, beat butter until softened. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs. Beat in pumpkin.

Mix flour and wet ingredients. Stir in oats and chocolate.

Drop rounded teaspoons (I make them a little bigger) onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven about 12 minutes or till done (I like to take them out a little early so they stay really soft). Remove and cool.

(And sorry... I can't remember where this recipe came from.)

texas sheet cake

Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe is from Cook's Country. Imagine, if you will, pure chocolate decadence. So simple. So chocolaty. So heaven. Make this right this second, but only if you have a herd of people to feed. Don't be tempted to keep this one hanging out on your counter. I'll take my own photo next time.

YIELD: 1 jellyroll/large cookie sheet - feeds an army

INGREDIENTS:

Cake
2 C all-purpose flour
2 C sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C sour cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 TB unsalted butter
3/4 C vegetable oil
3/4 C water
1/2 C cocoa powder

Icing
8 TB (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 C heavy cream (whipping cream)
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 TB light corn syrup
3 C powdered sugar
1 TB vanilla extract
1 C toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 18x13" baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in a SEPARATE bowl until smooth.
2. Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water and cocoa in a large saucepan over medium; stir occasionally until smooth (3-5 mins). Whisk chocolate mixture into flour/dry mix until incorporated. Whisk egg mix into batter, then pour into baking sheet. Bake until toothpick comes out clean (18-20 mins). Transfer to wire rack.

Icing

1. About 5 minutes BEFORE the cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat; stir occasionally until smooth. OFF heat whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temp on wire rack (1 hour) then refrigerate 1 hour until icing is set.
   

NOTES:

Toast pecans in a dry skillet until gold & fragrant. Pecans are totally optional, too. Take a few deep breaths before taking a bite. You might also want to sit down.

thanksgiving cornbread stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing [dressing]

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman, and it's the best stuffing I've ever eaten. Ever. Don't tell my family.

YIELD: 2, 9x13 pans of stuffing!

INGREDIENTS:

1 recipe cornbread (baked/prepared) - make your fave recipe
1 loaf french bread
1 medium onion, diced
4 C low sodium chicken broth
1/2 C (1 stick) butter
2 C celery, chopped
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
2-3 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp ground thyme
salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice the cornbread and french bread into 1" cubes. Spread out over baking sheets and let dry out for 24 hours.
   
2. Heat a large skillet over medium and add butter. When butter is melted, add onion and celery; cook for a few minutes until onion is almost translucent. While it's cooking, chop herbs.
3. Add 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add basil, ground thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Stir until combined.
4. Place all your dried bread cubes into a LARGE mixing bowl and toss them a bit. Gradually ladle the broth mixture into the bread, tossing lightly as you go. Continue ladling broth into bread, tasting as you go and adding more herbs as desired. Add salt carefully - you don't want this to be too salty! If the mixture isn't moist enough add a little more chicken broth and stir. The mixture should be light and moist, but not soggy.
   
5. Either stuff your bird and cook according to bird directions OR place in a 9x13 baking dish and bake @ 350 for 20-25 minutes; until golden brown.
   

NOTES:

I halved this recipe to make only one 9x13 pan (pictured above). It's way more than enough for 2 people, but I'm telling you we could've eaten the whole dish. I cannot wait until Thanksgiving so I have an excuse to make this again. Also, follow the link to PW (above) and she has a printable version of the recipe and lots of in-process pictures.

let's get cooking!

wOOt! our very own recipe blog. here's what i'm thinking:

• post WHENever and WHATever you want, so long as it's edible and delicious
• include good directions (e.g. pan size, serving size, cook time etc.)
• clarify adaptations you use/have tried when appropriate
  
• write labels for each recipe post, as many as you need so we can find the recipe by clicking on a label. these should be general like: pasta, side dish, chocolate, dessert, cake, casserole, chicken, crockpot, fruit, breakfast, main dish ETC.
• give credit where credit is due (i.e. where you got the recipe if it's not yours and you remember where you got it :)
  
• take a picture of the dish! we like pictures
  

i invited everyone to be a writer on this blog, so everyone should be able to post (let me know if you can't). i'll manage the format - to make it easier for all - and we can certainly change the formatting, colors, title, or whatever...just let me know your ideas.

okay, then... GET COOKING & GET POSTING!!!