Macy’s Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting

Any one who lives in Massachusetts has tasted these cookies and know that they are my friend Macy’s recipe.   She is famous  across the state for these!  We would ask Macy when she was making these and just happen to pop over at that time!

Cookie Batter:
3 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cup Shortening
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cup Pumpkin
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla


Frosting -
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Cream
2 cups Brown Sugar
2/3 tsp Vanilla
Powdered Sugar


Cream the shortening, sugar, eggs and pumpkin

Combine remaining flour ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture

Drop with a scoop into a sheet lined with parchment paper.   Take a spoon and run under cold water.  Gently push spoon into each mound making a “small bowl” for the frosting to sit in after they are cooked.  ( you make have to run spoon under cold water every couple of cookies)

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes

For the frosting - Melt the ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat for 4-5 minutes until combined.  *. Ale sure the sugar is actually melted. Let the mixture cool slightly and add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting reaches spreading consistency.   

Frost when the cookies are cooked on a wire rack as the frosting drops off the cookie and can make a mess.

Red Pepper Quinoa

This dish is the reason we decided to like Quinoa.   Game changer for us on Blanchard Road.

This is easy to make a lot of and have in the fridge for lunches.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided

Directions

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, celery and seasonings; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in stock and corn; bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• Add beans and 1/3 cup cilantro; heat through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

You can add grilled chicken to add extra protein.   Serve with Naan or with corn chips. 

Tomato Basil Soup - The One We all Like

The temperatures are dropping.
We are coming home from soccer and it is already dark.
This can only mean 1 thing.
Soup Season!!


This one comes from the Pioneer Woman.  You really can’t go wrong.  Adjust the seasonings as you like. I have it written here with a few changes of my own how we like it.

• 6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice ( I didn’t have - just added another can of chopped or diced tomatoes and it totally works)
• 2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoon Chicken Base
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
•  Black Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Cooking Sherry
• 1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
•  Chopped Fresh Parsley ( or a toss of dried)
•  Chopped Fresh Basil ( or a tablespoon of dried)

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent.

 Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir.

 Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat.

 Add in sherry and cream and stir.

Blend with the hand mixer.

 Add in parsley and basil to taste.

Adjust other seasonings and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. 

Thai Ramen Soup Soooo Good

This soup is the easiest to whip up.  No lie.  No joke.  You just throw it all together and you stand back and say . . . “ look at me, I am fancy”

* The only problem is that this recipe only serves 4

*Can make with rice noodles to make gluten free for quincy.

Thai Coconut Ramen

yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
• 2 packages Ramen Noodles (no seasoning packet)
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice from 2 limes

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

 Saute jalapeno and ginger until fragrant and soft. ( sautéing these makes their flavor milder)

Pour in chicken broth and coconut milk, sriracha, and salt, whisking until combined. Bring to a boil then add noodles and reduce to a simmer. ( I don’t always use saracha and it is totally just fun - the jalepeno Akon is just enough flavor)

Add chicken, mushrooms, cabbage, and peppers. 

*use any vegetable in you fridge - broccoli, carrots, peppers, snow peas, edamame . . . Whatever is in that fridge of yours.

Cook  3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime - even avocado or crushed peanuts just before serving.

Molasses Cookies for Market

A few weekends ago we were a part of Profound Market with our Felt Balls.   I wasn’t exactly sure how they would swell, they sold great, but still I wasn’t sure.   I decided  that everyone loves cookies and it’s hard to say no to them.   In a field full of great items to buy but not a lot of food - a giant cookie would be a welcome site.  And they were!  We sold over 580 cookie!  180 of those were these Molasses cookies. 3$ each or 2 for 5$ - not a bad gig!!


The original recipe came from Our Best Bites and I altered it to make it mass producible.   these gems are chewy, they are crisp around the edges, they are exactly like the cookies that my Grandma Miller made years ago.

• 3/4 cup Crisco 
• 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling 
• 1 large egg 
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 2 cups flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners. Set aside.

Combine sugar and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and molasses and beat until completely incorporated.

While the sugar mixture is mixing, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add them to the creamed shortening mixture and mix until combined. 

Using the larger than standard cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls and roll in sugar. Place dough balls on each cookie sheet. If desired, use a flat-bottomed glass or mug to gently flatten the dough. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just set around the edges and you start to see crackling on the top. Be sure not to overbake! Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the baking sheets.

These cookies stay soft for days.

These cookies smell delicious.

These cookies make your house smell fantastic.

These cookies are spicy and sweet.

These cookies are a great breakfast or lunch or snack . . . 

It was said by the Our Best Bites Girls that these cookies would make great ice cream sandwiches and I do agree . . . With coffee ice cream.

Homemade Syrup

Around our house ketchup and syrup are their own main food groups, . . . Peanut butter is also.

We bought syrup for ages and then I came across this recipe and decided to try it.   You girls actually liked it better and it is WAY cheaper than buying all of those awful AuntJemima, or Log House types of syrups

• the only difference is this is not as sticky.   It almost pours like water. Don’t let that deter you though.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp Mapleine or other imitation maple flavoring

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan on the stove.

2 Add both types of sugar and the Mapleine, and stir until all the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat.

3 Let it cool until it reaches your desired consistency. Pour the syrup into a syrup carafe or dispenser, and store any extra syrup in an airtight container.

Store in fridge and warm slightly before serving.   So good! So Good! So Good!