Pumpkin Snickerdoodles - Little Pillows of Heavenly Yumminess!

Soft on the inside, and crispy spicy sweet on the outside, these cookies are a delightful Autumn treat. I found the recipe by accident, online. I did make a couple of slight changes because I wanted to and like a bit different spice combination. I would love to take credit for these, but it goes to The Recipe Girl, okay, except for my changes. Mine turned out a little fluffier than hers did, but hey, these look like the old fashioned fluffy Snickerdoodles I'm used to so I love them. She says her yield is 3 dozen, but I got 6. I hope you give them a try!

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES 
 Yield 6 dozen

COOKIES:
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg

ROLLING SUGAR:
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice

1. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add pumpkin puree and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time just until incorporated.
3. Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.  Mix rolling sugar ingredients in a small bowl.
5. When ready roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball and roll the balls in the spice sugar and make sure they're coated really well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If desired, flatten slightly with two fingers.
6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Almond Fudge Bars on a Tasty Tuesday

Another holiday tradition around our home is to have Almond Fudge Bars, and their counterpart Butterscotch Bars. Originally a recipe created by and using Bisquick Baking Mix,  I adapted the recipe so I could use ingredients we always have on hand. These go fast, so be sure to have plenty baking supplies around.

Almond Fudge Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 cup real butter
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
3 cups rolled oats
2 eggs
1 tsp each vanilla and almond extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Fudge filling
1 12oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 T butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup toasted almond slices

For the dough, a large bowl cream butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt, mix in to creamed mixture. Add oats and stir in well.  In a 15 x 10 inch cookie sheet press 2/3rds of the dough to cover the whole pan. Buttering your fingers helps with this.
Over a double boiler slowly melt chocolate chips in the sweetened condensed milk,  along with 2 T. butter and add salt.  Spread over the dough in cookie sheet. By teaspoonfuls drop the rest of the dough on the chocolate layer. Sprinkle almonds over that and press in to dough. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. After slightly cooled cut into 48 squares. When completely cool store in airtight container. Enjoy!

Easy Valentine Chocolate Boxes and Dessert Cups

 Above is a little preview of what's to come. These may look rather difficult, but they are so fun that you might find yourself coming up with all sorts of ways to use chocolate.

 First you need to find your mold. They must be somewhat flexible as these pans are, without being squishy. Oil them very lightly and wipe to make sure there's no excess otherwise the chocolate slides back down the sides.

 Melt in a double boiler over low heat 1 bag of semi-sweet and 1 of milk chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of shortening.

 Once melted take a spoon or somewhat stiff rubber spatula and spread the chocolate around your molds, covering all the inside surface. Don't worry if it doesn't seem thick enough at this point.

 See? Chill this in refrigerator.

 Now take a piece of paper and trace the bottom of your mold. If you trace the top, the lid to the box may be too big.

 With a pen or marker make curliques all over the design, trying to have an even look on both sides, which forgive me but this one is a hurried example as time was of the essence.

 Spoon into a squeeze bottle some of your melted chocolate and add more chips if necessary. This means you should probably buy 3 bags...lol. Keep your bottle in a cup of very hot water to keep the chocolate squeezeable.

 Lay a piece of wax paper down on the design sheet and tape to table or counter.

 Now cover your design with chocolate piping, going double over the outside lines and inside if necessary. Let harden.

 Add more of the chocolate in the double boiler to the sides and bottom of your box as needed for strength. At this point you can put this in the freezer to make this easy to pop out. Take the pan out of the freezer and gently flex it to loosen the chocolate from the sides. Turn over and it should pop out easily. Be careful as the chocolate will melt in your hands so handle lightly. Peel the top of the box off the wax paper gentley and ......

TaaDaa! Now you can fill it with any treat your sweetheart desires. So 3 bags of chocolate chips, some shortening and filler treats to put in your box are all you need. Oh, the photo at the top of this post? I thought I had a post on that! Well, now I need to find a chocolate mousse recipe to share for that which will be forth coming.  Happy Valentines Day!