Pumpkin Cookies

Recently, my six-year-old granddaughter called me with a special request:

“Grandma, could you give me your recipe for pumpkin cookies? I want to make them for Thanksgiving.”

“I’d love to, Sweetheart.” And so the search for pumpkin cookies began.

Then I looked in the memoir cookbook that I’m writing. In the chapter about Halloween—there it was—pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin is a popular vegetable October through December so you have time to bake with pumpkin before the year is over.  

I emailed the recipe to my daughter and granddaughter so they could make pumpkin cookies and decided to make some myself. I smiled all the way through the process thinking they were making pumpkin cookies just like me.  If you are lucky enough to have grandchildren or children to bake with, thank your lucky stars and have fun with these yummy cookies. We did.

                                                   Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup of oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups cooked pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon each:

ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups flour

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine first four ingredients and mix in a large bowl.

2. Then sift together and add: ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, salt, cinnamon, soda, flour.

3. Add pecans if you choose.

3. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until light brown. Remove when done and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing to towel covered with wax paper. Cool completely then frost with cream cheese icing. This recipe makes about 31/2 dozen cookies. Let the children decorate with colored sugar—in December try red and green. Top with orange sprinkles in October and November. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Here is another Thanksgiving recipe for all you people who have probably already shopped or already have these items in your cupboard. You won't find it boring or just like every other pumpkin pie and it will certainly wake up your taste buds. My daughter Becky makes this dessert every year when she goes to the fall family get-together. Try it out and let me know if you like it better than plain pumpkin pie.

Ingredients:
3 cups solid packed pumpkin
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 cup evaporated milk (add water to make two cup)


1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup melted butter

In large mixing bowl combine eight  top ingredients and pour in rectangular cake pan.Then sprinkle top of pumpkin mixture with entire box of yellow cake mix. Next sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Finally melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter and pour over cake mix. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Serve with Redi Wip or ice cream. Are you going to change your favorite pumpkin dish to Pumpkin Pie Cake?

My Michele Pumpkin Cake

This year I didn't have any grandchildren to help me cook for Thanksgiving. So sadly, I had to make this cake on my own. My sister Wilma sent this pumpkin cake recipe that looked very simple and interesting. She named it "My Michele Pumpkin Cake" for the friend who gave her the recipe. Thank you Michele. I hope you don't mind if I made a few changes.

                                       
I mixed this cake and had it ready for the oven in seven minutes--and I'm slow. Imagine what you can do with it--super easy and delicious. Your kids could make this cake with very little help. Remember to put the cake in the oven yourself and then remove it.  Make ahead and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
2 tbsp. water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
butter brickle pieces
"Readdi Wip" or your favorite whipped topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first three ingredients until smooth. You may need to add a little more water. Your batter should be about the consistency of pancake batter. Pour into a greased rectangular cake pan and bake until light brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and prick top with a toothpick (20-30 times) and pour one can of sweetened condensed milk over warm cake. Allow to cool for about an hour before serving or store in refrigerator for later. When ready to serve, top with Readdi Wip or whipped topping. Sprinkle with Butterbrickle pieces and/or caramel syrup. This is rich and decadent, so serve it in small pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

Aunt Lucy's Pumpkin Bread

Lucy gave this recipe to me so long ago that she lost her copy and I had to give her another one. Though I have sampled many pumpkin breads in my life, I have never had a more moist and tasty one. It's so easy to make that you can bake this with your children or grandchildren. It's also a good way to get vegetables in your child’s diet without them knowing it. A little here, a little there—sometimes you just have to be sneaky.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 4-small round metal coffee cans or 3 loaf pans.

3 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
2/3 cup water
4 beaten eggs
2 cups pureed pumpkin




Mix the first 6 dry ingredients together. In another large bowl blend the eggs, add the oil and water. Then blend in pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients gradually and blend until completely mixed in. Distribute evenly between cans or pans. Bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean when tested in center. Remove to rack and cool for about ten minutes. Next run a table knife around the sides of the bread and carefully remove to rack. Completely cool your tasty bread before storing it in plastic zip-lock bags. Great served with cream cheese or lemon curd.