Pumpkin Whoopie Pie

Yield: 1 dozen 4-inch pies
Baking temp: 375
Baking time: 10-12 minutes

Cookies
1½ cups (15-ounce can) pumpkin
2 large eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (I use 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce and it worked GREAT!)
2 tablespoons molasses or dark corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Filling
1 tbls unflavored gelatin
2 tbls cool water
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup cream cheese
2¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tbls finely chopped crystallized ginger (I omitted this)

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease or line with parchment two large baking sheets

To make cookies: In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and molasses. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then beat in the salt, spices, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add the flour to the wet ingredients and beat for 1 minute, until the mixture is well combined. Scrape the bottom ad sides of the bowl, then beat for a short time just to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed.

Use a ¼ measuring cup to drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they feel firm to the touch; a slight indentation will remain when you press your finger in the center. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling: In a small heatproof bowl, combine the gelatin and water and set aside for the gelatin to soften.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Heat the gelatin and water very gently (in a larger bowl of hot water, or at low power in the microwave), stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Set it aside.

Add half the confectioners’ sugar to the butter/cream cheese mixture, beating well. Add the gelatin and mix to combine.

Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, mixing until blended, then stir in the ginger.

To assemble: Spread the flat side of half the cookies with the filling, using 2 generous tablespoons of filling for eavh cookie. Top with the remaining cookies. For best storage, wrap each pie individually in plastic wrap.

Spinach Poppy Seed Salad

3/4 lb fresh mushrooms
1 red onion sliced
2 packages spinach
1 small head of lettuce
3/4 lb grated swiss cheese
1/2 lb bacon (crumbled)
1 C cottage cheese
pomegranate seeds
mandarin oranges
other goodies...

Dressing  (makes extra; do not poor entire contents on salad)

1 1/2 T poppy seeds
3/4 C white vinegar
1 1/2 C oil
3/4 C sugar
1 1/2 T grated onion
1 1/2 t salt
3/4 t dry mustard

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter - softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I've been using dark but not demorrehra)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small package of instant vanilla (or any flavour) pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl cream together butter, brown and white sugar. Beat in instant pudding mix until mixed. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts with wooden spoon or spatula.

Drop cookies by 1/4 cup measure (for big cookies or spoon for smaller cookies) onto ungreased cookie sheet. I line mine with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-15 minutes depending cookie size. Leave on sheet to cool for two minutes before removing (or they will fall apart).

Mushroom Rollups

1 loaf sandwich bread
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms chopped
1/2 cup butter – at room temperature
3 Tbs Flour
1 C Half & Half
2 dashes garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp MSG (Accent)
2 tsp chopped chives or green onions
1 tsp lemon juice (or more)

Remove crusts from bread; using rolling pin roll each slice of bread until thin & flat. Sauté the chopped mushrooms in the butter for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until well blended. Stir in the cream and let cook, stirring consistently until the sauce thickens. Stir in the garlic, salt, MSG, chive and lemon juice. When blended remove from heat. Roll up in bread and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. Can also serve warm with crackers.

I have made this recipe at home and don’t use the MSG – it tastes just as good to me.

Wontons

One block cream cheese
One can canned shrimp
Wonton skins
Salt and Pepper (seasoned salt if you're nasty)
Vegetable oil
Cocktail sauce

Mix the cream cheese, shrimp, and salt and pepper thoroughly.
Place a dollop of mixture in the middle of a wonton skin and then wrap like an envelope.
Fry in 1/2in of oil until golden brown.
Serve warm with cocktail sauce.

Pumpkin Risotto With Wild Mushrooms

1lb Risotto
8 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves or garlic—minced
1 onion—finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 lbs wild mushrooms—golden chanterelles (may substitute Portabellini or Crimini and add dry porcini mushrooms for added flavor)
1 qcorn squash or pumpkin
2 qts chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 cup parmesan—grated
Salt & pepper to taste
Garnish:
1 oz. toasted pinenuts
thyme sprigs

Pumpkin:
Peel and seed pumpkin, cut into 2 inch squares.
Toss in bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper
Place in a baking dish with ¼ cup chicken stock. Cover and bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees
Remove from the oven and let cool
Pass through potato ricer or lightly pulse in food processor, set aside

Mushrooms:
Clean mushrooms. If small Chanterelles are used, leave whole. If domestics are used (Portabellini or crimini), cut into fours
In large sauce pan heat 4 oz. of extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and fresh thyme, stir quickly as not to burn garlic. Wooden spoon works great, especially for risotto stirring.
Add mushrooms and stir occasionally, let edges brown (4-5 minutes)
Season to taste with salt and cracked pepper
Remove from heat and set aside

Risotto:
Heat 4 oz. extra virgin olive oil in large sauté pan
Add onion, stir until translucent (3-4 minutes)
Add rice (DO NOT PRE-RINSE). Either Arborio or Carnarolli
Stir quickly using wooden spoon
Add 1 cup white wine and stir
Slowly add your stock in 1-2 cup increments and continue to stir
When liquid is nearly incorporated, add more stock and continue to stir
When all stock is nearly used, the risotto should be creamy in consistency, but still firm
Add pumpkin and stir
Add mushrooms and stir
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add additional tock if necessary
Add parmesan and one last final stir!

Garnish with toasted pinenuts and thyme sprigs

Pumpkin Bread

Makes approximately 12 muffins, 3 small loaves, or 1 large loaf
1 3/4 cup (1 15 oz. can) pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 eggs
3-4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, and eggs and mix until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients except the nuts or chocolate chips. Mix 3 cups of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add as much of the 4th cup as necessary to achieve the proper consistency (moist, but thick enough to stand a spoon in). Add the nuts or chocolate chips and stir in.

Pour or spoon the batter into greased muffin tins or bread pans. Bake on the center rack until a toothpick poked into the center comes out dry. At sea level, muffins should take between 20 and 25 minutes to bake, small loaves between 25 and 30 minutes, and full sized loaves between 50 minutes and 1 hour.