Pumpkin Chip Cookies

Now before you cringe and say, eeew pumpkin, you really must try these. They are like nothing you've had, and no other cookie recipe I make is anywhere close to the texture and unique flavor of these yummy morsels.
 
(Recipe from Melissa Moiha)

Pumpkin Chip Cookies (*makes 6 dozen*)

1 large (29oz) can pumpkin

2 tsp soda

4 tsp powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

4 C flour

2 C sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp milk

1 C unsalted butter (hers called for vegetable oil but this is a no-no in my book)

2 tsp vanilla

1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add in pumpkin. In a large bowl combine soda, powder, salt, cinnamon, flour and I use a whisk to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 14 minutes. These are a very WET cookie and the dough is not similar to a chocolate chip or sugar cookie dough. 

Char Siu Pork Roast

This is one I like to make in the slow cooker. I make about 1.5 lbs of pork and that with some steamed rice, snow peas, and carrots lasts us two nights. Yum! I got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine, a special one they had just for slow cooker recipes. 

Grandma's Persimmon Pudding

A couple months ago my grandma gave me the recipe for her holiday Persimmon Pudding (with rum hard sauce, which she stresses can't be done without). This dish is more of a bread pudding, moist and deliciously fruity. When I was visiting the family a couple weekends ago, they gave me a batch of persimmon pulp they made from their tree. Today was an awesome foggy fall day, and between that and the frozen persimmon waiting in the freezer that was all the prompting I needed to stay inside and bake. This is a really spicy batter and I loved the way it smelled in the bowl, and loved it even more coming out of the oven. It's a really straight-forward recipe, the only prep I needed to do was chop the dates (they are apparently available pre-chopped). Oh, and to "plump" the raisins in rum...easy! I made two small loaves in paper "tins", and I was surprised to see all the BUTTER that had pooled up between the pans and the cookie sheet they were baked on. I'm letting them cool now and they should be ready for their hard sauce for tonight's dessert.

*Unfortunately I can't find this recipe* :(

Baking for tomorrow

Today was a lot of fun - I got up early and walked Bean, then headed to the various stores for my ingredients. I made two recipes from the "Land O' Lakes Holiday Cookies" magazine, both of which turned out beautifully. Chai Birch Logs, and Lemon Pecan Snowdrops. Both have a unique flavor and lots of spices. I was attempting to make a cookie that wasn't centered around chocolate but also wasn't a traditional sugar cookie. I'm certainly adding these to my cookbook.

Lemon Pecan Snowdrops (Prep time: 45 min | Yields 3 dozen cookies)

Cookie:

1 C butter, softened

1/2 C sugar

2 C flour

2/3 C pecans, finely chopped

1 T grated lemon peel (from your tree!)

Glaze:

1 C powdered sugar

1 T butter, softened

1 T light corn syrup

1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice 

1 T grated lemon peel

1 - 3 T milk (probably closer to 1)

Topping:

Coarse grain white sugar or colored sprinkles

Heat oven to 325. Combine 1 C butter and sugar in bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy.  Reduce speed to low, add flour, pecans, and lemon peel. Beat until dough forms. 

Shape into 1" balls (the smaller the better to keep them from spreading too much). Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 20 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute then remove to rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, combine all ingredients *except* milk in a small bowl. Beat at medium speed, gradually adding enough milk for desired dipping consistency. 

Dip tops of cooled cookies into glaze; shake off excess glaze. Place onto waxed paper. Sprinkle tops with sugar and let stand until glaze is set (about 1 hour). 

Store in loosely covered container between sheets of waxed paper. 

--

Chai Birch Logs (Prep time: 55 minutes | Yields 4 dozen cookies)

Cookie:

1 C butter, softened

3/4 C sugar

1 egg

2 3/4 C flour

2 T instant unsweetened tea powder (I used regular Trader Joe's Chai Tea with good results)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (substitute 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves)

1/2 tsp ground cardamom (this is an expensive but indispensable spice - don't leave it out!)

Topping:

6 oz white chocolate chips

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Reduce speed to low and add in egg until combined. Add all remaining cookie ingredients and beat until well mixed. Mixture will be crumbly. 

Divide into 8 portions. Roll each portion into 12" ropes on a lightly floured surface. Cut ropes into 2" logs. Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 11-15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove and cool 15 minutes.

For topping, place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute and stir. Continue microwaving, stirring every 15 seconds until melted and smooth. Using a small offset spatula, frost tops and sides of logs; place onto waxed paper. Let stand until set (15 minutes).

Place chocolate chips and oil in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Dip fork into melted chocolate, drizzle chocolate crosswise over logs. Let stand until set (45 minutes).