Lisa's Pumpkin-doodles...

...like snickerdoodles, but with pumpkin...and chocolate!
I thought this would be a fun "intro-to-fall" treat. :)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in white chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar and pumpkin pie spice (I used more sugar and less spice). Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 11 to 13 (13 for high altitude) minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. transfer to a wire rack; cool.

BYU MINT BROWNIES

Recipe from BYU Magazine, courtesy of Sugar & Spice and the Cougareat  Food Court.

Click here to print recipe for BYU Mint Brownies 

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or use store-bought)

MINT ICING
5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

 

Kirse's Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

One package brownie mix (I prefer dark chocolate or the one with the syrup pouch)

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 cup chocolate chips

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan.

2) Stir Brownie mix, water, oil, and 2 eggs in bowl using spoon. Spread in pan.

3) Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in vanilla and 1 egg JUST until blended (do not overmix, should be gloppy).

4) Plop cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan; cut through mixture with knife several times for marbled design. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

5) Bake 30-35 minutes or until cream cheese mixture begins to brown and toothpick comes out clean (be sure not to overcook - they are best rather gooey). Cool completely. Cut with plastic knife, store covered in fridge.

Stacey's Blueberry Cream Pie

This pie is AMAZING! Todd and I can each polish off our own in about 24 hours.  So if you go to make it, do a few.  This recipe is for 2 large or 3 smaller pies.  If I have left over crust I'll do them in my mini glass pyrex bowls for a single serving size.  The kids love it like that.  Their own little pie.

Crust:
4 pkgs graham crackers, some chunky, some finely crushed. 
2 cups pretzels crushed
1 cube butter
1/3 cup sugar
press in a pie pan sprayed with pam and bake 350 for 8-9 min.  Let cool.

Filling:
2 pkgs cream cheese or light.  Don's use fat free, won't set and why bother!!!
Blend with mixer on high.
lg tub or 4 cups cool whip topping
2 cups powdered sugar
Blend these with mixer on low speed
2 cups smooshed blueberries or any berry of choice
2 cups whole berries folded in.

Add to cooled crusts and chill for several hours. 
Enjoy!!!

Ranger Joe Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup oatmeal (quick oats)

3 cups Rice Krispies

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Add all ingredients into a Kitchen Aid mixer and mix well.  Spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until they don't run when you tilt the pan.   (You can vary the oatmeal/krispies and do 3 cups oatmeal and 1 cup Krispies, or 2 cups each). 

Jen's Chimichanga's

Meat Mix:

1 chuck roast, approx 4-5 lbs.

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 lg. onion, diced

1 tsp. garlic, minced

1 can green chilies

1 jar salsa (pace picante works)

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

4 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cumin (I love cumin, so I add a bit more)

Juices from the roast beef

1. Cook roast in crockpot until shreddable (approx 6 hours on high) with 1 cup of water.

2. Shred the roast and set the meat aside.  Reserve the juices.  Discard any fatty pieces.

3. In stockpot, add vegetable oil and heat. 

4. Add diced onions, green chilies, and saute for a minute.  Add minced garlic, saute.

5. Add jarred salsa, garlic powder, flour, salt, and cumin.

6. Cook for 1-2 minutes over med-heat.

7. Stir in reserved juices and shredded meat and cook until thickened.

8. Place meat into a warmed flour tortilla and roll up like a burrito.

9. Deep fry in oil until golden brown & crispy.

10. Top with sour cream, lettuce, tomtatoes, salsa, olives, etc.

This meat freezes well. Cook as directed and freeze before putting it into flour tortillas.  Re-heat and start with steps 8-10. 

Jen's Fried Onion Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 tbsp. butter (can use spray butter, but I don't)

1 can GOLDEN mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

Lg. Can French's Fried Onions (found near the canned green beans)

Place chicken breasts in casserole.

Place 1 tbsp. butter on each breast.

Mix Golden mushroom soup with 1/2 cup of water until smooth. 

Pour soup/water mix over the chicken breasts.

Top with about 3/4 can of the french fried onions.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  

The gravy is so yummy with mashed potatoes!