Ginger Snaps!

Until recently, I never liked this spicy cookie. Lately, however, as my palette continues to grow and change, I have found them quite delightful! These cookies are PERFECT for this time of year because they include all of the spices that generally remind you of the holiday season. Just a note, these aren’t chewy cookies. They are crisp ginger snaps 😉

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a few pinches
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare pans by laying them with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy, then stir in the molasses. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour,  baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Add to the egg mixture and stir just until combined. Use a cookie scoop (1 in) to dip out balls off dough. Roll each ball in sugar and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten tops of cookies just a tad and bake for 13 minutes, until cookies have spread and tops have cracked.  Let cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Pie from REAL pumpkin!

Last post, I talked about a recipe for a Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake. At the request of my boyfriend, and several other people, here is a recipe for pumpkin pie from REAL PUMPKIN. You know, the good ol’fashioned way. BEFORE Libby canned it and made everyone lazy =P

 

Ingredients:

1 sugar pumpkin
1 9 inch single pie crust
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

 

Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, slightly beat eggs.  Add brown sugar, flour, salt, 2 cups of the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and evaporated milk.  Stir well after each addition. Pour mixture into the unbaked pastry shell.  Place a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust to prevent over browning.

Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.   Remove the strip of foil about 20 minutes before the pie is done so that the edge of the crust will be a light golden brown.  Cool pie, and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

 

Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake

As we all know (thanks to the onset of fall weather!), the holidays are fast approaching. One of the most well-known crops being harvested during the fall season is pumpkins! Pumpkin can be used in TONS of recipes, and as a substitute for many things as well. Today, I will share with you a delicious recipe for Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake. This recipe uses canned pumpkin, but I would completely recommend using fresh pumpkin!

 

Ingredients:

Crust-
1 3/4 cups shortbread cookies, crushed
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake-
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can Pure Pumpkin (Libby’s)
2/3 cup Evaporated Milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup crushed toffee candies

Topping-
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel ice cream topping (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For Crust: Combine cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press onto bottom and 1-inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. For Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, cornstarch and cinnamon; beat well. Pour into crust. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. Remove from oven; top with toffee candy pieces. For Topping: Combine sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over warm cheesecake. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan. Drizzle with caramel topping before serving.