Rice Krispy Treats

Classics: Rice Krispy Treats

Some things in the kitchen never go out of style, and Rice Krispy Treats are at the top of that list for me. Brilliantly compatible with the cooking skill level of the average 8-year old, this gem of a recipe makes a quick and tasty treat. And all things considered, not that bad for you either. Snap, crackle pop!

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
1 bag marshmallows- 10 oz of the big ones
6 cups of rice krispies cereal

1. Melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
2. Remove from heat and add in the cereal. Stir.
3. Press mixture into a greased pan and cool.

Now, there are a couple of variations out there that I'm dying to make. Check these out:

Though they look crazy fancy, they use the same recipe- but you drop them on greased cookie sheets and shape them into balls with your hands, and then decorate as desired. Happy birthday to me.....

Apple Crisp

Sometimes, I just want an easy, tasty dessert! And the last two weekends, when it is cold and snowy, this one is just right!!

4-6 medium size apples, cut into slices any kind good for baking
1/2 stick of butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Layer the sliced apple into a baking dish. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and half of the butter. Sprinkle the crumble on top. Cut up the rest of the butter and put on top. Bake for about 50 minutes, until topping browns and crisps!

Julia Child's Chocolate Souffle

Ryan and I get the itch to make an epic meal every now and then. Christmas Eve seemed the perfect excuse for just such a cooking feat. We started with appetizers- stuffed mushrooms, then moved on to a delish entree, pasta with mushroom and white wine and butter sauce- and of course, for the finale, decided to attempt the piece de resistance, chocolate souffle!

Now I love to bake, so souffle seemed a challenge, but nothing beyond the pale. I will caution, however, that the dishes are not few, and the time and effort is intense. But the end product? Does it RISE to the occasion? Well... see for yourself!

Chocolate Souffle: A recipe from the one and only Julia Child herself!

Ingredients:

To coat the souffle dish:
Sugar
butter, softened but NOT melted

For the chocolate flavoring:
7 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/3 cup strong coffee or espresso

For the base:
1.3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp butter softened, not melted
1 tbsp vanilla
salt

For the whites:
6 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare the souffle dish by generously coating it with soft butter and sprinkling in sugar. Tip the souffle dish to coat the entire inner surface with the sugar, and tap out any excess.

2. Place the rack in your oven to the lowest third and preheat to 425 degrees.

3. In a small saucepan, melt 7 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate with 1/3 cup of coffee.

4. In a separate, larger saucepan, heat up 1 cup milk and whisk in the flour, blending well. Slowly add in the rest of the milk and 1/3 cup of sugar. Bring to a slow boil and whisk for 2 min. Remove from heat.

5. Beat in 3 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp vanilla, a pinch of salt, 4 egg yolks, and the melted chocolate mixture.

6. Whip the 6 egg whites to stiff peaks. Add in 1/2 cup sugar once they are foamy.

Now, let's talk seriously about this "whip to stiff but not dry peaks' business. It is a terrifying instruction in any recipe, wrought with problems and causing of much angst, but no worries, it can be done!! Here's how:

In a large bowl, the best is of copper, (if you have that kind of fancy stuff lying around), but I use ceramic or pyrex- have the 6 egg whites reserved and ready to whip.

A. Start with room temperature eggs.

B. Use a long-handled whisk and any bowl, so long as it is not aluminum or plastic. The eggs react best with copper, but poorly if there is any grease in the bowl or on the mixing elements, so clean everything well.

C. MAke sure the bowl is significantly larger than the eggs you start with, as they will gain volume as you whip them.

D. It would take approximately 900 strokes- or a little over 6 minutes- to whip 6 egg whites by hand. Trust me, the first 100 feel fine. It's the next 800 that will suck. Also, in the beginning, you can be slow and relaxed- until it's foamy, but to finish the job, you are going to have to get some seriously fast whipping on, and for a sustained period of time. *Insert pervy joke here* Remember, once you start, you cannot stop.

E. Here's what we did: We started off by hand, and then once they were foamy (see photo), I switched to my magic wand cuisinart stick using a whisk attachment*. This was THE way to go. This is also the time to start slowly adding in the sugar, as it will help the peaks to form.

*This is by far my favorite and most used kitchen gadget- if you do not own one, you can use a regular hand held beater with whisk attachment too.

F. You will know you have reached the correct level of 'stiff peaks' when they stand up, and do not wilt back down. Stop as soon as this effect is observed- it is a myth that you should whip them until they are SO stiff that the bowl can be inverted- this is too much in the case of the souffle!! If for some reason they just wont stiffen up (sigh, can't get away from the innuendo),then a pinch of salt or splash of lemon might do the trick.

7. Combine the base with the whipped eggs by ladling the base sauce into the whipped egg bowl, and combing and folding rapidly until thoroughly blended together.

8. Pour mixture immediately into mold, and put in oven. Turn the heat down to Bake @400 for about 40 minutes, or until the puff rises (hopefully). DO NOT OPEN the oven door during the first 20 minutes. Walk lightly as you pass by. Test for doneness with a toothpick or skewer inserted at 45 degrees, it should come out clean. Dust with powdered sugar and serve- the 'puff' will only last about 3 minutes or so once it is out of the oven, so snap a photo and quick serve it! (with homemade whip cream, of course!!)

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

So, after I cooked up a whole pumpkin, I had... whole lot of pumpkin. I used some of it for pie, I used some of it Curried winter squash soup (check it out here), and I still had some leftover. So I did the only other pumpkin-y thing I could think of. I made bread!!

You can use any squash or sweet potato in place of the pumpkin!! Preheat to 350 degrees.

In a medium-sized bowl combine & whisk, then set aside:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

In a separate bowl combine and set aside:
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream in a large bowl by beating until fluffy:
3/4 stick of butter (6 tblsp)
1 tsp mayonnaise (seriously- keeps it moist for-ev-er!)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Beat in one at a time:
2 large eggs

Then beat in:
1 cup pumpkin or other squash puree

Then add in the flour mixture slowly, and drizzle in the milk each time. Fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips at the very end.

Bake in a loaf pan, about 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean!

Pumpkin Pie: Updated for 2011!

I've been making pumpkin pie for several years now. It's been a pain sometimes, but I've learned how to make it easier over the years- and I am embarrassed that I once said canned was just as good- I'm NOT going back to Libby's.

So, here is the new and IMPROVED 2011 pumpkin pie recipe!

This time I decided to try a local Long Island heirloom pumpkin variety, known as the cheese pumpkin. The name is not a comment on flavor, but on the shape and color- which resembles a wheel of cheese. (Sure, if you squint.) So we'll see how it turns out!


To make the Pumpkin Puree:

Step 1: Cut it- Cut the pumpkin in half, and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Cut into several (4-6) large chunks. Use a fork to punch some holes in the skin. Lightly oil and place on a baking sheet, flesh up or to the side.

Step 2: Cook the Crap out of it. I roasted it at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. You want to be able to peel off the skin and easily scrape out the flesh with a spoon. Make sure it is nice and soft before you pull it out. I know it is possible to steam it, too, but I have never tried. And I think roasting adds a little flavor.

Step 3: Peel out the goo. Sexy.

Step 4: Puree with blender. I use a magic wand, but the goal of a smoother, silkier texture can be achieved with a regular blender. (HIGHLY recommend the wand, such a major time saver!!)

Step 5: Let sit in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl for about 30 minutes to drain off any water.

Step 6: Make the pie

Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
2 eggs (no clue why I ever used 4 in the past- way too many!!) Whisked
2 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

(Tip: If it's dried out, moisten your hands and hold for a minute and it will soften up! Or for a larger quantity, moisten a cutting board and let the dried out pieces sit on top for a few minutes!!)

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove or allspice (Or 2 1/2 tsps of pumpkin spice)
1/2 tsp salt
Splash of Vanilla

Mix the ingredients together with a hand blender or beater. Line pie shell with dough. Make sure to use any extra dough around the edges- for this particular pie, they tend to burn more easily. I taste the batter at this point, and adjust seasonings if need be. Pour batter into the pie shell.

Bake for 45-55 minutes @400 until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.

If you still have some extra crust, which I usually do, go ahead and make some 'crust cookies'- mine are usually heart shaped- and throw them in the oven to get golden and crispy for the last 20-30 minutes the pie bakes. Then serve the pieces with fresh whipped cream and a crust cookie. Yeah. That's where it's at.

Apple Pie

Ah, apples. What other symbol of fall is more awesome or delicious?? And apple pie... well that's just heaven, isn't it?

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
5-6 large apples, peeled and cut into wedges (about 2 lbs)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp flour
squeeze lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch brown sugar, too

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Place a baking sheet under the pie and Bake @ 400 for about 30 minutes, checking crust to make sure it is not burning.

Turn down to 350 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, removing the baking sheet for the last 20 minutes or so if the pie is not yet bubbling, turning the heat down farther if the crust starts to burn. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar on the top right before the end of baking.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream!!

Concord Grape & Pear Pie

Our latest CSA pickup included some concord grapes, which I decided to turn into a pie. I thought about jelly, but then figured... I have some pears, and a dinner party to go to... so... why not pie?

The process has a few extra steps, but it's well worth it!!


Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
5-6 bunches concord grapes*
4 pears
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
squeeze lemon juice
Generous Sprinkle of Cinnamon

*First, separate the skins off the grapes. A light squeeze at the end opposite of the stem should be enough to pop out the pulp. Keep each in a separate bowl. Heat the pulps in a small pot, until boiling, for about 5 minutes. Then, mash in a strainer to remove the seeds. Combine the mashed pulps with the skins.

Add in the pears, and then add the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon to this mixture, let sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes.

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Bake @ 400 for 20-30 minutes, checking crust for burning. Some folks brush butter or milk on top of the crust, this works too. Then turn down to 325 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, and turn down the oven when the crust burns at that degree. This is an art and not a science, and so I suggest checking the pie about every ten minutes!

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, and garnish with sprigs of mint!!

Banana Bread: Now with more... mayonnaise!

I originally posted this recipe two years ago- and it remains a favorite (and a stand-by for when I let bananas over-ripen). But since I first started whipping it up, I have made a few teensy changes- the most important being I now add in a spoonful of mayo to keep the bread soft and moist. It works like a charm. Heard this one from a southern boy I met @ Harvard, and though at first it sounded gross, it makes sense- fat, in any form, is a fabulous thing.

From the original post:

Ah, dessert breads. I love them all- pumpkin, banana, date, zucchini, nut, carrot.... There is just something really great about a warm slice of bread with butter on it (and I like to pretend that it is somehow less of a treat because of the word 'bread' in the title)..... Also, it is THE best way I've found to use up my bad bananas. So, banana bread galore:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

grease loaf pan

1. In a small bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp of salt.

2. In a larger bowl, mix together 3/4 stick of butter (6 tblsp), an egg, and 2/3 cup of sugar. Add a dollop of mayonnaise. Add in 2-3 ripe bananas. The older, mushier, and blacker, the better. (no, really!)

Add in nuts, splash of vanilla, and chocolate chips if desired.

3. Beat the flour into the banana batter. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for approx 1 hour.

:)

Lemon Rosemary Sugar Cookies

These little cookies were to-die-for. Ryan was reluctant at the thought of rosemary in his cookie, but in my brain, this made sense to my sweet-salty-savory loving palate. I also could imagine a childhood in the italian countryside - and the smell of these cookies coming out of Nonna's oven. The recipe yields about thirty small-bite cookies! PS: this recipe is another winner from vegetarian times- Simple, great tasting- I highly recommend it!

1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. finely chopped rosemary (fresh!)
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/3 cup corn flour (this was a little tricky to find- I'd look in advance!)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup turbinado (sugar in the raw) or decorative crystal sugar for decorating

DIRECTIONS

Beat butter, sugar, rosemary, and lemon zest with electric mixer 3 minutes, or until creamy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
Whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Add to butter mixture, and beat until just combined. Shape into 2 1-inch-wide logs. Wrap in wax paper, and chill 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Slice cookies into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Place turbinado sugar in bowl and press one cut side of cookies into sugar. Place sugar-side up on baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden brown on bottoms. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Rustic Blueberry Peach Tart

My first attempt at a tart! I was really pleased with this recipe- another one adapted slightly from Vegetarian TImes- and excited to put some super-ripe peaches to good use!

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz light cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
2-3 tblsp cold water

Filling:
5 cups peaches- peeled, pitted, sliced
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
squeeze fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp corn starch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

For dough: mix dry ingredients with butter and cream cheese, splash with water and knead with hands until soft enough to form a ball. Refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour.

Prepare filling and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. We did 400, since our oven runs a little hot.

Place a piece of wax paper on a large baking sheet and flour. Using hands, roll out dough into 12 inch round and tuck up the sides to create a lip. Pour in the filling.

Bake about 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 20 minutes more, or until crust is crisp and brown.

Tip: every time you open the oven door, 50 degrees escape! This could be good, if things are too hot- or bad, so try not to check things too often.

As always, tart is done when filling bubbles!

Banana Smores

This past weekend in Vermont was a culinary free-for-all, and we made some amazing dishes. Roasted beet salad, grilled corn, zucchini quesadillas, smoked BBQ ribs for the meat-eaters, black bean and corn salad, tzatziki, jalepeno pesto pasta, fresh homemade french toast, and pudding pie- and then these little bad boys, Banana S'mores. It was glorious gluttony and my tastebuds were very, very happy. Many of these recipes have already, and will, appear on this site over the coming days, I've had trouble keeping up with posts at the rate I've been cooking. But We'll get to them all someday soon, I promise.

For today, the banana s'more. What is it? Well, this comes from my camping trip out to Western Canada a few years back- and though there are many things that make the Canadians sort of silly, this one is sheer genius.

Ingredients:
ripe bananas
chocolate of preference
graham crackers
marshmallows
tinfoil

Take a banana and slit it, through the peel, right down the middle. Stuff the banana with marshmallow, pieces of chocolate, and crumbled bits of graham cracker. Wrap in tinfoil, and throw on a grill, or better yet, in a raging campfire- and allow to cook for several minutes. Let cool, and then open and eat the gooey awesomeness that is basically a banana-split-s'more!

Cherry Pie

The summer of pies continue. I am seriously considering switching careers... lol. Anyhoo, I decided to tackle cherry pie, a bit of a formidable foe thanks to having to pit the cherries. But with a partner, it was quick work- I used a tweezer to poke through the stem and find the pit and push it out, Ryan preferred a sharp knife. I've heard that paper clips work well- but didn't try it. We did try a chopstick, which was a major fail, so don't listen to that advice.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
5 cups cherries, pitted and halved
3/4 cup sugar (Increase if using tarter cherries)
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
squeeze lemon juice

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Bake @ 400 for 20-30 minutes, checking crust for burning. Some folks brush butter or milk on top of the crust, this works too. Then turn down to 325 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, and turn down the oven when the crust burns at that degree. This is an art and not a science, and so I suggest checking the pie about every ten minutes! It's done when the crust is a deep brown color and the filling bubbles through!

Blueberry Pie

Oh man, if you could only smell the awesome deliciousness cooking up in my house right now... WE love blueberry pie. By far my favorite of all summer goodness, Ryan is unwilling to share them often and has been known to quite aggressively bogart pieces even when he does. So, without much more fanfare or self-adulation, here is the recipe. Enjoy!


Crust:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
5-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
2 pints blueberries, washed and stemmed
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
squeeze lemon juice

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Bake @ 400 for 20-30 minutes, checking crust for burning. Some folks brush butter or milk on top of the crust, this works too. Then turn down to 325 degrees for an additional 30 minutes. Basically, over an hour, let the pie cook, and turn down the oven when the crust burns at that degree. This is an art and not a science, and so I suggest checking the pie about every ten minutes!

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, and garnish with sprigs of mint!!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

It's that time of year when rhubarb is at its peak- and as part of our first CSA pickup, we were rewarded with a stalk of this strange fruit. Rhubarb looks like celery that has been grown in red food dye- but has a distinct, yet hard to define, smell and taste. Mixed with the sweetness of freshly picked strawberries, it is gonna be good....

Crust:
1 1/2 cup pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter
5 tablespoons ice water

Combine flour & salt with a whisk. Add in butter and combine with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle water and shape into a ball. Refrigerate in Saran wrap for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (My oven runs HOT. Some folks do this @ 425)

Filling:
1 cup rhubarb
2 cups strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tblsp cornstarch
squeeze lemon juice

Roll out dough, add filling to center, and top with dollops of butter. Then complete with lattice crust. Bake @ 400 for 15-20 minutes, checking crust for burning. Some folks brush butter or milk on top of the crust, this works too. Then turn down to 300 degrees (325 if your oven is not so insane) for an additional 15-20.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, and garnish with sprigs of mint!!

Zucchini Bread

If you like "breads"- banana, pumpkin, carrot- then you will like Zucchini! The zucchini is naturally full of moisture, which makes the bread really nice and soft. It also has a really nice flavor, which comes through in the bites.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk together:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon


In a separate large bowl, blend:
2 cups sugar (I did a mix of white and brown sugar, could also see honey working well)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup veggie oil
1 tsp vanilla- As we all know, I tend to go heavy on this.
1/2 tsp salt

Stir the dry ingredients. Once blended, add:
2 cups grated zucchini (grate w/ cheese grater, squeeze out extra moisture)
1 1/2 cups walnuts

Pour into a loaf pan and bake about 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean.

Bread Pudding

This is Ryan's Recipe, passed down from his Momma.

**Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.

1 Pkg. vanilla pudding (We prefer MY*T*FINE brand!)
1/2 loaf white bread (11-12 pieces)
butter
cinnamon
brown sugar
vanilla
Optional:cocoa powder or fine ground espresso

1. Butter each side of the bread and layer in an oven- safe casserole. Sprinkle each layer with brown sugar and cinnamon, and cocoa/coffee if desired.
2. Prepare pudding according to package and add a few drops of vanilla while cooking. Pour custard over layers of bread.
3. Cook for 45 minutes!

Cookies!

Who doesn't love cookies?? The Following recipes are both classics, but with a little lora dever tweak here and there.

Joy of Cooking Peanut Butter:

Preheat to 375 degrees

Whisk in small bowl:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Beat in Bowl:

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup DARK brown sugar (I like to go for "good measure" on this one...)

pinch of salt (personally, I think this is key)

Mix in:

1 large egg

1 cup peanut butter- I'm generous - I like Skippy natural creamy, add in more based on taste

1/2 tsp vanilla- again, splashy splashy

Stir flour mixture into batter, beating as you go. The batter will turn into little dough droplets almost, very crumbly. Shape into 1-inch balls, flatten with a fork. Bake approx. 10 minutes~~!

Tollhouse:

This is the ultimate classic, right off the bag, with one small difference, thanks to my Grammy Alice. We couldn't quite figure out her secret, and she didn't know what it was, but I finally pegged it down. It's the brown sugar- use Dark brown, instead of regular.

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla (again, I eyeball this and go a little heavy)

2 large eggs

1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat to 375

combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla until creamy, then add eggs. Gradually add in flour, and then chocolate. Drop on a cookie sheet, bake 9-11 min, or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Pie

I love pie. I make my own crusts, which can be used with any fillin'. It is super easy to make, not sure why people make such a big deal outta crust. So if you are still buying it from the store, stop!! Try this:

1 and 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter ( 1 stick)- softened

5 tblsp ICE water

Put the flour & salt in a small bowl, whisk. Cut the butter into little squares and mash into the flour with a fork. Add in 5 tblsp of water, slowly, then start using your hands to kneed the dough. Collect it into a ball, should be a little moist, so not crumbly, but not wet. Wrap in saran and refrigerate for 1/2 and hour or until you need it!!

Now, for the fillin'.

I've made the pie both ways, by buying sugar pumpkins and roasting them and scooping out the flesh, and by opening up a can full of pumpkin pie filling. I hate to admit this, but having done it the labor-intensive way, there was really very little difference in final product. So, I'll tell you how to do it, in case you have some extra time to kill, but in this one instant, I'm gonna advocate for the canned goods.

1 medium-size sugar pumpkin

carefully cut pumpkin in half. discard seeds and stringy bits. Save seeds for roasting if that's your thing. Lightly oil baking sheets, either one large one that will fit both halves, or two smaller ones. also lightly oil the halves themselves, then place face down, with the fleshy parts exposed. Bake @ 325, until flesh is tender when poke with a fork. scrape the warm flesh from the peel. mush or puree in a blender.

OR

Go buy a can of Libby's pumpkin pie filling. open and pour into bowl. Add:

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp crushed cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg/ allspice

1 tsp salt

4 eggs, lightly beaten

8 oz honey- warm in boiling water in the jar, then pour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Beat ingredients with a mixer on low. This will make a ton of batter, might be enough for a deep dish pie or two smaller ones.

Bake @ 400 for 50-55 min until fork comes out clean from center

Fresh whip cream to dress it up, and serve!

Banana Bread

Ah, "breads". I love them all- pumpkin, banana, date, nut, carrot.... There is just something really great about a warm slice of bread with butter on it..... Anyway, it is also the best way I've found to use up my bad bananas. So, banana bread it is:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

grease loaf pan

1. In a small bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp of salt.

2. In a larger bowl, mix together 3/4 stick of butter (6 tblsp), an egg, and 2/3 cup of sugar. Add in 2-3 ripe bananas. The older, mushier, and blacker, the better. Add in a tsp of mayonnaise for moisture. (no, really!)

Add in nuts, splash of vanilla, and chocolate chips if desired.

3. Beat the flour into the banana batter. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for approx 1 hour.

:)