Holiday Baking Series - Pumpkin Pineapple Bread

Pumpin Pineapple Bread

2 1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

15 oz can pumpkin

8 1/4 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

4 large eggs

3 1/2 cup flour

2 t baking soda

2 t pumpkin pie spice

1 t saltpowdered sugar (optional)

1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 F and light grease 2 loaf pans.
2 Beat together sugar and butter until blended. Add pumpkin, pineapple and eggs; beat well. Set aside.
3. In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients.
4. Mix with pumpkin mixture until just blended. Add nuts if desired.
5. Divide evenly between loaf pans and bake 55-65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely. Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar.

YIELD: 16 servings

Holiday Baking Series - Pumpkin Cookies

BEST EVER PUMPKIN COOKIE RECIPE

2 cups butter, softened (4 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin (or canned)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups raisins
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract, blending well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.
Add to the creamed mixture, stirring well. Mix in the raisins and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

YIELD: - makes up to 7 dozen, depending on size. I use a small scoop

Special Goodies for Justin - Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip

We will be seeing the grandchildren tomorrow (yay!) so I baked cookies for Justin. He likes that I bake cookies especially for him. His very favorites are the Triple Peanut Bars with Chocolate that I bake. I baked something new for him this time; Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I recieved the recipe from an Internet Foodie friend Risa and they are really good!


You'll need to make them:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree (out of the can works just fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12 cups pecans, chopped

Sift together the flour, baking soda and spices, then mix in the oatmeal. Set aside. (I sift by whisking, works great and saves time and clean up)

In a large bowl of an electric mixere fitted with the paddle, cream the butter; then beat in the sugars, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and egg. Add the flour-oats mixture.

Place batter in a large bowl and add the chips and pecans. Mix well. Chill the dough for 1 hour.

Drop the dough in rounded tablespoons on well-greased sheets (I did not grease my sheets and had no trouble at all removing them), spacing them 2" apart. Bake each sheet in the middle level of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and set. (14 minutes in my oven.) Note: Keep batter in frisge between scoopings.

Remove immediately and transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight conatainer at room temperature. Then try to eat just one........