MINCEMEAT COOKIES

 Mincemeat is one of those food items that is  misunderstood by so many. It dates back to the 1400's in England and did originally contain meat. Now though it contains no meat but instead includes finely chopped dried fruits like apples,  raisins, currants, etc. 

My mother liked to make a mincemeat pie at Thanksgiving or Christmas. She ate more of it than anyone else, but it was really good. 

Last week Cafe Treats Baker Dorene made some mincemeat cookies that I couldn't eat just one of. Some people hesitated selecting one but that was because of the misunderstanding of "mincemeat". After I told them what was in them, they would chose one. They were all gone by the end of the worship services so I didn't get to enjoy a third one. I definitely need to make some for us.

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MINCEMEAT COOKIES

3-1/4   cups flour

1/4       teaspoon salt

1           teaspoon baking soda

1           cup butter

1-1/2    cups brown sugar

3          eggs, well beaten

1-1/2    cups mincemeat

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.

Add the well-beaten eggs to the creamed mixture and beat until smooth.

Stir in the mincemeat.

Gradually add the flour mixture.

Drop by a full teaspoonful and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

Separate with wax paper to store or freeze.

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLE SCONES

 I love scones. Almost as much as I love biscuits. Probably if I didn't have my own recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits, I could say I love scones more.

I think my all-time favorite scone is a scone we ate on Prince Edward Island at the House of Green Gables Farm. It was an orange, cranberry scone. It was just about perfect. This Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Scone though comes in second and since I don't have the recipe for the scone I got in Canada, that moves the pumpkin one to the top of scones.

You can find my one attempt to duplicate the Green Gables scone HERE,  but this winter hopefully I can try some more recipes for them. I do have plenty of cranberries frozen. Stay tuned ...

I plan to make this Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Scone recipe but cut the dough into small circles instead of the 8 wedges for the Cafe Treats. I was going to do it this past Saturday, but I stayed so busy all day and then was too tired to make them in the evening. I think they will be a big hit with the Cafe Treats patrons.

The first one we ate, I cut in half for Wayne and me to share . We had had our breakfast and didn't feel that hungry. We were also expecting someone who was dropping by for us to sign some papers. As soon as he left, Wayne said he thought he would eat another scone that it tasted pretty good. I laughed and told him I was going to eat another one also. They were whole.

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PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLE SCONES

2     cups flour

1/2  cup sugar

1      tablespoon baking powder

1/2  teaspoon salt

1      teaspoon cinnamon

1/2  teaspoon nutmeg

1/2  cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1      large egg

1      teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together to blend. 

Slice the butter into thin slices and break apart before adding to the dry ingredients. I do about 1/4 of the stick of butter at a time.

Cut into dry ingredients to reduce the size of the butter "chips". After I had the whole stick cut in,

I used my fingers to break up the bigger pieces of butter. It's okay if some of the pieces are a little bigger. (You can see in my picture before I cut them into 8 wedges.)

In a smaller bowl, add the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and whisk together until well combined.

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients working with a spatula and

then your hands to incorporate all of the dry mixture.

It took a bit to do this, but when it all came together it was perfect. I kneaded it a few time as you would bread dough but didn't take a picture of the circle I made.

Form a circle 1 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. 

Place the wedges on the prepared cookie sheet and then

sprinkle the wedges with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and baked.

 Cool a few minutes before enjoying.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

 

I had promised Friend Jamie I would make her a pumpkin quick bread a couple of weeks ago when we picked up 2 dozen fresh eggs from her. I didn't have any chocolate chip cookies for hubby Martin, but we brought him an iron skillet we bought at an estate sale. Well, one week passed and then another and I had not made anything close to a pumpkin quick bread for her. 

Then Saturday I decided to make her something with bananas. I know banana and pumpkin are totally a different taste, but banana bread is her favorite so I felt she would be happy with the "tiny" substitution.

I had a couple of recipes I considered using, but they called for bran and I didn't know if she would like that addition. When I make chocolate chip cookies for Martin in return for the eggs, he wants plain chocolate chip cookies with no usually additives like oatmeal, nuts, etc. So I decided to use a recipe from The Heartstone Inn, a B & B in Eureka Springs, AR cookbook that I have had success with several other recipes.

The recipe was so quick and easy to make without messing up too many dishes to have to wash. I like recipes that I can mix with just a spoon, or spatula, or the like. I always think of my grandmother for some reason. She would tell me if you changed directions when you were stirring the ingredients, it would mess up the pie or whatever she was making.  Crazy has that sounds, I am so glad I remember her telling me that.

I have often said that I often like just a little bit of sweet and that is why I make cookies. Well, making mini-muffins has almost replaced making mini-loaves. A mini-muffin is just the right amount in three or four bites.

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BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1-1/2   cups *sifted flour

2         teaspoons baking powder

1/4      teaspoon baking soda

1          cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 bananas)

1          egg, beaten

1/3      cup oil

3/4     teaspoon salt

1/2      cup sugar

1         cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray or grease muffin pans. (I made 5 jumbo muffins one time and then 34 mini-muffins with the second batch.)

*Sifted flour means to measure flour and then sift it. Then remeasure it. You will notice you use less flour. 

Sift together the measured flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, add the mashed banana, beaten egg, oil, salt, and sugar.

Stir with a spoon or fork to blend well. 

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a spatula just til combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips. (I used Mint Fudge Baking Chips for the jumbo muffins.)

Divide the batter evenly in the muffin tins. The first time I made these I made 5 jumbo muffins. I had hoped to get 6 but decided I didn't have enough batter in the cups as I wanted the muffins to peak over the top when baked.

I came up short with the mini-muffins the second time by two mini-muffins so I added a little water to those cups so the muffins would bake evenly. I used my Pioneer Woman tablespoon cookie scoop to measure for each mini-muffin. This is the perfect amount. It is just a tad more than 1 tablespoon.

Bake the jumbo muffins about 25 minutes. Start checking after 20 minutes for doneness by either pressing lightly to the center or insert a toothpick in the center.

I baked the mini-muffins for 12 minutes.

Allow to cool briefly and then remove to cool on a wire rack. I used a knife to help in removing the jumbo muffins. If a chip sticks to the pan, you can remove it with the knife and just press it in the hole where it had been.

BANANA BRAN MUFFINS

 

When I was recently invited to a Fall Ladies' Tea and asked to bring banana nut muffins (6 jumbo muffins or 18 mini-muffins), I made it an opportunity to try a new recipe to share here in my blog. I pulled out two cookbooks - one from an inn and the other one a Muffins & Quick Breads from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library. I knew either one should offer a recipe for an amazing banana nut muffin and I wasn't disappointed.

It isn't often that I bake adding nuts to the recipe since I am usually baking for the Cafe Treats at church and it is a nut-free zone. The nuts really do add a nice touch to the muffin. 

The recipe made three dozen mini-muffins so I took 18 to the tea and brought a few back home. I realized I would never get them eaten quickly so instead of freezing some, I took them to the Blankets of Hope meeting yesterday and shared them with the group. They really enjoyed them also. I plan to make some more for the Cafe Treats but will leave out the walnuts. They worked fine without the paper liners.

I guess I got detracted toward the end and forgot to take pictures. Fortunately I still had a few I had not eaten to get a picture of the finished muffin to share with you.

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BANANA BRAN MUFFINS

1     cup flour

1     cup oat bran or wheat bran

1      teaspoon baking soda

1/2  teaspoon salt

1/2  cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1      cup mashed ripe banana (2 to 3 bananas)

1/2  cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2  cup firmly packed brown sugar

1      egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray lightly muffin tin or line with paper liners. (I used a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners and a 12 -cup mini-muffin pan that I just sprayed.) Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir and toss together the flour, the bran (I used oat bran), baking soda, salt, and nuts, if using. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat together the banana and butter until mixed.

(My bananas had been frozen so they hardened the butter when beat together. It was fine though.) 

Add the brown sugar and egg and

beat until completely mixed.

Add the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just

until blended.

Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters full. (I used may cookie scoop that hold a tablespoon and it worked perfectly.)

Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes for regular sized muffins or 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins. Check doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center. It should come out clean.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans. Store in an airtight container.

HEALTHY COOKIES

 I hesitate saying "Healthy Cookies" even though that 's what they are called because so many people are turned off when you tell them they are egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and no-sugar-added. I had several people eat theirs before they left the Cafe at church so they could tell me what they thought and they said they were really good. A few people came for them because someone had suggested it.

Cafe Treats Baker Jean said she would make them again and I know I will be making them for us. I hope you will give them a try. I don't think you will be disappointed especially if you are wanting to enjoy a treat but have issues with allergies or watching your sugar intake.

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HEALTHY COOKIES

3     mashed ripe bananas

1/3  cup unsweetened applesauce

2     cups gluten-free oats

1/4  cup almond milk (oat milk works)

1/4  cup raisins or nuts

1      cup dark chocolate chips (no sugar added)

1      teaspoon vanilla

1      teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookies with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mix all of the ingredients together until well blended. 

Using a tablespoon scoop, drop the "dough" onto the cookie sheet with a little space between them. They will not spread when baked. Bake for about 20 minutes. 

Cool.

FROSTED PUMPKIN BARS

 We have had some really delicious treats this fall at the Cafe at Platte Woods United Methodist Church, especially with pumpkin. Baker Jo Ann surprised me with these Frosted Pumpkin Bars yesterday at the Cafe. She came in with the big pan and apologized for not letting me know that she was bringing something. 

Only a few had signed up so I ended up bringing out four or five treats (leftovers) that I had frozen. We had so much that I figured I was going to have leftovers again to freeze, but boy I was wrong. Getting the extra hour of sleep, I guess, made everyone hungry because I had maybe a dozen each of two treats left. It might have also happened because we had 491 combined at bother services. I wouldn't be surprised if that number was low because we have humans counting. lol

This recipe is very similar to some Frosted Pumpkin Bars that Baker Jean brought a few weeks ago that I didn't get a chance to share. Her bars were a big hit also. The only difference was the amount of baking powder and baking soda and vanilla.

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FROSTED PUMPKIN BARS

4        eggs

1         cup oil

1         can pumpkin

1         teaspoon vanilla

1-2/3 cups sugar

2        cups flour 

2        teaspoons baking power

1         teaspoon salt

1         teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, oil, pumpkin, vanilla, and sugar until smooth and blended.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon with a whisk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir til smooth and well blended.

Pour batter into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

8        ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1         stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened but not melted

1         teaspoon vanilla

3        cups sifted powdered sugar

Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix until smooth.

Spread over COOLED cake. Cut into squares to serve.

SANDI'S PUMPKIN MUFFINS

 I heard so many compliments on these Pumpkin Muffins, but unfortunately I didn't get to eat one. I wanted to make sure that there were plenty for the patrons of the Cafe to enjoy them.  After Cafe Treats Baker Sandi sent me the recipe, I'm not surprised I heard so many remarks. I certainly need to make some of these myself. They will just look different because I don't have the silicon pumpkin and leaf smaller muffin "pan" that Sandi told me she bought with this recipe in mind.

Sandi said she would have used a zero sugar yellow cake mix but didn't have one.

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PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1     box yellow cake mix

1     can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

1     tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1     egg

1/2 cup water

Optional add-ins:

1/2  cup chopped pecans

1/2  cup raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until just well blended.

Spoon into muffin pan. Makes 12 regular sized muffins. Bake for 20 minutes.

Adjust cooking time depending on the size of muffins you are making.

DIY PET SCARVES

 Our church recently did a Furry Friends Blessing in the Park and some of the members of the Blankets of Hope quilting ministry made different sized scarves for the pets. Some of them tied and some you just slipped over the collar. 

Since we have cats, I made smaller ones that slipped over their collars. They were so easy and so much fun. I took lots of pictures as I made some to be able to share the process with you since it doesn't really require a pattern so you will be seeing pictures not always from the same print.

Before I go any farther, I should admit to just a little bit of OCD. The good news it doesn't affect every aspect of my life. The bad news is in the areas it does affect, I come off sounding like I am really micromanaging and that's not good. I sound that way when I write up tutorials such as this one. I apologize now and hope you will still continue to read this post and appreciate it.

I had to go buy Charlie and Parker new collars because I think we donated the ones we bought them when we first got them because they hated them. I wasn't really sure they would wear them now that they are three, but they do. Charlie is happier than Parker, but every time I find Parker's on the floor somewhere or notice that he isn't wearing his, I put it right back on. Charlie has never removed his. I will be making them a Christmas one after Thanksgiving so they will be festive. Right now Charlie is wearing sunflowers and Parker is wearing pumpkins. They look so cute.

I measured around their necks and decided an 8.5 inch square would be big enough and it was.

1) First I cut a square 8.5 inches.

2) Then I folded it in half vertically with the pattern.

3) I lined the bottom of the "rectangle" with a horizontal line on my cutting mat so that the cut edges opposite the fold also lined up with a vertical line on the mat.

4) I lined up the edge of my cutting template with the lower edge of the fold and then 2.5 inches down from the top on the cutting edge opposite the fold and

cut two triangles off. (Discard the triangles for another project.)

When you open it up, it should look like this.

5) Cut the point off the scarf. This is to reduce the bulk at the tip. If you don't cut off enough, just snip off a little bit more.

6) Now you are ready to move to your ironing board. You will be turning the edges under about 1/4 inch and pressing them down.

Start with the top side edges first and

then down the diagonal sides.

Once you have done this, you will start back with the sides and fold them one more time and press.

If you need to pin it help hold it down, do that. It doesn't really matter which diagonal side you start with. Fold one side again and press. (Pin if is helps.)

When you fold the first diagonal side for the second time, you can cut off any excess. (Look closely at the picture.)

Then fold the tip down to the fold so that when you fold the other diagonal side down,

the tip will look like this. Pin as needed. 

Press the top of the scarf under 1/4 inch once.

7) Now you are ready the sew the folded hems on the machine stitching close to the folded edge.

It depends on which diagonal side you started folding first the second time, but when you are stitching down the hem as you go around, stitch to the end of the top hem at the point. It might be hard to see in this picture. Maybe it will be easier in a picture of a finished scarf.

8) Once you have stitched down the hem along the bottom 4 sides, you will fold the top portion down to make the casing. 

You are bringing the top fold to the point in which the diagonal sides start. Pin if it helps you.

This will cover up where the hems meet so don't worry if it didn't look good before. (Remember I have some OCD issues with some things I do.) 

9) Stitch close to the edge across to form the casing. Remember I only folded this edge down once. That reduces some of the bulk.

AND you are finished. All you have to do is push the leash through the casing at the top.

Here are some I made for the Pet Blessing... (and Charlie and Parker)

This size would work for a small dog also.