Simple (yet delicious) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo compliments of google

1 spice cake mix
1 regular sized can (15 oz.) of pumpkin
1 bag of chocolate chips

Mix it all together, put it on a greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 for 12 minutes. So delicious!

Brocccoli Salad

Mix the following ingredients in a large bowl:
2-3 bunches of raw broccoli (chopped into small pieces)
1 bunch of green onions (finely chopped)
18 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1 cup sunflower seeds
8 ounce can water chestnuts (drained and chopped)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Whisk the following dressing, pour over broccoli mixture and mix well:
1 cup mayo
4 T. apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar

By Kathy Ruggiero

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (10.75 ounce) cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups milk
1 cup cubed cooked chicken

1 cup cooked medium egg noodles

Heat oil in 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and celery and cook until tender. Stir soup and milk into pan. Heat to a boil. Add chicken and noodles. Reduce heat to low. Cook and stir for 5 min. or until vegetables are tender.

Homemade Syrup

I grew up with homemade syrup. I now can't stand store bought syrup. Homemade syrup is so good and it isn't that hard to make. The best thing about it is that it makes a lot so it will last you. This is my SIL's recipe who is a contributor to this blog. I hope she doesn't care that I shared it, I just couldn't stand knowing that all of you out there reading this blog didn't have this recipe!

4 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 TBS corn syrup
2 c. water
1 TBS vanilla
1 tsp maple

Combine everything except vanilla and maple. Bring to a boil and cover, boiling gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool a little, add vanilla and maple.

See not hard at all! So much better than anything you can buy!

Cream of Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Okay not the best picture but I am just trying to give you a general idea of what it is supposed to look like when you are done. Don't want you cooking blind here (and for a long time, I could not cooking anything without a picture!). This recipe comes from a cookbook that I LOVE. My MIL gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago and I cook a lot out of it. Especially the soups. It is called "Favorite Brand Name Best Loved Recipes of All Time." Yes it is a LONG name, but good recipe book.

I made this for Halloween dinner this year. We had already had chili at our ward party and pizza the night before at our family get together so I couldn't think of anything "Halloweeny" to make for dinner. I decided just to have a nice comforting soup and broccoli cheese is one of my favorites.

1 pound fresh broccoli
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 TBS butter or margarine
2 TBS all-purpose flour
2 cups of milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups (8 oz) cheddar cheese

Chop broccoli florets; thinly slice stems. Combine broccoli and broth medium saucepan; heat to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 7 minutes or until broccoli is fork tender (if you want it chunky like I do, leave 1 cup of broccoli pieces out and add later to soup with the puree)

Transfer in thirds to food processor or blender. Process until fairly smooth. Melt butter in same saucepan; add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until bubbly. Add milk and pepper; heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium; add broccoli puree. Stir in Cheddar cheese; heat just until cheese melts (do not boil), stirring constantly. Serve.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

I found this recipe on this blog. It is so good (if you like pumpkin pie) and is a nice alternative to pumpkin pie. The other thing I love about it is that it is a gorgeous presentation without being hard! It is really easy (just remember you have to make it the night before because it has to sit in the refrigerator over night). I took it to a Halloween party and it got rave reviews. I think it would also work perfectly for Thanksgiving dessert!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Here's the Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 (14-ounce) packages Gingerbread Mix

1 (5.1-ounce) box Cook-and-Serve Vanilla Pudding Mix

1 (30-ounce) can Pumpkin Pie Filling

1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar

1/3 teaspoon Ground Cardamom or Cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) container Frozen Whipped Topping

(Shelf-Stable Cream can be substituted here.

Just refrigerate, whip, and add a little powdered sugar and vanilla.)

1/2 cup Gingersnaps, Optional

Instructions:

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions;

Cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool.

Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cinnamon

into the pudding.

Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large,

pretty bowl.

Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread,

Then add a layer of whipped topping.

Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding,

and whipped topping.

Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired (I just sprinkle cinnamon on top).

Refrigerate overnight.

Sloppy Joes

Sorry for the blurry picture. That seems to be how I roll lately. Okay so everyone probably has their go to recipe for Sloppy Joes. I actually have never really liked sloppy joes, but my husband absolutely ADORES them. So I had to find a recipe that I could eat. This has been my favorite one. I always think I must like Sloppy Joes, but then I try them other places and I still don't. I guess I just like this recipe. It must be a keeper huh? It is from my old reliable Betty Crocker cookbook.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup ketchup
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp pepper
6 hamburger buns split

1. Cook beef, onion, and celery in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except buns (did they really need to tell us not to put the buns in....hmmm maybe). Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

3. Fill buns with beef mixture.