Category: autumn

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Chocolate Pilgrim Hats

I know…I know. You’re thinking, “What?! Two cookie projects in one week?!! Launi, Launi–what are you doing?”

Hang on now–admit it. Aren’t these the dang cutest things you’ve seen in a long time? You know they are, so you see? I couldn’t help myself. Here they are…

Start with Fudge Stripe cookies, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups–the little ones,

Fruit roll-ups and Pez–any color. I was a bit disheartened to find that I only had pink Pez. Not sure how the pilgrims would feel about pink…but we forged bravely ahead.

At first, I thought we’d need frosting to glue everything together, but there is an interesting thing that happens when you put chocolate by more chocolate. They tend to stick. So, while I was mocking up the hats with sincere plans to make the frosting later, I came back and found that it really wasn’t needed.

I cut the fruit roll ups into strips with a pizza cutter, in a sort of rounded shape.

The better to lay flat around the hat…with.

Set the Pez up to the seam part of the fruit roll up. Again, I was thinking that we’d need frosting–and of course, you are welcome to use it, but these little beggars held together without it as well. And quite frankly, I’m not a huge icing fan–so why muck up a good thing if you don’t need to?

And there you have it my dears.

I think this yummy project would make lovely little diversions for the “kid’s table” on Thanksgiving.

What do you think?
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Mini Roadtrip

A Road Trip Tale

The other day, April called and said she needed to drive clear to the moon and back and did I want to come with her? You can’t actually make that long of a trip all by yourself, with two babies in the back seat. It’s not physically or emotionally possible without sacrificing a major portion of your sanity. Not smart either.

So, of course I wanted to come.

Besides the Logan trip is one of my personal favorites. Seriously, it’s quite a pretty, peaceful drive–as long as you can hand out fruit snacks to the two-year-olds in a timely enough fashion.

When we finally arrived at the shop, and April delivered her brand new quilt patterns, we decided that the day couldn’t possibly be over yet.

There was just more to see…and do…and buy…and…umm…nibble on.

So we scooted right on over to the Gossner’s cheese store, where we promptly bought out the rootbeer milk and squeeky cheese. No, there’s no more left. We got it all, so don’t even ask.

Still not satisfied–we kept right on driving until we reached the wicked, evil, marvelous, incredible cookie factory. I don’t have a picture of it for you because I was so excited to get there that my hands were shaking uncontrollably and it screwed up the picture.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

But this is what the car middle space looked like for the drive home. I don’t know exactly where all those ridiculous cookies and crackers came from. Perhaps the rapid intake of sugar impaired my memory some how. Pretty sure they were allll for the kids. {insert diabolical laughter}

It did make the drive home more interesting…that is until the sugar highs plunged down to the sugar lows. But never you fear. Because just as we were about to sink into the depths of much-too-much-junk-ism, we found a lonely little fellow at a roadside stand–with a fresh-picked supply of…

Autumn raspberries!! Oh happy day!

We were saved!

Now we could drive all the way home in corrected blood sugar level peace and safety…or something.

In fact, we bought so many raspberries that we could eat our fill and do it again and STILL have enough to share with the neighbors and all of you guys and the cat! We could send you all a package, just as soon as we got home. What a great idea. Watch for them in your mailbox.

Oh, sorry. Beckham said no.

The End.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Before this last week, the only Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookie I’d ever tasted was born at the grocery store. They were ok, fine, swell even. But I really wanted to find my own recipe and make it mine–to share with you.

Found it–tweaked it in a couple of places and ate them…all. Ok, with some help from the Bald Kid. But still…

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips.

Combine pumpkin, sugar, butter, and egg. In a different bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoons on to greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool on pan for about 3 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

I asked the bald kid if he liked the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies and he said,

“Dude. I ate 12 of them.”

I’m thinkin’ that’s a yes.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
Print
:
Ingredients
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips.
Instructions
  1. Combine pumpkin, sugars, butter, and egg.
  2. In a different bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, spices and salt.
  3. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
  4. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.
  5. Drop by tablespoons on to greased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown.
  7. Cool on pan for about 3 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

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Bring It…

Ok, so it’s November 5th and you would think that nippy weather and snow would be almost expected by now—even welcomed by some of us right? Well, of course, right.

But here’s the snafu–this picture was taken 3 weeks ago on a random snowy day, 1 day–wedged right in between weeks of 70 degree days, then, and ever since. In fact, it’s getting kinda creepy how warm it is right now. We’re in the Rocky Mountain for Pete’s sake! It’s November and I’m still wearing sandals and haven’t even put on my coat yet…not once.

Where’s the “Jack Frost nipping at your nose” thing that should be going on?!

How can we possibly get into the holiday spirit when it’s sunny and warm out there? Mother Nature–what are you thinking? You are confusing us all. Sheesh.

I speak for the snow lover’s of the world when I say, “We’re being robbed, and something MUST be done!”

Therefore, we will be out back all day, chanting for real, true, November weather to replace this ridiculous May stuff. Yes, I said chanting.

You are welcome to join us.

Bring your own cymbals.

Oh, and don’t tell my mom…chanting gives her the heebee jeebies.

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Mini Caramel Apples

One of the lovely things about this Halloween-ish time of year, is that glorious treats like molasses cookies and candy corn are everywhere–well, at our house anyway–which is just how it should be in a well ordered kingdom {ahem}.

Being surrounded by little people–as we are, creates a particular challenge when making caramel apples–because they are just too big for the short folk to manage. Slicing them helps, of course, but still–I can’t bear the waste…it pains my tender, caramel-apple-loving soul.

So look what we’ve discovered on the pages of Disney’s Family Fun magazine—Mini Caramel Apples–and zero percent blasphemous waste!! Wa-flogging-hoo!

This is simple stuff here too. You’ll need butterscotch chips, sucker sticks, sprinkles, a good melon baller…

and of course—apples. You, my darlings, are going to love this.

Scoop the apple into tons of teeny, tiny little balls. This was so fun and you can actually get quite a few out of one apple–which is what I did.

Break the sucker sticks in half and poke them in the skin side of the apple. I made a tiny cut in the peel with a paring knife first so that the sticks went in easier.

Melt the butterscotch chips over medium heat and dip the apples in. You can roll them around and cover more of the green–

but I kinda liked how it looked with this much color showing. Do whatever floats your boat–it’ll be fine.

Before they set, dip the bottoms in your favorite sprinkles, toffee, or chopped nuts….

and let them set in the tiny paper cups–if you want. Now just try to tell me these bite-sized sweeties aren’t the cutest thing you’ve ever seen…go ahead try.  I triple dog dare you.

See? You can’t.

I told you.

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