Giving you our Halloween best!!
Links below…
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Top 12 Halloween Recipes
Octoberfest Skillet
Long, long ago, when my first two kids were really little, there used to be an event at the local shops called Octoberfest. Now, I have no idea what Octoberfest is like in some far away land, all I know is that here in Utah, back then, it was a cozy little festival with vendor booths and Autumn food and games and prizes. For a mom of two–at that time in my life–let’s just say that getting anything for free made it an exciting event to look forward to.
Everything was fall leaves and pumpkins and Autumn and cider and caramel apples and candy corn and scarecrows and hay bales–everywhere you’d look. And there I was with my two babies in a stroller, walking merrily from booth to booth, playing the games, sipping the cider, tasting samples, collecting coupons and filling my new Octoberfest tote bag with so much free stuff and prizes that I could hardly carry it all. Happy as a little clam.
Back then, there was a booth that made dinner plates of some mysterious dish that smelled soooo good. As I got curious enough to come closer though, I realized that the dish was made with sauerkraut–which was a big nope for me in those days. I moved on the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies booth.
Some years later, my sister forced me to try a Polish dog–with sauerkraut and mustard. Hmmmm…not bad, I thought. Then later, she gave me a bite of her Reuben panini–with sauerkraut and pickles.
To my shock…
apparently I had matured a tad and so had my tastebuds.
I fell madly in love.
So when I saw this Autumy looking skillet dinner, that– from out of nowhere– reminded me of those sweet little Octoberfest days with my first babies, I knew I would need to make it–right now.
Oooooh, did my house ever smell good!
And it tasted just as incredible as I knew it would.
So, here’s the recipe and if you want to really bring in the season, try it with a glass of warm cider.
I’m so excited for you to make it.
Welcome to Octoberfest!
Octoberfest Skillet
Ingredients
5-6 medium red potatoes, diced
2 Tbsps. butter
2 Tbsps. onion flakes
1- smoked sausage (16 oz.) , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 jar 16 oz. sauerkraut–well drained
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
pickles, mustard optional–but soooo good!!
Directions
In a large, non-stick skillet, sauté the potatoes in butter until lightly browned and soft through– 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in sausage and allow it to brown slightly. Sprinkle in onion flakes. Add sauerkraut and pepper and stir to combine and heat through. Allow to cook for a bout 5 more minutes to combine flavors. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Serve with mustard and pickles.
Octoberfest Skillet
: Launi
: Dinner
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium red potatoes, diced
- 2 Tbsps butter
- 2 Tbsps onion flakes
- 1- smoked sausage (16 oz) , cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 jar 16 oz sauerkraut
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- pickles, mustard optional--but soooo good!!
Instructions
- In a large, non-stick skillet, sauté the potatoes in butter until lightly browned and soft through-- 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in sausage and allow it to brown slightly.
- Sprinkle in onion flakes.
- Add sauerkraut and pepper and stir to combine and heat through.
- Allow to cook for about 5 more minutes to combine flavors.
- Top with Parmesan cheese.
- Serve with mustard and pickles.
Coffee Cake Cookies
Well these cute little things were even better than I expected they’d be–and I must say–I expected them to be heavenly.
Oh, they were.
Imagine having a lovely little slice of coffee cake–anytime you like.
Oooh the sheer ridiculous decadence of eating something that feels so fancy-schmancy.
Honestly– just make them and see for yourself.
You can thank me later. Donations accepted.
Hee, hee.
Coffee Cake Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 C butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 T vanilla
2-1/4 Cups flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
Crumb Topping
1/2 C flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 T butter, softened
Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
2 T butter, melted
3-4 T milk
Directions
Preheat over to 365 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment
In a large bowl beat together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla and mix well.
Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until combined.
scoop by tablespoons onto parchment.
Make an indentation in each cookie with a spoon.
Refrigerate cookies while making crumb.
Crumb
Mix together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Mix in softened butter with a fork.
Sprinkle about 1-2 tsps crumb topping in center of each cookie.
Bake 8-10 minutes until golden around the edges.
Let cool.
Glaze
Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter and milk until smooth.
Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Gobble.
Coffee Cake Cookies
: Launi
Ingredients
- ¾ C butter
- ¾ C brown sugar
- ¼ C white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 T vanilla
- 2-1/4 Cups flour
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Crumb Topping
- ½ C flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 5 T butter, softened
- Glaze
- 1 C powdered sugar
- 2 T butter, melted
- 3-4 T milk
Instructions
- Preheat over to 365 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment
- In a large bowl beat together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
- Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla and mix well.
- Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until combined.
- scoop by tablespoons onto parchment.
- Make an indentation in each cookie with a spoon.
- Refrigerate while making crumb.
- Crumb
- Mix together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Mix in softened butter with a fork.
- Sprinkle about 1-2 tsps crumb topping in center of each cookie.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until golden around the edges.
- Let cool.
- Glaze
- Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter and milk until smooth.
- Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Grilled Cheesy Joes
Guys–guyyyys! I saw this easy “Sloppy-Joe-meets-grilled-cheese” recipe in some obscure magazine a few years back, and I will just say……
Oh, my heavens, were they ever good!!!
A lovely protein filled lunch or supper–with soup or without. It will certainly satisfy the massive starving hordes or…all the little people in your kingdom.
Either way.
Heh, heh.
First, prepare Sloppy Joe mix and hamburger according to packet directions and set aside.
Use whatever bread works for you. I used sliced, buttered French bread. Grill it, butter side down on medium heat.
While it’s grilling add shredded cheese, then add about three tablespoons of Sloppy Joe mixture…
then sprinkle more shredded cheese. Top with a second slice of buttered bread. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on butter.
Flip the sandwiches and add Parmesan to the grilled side. Toast both sides until cheese inside and outside is melted.
We served ours with roasted red pepper soup, but honestly…
they are quite filling on their own.
Because I’m cooking for one, I wrapped the rest of the sandwiches in foil and saved them for later. I even froze a couple. They heat up very well with a few minutes in the air fryer.
Note: I didn’t add amounts to the recipe because you just need to follow the packet instructions for Sloppy Joes and use bread and cheese in the amounts that you need to feed your people.
Grilled Cheesy Joes
: Launi
Ingredients
- Sloppy Joe Mix packet
- hamburger
- tomato paste
- french bread
- shredded cheese
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- First, prepare Sloppy Joe mix and hamburger and set aside.
- Grill buttered bread, butter side down on medium heat.
- While it's grilling add shredded cheese,
- then add about three tablespoons of Sloppy Joe mixture...
- then sprinkle more shredded cheese.
- Top with a second slice of buttered bread.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on butter.
- Flip the sandwiches and add Parmesan to the grilled side.
- Toast both sides until cheese inside and outside is melted.
- Serve with tomato soup or on their own.
Perfect Corn on the Cob
I should probably just post this every year because it is the #1 recipe that people ask me for. It is the only way to eat fresh corn on the cob.
You’ll see.
Start with fresh corn–buy it from a stand if you can. Our favorite is the White Corn variety. You’ll want about a million ears. That should do it.
Drop husked corn into a pot of enough cold water to cover. Add 1 Tbsp lemon juice and one Tbsp sugar. Do not add salt at this time. I know, I know. Goes against everything you know to be true–right?
Hang on. Trust me.
The fact is, salted water toughens corn–and we don’t want that. Trust me.
Bring the water to a rapid boil. Boil uncovered 2 minutes only. Remove from heat and allow corn to stand for 10 minutes.
Drain water. Move corn to a pyrex baking dish and add butter. Roll the ears around until they are all coated. Now you can add the salt.
Serve immediately—as if you had a choice. You’re likely to be mobbed.
When your family tastes the corn simply bursting from the cob all sweet and buttery–they may be overcome with ecstasy–so be ready.
Prepare for fainting.
