Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

mini cupcakes standard cupcakes

4 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 can 15 oz. pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease thirty-six muffin cups or line with paper cups.
Combine eggs and sugar in large bowl. Add pumpkin and oil; mix well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Stir until moistened. Stir in chocoale chips.

Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from ban. If baking mini muffins, cook for 15-18 minutes.
These are wonderful as muffins, bread, or cupcakes.

*For Pumpkin Bread: Makes 2 loaves, bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes

cream cheese frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cube butter, softened
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Combine together and mix well with beaters until very thick. (Add more powdered sugar if needed.) Spread or pipe over tops or cupcakes.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE PIE

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Deep Dish Pie Pastry, below
• 12 oz. cream cheese, softened (1-1/2 8-oz. pkgs.)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate or miniature chocolate pieces
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
• Chopped chocolate (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare and roll out Deep Dish Pie Pastry. Transfer pastry to a 9-1/2- to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim crust edge 1/2-inch beyond pie plate. Flute edge high. Line pastry with double thickness of foil. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

2. In medium mixing bowl combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 egg; beat on low speed until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture in cooled pastry shell. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate.

3. In bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, and spice. Stir in 4 eggs. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Slowly pour pumpkin mixture on chocolate layer. To prevent overbrowning, cover pie edge with foil.

4. Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove foil. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hour. Top with chopped chocolate.

Deep Dish Pie Pastry:In medium bowl, stir together 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using pastry blender or two knives cut in 6 tablespoons shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of flour mixture; gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all flour is moistened (5 to 6 tablespoons total). Form into ball. On lightly floured surface, flatten dough. Roll pastry from center to edge into 13-inch circle. Serves 8.

Photo and recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

GINGER PUMPKIN MERINGUE PIE

Ingredients

• 1 Recipe Gingersnap-Graham Crust, below
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 Recipe Brown Sugar Meringue, below

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Gingersnap-Graham Crust; bake 4 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

2. For filling, in bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Add eggs.; lightly beat with fork to combine. Gradually stir in milk and maple syrup.

3. Pour filling into pastry shell. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Uncover edges. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Carefully spread Brown Sugar Meringue over hot filling; seal to edge. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Loosely cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. Serves 8.

Gingersnap-Graham Crust:In large bowl combine 3/4 cup finely crushed gingersnaps (12 cookies), 1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers (7 squares), and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter. Spread evenly on bottom and up the sides of 9-inch pie plate.

Brown Sugar Meringue:In large mixing bowl let 3 egg whites stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until mixture forms stiff peaks (tips stand straight).

Photo and recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Cooked chicken
Cannelini beans
Light red kidney beans
Black beans
Canned diced tomatoes
Corn (frozen or canned)
Chili seasoning packet

Heat and eat. Add sour cream if desired. Also good with chips.

CLASSIC CHICKEN DIVAN

2 bunches fresh broccoli
1/4 c butter
6 T flour (1/2 cup)
2 c broth (save water from boiling chicken)
1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 t salt
3 chicken breasts, boil until tender
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese

Cook broccoli in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain. Place spears in baking dish. Melt butter in saucepan blend in flour, add broth all at once. Cook, add pepper, if desired. Don't boil. Pour 1/2 sauce over broccoli. Top with chicken. To remaining sauce add 1/2 mozzarella cheese. pour over chicken. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and some parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Chicken and Dumplings

3 cooked chicken breasts

1 small onion

2 T. butter

1 can cream of chicken and mushroom

1 1/2 c. frozen peas

1 c. carrot pieces

Dumplings:

1 1/2 c. flour

3 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. milk

3 T. melted butter

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together.  Add milk, butter, and cheese.  Stir until just mixed. 

Saute onion in butter, add soups, and 2 c. milk.  Mix well and add vegetables.  Bring to bubble on medium heat.  Add chicken.  Drop dumpling batter on bubbling stew by rounded tablespoon. Cover tightly.  Don't lift cover.  Simmer 15 minutes.  

WASSAIL

4 c apple cider
2 c cranberry juice
12 oz can apricot nectar
c orange juice
1 c sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
cloves

Heat and simmer 20 minutes (or longer) in large saucepan or crockpot.

Add orange slices just before serving.

SPEEDY PEACH COBBLER

1 bag frozen peaches, 3-4 cups fresh, or 2 cans of peaches

1 T cornstarch

1 t vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix ingredients together and put in bottom of 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle 1 white cake mix over top. (right out of the box) Top with 1 1/2 cubes melted butter.

Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes or until light brown.