I Wait All Year For Pumpkin Flavored Everything

Pumpkin and tacos have been my absolute favorite things lately.

No way will i ever put them on the same plate but separately they are my two new obsessions.

I recently bought two cans of pumpkin. And I would’ve bought more if Target had more. For some reason two just didn’t seem like enough (at the time).

Judging by how many pumpkin everythings I’ve been making lately, two is too many.

It all started with it being Fall. I love Fall. I love the colors, I love the leaves in piles getting in everyone’s way, I love pumpkin, I love Halloween, I however do not love riding my bike on a blustery day and I do not love soup.

I also love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from a local bakery. Being on such a tight budget does not allow me to go out and buy them though.

BUT!

I have found the next best thing.

(And because I’m a poor college kid I only had pumpkin pie spice on hand so that is what I used instead of all the fancy schmance spices)

Streaming Gourmet’s Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 brown sugar
3/4 granulated sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
pinch mace
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add pumpkin and beat well. Then add eggs and beat well. Finally add vanilla and beat well.

3. Mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, about 1/3 at a time and mix well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spoon or spatula.

4. Spoon batter onto cookie sheets that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lightly buttered. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let sit for one minute after removing from oven. Then cool on wire racks.

 

 

The only thing I advise is to smoosh them down. They are incredibly light, fluffy, and cakey so they don’t spread. Smooshing just helps them to look like they’re spreading.

 

This amazing recipe made just about 40 cookies and they all managed to get gobbled up. Mostly by me. But I shared! I swear!

 

:)

I Think I Like Mexican Food/Mexican Inspired Food More Than I Originally Thought....

This whole Penny Pinching Pantry Raid thing has gotten me obsessing over how much I spend on food.... so I've been eating pasta and date night leftovers instead of going grocery shopping.

After reading a post over at Ezra Pound Cake, I got to thinking how much I love tamales and that I actually had polenta in my cupboard. Thanks to the family, I also had leftover ground beef and an onion.


Instant Tamale Pie
From Ezra Pound Cake & "Moosewood Restaurant New Classics"
Serves 4
1 can of pinto beans with liquid (I used black beans)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (I didn't have corn)
1/2 cup salsa (I used a red onion and some cherry tomatoes I found in the fridge)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt 12 oz prepared polenta (preferably the cheddar-jalapeño variety)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup ground beef

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 11-inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. Empty beans into a large bowl, and mash with a potato masher or fork. Add corn, salsa, cumin, oregano, and salt. Mix thoroughly, and set aside.
3. Slice the polenta roll into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (about the thickness of sausage patties). Arrange the rounds in the skillet, slightly overlapping. Spoon the bean mixture over the polenta, throw nickel-sized balls of ground beef on it, and sprinkle on the cilantro and cheese. 4. Cover and bake for 15 minutes, and then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more, until the beans are bubbling and hot. For a crisp topping, place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. let sit for 10 minutes before serving.




I'm going to go polish off the rest of my pie now...


UPDATE!!


Day 13, money spent thus far: $21.17
Had to buy butter, brown sugar, cheese, beans, and I paid for half of my date night dinner


:)

It Was Inevitable...

My 4th of July post... you know you were wondering where it was/what I made/what I did.

I went home for the 4th. We had a lovely inebriated BBQ badminton bash in which we all wore matching t-shirts and patriotic temporary tattoos. But before I left town I made some festive red and blue M&M cookies.
I could have sworn M&M packaged red and blue M&Ms just for this sort of occasion and, after searching through the seasonal sections in big name discount stores and grocers, I gave in and bought them at a specialty candy store.
I used my favorite never fail chocolate chip cookie recipe and slightly altered it.



Chocolate Chip Cookies (or in this case, M&M cookies)
From Food Network Kitchens How To Boil Water, Meredith, 2006


1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks (I used red and blue M&Ms)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt

Evenly position 2 packs in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets (if you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches).

Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted (alternatively melt in a small saucepan). Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingedients with a wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Do not do this->Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Push as many M&Ms as you can fit into the balls of dough. Bake until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you liked your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve.




Give this recipe a try! They were a hit!




And now... for an update!



Day 6, money spent thus far: $10.25
Had to buy milk yesterday.
Living on 4th of July leftovers.


:)

When Roommates Let Their Bananas Die...

... I make banana bread!

It's inevitable.

I hate watching bananas go to waste. Especially when they are at their full banana bread status potential. ESPECIALLY when I can make it in just one bowl!






Banana Bread
by Elise on Simply Recipes

Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.

With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Coll on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.



Mine turned out looking kinda like a muffin. This is because it is easier for me (lazy college student) to grab and eat. Slicing takes way too much effort, I dirty a knife, and end up making a mess of crumbs on the counter.








:)

what a fine way to spend a rainy friday

After such a hard school week, I figured my spirits needed a pick me up and my stomach needed some cookies so I baked some! I made the bf some yummy oatmeal cookies and I made some delicious chocolate chip cookies. I don't have my own recipes but I do have some pretty failure-proof ones i use.


For a delicious chewy oatmeal cookie...




Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
From Quaker Oats

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (optional) (but I added it)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
5. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen


And they all look gorgeous....







For a classic chocolate chip cookie...






Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Food Network Kitchens How To Boil Water, Meredith, 2006


1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks (why not both...)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt

Evenly position 2 packs in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets (if you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches).

Put the butter in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave on medium power until melted (alternatively melt in a small saucepan). Cool slightly. Whisk the sugars, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingedients with a wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into balls. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart on the pans. Bake until golden, but still soft in the center, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you liked your cookies. Transfer hot cookies with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve.



Don't they look scrumptious...






Enjoy both on a rainy Friday curled up on the couch...


:)