Choco-Chip-Pretzel-Candy Corn Cookies

Ok, as the name above may show....I MAY have gone a bit overboard with these cookies...BUT it WAS WORTH IT!  I like regular Choco-chip cookies....but  I wanted some more.....how you say.....layers to the cookie....Some depth....a little sumpin sumpin....if ya know what I'm sayin'


Sooooo, I looked in my cupboards...and discovered that HEY!   I have pretzels......I have Candy Corn!!

What is with Candy Corn anyways?  It's kinda just a sweet blob of sugar.....3 colors in the shape of a triangle.....maybe its an older generation thing.....or an American thing?

Anyways, I had some in my cupboard (for nostalgia's sake...or maybe for my American friends sake...) So I thought I would add them to my cookie creation!  And they are gooood!  So to celebrate the up-coming gorge ourselves with our children's hard worked for candy.....after they go into a sugar induced-come on the 31st....here are my cookies....

Enjoy!

Choco-chip-Pretzel-Candy Corn Cookies

What you Need:

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt

1 cup of butter or margarine softened
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of Candy Corn chopped
3/4 cup of chopped pretzels.

What you Do:

1.  In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside

2.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Beating after each addition.

3.  On a low speed, slowly add dry ingredients to wet, until combined.  Add chocolate, candy and pretzels.  Stir to combine.

4.  Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoon onto an un-greased baking sheet.

5. BAKE for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then remove to cooling racks.

ENJOY!!!

 

Pumpkin Loaf with Maple Glaze

We are full on into October!  I am so thankful that there is no snow yet.  :)  When you live up as north as we do you are grateful for everyday that is snow-less.

So I've got my Pumpkin everything groove on.  I made these lovely Pumpkin Spice Meringue cookies a couple of weeks ago.  They were GOOOOOOD.  Though Auntie Evelyn wasn't so sure about them.  Oh well.  I had requests to bring them for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Funny thing about Thanksgiving dinner....No one made Pumpkin Pie.....Thank goodness I had a slice left at home.  David and I enjoyed it with a glass of red when we got home.

This past week I decided that I still haven't had enough pumpkin in my life and one MUST go overboard in this area....So I made this delicious Pumpkin Loaf with Maple Glaze.  The glaze is a must!!!!!!  Totally adds to the loaf.  The loaf is good on its own....It's my mom's recipe!!!.....but made stellar with the glaze.

So we must continue the Pumpkin TRAIN!!!!  October is only half over....


What happens in Novemeber?  We transition to chocolate???

ANYWAYS!

Pumpkin Loaf with Maple Glaze

What you Need:

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of corn syrup
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Glaze:

2 TBSP of butter or margarine
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar


What to do:

Loaf

1.  Beat sugar, syrup,oil, and eggs in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin puree, and beat to combine.

2.  In a smaller bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.

3.  Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and combine well.  But don't over mix.

4.  Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake in a  pre-heated 325 degrees F. oven.

Bake for 60 minutes.  Check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into middle of loaf.  If it comes out "clean" it is done.  If it comes out with a bit of batter on it, continue to bake for 5 minute intervals until the skewer comes out clean.

Let cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from loaf pan.  Let cool.

Make glaze:

In a small saucepan, melt butter and maple syrup over medium heat.

Remove from heat and whisk in the icing sugar.

Pour over Pumpkin Loaf.

You may want to let the glaze harden, but one is more than welcome to slice the loaf with warm drizzly glaze running down each slice...Mmmm.  I think a cup of chai tea would go lovely with this.....I'm gonna go brew a mug.  Enjoy!

Family Life Recipes #3 - Being Thankful for the Seen and Unseen Blessings

It's Thanksgiving up here in Canada!  The sun is shining, the air is crisp and I am extremely thankful that there is NO SNOW!  Chicken soup is simmering on the stove, pumpkin bread in the oven....prepping for the family gathering that will come.  All the while....I'm in a reflective mood.  Reflection is good....especially when its in the spirit of THANKFULNESS.

This past week has been especially busy and stressful for me.  Most of it was good stress: getting to skating lessons, swimming lessons, subbing, getting kids to school....the usual good stuff.  We also celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary and had a family photo shoot.  ALL GOOD STUFF.  Thrown in there was a bit of not so good stuff....An un-expected to deal with NOW situation....

BUT

I'm in a spirit of Thankfulness....

This week I saw God's blessings in my life.....Woven through it like a tapestry of LOVE for ME!  ME!  Even in my faults, my failures....He showered me with CARING.

I reflect on the SEEN Blessings of this week.

1.  All events were made to in good time.  The boys LOVED their first skating lessons and even started to stand up on the ice for a few seconds....(instead of swimming and licking the ice...)

2.  The week was filled with caring words, understanding, encouragement, and LOVE from my Best Friend, and Love of my Life.... My husband.

3.  On our photo shoot day:  it was forcasted miserable weather.  So I prayed, and asked my friends to pray...for this was going to be our only chance...And I was soooo looking forward to doing it.  As we drove out to our location it was cold, and drizzly....THEN...IT HAPPENED!  Sunshine, warmth, perfect lighting for our family photo shoot!  GOD answered my little prayer!  FOR ME!  Because HE cares about the little things.

4.  Friends were helpful this week and kind words sent through emails, texts, and actual  words I heard.

5.  In the Yucky situation I had.....I made it through...and provision was there....waiting...A HUGE BLESSING.  GOD KNEW what I needed!!!!!

Now, it may sound like...WOW...God will just make it all go away, or fix anything...Not so.  Yes, this week I saw HIS BLESSING.  But I know as I have muddled through situations He has also allowed me to learn through natural consequences, and prayers that may not have been answered as I thought they should.  BUT, even in these things....the UNSEEN BLESSINGS....our lives our being woven into a masterpiece...filled with threads that may be rough, or cut, or re-tied together....not always perfection.... but WOW, when we look at where we have come from, what we've been through... You always see a thread of perfection....

GOD's LOVE, MERCY, and GRACE.  

THANK YOU....

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies

So have you ever had a day where none of your baking turns out like you want it too?  I did recently...I was so ready to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon.  SO READY!   So I scoped out my favourite bloggers, picked a couple of recipes.....

Made said recipes, with high hopes and wonderful aromas filling the air...

Took out said recipes.....

NO FLAVOR!!!!

I was like...WHAT?  I don't get it!  My house smells great....but when I bit into my pumpkin inspired cookies....NO PUMPKIN FLAVOR!

I was so disgusted...I threw them away.  Ugh...

Well I was ready to try again.  And with Canadian Thanksgiving right around the corner...I knew I had to get something right..like NOW!

And this is THE Thanksgiving recipe !!!!

I"ve never made meringue cookies before and I've always wanted to try.  So easy!  I bit into these crispy, melt in your mouth pumpkin spicy morsels and sighed with happiness and ate 2 more to make sure I wasn't dreaming...They are good!  With a cup of coffee....perfection!

So surprise your friends this Thanksgiving with a spicy treat that epitomises FALL!

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies

adapted from: Eat, Drink, Love

What you Need:

4 egg whites

1 cup super fine sugar*** (see note)

1 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice

1/2 tsp of cream of tarter

*** You can easily make super fine sugar by putting a cup of regular sugar into your food processor  for 30 seconds to a minute.  I did mine in my Magic Bullet.

What you DO:

1. Beat egg whites in a large glass bowl with the whisk beater until they are foamy.

2.  Add sugar slowly as you beat eggs.  Beat until well - mixed.

3.  Add Cream of Tarter and pumpkin spice.  Keep beating on a medium to medium high speed until you get a glossy shine on egg mixture and can hold a stiff peak when you lift the beater out.

4.  Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees F.  Line cookie sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.

5.  Spoon egg white mixture into a piping bag with your choice of tip.  (you can also just dollop the mixture onto the cookie sheet with a spoon as well)

6.  Pipe mixture onto baking sheets.  Bake in oven for 2 hours.  Try not to peek at cookies as they bake.  

7.  Remove and cool.  Eat them up!!!  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!