I probably need to find a different recipe (or continue adapting it) since these don't turn out quite how I'd like. But in the meantime, here's the recipe I've used so far. It's from this site:
1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts(walnuts or pecans)
1 cup chocolate chips
Cream margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, pumpkin, and vanilla. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture; mix well. Add chopped nuts & chocolate chips; mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoons onto well-greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets while warm and cool on racks. Makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen cookies. This recipe can be doubled.
Jenny's notes/changes:
I would probably try it with butter to see if I like that better. It for sure need more than 1/2 cup pumpkin, I need to experiment with this next time but I think I'll try at least 1 cup total next time (may have to adjust flour, etc if add this extra moisture). As it's written they aren't really pumpkin-y like I want them to be! It also may need a bit more flour, start with only 1 T. extra though. It is a fairly soft batter, less "dough-like" than regular chocolate chip cookies and needs to be more soft for the cookies to turn out moist and more spread out (if you add too much flour they will be little mounds). Also be careful not to overmix or they become more chewy and aren't as light and soft. Also it can be hard to tell when they are done because of the pumpkin coloring so just watch close. I have noticed the cookies start to puff up when they are done.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Spinach Artichoke Dip
This is my favorite thing to serve at parties.
1 15 oz can or 14 oz jar artichoke hearts (not marinated), chopped
1 12 oz box or 10 oz bag spinach, thawed (I haven't tried fresh or fresh I've frozen but I will next time and report back)
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup sour cream
1-2 cups Parmesan cheese (to taste; I've never been sure whether this is the grated "real" parmesan or the bottled stuff...I use the grated bagged kind from Costco)
1 small can green chiles
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped (to taste; I use the bottled Christopher Ranch minced garlic)
Squeeze water out of thawed spinach. Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve on Club crackers or tortilla chips (veggies, whatever). Can bake directly in crock pot dish in oven, then place in crock pot on warm for serving.
1 15 oz can or 14 oz jar artichoke hearts (not marinated), chopped
1 12 oz box or 10 oz bag spinach, thawed (I haven't tried fresh or fresh I've frozen but I will next time and report back)
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup sour cream
1-2 cups Parmesan cheese (to taste; I've never been sure whether this is the grated "real" parmesan or the bottled stuff...I use the grated bagged kind from Costco)
1 small can green chiles
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped (to taste; I use the bottled Christopher Ranch minced garlic)
Squeeze water out of thawed spinach. Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve on Club crackers or tortilla chips (veggies, whatever). Can bake directly in crock pot dish in oven, then place in crock pot on warm for serving.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Emergency Preparedness
Great article on being prepared for emergencies, some good how-to/what you need to do lists.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Soft Pretzels
Recipe from homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com (slightly adapted from Baking Illustrated). [My notes are in brackets.]
Dough:
1 package [2 1/4 tsp] rapid-rise yeast
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
1 package [2 1/4 tsp] rapid-rise yeast
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
1 cup water, at approximately 110 degrees
Approximately 1 T olive oil
Baking Soda Solution:
Approximately 6 cups water
3 T baking soda
Salt for sprinkling on pretzels
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients for the dough. Make sure you are using rapid rise yeast, or you will need to proof your yeast before mixing. Mix on low speed until combined and then knead about 5-7 minutes on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Prepare a separate bowl by coating with olive oil, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap [I use a kitchen towel] and set in a warm place [I put in slightly warmed oven] to rise for about one hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down, recover and let rise approximately 30 minutes more.
In a large low pan (a 12" skillet with deep sides or a small dutch oven will work perfectly) bring water and baking soda to a boil over medium high heat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees [I've found this may be a bit high, but may depend on your oven, so play with this if you are finding pretzels are burning on outside and still doughy inside] and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Separate dough into 12 approximately 2 ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a long string, about 20 inches in length. Fold pretzels into shape, twisting the ends over each other and pressing lightly to seal dough into shape. Transfer pretzels, a few at a time to boiling water, cook 30 seconds on each side, turning with a slotted spoon, drain and transfer to prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with coarse salt and repeat until all the pretzels have been boiled. They don't need much room on the baking sheet as they won't spread much in the oven. Bake approximately 12-14 minutes until dark golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve.
Approximately 1 T olive oil
Baking Soda Solution:
Approximately 6 cups water
3 T baking soda
Salt for sprinkling on pretzels
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients for the dough. Make sure you are using rapid rise yeast, or you will need to proof your yeast before mixing. Mix on low speed until combined and then knead about 5-7 minutes on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Prepare a separate bowl by coating with olive oil, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap [I use a kitchen towel] and set in a warm place [I put in slightly warmed oven] to rise for about one hour or until doubled in size. Punch dough down, recover and let rise approximately 30 minutes more.
In a large low pan (a 12" skillet with deep sides or a small dutch oven will work perfectly) bring water and baking soda to a boil over medium high heat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees [I've found this may be a bit high, but may depend on your oven, so play with this if you are finding pretzels are burning on outside and still doughy inside] and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Separate dough into 12 approximately 2 ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a long string, about 20 inches in length. Fold pretzels into shape, twisting the ends over each other and pressing lightly to seal dough into shape. Transfer pretzels, a few at a time to boiling water, cook 30 seconds on each side, turning with a slotted spoon, drain and transfer to prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with coarse salt and repeat until all the pretzels have been boiled. They don't need much room on the baking sheet as they won't spread much in the oven. Bake approximately 12-14 minutes until dark golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve.
[Recipe can be doubled. I don't usually double baking soda solution exactly, but do make sure to add more water since it boils out if you are doing a double batch.]
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Revisited
I didn't like this one as well as Total Money Makeover, it was a much slower read and just not as "hands-on" applicable information for finances, but I did learn a couple things, these are the notes I jotted down as I read:
-page 30 (haha, not sure what it was, but if I ever need to reference it again...at least I'll remember the page!)
-sinking fund: payments in reverse (p. 118)
-3 to 6 month emergency fund
-Proverbs 21:20 "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up."
-compound interest: let it work for you through savings (not against you via debt)
-investments: mutual funds (p. 128)
-high deductible insurance, save on monthly premiums (p. 131) We're on one now and it's great other than when there's a bigger medical expense (like maternity) then suddenly it feels like you are spending SO much on medical bills! But it probably is worth it in the long run, since we have an HSA (health savings account that we and the employer put money in pre-tax) and we haven't paid monthly premiums...it's just different when you are used to HMOs that often are 80/20 after a small co-pay.
-page 30 (haha, not sure what it was, but if I ever need to reference it again...at least I'll remember the page!)
-sinking fund: payments in reverse (p. 118)
-3 to 6 month emergency fund
-Proverbs 21:20 "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up."
-compound interest: let it work for you through savings (not against you via debt)
-investments: mutual funds (p. 128)
-high deductible insurance, save on monthly premiums (p. 131) We're on one now and it's great other than when there's a bigger medical expense (like maternity) then suddenly it feels like you are spending SO much on medical bills! But it probably is worth it in the long run, since we have an HSA (health savings account that we and the employer put money in pre-tax) and we haven't paid monthly premiums...it's just different when you are used to HMOs that often are 80/20 after a small co-pay.
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