Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

Melissa's Notes: These cookies are so good! And I love that they're different than any other cookie you normally make. My husband is a huge chocolate fan, and he says he loves these cookies just as much as his Mom's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. Make it with or without the icing, they're great either way.

recipe courtesy of Katie

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. pumpkin
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375. Cream sugar and shortening together then add pumpkin and egg. Mix dry ingredients together and add to mixture. Drop on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet while making the icing.

Brown Sugar Icing

3 Tbsp. butter
4 tsp. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Cook first three ingredients in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool and add 1 cup powdered sugar and 3/4 tsp. vanilla. Ice cookies while frosting is still warm.

Pumpkin Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Melissa's Notes: These were so good that I don't think I can make them again because I end up eating way too many! But if you need to bring a dessert somewhere this Fall, and you can share them without bringing home too many leftovers, make these!! I didn't have nutmeg or cloves on hand, so I used allspice instead. If you like pumpkin desserts, you will love this.

recipe courtesy of Favorites

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin till light and fluffy (Once I added the pumpkin, it got super runny, so I would beat the eggs, sugar, and oil until light and fluffy, and then add the pumpkin). Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, soda, and spices. Add to pumpkin mixture. Spread in greased 10x15 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 oz. cream cheese
1 c. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.

Coca-Cola Cake and Frosting

Melissa's Notes: I made this for James' birthday yesterday. It's a lot like Texas Sheet Cake-super moist and sweet. For James, I added a bit more cocoa then the recipe calls for, I just used heaping tablespoonfuls instead of measuring exactly. Also, I left out the marshmallows, but I'm sure that would be a really good addition. And no nuts for James, it gets in the way of the chocolate! Try this, you won't regret it!

recipe courtesy of Favorites cookbook

Coca-Cola Cake

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 c. Coke (not diet)
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows

Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl. Melt butter in saucepan, add Coke and cocoa and bring to a boil. Let cool for 5 minutes or so. Blend in buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Pour into greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 35 min., or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle marshmallows and bake an additional 3-5 min. until melted. Cool cake and frost with Coca-Cola Frosting.

Coca-Cola Frosting

1/2 c. butter
6 Tbsp. Coke
2 Tbsp. cocoa
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. nuts (optional)

Melt butter. Add Coke and cocoa and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and mix into powdered sugar. Add vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy. Spread onto cake and top with nuts, if desired. (The frosting is pretty thin, but don't worry, that's how it's supposed to be!)

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Melissa's Notes: I kind of tried this recipe on a whim. That day, I received a loaf of homemade bread from some cute girls in my ward, and as I was perusing a new recipe book I had checked out from the library I came across this. I haven't had a lot of bread pudding in my life, but I have had a couple dishes at restaurants that were so yummy. This was easy and so satisfying as a dessert. Especially with vanilla ice cream on top!

courtesy of Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals

Ingredients

3 cups milk (I used non-fat, but I'm sure you can use anything from skim to heavy whipping cream)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used chocolate chips)
one 13-14 inch loaf soft crust supermarket Italian bread, cut into small cubes
3 large eggs
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
whipped cream or ice cream, to top

1. Heat 1 cup milk in a small saucepan over low heat until bubbles begin to form at the edge. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until the chocolate has melted; stir to combine.
2. Arrange the bread cubes in a buttered 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy; whisk in the remaining 2 cups milk, the sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined; stir in the chocolate mixture. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture; pour the rest evenly over the bread. Set aside, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425. Uncover the baking dish and pour the reserved chocolate mixture evenly over the bread. Bake in the center of the oven until the bread has puffed and is set throughout, about 20 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Amish Friendship Bread

Melissa's Notes:

This bread is so delicious, a friend gave the starter to me and I was so excited because I've had this bread before and LOVE it! And if you don't have a starter, you can make your own, here's how to do it. I added chocolate pudding instead of vanilla, and almond extract instead of vanilla. I also sprinkled some chocolate chips in there, why not? When you have a choc-o-holic husband, there's really no other way to make it!

Amish Friendship Bread

Do not use metal. Do not refrigerate. If air gets in the bag, let it out.

Day 1-received
Day 2-3-4-5-squeeze the bag (knead, don't open the bag, unless to let air out)
Day 6-add 1 c. each: flour, sugar, and milk; squeeze
Day 7-8-9-squeeze the bag
Day 10-Combine in large mixing bowl (not metal) the batter, 1 c. each of flour, sugar, milk. Mix.

Pour (4) 1 cup starters into dated zip lock bags.

Keep 1, give 3 starters to friends with instructions.

To the remaining batter in the bowl add:

1 cup oil
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 large instant vanilla pudding mix

Pour into 2 large, greased and sugared (cinnamon and sugar combination) loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Stick a knife in to make sure it's cooked in the center.

If you have any variations that you've tried that are good, I'd love to hear them, leave a comment!

Raspberry (or Blackberry) Almond Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers Magazine

Melissa's Notes: I made this for book club, it turned out great! I needed a dessert I could enjoy while on my diet, and came across this one. I went to two stores and both were out of raspberries, so I used blackberries instead and it didn't seem to make any difference. The sauce was really the star of the recipe, IMO, it was delicious and looked very gourmet. I used Splenda, and didn't think it took away from the taste at all. However, you could tell a couple days later, so if you use Splenda, eat the cake that night. The best part is each serving is only around 150 calories!! I also served it with a dollop of low fat Cool Whip.

Cake Ingredients

2 Tbsp. chopped almonds
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. low fat baking mix (like Bisquick)
1/2 c. sugar (or Splenda)
1/2 c. fat-free milk
1/2 c. plain fat-free yogurt (or vanilla flavored)
1/4 c. egg substitute or 1 egg
3 Tbsp. light stick butter, melted (I used Smart Balance)
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 c. fresh raspberries (or blackberries)
Raspberry Sauce (below)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Wrap bottom of 10-in. springform pan with foil; attach springform ring. Spray foil and sides of springform pan with nonstick spray.
2. Mix almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon in small bowl.
3. Combine baking mix and sugar in large bowl. Whisk milk, yogurt, egg, melted butter, and almond extract in small bowl until blended. Add milk mixture to baking-mix mixture; stir just until blended.
4. With rubber spatula, gently fold in raspberries just until blended. Pour batter into springform pan; sprinkle top evenly with nut mixture.
5. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Remove springform ring and bottom of pan (leaving foil on) and let cool completely on rack. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve with Raspberry Sauce.

Raspberry Sauce

Puree 3 c. fresh raspberries in food processor or blender. Strain through sieve set over bowl; discard seeds. Puree raspberry puree, 1/2 c. raspberry spreadable fruit, 2 Tbsp. honey, and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Makes 12 servings.

Sugar Cookies (with Lemon)

Melissa's notes: I made these as mini cookies for a baby shower. I halved the recipe and it made about 60 2" cookies. I made them with the lemon extract. I used a scoop to put the dough onto the cookie sheet, then took the bottom of a glass (a cookie press would work nicely too--if you're fancy like that), dipped it in granulated sugar and pressed the cookies down with it. I thought it would have been cute to add some yellow food coloring to the dough or dip the glass in colored sugar. These were super easy and very yummy, my girls loved them!

Cream:

2 c. shortening or 1 c. butter, 1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
1 eggs

Add:

5 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla, or 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. almond or lemon extract

Bake at 350 for 7-9 min. Can make any size: 2", 4", 6"