This months theme was fall flavors. When I think fall I think Thanksgiving, and I think sweet potatoes. We eat sweet potatoes year round because I love them so much, but more so in the fall. I have debated most of the month, trying to stay away from pumpkin and apple which seem common. When I saw this muffin recipe I knew I had to go with it.

These came together pretty easy. And taste delicious. The flavors really go well together, and Maddy seemed to love these which makes me happy to see her get more fruit and veggies in.

Sweet Potato Banana Muffins (From: Delicious Meliscious, Originally From: Noshings)

• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• 3 whole Medium, ripe Bananas
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 whole Eggs (large)
• 2 cups Flour, Not Sifted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoons Salt

Mix together sweet potatoes, bananas, sugar, oil and eggs.

Then add in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips.

Fold batter carefully until flour is incorporated.

If adding walnuts, save and sprinkle on top so they can toast as the muffins bake.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for approximately 25 -30 minutes at 350.

I have participated in World Nutella Day for 2 years now missing last year.  This years hosts are Ms Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso.

I have had this recipe saved for a while but decided World Nutella Day would be the perfect time to give it a try. Other then the added Nutella they are just like chocolate chip cookies. The produce a sweeter cookie, but with a glass of milk they are perfect.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies (From: Cassie Craves)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup Nutella
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Add flour, baking soda and salt to a large bowl and whisk together; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed, mix together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated. Change the mixer to low and add the flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.

Stir in Nutella and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill dough for 5 to 10 minutes.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out dough balls and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet about 2 minutes until set and then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

It’s World Nutella day today, thanks to the wonderful hosts this year Ms Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso.

Last year I created the wonderful Butternut Squash with Nutella sauce, this year I decided to get good use out of my ice cream maker so I whipped up some yummy nutella ice cream. This ice cream is the perfect chocolatey hazelnutty ice cream, I think next time I would add some mix-ins as I like some crunch in my ice cream.

Nutella Ice Cream (Inspired From: Kitchen Chick)

• 1 cup nutella
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 – 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the Nutella and sugar until smooth. Add the milk. Blend on low speed until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and the vanilla.

Place in your ice cream maker and let it run for 20-25 minutes. Let it sit in a freezer overnight.

The last of our Christmas cookies, it took me a while to get around to posting.What baking day is complete without the gingerbread men, or in the case a gingerlady and man . These are simple to whip together and let chill while you work on everything else.

Gingerbread Men (From:My Mom)

• 6 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 T. ground ginger
• 1 T. ground nutmeg
• 1 T. ground cloves
• 1 T. ground cinnamon
• 1 C. shortening, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 C. molasses
• 1 C. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 C. water
• 1 egg
• 1 T. vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the shortening, molasses, brown sugar, water, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, until they are completely absorbed. Divide the dough into 3 pieces, pat down to 1 1/2 in thickness, wrap in plastic wrap,refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. CXut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When the cookies are done, they will look dry, but still be soft to the touch. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks. When cool, the cookies can be frosted with the icing of your choice.

I know, I am late. I promised this blog giveaway a few weeks back, but we just got busy. We had an exciting new family memberjoin our family and she has taken a lot of time. I still have in the kitchen but just haven’t taken the time to site down and update my blog.

I have two more Progresso “Perfect Recipe” gift basket. You will receive the below basket.  Included in this basket is a free coupon for Progresso Broth, a recipe card holder, recipe box and wicker basket, as well as a set of serving spoons and a spoon rest.

There is two ways to win…

• First is to post a comment in my blog telling me why you love my blog
• Second is to post on your blog about the giveaway and then posting a comment on my blog with a link to yours.

You have until midnight December 31st 2008 to post. I will announce the winners on the 1st.

I know you have probaly seen these on every blog already this year, we make these EVER year. Personally they are my least favorite cookie but my mom really enjoys them so we make them every year.

I am also submitting this to this months tasty tools event. I think everyone uses a baking sheet in the month of Dec! This is the same recipe we use every year, but I wanted to post it along with all our baking.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (From: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)

• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/8 t. baking soda
• 1 egg
• 2 T. milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. sugar
• Herseys Kisses

Beat shortening and peanut butter with an electric mix 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 c. sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the 1/4 c. sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool

I was so excited when I got this months cookie recipe in my e-mail, I have been searching for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe and I was excited to have a reason to try one!

These are AMAZING cookies, they had wonderful flavor are extra chocolatey and just overall wonderful, this will be my new standby chocolate chip cookie recipe. I also found although these are wonderful gooey and chocolate out of the oven, they are even better once cooled.

The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies (From: In The Sweet Kitchen By: Regan Daley)

• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temp
• 1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 16 oz. flavorful bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixer with paddle attachment, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Using your hands, shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows of cookies to ensure even baking. Bake 12-15 for small cookies, 14-17 for larger ones or until the tops are a light golden brown.  If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. If somehow they don’t get inhaled immediately they may stored airtight at room temperature for up to one week.

ENJOY!

As soon as I saw that whoopie pies were this months cookie carnival recipe I was excited. I honestly have never heard of whoopie pies until I started my blog and started reading other blogs, lots of people had made them. Ever since seeing them I wanted to make them, but needed the perfect reason, this was it. It was the cookie recipe. And I have to say we really liked them

I also decided to make half pumpkin filling and half pink cherry filling and submit this to the power of pink challenge blogging event. So please do your monthly self breast exam this month!

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (From: Martha Stewart)

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg

Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary. For the cherry filled ones I omitted the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In it’s place I added cherry flavoring, and pink food coloring.

Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

I actually used this focaccia for the panini’s I made with our soup. This was a very simple recipe. I mixed it up I got home and could pretty much just leave it and it worked itself out.

Today is also world bread day. Go enjoy some bread today

Blitz Bread: No-Fuss Focaccia (Inspired By: Amber’s Delectable Delights From: King Arthur Flour)

• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) warm water
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) olive oil (plus additional for drizzling)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast

Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan, and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom.

Combine all of the ingredients, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 60 seconds.

Scoop the sticky batter into the prepared pan, cover the pan, and let it rise at room temperature for 60 minutes, till it’s become puffy.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Gently poke the dough all over with your index finger.

Drizzle it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with pizza seasoning, and/or the dried herbs of your choice, if desired.

As soon as I saw this group I knew I wanted to participate, my grandpa, and uncle where both in the service and my best friends husband is in the service and is leaving for Iraq in January. I mentioned to my mom that I need to make something this weekend and she said sure and we started thinking. We decided on peanut brittle.

This was rather easy to whip up and tastes excellent, it was hard to keep your hands out of it. I will be sending it to our solider tomorrow.

THANK YOU to our soldiers all around the world!

Peanut Brittle(From: Betty Crocker)

• 1 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1 t. water
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. light corn syrup
• 3 T. margarine or butter
• 1 lb shelled unroasted peanuts

Butter 2 cookies sheets, 15 1/2×12 inches; keep warm. Mix baking soda, 1 teaspoon water, and the vanilla; reserve. mix sugar, 1 cup water, and the corn syrup in 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 240 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of syrup dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water.

Stir in margarine and peanuts. Cook, stirring constantly to 300 degrees or until mall amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into threads that are hard and brittle (watch carefully so mixture does not burn).  Immediately remove from heat;stir in baking soda mixture.

Pour half of the candy mixture onto each cookie sheet and quickly spread about 1/4 inch thich. Cool; break into pieces.

Makes about 2 pounds of candy.