Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep. time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yields: 60 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups (12- ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
• nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
2. Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. 
4. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. 
5. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on a wire rack.

Cinnamon-Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 8 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups 1/4-inch-diced rhubarb
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Grease and line muffin tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not overmix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. The batter will be thick.
4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, using the back of a spoon or a small spatula to settle the batter into the cups. The batter should mound a bit higher than the tops of the cups.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle a generous 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each muffin.
6. Bake the muffins until they're golden brown, spring back most of the way when gently pressed, and pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.

~Recipe from bakersdaughter.typepad.com

Tomato Tart

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 2 whole large onions, halved and sliced thin
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 whole storebought crusts (or 1 good sized homemade crust)
• 1-1/2 cups grated fontina cheese (or Monterey Jack)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup grated Gruyere (or Swiss)
• 3 cups Cherry Tomatoes, washed and dried
• 1 whole egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 16 whole basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add butter, onions, salt and pepper and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and deep golden brown. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
3. Smush both pie crusts into a ball, knead it around a bit to combine them, then roll it out into one large, thin crust. Lay onto a shallow quarter sheet pan, a tart pan, or cut in half and use 2 standard pie pans. Sprinkle on the cheeses in a single layer, then lay on the caramelized onions, then sprinkle the tomatoes over the cheese.
4. Mix together the egg and milk in a small bowl and brush it all over the crust around the edge of the tart. Bake the tart for 15 to 18 minutes, watching carfeully to make sure the crust doesn't burn. (The tomatoes should be starting to burst apart, with some dark/roasted areas on the skin, and crust should be deep golden brown.) If the crust is getting brown too fast, reduce heat to 425°F.
5. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the basil all over the top. Cut into squares and serve!

*I halved the recipe as shown in the picture above (I didn't halve the onions as I love caramelized onions.)

~Recipe adapted from thepioneerwoman.com

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients, then add the wet ingrednients. Stir until well mixed.
2. Spread in a greased 9x13" pan.
3. Bake with milk chocolate frosting (recipe below).

Frosting ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup milk (more or less depending on consistency)
• 1 cup powder sugar (more or less depending on consistency)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting directions:

1. Mix all frosting ingredients together, adding more or less milk and powder sugar to get a creamy consistency.
2. Top brownies when they have cooled, so the frosting doesn't just thin out and melt off.

~recipe adapted from thecraftingchicks.com

Beef Enchiladas with Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 9 medium size tortillas
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 or 1 small zucchini diced
• 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 dish.
2. In a large skillet, saute onions for a few minutes. Add ground beef and cook about halfway through before adding zucchini. 
3. In a medium bowl add both cans of enchilada sauce and tomato soup and stir together. (I enjoy mild foods, if you would like spicier enchiladas use 2 cans enchilada sauce rather then cutting the spice with tomato soup. Put about 2 Tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly.
4. When meat is cooked through and vegetables are cooked to opaque in color add half of the enchilada mixture.
5. Warm tortillas in the microwave or oven, so it's easier to roll up.
6. Remove skillet from the heat. Place about 1/4 cup of ingredients in the center of the tortilla. Top with a small amount of shredded cheese, roll up and place folded side down in the baking dish. Repeat process for all of the tortillas, making sure to squish enchiladas together so they all fit. *I placed 5 vertically and 3 horizontally in my dish.
7. Spoon remaining enchilada mixture over the top of the enchiladas. Finish with the remaining cheese.
8. Cook in oven for 20 minutes and serve!

~Recipe by Mikaila

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 3 cups diced rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup rolled oats

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. In a large bowl, mix white sugar, 3 Tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats until crumbly. You may want to use a pastry blender for this. Crumble on top of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture.
4. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp and lightly browned.

~Recipe from Nora via allrecipes.com