Pilgrim Pies **Submitted by, Jennifer Kilborn



If you think good old whoopie pies just can't be improved upon, just wait until you try these: pumpkin cookies filled with fluffy cream cheese frosting. They're guaranteed to be a popular new addition to your standard Thanksgiving dessert offerings.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Cookies

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling/Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar 

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.
2. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, using a moist finger or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar a half cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.
4. To assemble the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one. Top them with the remaining cookies (turned right side up). Makes 10 to 14 Pilgrim Pies.

Taco Fun Cups *A Great Recipe To Do With The Kids* My kids Love to make these!

 

What You Need

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg.  (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix

1 can (10 oz.) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Make It

Heat oven to 400°F. Cook meat with seasoning mix as directed on package.
Press biscuits onto bottoms and up sides of 10 muffin cups; fill with meat mixture.
Bake 15 min. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 2 to 3 min. or until melted.

When Having the Kids Help Turn the muffin pan upside-down. Spray with non-stick spray and press biscuits around the muffin bottoms and bake. When they are cooked, they will be in the shape of cups and the kids can fill them with whatever they'd like in their Taco Fun Cups.

Kitchens Tips

Serving Suggestion

Don't let the fun stop at the entree! Round out the meal with a fun salad bar. Fill a large bowl with crisp salad greens and smaller bowls with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables. Then, let everyone help themselves to create their own salad.

Chicken Corn Chowder

 

Chicken Corn Chowder

A flavorful soup with a wonderful taste, this is the perfect beginning to just about any autumn meal.

• 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 ½ cups diced chicken, pre-cooked
• 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced (optional)
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth
• 2 cups whole kernel corn
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove it from heat and place the bacon on paper towels in order to allow it to drain. Place one tablespoon of the bacon grease into a large pot, adding the potatoes and onions to the pot and sautéing over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden. Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, allowing the broth and vegetable mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the chicken, bacon, corn, milk, and cream to the broth, stirring frequently while allowing it to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Lasagna

Ingredients:

16 pieces (about 16 oz.) lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (about 28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 teaspoons chopped oregano
2 teaspoons chopped basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. In large skillet, brown meat; drain.
2. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water; simmer 10 minutes.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Lay flat on foil to cool.
4. Heat oven to 350°F.
5. In large bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.
6. Spread about 1/3 cup meat sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Arrange 4 pasta pieces lengthwise over sauce, overlapping edges. Spread one-third cheese mixture over pasta; spread with about 3/4 cup meat sauce.
7. Repeat layers, beginning and ending with pasta. Top with remaining meat sauce; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
8. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer, or until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Pumpkin Bars ****A Personal Fall Family Favorite!



Ingredients

Bars:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.
To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.