Pumpkin Muffins

 

1 c Unbleached Flour, Sifted
2 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Salt
1/4 t Ground Cinnamon
1/4 c Vegetable Shortening
2/3 c Sugar
1 ea Large Egg
1/2 c Canned, Mashed Pumpkin
2 T Milk

 

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Cream together shortening and sugar in mixing bowl until light and fluffy, using electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in egg. Combine pumpkin and milk in small bowl. Add dry ingredients alternately with pumpkin mixture to creamed mixture, stirring well after each addition. Spoon batter into paper-lined 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups, filling 2/3rds full.

 

Bake in 350 degree F. oven 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot with butter and homemade jam

Cranberry-Pumpkin Cookies

 

Makes soft, cakelike cookies.

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup pureed cooked pumpkin
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cranberries
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup chopped nuts

 

Directions:  

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.  

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg and pumpkin.  

 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and add to mixture. Mix until until well blended.  

Cut the cranberries in half and stir into mixture. Add orange peel and nuts. 
 
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

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Remembrance Cookies

 

These cookies can be made on Hallow's Eve. They can be shaped like people and the herb rosemary is added to the dough as a symbol of remembrance. Some of the cookies are eaten while telling stories or attributes of special ancestors, reminding us that we still have access to their strengths--or perhaps a predisposition to their weaknesses. The rest of the cookies are left outside by a bonfire as an offering. This can be a solemn ritul, but it need not be.

 

Ingredients for the cookies:

 

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter or margarine (softened)
1 egg
2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 1/2 T. chopped rosemary

 

Heat oven 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, almond extract, and rosemary until creamy. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture. Beat until dough forms and refrigerate for three hours. Divide dough into halves. Roll out one portion to 3/16 of an inch on a floured surface. Cut out with gingerbread women or men cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat rolling and cutting with second portion.

Bake for 5-7 minutes.
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Popcorn Balls

 

These are fun to make and fun to give--wrap them in orange tinted cellophane or clear wrap and tie with a ribbon. This makes about 18 three inch balls. Unless you have a really large pot, make these in two batches.

 

1/2 cup solid margarine
2-10oz packages of large, white marshmallows
orange paste food coloring

 

Melt margarine in a large pot. Add marshmallows, turning to cover with oil well, and cooking slowly to melt completely. Stir in tiny amounts of food coloring with a toothpick until the color appeals to you. When completely melted, remove from heat.

 

Then:
20 cups popped, fresh plain or colored popcorn (don't use microwave corn)

1 cup candy corn (optional)...stir in popcorn and candy, covering well with melted marshmallow until marshmallow turns to stringy threads. Let sit a few minutes.

extra butter...butter all popcorn ball-maker's hands liberally, and begin to pack mixture into balls. Adults mind that the mixture can still be quite hot, so put aside a pan in which to set balls down if children find them too hot. Let balls thoroughly cool, then wrap them up!

 

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Soothsayer's Sliced Apples

 

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup pecans, finely ground
6 large, firm apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Place the chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat until it is almost melted. Remove from heat, stir, and let cool.

 

Spread the nuts in a small bowl.

 

Dip the apples into the chocolate and shake off excess. Then dip the apples into the nuts to coat the bottom. Set them 3 inches apart on a lightly buttered tray and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

 

In a small pot, stir together the sugar, cream, corn syrup, butter, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until the mixture reaches 240, stirring occasionally.

 

Remove pot from heat and add vanilla. Pour the hot caramel over the apples, a little at a time, letting it drip down the sides. Cool the apples but don't refrigerate them.

 

When ready to serve, slice the apples in half and remove the cores. Cut each half into 4 slices. Makes 48 slices

 

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