Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Now that fall is here and it really feels like fall (Texas fall anyways) I decided I wanted to do some fall baking.  I have never baked with pumpkin and wanted to try it ever I ate some amazing pumpkin bread last fall.  I went searching for a recipe, and came up with Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from pickycook.com.  I absolutely love oatmeal cookies and loved the idea of combining oatmeal and pumpkin. 

The cookies were so easy to make.  And they turned out amazing.  So amazing, that I may or may not have eaten 5-6 each day for the past 3 days.  But, they are healthy so it's totally justifiable, right?

Since they were so good, I have to share the recipe.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/3 cups old fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter - softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and sit aside. 

Cream butter, honey and sugars in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Mix well.

Gradually add dry ingredients.  Mix until blending, being careful not to overmix.  Chill for 30 minutes.  After chilling, drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  (I flattened mine just a bit with the spoon as I noticed they did not seem to flatten while baking.)  Picky cook recommends sprinkling sugar and cinnamon on top, but I used the last of my cinnamon making the cookies.

Bake for about 14 minutes.  Of course, ovens will vary, I baked mine about 16 minutes.  After removing from the oven, all them to cool a few minutes and then move them to a wire cooling rack (if you can resist eating them). 

ENJOY!

Menu Monday

A while ago I noticed other people posting menus for the week.  At the time, I wasn't cooking anything exciting, so I didn't blog about it, but I did start making a menu.  I come up with 2 weeks worth of food (only 8 days with Anthony's work and bowling schedule) and then head to the commisary.  Then, every weekend, I plan out the menu for the week.  I try to cook foods that will end up with microwavable leftovers (casseroles, shredded chicken, hamburger meat things) early in the week so I have things to take for lunch or eat while Anthony works.  Well, now I'm trying out 1-2 new recipes every couple weeks so I thought I'd share my menu and recipes.

Sunday-Stuffed Bell Peppers from Kimmie

Monday-Tortellini w/ Alfredo Sauce (Bertolli's)
Salad
Roll

Tuesday- Mexican Lasagna (recipe below)
Fiesta Corn (DelMonte with a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper)

Wendesay-Anthony bowls, so we at at the bowling ally

Thursday- Hawaiin Chicken Kabobs (directions below)

Friday-whatever I decide to heat up since it will just be me

Saturday-Peppered Steak
Rice
Salad


Recipes from above:

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 (15-ounce) can jalapeno ranch-style pinto beans, drained

2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes and green chiles (AKA Rotel)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of celery soup

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce

9 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 medium tomato, seeded and diced (I left these out)
4 green onions, chopped (didn't have any, so I used about 1/8 c white onion)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 medium avocado, chopped (didn't use these)



Preparation

1.Cook sausage and ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in beans and next 5 ingredients; cook until thoroughly heated.

2.Stir together soups and enchilada sauce in a saucepan; cook until thoroughly heated.

3.Spoon one-third of sauce onto bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; top with 3 tortillas. 4.Spoon half of beef mixture and one-third of sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with half of Cheddar cheese. Top with 3 tortillas; repeat layers ending with tortillas. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and next 3 ingredients.

5.Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
 
Hawaiin Kabobs
 
1 lb Chicken breast
Hawaiin marinade (we like McCormick's Grill Mates)
1 bell pepper
1 red pepper
1 onion
mushrooms
Kabob sticks
 
1.  Cut chicken into cubes.  Marinate for 2-4 hours.
2.  Cut up peppers and onions to desired size.
3.  Put peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken onto the kabobs.
4.  Grill or bake until chicken is done.
5.  Serve over rice!