there's something about paring pumpkins with cream cheese

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

W

O

W

Try them. Try them.
You will like them you will see.


FYI: don't grease the pan really well; they'll spread too much causing edges to burn. And the cookie is delish even without the filling.

Apple Pie

CRUST:

1 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. salt

2 TBSP cold milk

1 ½ tsp. sugar

½ cup salad oil

~Mix all ingredients and press into 9-inch pie pan.

FILLING:

4 medium peeled, cored, sliced apples

½ cup sugar

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. cinnamon

2 TBSP flour

~Toss apples with sugar, flour, and spices. Fill pie shell.

TOPPING:

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup soft butter

~Mix together using a pastry blender (or fork). Crumble over the filling.

Place assembled pie in a brown paper bag. Fold the end under to seal. Place on middle oven rack (not touching elements). Bake at 350° for 1 hour & 45 minutes. No peeking.

 * I usually combine tart and sweet apples: Granny Smith paired
    with Braeburn ~or~ Honeycrisp
    paired with Cameo are combinations
    that I've tried and liked.
 * Whole wheat pastry flour works well in this (pastry flour comes
    from soft wheat).
 * In regards to the topping, if the butter is melted you will be
    tempted to add flour to make it 'crumble.' DON'T. It will be
    dry and floury instead of yummy buttery.

Asian Lettuce Wrap

1 pound ground beef or chicken (I have used both with good results)
16 boston bib or butter lettuce leaves
1 8 oz can water chestnuts (chopped)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 tbsp bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
3 tsp bottled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tsp asian chili pepper sauce
1 bunch green onions-cut enough to make 3/4 cup-will use a lot of the green part
3 tsp asian or dark sesame oil

Wash and dry lettuce. Cook onions and meat in small amount of oil in frying pan until onions are clear and meat is cooked. Add everything except water chestuts, green onions, and dark sesame oil. Let that cook for a few minutes. Add water chestnuts and let it cook a few more minutes. Last add the green onions and dark sesame oil and cook for 2 minutes, just until the onions start to wilt. Place 1/4 cup in each lettuce leaf and serve.

For the recipe for the dessert wontons click here.

And since I was lazy last month, here is my appetizer recipe!


Cream Cheese Ball

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained and squeezed
2 tbsp chopped green onion
1 tsp season salt
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix cream cheese, green pepper, pineapple, green onion and seasoned salt. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove plastic wrap and roll in chopped nuts. Serve with crackers or veggies.

Baked Fish

By: S.H.

3-4 fillets of tilapia (or fish of choice – salmon works well)
½ medium onion, sliced fine
½ medium tomato, sliced fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper (I use 1 tsp sea salt)
1-2 tsp herb of choice – fresh if available, dried is fine (i.e., dill, parsley, tarragon, herbs de provence, etc.)
Tin foil – enough to make a large package for the dish

Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry. Spread onion slices on foil. Lay fish over onions, sprinkle salt and pepper and ½ of herbs. Lay tomatoes on top, then sprinkle with remaining herbs. Top with the butter in little pieces or drizzle oil. Fold foil over and close to form a package. Bake in a dish in the oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
**Serve with a salad or steamed vegetables

Southwestern Chicken Soup

By: R.W.

1 can (49.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 can (14.5oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (14.5 oz)crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

1 lb boneless skineless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

1 large onion, chopped fine (I puree' in food processor)

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 garlic clove, mined

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 cups frozen corn, thawed (can use 2 cans corn, drained)

In large saucepan combine first 12 ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour. Add corn; cook 10 minutes longer. Top each serving with tortilla chips; sprinkle with cheese.

***I brown the chicken in the saucepan in 1 Tbsp olive oil then add the next 11 ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce and simmer 1 hour. Add corn; cook 10 minutes longer and serve.

Chicken Tacos

By: K.C.

3-4 chicken breasts

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 large tomato, chopped fine

1 Tbsp olive oil

corn tortillas

cooking spray

2 cups grated 2 % cheddar or monterrey jack cheese combo

(or just cheddar)

Boil chicken in water with a pinch of salt till done. While chicken is boiling, heat oil in a skillet and add onion and cook till onion is translucent, add tomato to onions when the onions are almost done. Set aside until chicken is done. Remove chicken from water and shred into fine strips. Add chicken to the skillet with the tomatoes and onion. Heat together and season all to taste with seasoned salt. Heat a separate skillet or griddle, spray the corn tortillas on both sides with Pam and heat them on the griddle. Then put 2% shredded cheese in the bottom of the tacos, then the meat mixture and broil them on both sides until they're hot. Serve with salsa (recipe below), lettuce, tomato, cheese, guacamole, black beans, etc.

Salsa (from my friends in Cabo)

2 Roma tomatoes finely diced
1/4 cup onion finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
1 serrano pepper finely diced (you can add more if you like your salsa hotter)
salt to taste
1 tsp. lime juice

Mix together and serve

Sweet Potatoe Wedges

By: K.A.

3-4 medium size sweet potatoes

cinnamon

sugar

cooking spray

Wash sweet potatoes and cut into thin wedges. Lay on cookie sheet and spray all sides with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or just sugar (depends on taste preference) and cook 15 minutes at 425 degrees until soft. Turn them on the otherside 1/2 way through baking to make sure that they get crisp. ***if they look burned in places, it's okay, the sugar has caramalized and that makes it so much better!

Crockpot Taco Soup

By: A.H.

6 qt crock pot
-1 onion chopped
-16 oz can chili beans, not drained
-15 oz can black beans, not drained
-15 oz can whole corn, drained
-8 oz can tomato sauce
-14 oz chicken broth (2 cubes of boullion)
-2 10 oz cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, not drained
-1 pkg taco seasoning or recipe (below)
-1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Taco Seasoning Recipe-

-2 tsp. dried minced onion
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp chili powder
-1/2 tsp corn starch
-1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper
-1/2 tsp dried minced garlic
-1/4 tsp oregano
-1/2 tsp ground cumin
(if using for tacos: 1 lb ground meat w/ ½ c. water and half of seasoning recipe)

Put ingredients (onion thru diced tomato) in crock pot
Add taco seasoning and stir
Lay chicken on top – press down til almost covered
Cook 5 hours on low, take out chicken and shred.
Add chicken, stir, cook 2 hrs low


Top with: shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips

Crackin' Chicken Dip

By S.M. and C.B.

2 - 16 oz cans or 4 - 80z cans cooked chicken, shredded
1 (8 0z) block cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar (sharp or mild, your choice)
3-4 Tbsp Franks Hot sauce or hot sauce of your choice, or to taste
8 oz bottled ranch dressing

Mix all together in a saucepan until cream cheese melts and all is mixed well. Spread into a square dish or 11x12 oblong dish and broil just till crispy on top.

Serve with white corn tortilla chips, or crackers or large spoons for just EATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Veggie Pizzas

By: S. H.

2 pkgs Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 (80z) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 tsp dill
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 cups broccoli, chopped fine
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped black olives, optional
1 cup green, red, or yellow pepper, chopped fine
****can also use other veggies of your choosing, just chop fine, make sure they are not juicy as they could make crust soggy.

Spray cookie sheet with Pam. Spread crescent rolls out to cover cookie sheet like pizza crust. Poke holes with fork all over. Bake 350 degrees for 10 -12 minutes till done. Cool. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, dill and garlic salt. Spread over cooled crust. Sprinkle veggies all over. Chill for 2 hours and then cut into squares. Serve on tray.

Fruit Kabobs

By: A. H.

Fruit of choice:
apple slices
grapes
pinepple chunks
watermelon cubes
cantelope cubes
etc.

skewer fruit onto 3 inch wooden skewers. Serve plain or with favorite fruit dip.

Fruit Dip Recipe:

1 carton of strawberry yogurt
1 container of cool whip (fat free, extra creamy, etc.)

mix, refrigerate and serve with fruit.

Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip

By: C.J. (altered by S.H. because S's e-mail would not pull up C's recipe so S submitted one until able to get C's - hers is much better!)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

Apple & Onion Stuffin' Muffins

by K.W.

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 stick butter, softened
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 McIntosh apples or Jonagold, chopped
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
8 cups seasoned stuffing mix (Pepperidge Farms)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
2-3 cups chicken stock (about 1 1/2 - 2 cans)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 4 Tbsp butter with olive oil in skiller. Add celery, onion and apples. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5-6 minutes til they begin to soften and add parsley, cranberries and stuffing. Mix to combine. Moisten with broth until all of bread is soft but not wet.

Butter 12 muffin cups (two muffin tins) with remaining butter. Use ice cream scoop to fill and mound up stuffing in muffin tins. Bake 10-15 minutes til set and crisp on top. Remove to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

Cranberry-Pineapple Minis

by C.J.

1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice
3 pkg (3 0z) Rasberry gelatin
1 can (16 0z) whole cranberry sauce
2/3 cup chopped walnuts/pecans
1 apple chopped

Drain pineapple and set aside, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to measure 3 1/2 cups. Pour into saucepan. Bring to boil. Pour over gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 minutes or until completely dissolved. Stir in pineapple, cranberry sauce, nuts and apple. Spoon into 24 paper lined muffin cups. Refrigerate 2 1/2 hours or until firm. Remove liners.

Cranberry Relish

by A.H.

3/4 cup apple or orange juice
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
dash ground cloves
1 - 12 oz pkg (3 cups) cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan combine juice, sugar, cinnamon, nubmet and cloves. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and raisins. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or till cranberries pop. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with poultry, pork or ham.

Great Green Beans

by C.B.

2 Tbsp butter or margerine
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
2 (14 1/2 ounce) can green beans, drained
1/3 cup grated swiss cheese
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet, melt butter and saute onion until lightly browned or limp. Slowly add the flour and stir. Add salt and pepper. cook until flour is absorbed and slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Add green beans and stir. Put mixture in a 7x11 inch pan or 2 qt casserole dish. Top with cheese and bacon. Can be made early and refrigerated until baking time. Bake 15-20 minutes.
Serves 6.

Mexi Supreme

By Stephanie H.

2 cups rice
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cans stewed tomatoes (pureed in blender or food chopper)
1 small can chopped green chillies
1 cup sour cream
1 can cheddar cheese or nacho cheese soup
1/2 lb shredded sharp chedddar cheese

Cook rice. Spread cooked rice in the bottom of a 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam. Mix beef with taco seasoning as directed on pkg and 1 can of stewed tomatoes. Spread over rice. Mix 1 can of stewed tomatoes, green chillies, sour cream and soup. Spread over meat mixture. Top with shredded cheddar. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with tortilla chips.

Bread Pudding Pumpkin

By Rachael W.

(Enrichment Cooking Class - Apples/Pumpkins)

2 medium pie pumpkins (about 3 lbs. each)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 t. salt 1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

3/4 t. ground nutmeg

6 cups cubed, crustless, day-old bread

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup raisins

Whipped Cream or Cool Whip (optional)

Wash pumpkins; cut off tops and discard. Scoop out seeds and loose fibers. In a large bowl, wisk the eggs, milk, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla & nutmeg. Stir in bread cubes, pineapple, nuts & raisins. Spoon into pumpkin shells. Place on a greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Loosely cover tops with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Uncover, bake 15-30 minutes longer or until pumpkin is soft and a knife inserted near the center of bread pudding comes out clean. To serve, scoop bread pudding and cooked pumpkin into dessert dishes. Serve topped with whipped cream or cool whip.

Pumpkin Bars w/Cream Cheese Frosting

By Amanda H.

(Enrichment Cooking Class - Apples/Pumpkins)

4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin, pureed (16 oz)
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. each of salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon

In large bowl mix eggs, oil, sugar, pumpkin.
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes in a greased bakers half sheet.
Let cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
1 TBSP cream or evaporated milk
1/2 cup soft butter
3-4 cups powdered sugar

mix and frost.

Pico de Gallo

By Ann B.

2 - 15 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 Tbsp minced garlic

juice of 2 limes

2 Tbsp cilantro, plus extra for garnish

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips or over tacos.