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Delicious Pumpkin Cookies

Last weekend on Edisto Island, my friend Rochelle, graced our group with some delicious baked goods. There was cookie cake for the newly engaged couple, brownies in the shape of the University of Georgia G, and delicious pumpkin cookies.

These cookies were gone before I knew it and therefore I was only able to enjoy two of the delicious pumpkin cookies the entire weekend. They were soft and chewy, just the way I like cookies. In addition, the extra dash of cinnamon on top of the iced ones gave them a hit of spice. IMG_4699 (640x478)

These were inspired by a Fall email Rochelle received from All Recipes. Below is the recipe with Rochelle’s adaptions in parentheses for your reference.

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Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes

Note: These cookies are best when enjoyed a day later.

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar (If you use Splenda Brown Sugar be sure to check equivalents.)
2 eggs or egg whites (Rochelle used 6 teaspoons of Egg Beaters whites only)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Rochelle used half wheat flour)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Raisins, nuts, or miniature chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Cream shortening and sugar, then add the eggs. Mix well. Add vanilla and pumpkin. Set aside.
Sift dry ingredients, then blend into the "wet" ingredients. Add raisins or nuts if desired. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet, bake for 10 – 15 minutes. Cool.

Best eaten if you let them "ripen" for a day. Store in a sealed container

My mom and I just made these cookies to enjoy all weekend long and added miniature chocolate chips! What better way to welcome Fall?

Question: What is your favorite Fall inspired baked good?

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ashleyd /

Fall Breakfast Ideas: Office Edition

Each day, I’m bound to read about a delicious and beautiful breakfast creation that another blogger enjoyed. Cooked carefully over the stove top with care or warmed in the oven, many of these are not feasible on a daily basis if you eat breakfast at the office.

Some people think I’m crazy to eat both breakfast and lunch at work each day but for me it, it is really the only option. If I want to have time to enjoy a solid hour workout, shower, get dressed, and make the commute to work than I can’t spend even fifteen minutes enjoying breakfast at my kitchen table. Waking up at 5:15 is plenty early for me, thank you very much.

Instead, I’ve challenged myself to give my regular breakfasts a Fall face lift since I’ve grown tired of my normal breakfasts. The past few months have been one long repeated track of banana oats or Greek yogurt “messes.”

IMG_4195Last week’s refreshing Fall weather left me craving warm and flavorful goodness. So far I’ve only come up with two twists on the classic but would love to hear your suggestions for office breakfast upgrades as well! IMG_4641 (640x478)

Crunchy Cinnamon Oats

1/2 cup Quaker or Irish Oats

1/8 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 sliced banana

1/2 cup to 1 cup water or milk to reach desired thickness

1 Tsp cinnamon

1 Tsp nutmeg

1 drizzle agave or sugar free syrup

Combine first six ingredients and mix thoroughly, ensuring that all oats are moist. Drizzle agave or syrup over the oat mixture. Heat in microwave for 2 minutes, keeping a close eye to ensure the oats don’t bubble over.  Enjoy!

IMG_4500 Cinnamon Pumpkin Oats

1/2 cup Quaker or Irish Oats

1/8 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/4 to 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 to 1/2 cup water or milk to reach desired thickness

1 Tsp cinnamon

1 Tsp nutmeg

1 drizzle agave or sugar free syrup

Combine first six ingredients and mix thoroughly, ensuring that all oats are moist. Drizzle agave or syrup over the oat mixture. Heat in microwave for 2 minutes, keeping a close eye to ensure the oats don’t bubble over.  While these aren’t very photogenic they are very tasty!

Question: Do your breakfast choices change with the season? If so, what is your favorite Fall breakfast creation that can be prepared at the office?

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My Mom’s Wild Blueberry Oat Muffins

Earlier this week my mom texted me a picture of muffins. As soon as I saw the sugar crumbles and enormous blueberries, I asked her to share the recipe. Imagine my surprise and elation when she responded with,

“I came up with the recipe from scratch after referencing two different cookbooks. You can share them on your blog!”

The delicious muffins are bursting with blueberry flavor and delicious sugar topping crunch. In fact, my dad personally attested to this claim after enjoying two warm from the oven.  My mom created this recipe after picking fresh blueberries from her friend Kay’s farm. What better way to put fresh wild blueberries to good use than an easy to make, portable, and delicious muffin recipe? You can make them a bit healthier if you’d like by using light buttermilk in place of the regular buttermilk and applesauce in place of the vegetable oil. But, realize this will affect the consistency of the muffin, making it more sponge like. Below the recipe I include both the nutritional stats for the original recipe and the lightened version.  Enjoy!muffins

Wild Blueberry Oat Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes+20 minutes standing time

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon orange zest

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts I used walnuts
2 cups blueberries, divided
1 tablespoon sugar in the raw

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, stir together oats and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Add sugar, oil, orange zest and egg,stirring well.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.

6. Add nuts.

7. Add flour mixture into oatmeal mixture, stirring just until combined.

8. Gently, fold in 1 1/2 cups berries.

9. Spoon batter into muffin cups.Sprinkle with remaining berries and sugar in the raw.

10. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

11. Remove from pan and cool completely.

 

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Hope you enjoy these as much as she and my father did!

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