Drop Cookies: Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

I love pumpkin pie, but it's time consuming to make. So when I have a craving for pumpkin pie, but don't have a lot of time, I make cookies. Frosted Pumpkin Cookies, to be exact. They're delicious and quick. I can whip up a batch in less than an hour, including frosting.


You don't have to frost these cookies if you don't want to. They're delicious either way. the frosting makes them a little sweeter. Without the frosting they are less so. Make some of each and enjoy them both ways.


Ingredients


¼ cup sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup canned pumpkin
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
1¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
dash of salt
½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped


For the Frosting
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
⅛ cup milk
¾ cup powdered sugar


Preparation


Heat oven to 350°F. Using an electric mixer, cream together sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl. Blend in pumpkin, vanilla, and egg. Using a wooden spoon to mix, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well until all ingredients are fully combined. Stir in the walnuts gently.


Drop dough by teaspoons into a prepared baking sheet. Do not flatten. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are just slightly browned. Cool on sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks.


While the cookies are cooling, melt butter for frosting in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add milk and whisk together. Whisk in the powdered sugar until mixture is smooth. Allow frosting to sit for 5 minutes.


Using a small spoon, drizzle a little frosting over each cookie. You can eat cookies immediately after frosting, or you can allow the frosting to set first. If you're storing the cookies, the frosting must be completely dry.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container once frosting is dry for up to 3 days.

Pizza: Pizza Buns

Want pizza, but don't want pizza? Me too, though I'll always eat pizza in any of its forms. But if you want something a little easier to eat than a traditional pizza, and something kids will love, these easy Pizza Buns are for you.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic Pizza Crust
½ cup pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese
other pizza toppings as desired


Preparation


If you've ever made cinnamon buns, this will be easy. If you haven't, it will still be simple enough. Roll out your pizza dough until it's a rectangle about 12 x 15 inches. Spread the sauce on the dough, leaving a strip of about an inch uncovered on the long side (the 15-inch side). Top the sauce with the cheeses and any other toppings you like. Reserve just a little mozzarella cheese and other toppings to put on top of the buns, if desired. Don't overload the dough. You generally want a little less toppings than you'd use if you were making a traditional pizza.


Roll up the dough, starting on the 15-inch side, but not the side that has no sauce or toppings. You'll need that side free to seal the roll. Roll the dough tightly, but no so tight that you push the toppings out. Ideally, the toppings need to stay in place, so go slowly and gently.


Pinch the roll closed along the seam, then gently use your hands to move the roll back and forth a bit. This will help even it out a little. Use a sharp knife to slice the roll into 12 equal portions. Do not use a serrated knife, and cut in one smooth motion. A little sauce will squeeze out, but just ignore that.


Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the buns on a prepared baking sheet. The two end pieces should be place with cut side up so they look like the other buns. Using a piece of wax paper or a plastic baggie to protect your hand and keep the sauce in place, press down on each bun slightly, flattening them out so they bake evenly. Sprinkle with any remaining toppings, if desired.


Bake for 20 minutes, until buns are browned and the cheese is bubbling a little. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve.


This recipe makes 12 Pizza Buns.

Drop Cookies: Chocolate Florentines

Florentines are a bit of a specialty cookie. Not everyone loves them. They're basically almonds and candied fruit, so they're great for people who love these things. If you don't, don't make them. Or at least don't make them for yourself. If you do like almonds and candied fruit, this version, which features a chocolate spread, are for you.


Ingredients


⅓ cup butter or margarine
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup sugar
2 tbsp milk
¼ cup all purpose flour
⅓ cup candied citrus peel (lemon, lime, or a mixture), chopped
⅓ cup candied cherries, chopped
⅓ cup almonds, chopped


For the Spread
½ chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter


Preparation


Heat oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then grease and flour. Or spray generously with cooking spray. These cookies will stick like glue, so grease well. You don't want them sticking.


Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, milk, and flour. Mix well until the flour and sugar are dissolved. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute.


Add the candied peel, candied cherries, and almonds. Mix in gently so you don't crush the fruit too much. Drop by round teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheets. Keep them about 2 inches apart because they will spread as they bake.


Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are browned. Allow to cool on the pan for 1 minute, then use a thin spatula to remove the cookies from the pan. Work quickly so they don't harden on you. The centers should still be a little soft, so you'll have a couple minutes. Gently, because the cookies are still fragile at this point.


Cool completely on wire racks. When they are completely cool, melt the spread ingredients in a small saucepan. Working with one cookie at a time, turn the cookie over and spread the chocolate mixture on the bottom of the cookie. Keep the spread away from the edges of the cookie so it doesn't drip off as it cools. Place the cookie chocolate side up on the wire racks and allow to set completely.


Serve when chocolate is set. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Snacks & Appetizers: Mini Hot Dogs

Do you have kids? Or friends? Or family about to descend on your house? Then this recipe is for you. If you need a quick and tasty snack for a large group, try Mini Hot Dogs. They're easy to eat and don't make a mess, and you can even stick each one with a toothpick if you want an easy way to pop them into your mouth.


You can use any hot dog you like. Beef or pork, chicken or turkey, tofu or veggie. Any old hot dog will work in this recipe, so pick whatever you enjoy the most. The ones in the picture are made with a chicken wiener.


Ingredients


1 recipe for Basic White Bread
12 hot dogs, any type
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp coarse sea salt (optional)
mustard or other condiments of your choice


Preparation


Make your white bread dough, but stop after the first rise. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Take your hot dogs out of the package and dry them off with a paper towel. You don't want them too wet, so don't skip this step. Flatten a portion of dough until it is longer than it is wide. It should be as long as the hot dogs, but not longer. It should also be about three times as wide as the hot dogs.


Place a hot dog on the dough and wrap the dough around the hot dog. You want the hot dog fully encased, except for the ends. The ends you want to leave free. Pinch the dough to seal, then roll the wrapped hot dog on a firm surface a few times. This will help even out the dough and make prettier Mini Hot Dogs.


Now you will slice the hot dog into 4 or 6 portions. If you want something truly bite sized, go with 6 portions, slicing through the dough and hot dog in one motion with a sharp knife. Don't use a serrated knife. Serrated knives will tear the dough instead of cut it. One fluid motion with a sharp  knife will do the trick.


The hot dogs in the picture are actually cut into 4 portions. This is a good size if there are plates available. If you're not putting out places, 6 portions will work better. Regardless of size, they're delicious. Repeat the entire process of wrapping and slicing the hot dogs until you have used all your dough and hot dogs.


Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the portions on a prepared baking sheet. Combine egg with water and beat lightly to make an egg wash. Brush this egg wash over the dough of each little bit sized hot dog. Sprinkle coarse salt over hot dogs, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes, until the dough is lightly browned.


Serve these Mini Hot Dogs with mustard or any other dipping sauces.

Drop Cookies: Coconut Macaroons

Everyone loves coconut. Except my oldest son. He hates coconut. But everyone else loves coconut. If you're a real coconut lover, these Coconut Macaroons are divine. They're simple, with only a handful of ingredients, and they bake up beautifully.


You can buy macaroons at the store, of course, but they're not nearly as good. These guys are purely delicious. You do need egg whites, not yolks, for these cookies. If you're not very good at separating eggs, crack 2 eggs in a small bowl. Do this gently so as not to break the yolks. Then scoop out the yolks with your hand. Your fingers won't break the yolks the way a fork might. Keep the yolks for another recipe, cook them, or simply add a little water and use them as an egg wash when making breads such as the Basic White Bread.


Ingredients


2 egg whites
⅓ cup sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
¼ tsp almond extract
dash of salt
2 cups coconut, shredded or flaked


Preparation


Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a cookie sheet, or use a really good nonstick liner. You can also spray the cookie sheet with baking spray. These cookies do stick, so prepare for that.


Beat the egg white with an electric beater until they are foamy. You don't want them forming peaks, but you do want them good and foamy. Put aside the electric mixer and use a basic wire whisk. Add sugar, flour, almond extract, and salt. Mix well until everything is nice and smooth. You want the sugar and flour to be completely dissolved in the eggs.


Add the coconut and fold in gently. Mixture will be very damp. This is normal. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet. Try to keep the macaroons neat and tidy on the sheet to avoid burning.


Bake for 15 minutes, until the Coconut Macaroons are lightly browned. Remove immediately from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.


This recipe makes about 1 dozen macaroons.

Easy Side Dishes: Cheddar Dill Risotto

Risotto is delicious and fun to make. This version is a little different, a little less Italian, because it uses cheddar cheese. Use a sharp or old cheddar cheese for added punch. Also try adding a little sage if you're looking for something more adventuresome.


Cheddar Dill Risotto can be made with chicken, beef, or tofu. The picture here is one made with chicken, but the choice is entirely yours. You can even leave out the protein all together. But pay attention to the stock you're using. It should match the protein. Use chicken stock if you're using chicken. Beef stock if you're using beef. Tofu or no protein at all? Go with a vegetable stock. The flavors blend better.


Ingredients


4 tbsp butter
2 cups Arborio or other similar rice
5-6 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, warm
4 tbsp dried dill
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup chicken, beef, or tofu, chopped (optional)


Preparation


Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add rice and toss to coat. When rice is coated in butter, add stock 1 cup at a time. The stock should be warm when added, so have the stock in a pot, slowly simmering. Use a ladle to scoop the stock from the pot to the skillet.


Wait for 1 cup of stock to be absorbed before adding another cup. Keep the risotto moving, stirring almost constantly. This helps to break down the rice a little and gives you creamy texture. When you've added the 3rd cup of stock, add the dill, salt, and pepper. Keep adding stock until your risotto is fluffy and soft. It should not be crunchy at all. You may end up adding all 6 cups of stock. You may not.


Remove risotto from the heat and immediately add cheese and chicken. Fold in gently, allowing the cheese to melt. Mix well, but gently, until chicken and cheese are well distributed. Serve immediately.


This recipe serves 4.

Drop Cookies: Coconut Candy Jumbles

Coconut is quite versatile. In this fun cookie, coconut has been paired with both rolled oats and candy-coated chocolate. I've used mini M&Ms, but you can use full-sized M&Ms or even candy-coated chocolate chips. You can even opt for regular chocolate chips if you like. All variations are delicious.


Ingredients


¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1⅛ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup shredded or flaked coconut
¾ cup mini M&Ms (optional, can be substituted)


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. Cream together sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon. Fold in oats and coconut, then add M&Ms. Mix until all ingredients are well distributed. Dough should be sturdy, but fairly sticky.


Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a prepared cookie sheet. Do not flatten. The cookies will spread a little on their own, so keep then an inch or two apart. Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are slightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then cool completely on wire racks.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.