The BEST Pumpkin Cookies

I'm REALLY excited about today's post!  My older sister, Rachelle is amazing.  She's creative, an avid runner, makes yummy and healthy food.  She's hilarious and happy.  I'm jealous of her photo taking, blog posting, and let's be honest, she's gorgeous. :)  So just trust me when I say...make these dang cookies and any other recipes on her blog.  Because they will be LEGENDARY! (reference, anyone?)

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With temperatures falling and Halloween right around the corner all I can think about is cookies. Pumpkin cookies to be exact. This recipe is to die for! It's a bit different from the traditional pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe everyone makes. Don't get me wrong, I love those. But this one is a bit fancier I think with the frosting on top and these cookies will melt in your mouth! Be prepared to eat a lot. And have some milk close by.

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

1 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 c pumpkin
2 c flour
1 tsp b. powder
1 tsp. b. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugars. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix in egg and vanilla. Mix well and scrape down bowl again and then add your pumpkin. Give it a good mixin', scrape down bowl and then add your dry ingredients. Now mix it up until it is just combined. Don't overmix this.

Drop by spoonful on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 -12 min. My oven was more towards the 12 minutes time. They will be very soft, don't over bake. Let cookies cool.

While baking the rest of your cookies you can whip up the frosting.

Penuche Frosting:
6 Tbsp butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c milk
3 - 4 c powdered sugar

Mix butter and brown sugar on stove top. Bring to a boil and boil one minute. Take off stove and let cool for 10 minutes.

 Then add your milk right into the pan and stir it up real good. You might have to scrape the edges of the pan to get all that butter/sugar goodness. It will mix up smooth so just keep mixing. Then pour over your powdered sugar and give it a good stir so it looks like so.

Next frost your cookies!!

Take to a Halloween party, eat them all by yourself, or give them to a friend.
Happy October!

No Bake Cookies - don't laugh, just make them!

I had a request for more desserts.  I also was made aware by my cousin, Kristine that National Homemade Cookie Day was on October 1st!  Did you know that?  I hope you made cookies!  So in honor of those two things, we're making cookies today.

No Bake Cookies might be a no brainer, but oh my gosh they are the greatest combination ever!  I mean really, when's the last time you've made no bake cookies?  Make this recipe - which I've decided is the best.  Yes, there are a few variations of the no bake out there.  But the ratio and the brand of ingredients in this recipe...make it the best no bake cookie ever.

No Bake Cookies

1 stick of butter

2 cups of sugar

4 T. cocoa powder (Hershey's)

1/2 cup of milk

3 cups quick oats (MUST be quick!)

1 cup peanut butter (Jif all the way)

1 tsp. vanilla (I double it)

Combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and milk in a saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. (not just one or two little bubbles, but bubbles all the way around the pan) Start a timer for EXACTLY one minute.  The time is very important - so pay attention.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Pour in vanilla and peanut butter.  Once the peanut butter has melted, add the instant oats.  Scoop spoonfuls of cookie onto aluminum foil.  Let cool and enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

I love Mexican food.  I know it sounds gross but I just love a big pile of rice, beans, and whatever else is usually thrown into the mix.  This particular dish probably isn't very "authentic" but I still consider it Mexican.

My freshmen year of college, my roommate Mary, made these enchiladas.  I loved them.
We make it at our house on a regular basis.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 fully cooked chicken breasts

1/4 cup diced onions

2-3 cups of cheddar cheese

1 can of refried beans

1 can of Old El Paso Mild Enchilada Sauce

1 can of olives

1 package of 10 tortillas

(*I hold the onions and olives)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish.  Dice the chicken and open the cans.

Smear a spoonful of refried beans across one side of the tortilla.

Sprinkle a handful of diced chicken over top of the beans.

Pour two spoonfuls of enchilada sauce over top.

Top with cheese.
 (before the cheese, be sure to add onions and olives)

Fold tortilla over the "goods for the inside" and continue rolling.  Place in the dish. Repeat.  Makes between 6-8 enchiladas.  (Be sure to save cheese and enchilada sauce for the toppings.)

Before putting in the oven, top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

 Top with favorite toppings:

sour cream, salsa, lettuce, more cheese

And I know there are several different recipes for chicken enchiladas.  What is your favorite?  Don't be shy, let me know via comment or email.

Follower Friday: Cowboy Potatoes and Barbeque Chicken

The person chosen for Follower Friday is Shaylin!  We have a lot in common.  We both went to BYU-Idaho and studied to be teachers.  She married my brother's best friend.  (I didn't marry him too - but that's how we originally met!)  We both live in Utah and have daughters named Paige.  I wish we lived closer, but sadly we don't.  It's all yours Shaylin!

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Hi Tiffanie!  I am so excited to share a recipe with everyone today! My name is Shaylin and I LOVE to cook yummy, easy food!  Especially food that gives my family of four lots of leftovers for the week! I also really like food that I can prepare in the morning so that it's done just in time for dinner without too much fuss.  Plus, having yummy smells in my house all day is always a plus.  Today we are making a recipe that I learned from my mom - one of our favorites!

Cowboy Potatoes and Barbecue Chicken

What you need:

1 lb bacon

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 small bag of baby carrots

6-8 red potatoes, washed and scrubbed

1/2 bag of frozen peas

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

3 frozen chicken breasts

1/2 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

 Cut the bacon into 3/4 inch pieces and cook in a frying pan until almost done.  Add the chopped onion and cook until the onions are nice and soft.

While that is cooking, cut the potatoes and carrots into bite size pieces and put them in your crock pot.

When the bacon and onions are done, dump them into your crock pot too - bacon grease and all.  Yummy!  Cook this in your crock pot on high for about 7 hours - or until they are nice and soft.

When they are soft, add the peas and cook for another 20-30 minutes.  Finally, add the cheese and let it cook just long enough for the cheese to melt on top.

After you get the potatoes and carrots cooking for the day, put the frozen chicken into a baking dish and cover it with the barbecue sauce.  Add about an inch of water to the bottom of the baking dish - you don't want your chicken to dry out!

  Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 275 degrees for 6 to 7 hours. It should easily fall apart when it is done.

As far as I'm concerned - these two items ALWAYS go together - they are just so good together.  Whip up a salad or some rolls and you have a dinner to die for!

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Looks delicious!  The PERFECT meal for a crisp fall day.  The bacon won me over :)  Happy weekend!

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

I know summer is over, but this is my ALL time favorite summer drink. 
And I was just introduced to it at the end of this summer.  So I'm still making it.

My friend, Kim came to help me pack (she's amazing!) and she made this for me. 
I was hooked.  I hope you are too.

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

(this is one serving)

2-3 washed and cut up strawberries

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

ICE to top it all of

Mix together in a blender.

YUM!