Autumn Harvest Cookies

It’s an oatmeal raisin cookie, but with an autumn twist. … Pumpkin spice. It’s pumpkin spice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cream together butter and the brown and white sugars in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and orange extract.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice; stir flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Add the rolled oats, walnuts and cranberries and mix thoroughly. Using a small ice cream scoop or teaspoon, drop rounded scoops of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Autumn Spiced Butternut Squash Bread

This is a good way to use butternut squash. It has the aroma and flavors of a pumpkin bread. A great bread for Thanksgiving time.

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups white sugar

• 2/3 cup shortening

• 2 cups pureed cooked butternut squash

• 4 eggs

• 2/3 cup water

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• 2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

2. Beat sugar and shortening together in a bowl until fluffy. Stir butternut squash, eggs, and water into sugar mixture.

3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in another bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Add nuts and raisins; stir until batter is just blended. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Black Magic Cake

You don’t need the Half Blood Prince’s potions book to whip up this super spooky dark chocolate cake. Suitable for all your wizarding get-togethers. It also tastes much better than polyjuice potion, but you’ll need to supply your own costume.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups white sugar

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup strong brewed coffee

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.

2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.

3. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.

Key Lime Pie

This recipe uses condensed milk and sour cream. Fabulously easy. . . a summertime favorite! If you have time, a homemade graham cracker crust is better! Garnish with whipped cream and thin slices of lime if you like.

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

• 3 cups sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 3/4 cup key lime juice

• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

Southern Peach Cobbler

There’s nothing better than fresh, warm peach cobbler with some ice cream on top. That is the epitome of summertime desserts.

Ingredients

• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

• 1/4 cup boiling water

  MIX TOGETHER:

• 3 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

Orange Pumpkin Bread

You can try this moist loaf with an orange cream spread, butter, or leave plain. For a variation, try substituting dates for the raisins.

Ingredients

• 1 large orange

• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 1 1/3 cups white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup canned pumpkin

• 1/3 cup water

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1/2 cup chopped raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

2. Cut orange into wedges, and remove seeds. Place orange, peel and all, in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the pumpkin, water, and the ground orange. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir into batter just until moistened. Stir in nuts and raisins. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan.

4. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

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Image by Rebecca Siegel

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