Peanut Butter Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

I’ve been wanting to make a cookie with pumpkin purée and peanut butter for a while now. These are two of my favorite ingredients. I love peanut butter so much that I actually had a patient one time ask me if I worked for a peanut butter company (yes I recommend it that much). Not to mention pumpkins are in season and bountiful this time of year. This is a perfect fall cookie! Plus an added bonus this recipe is a quick and easy! Not to mention a good idea for a lunch box cookie for children and husbands.

This recipe yields 30 cookies.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup ap flour
1/2 whole wheat flour
2/3 cup old fashion oats (not quick oats)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tb pure maple syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter or any nut butter
2/3 cup raw sugar
2/3 cup 100% pumpkin purée
1/2 cup raisins or (craisins would work well)
1 tsp pure vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Paper line with parchment paper a 1/2 sheet baking pan, set aside.

2. In a large bowl mix pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking soda, oats, both flours.

Mix well to blend all ingredients together.

3.in a separate medium bowl place peanut butter, pumpkin, vanilla, & maple syrup.

Mix to incorporate using spatula or large spoon.

Add sugar and mix again until no sugar granules remain.

4. Add wet ingredients into dry & mix together evenly.

5. Add in raisins and fold in until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Batter should appear as picture displays below.

Portion out 1 Tb spoon size cookies onto parchment lined pan.
Place 15 cookies on a pan spread evenly.

Press cookies down with fork to flatten slightly.

Place in oven at 350 for 14 minutes.

Remove from pan right away or else the cookies will continue to bake. Place on wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Scones

My husband told me this weekend one of his favorite breakfast dishes that I bake our my scones. This past Sunday I took his advise and I decided to try an apple chip scone for our brunch.

Yields 15 -16 small scones

Ingredients:
200 g AP flour
80 g Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup of dehydrated cinnamon apple rings, chopped
80 g butter unsalted (cold and cut)
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking sofa
175 ml buttermilk
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup cinnamon chips
Cinnamon and sugar to dust (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

1. In a medium bowl mix both flours, Chinese five spice, salt, baking soda, & baking powder.

2. Cut butter into the flour. You can use a pastry cutter or my personal favorite my fingers to breakup the butter into the dry ingredient mixture to the consistency of large wet sand granules .

3. Add chopped apples and mix. If you rather have the cinnamon chips inside mix at the same time as the apple chips. In fact I might do that next time.

4. Pour in buttermilk, use a spatula to incorporate the wet and dry ingredients together. Please be careful not to over mix the batter.

5. Divide the dough evenly into the cooking sprayed scone pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. If you choose to add the cinnamon chips now, place the cinnamon chips on the tops of the scones. (Mine turned out slightly darker on top so I think next time I’ll incorporate the chips in the batter as mentioned above).

6. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly brown and tooth pick comes out clean.

7. Remove from pan after allowing to cool in pan for 3-5 minutes and place on wire rack. Enjoy with a good cup of tea!

Cinnamon Vanilla Rhubarb Jam

Good golly Miss Molly, I had to post this recipe! I had two people tell me it’s the best jam they have ever had! And one person say it’s the best rhubarb jam they have ever ate! As you all know! This summer we had bushels of rhubarb. I have always wanted to make jam with it but never had the chance! This summer I made the time and boy I am sure glad I did. The original recipe stemmed from this post on cinnamon jam.

Ingredients:
12 cups chopped rhubarb
1 TB Vietnamese ground cinnamon
2 TB fresh lemon juice
2 cups of water
13 cups of sugar
1 TB pure Mexican Vanilla extract
6 TB Fruit pectin (2 boxes)

Directions:

Wash jars and screw bands with hot soapy water. Set aside to completely dry . Get your water ready (hot/boiling) for canning fill water in stock pan on stove enough to cover the lids of the jars.

In a separate sauce pan heat your lids in boiling water until you start Canning.

Place chopped rhubarb and water in 7 to 8 quart pot bring to a boil and reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in pectin, & lemon, and bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Make sure to stir constantly.

Stir in cinnamon and sugar and allow sauce to return to a rolling boil. Once the mixture starts to boil consistently allow to boil for one minute. Continue to stir constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and skim off the white residue with metal spoon and add in the vanilla stir well.

Ladle jam immediately into prepared mason jars or jelly jars using a funnel. Fill jar to 1/8 top & wipe jar, rim, & threads completely dry or the jars may not seal appropriately. Place two part lids on jars and screw the band on on tight.

Place the vessel (after the lid is placed on jar tightly) into the water bath make sure to submerge fully with 1-2 inches above jar. Allow jars to rest in gentle boiling water for 10 minutes to seal the lids. You may need to cover the stock pot with a lid.

Remove jars from pan with canning tongs and allow to dry upright on towel to cool completely. Once jars have cooled off check to make sure they sealed properly. To make sure jars sealed properly press down on center of the lids and if centers bounce back jars did not deal and refrigerate right away.

This recipe yields: 14 1/2 cups of jam!

Spiced Banana Zucchini Mini Loaves

I still have zucchini leftover from the fall harvest and I had some really ripe bananas that were just about to be placed in the freezer for a sweet treat.
But instead I decided to combined the two for a quick bread.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cup ap flour
2 ripe small/medium bananas mashed
2 cups of shredded zucchini (no need to peel)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp mace
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 egg
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup raw sugar or brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 TB milled flaxseed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powered
1 tsp ground Vietnamese cinnamon
2 tsp pure Mexican vanilla extract

Yields: 4 mini loaves and 12 mini muffins.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray with cooking spray 4 mini loaf molds. Set aside.

2. Place sugar, mashed banana, zucchini, egg, egg substitute, sugars, vanilla in large bowl. Whisk to incorporate.

3. In a separate bowl mix spices, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, baking powder, & flours.

4. Add dry ingredients into wet. Mix with whisk to blend all dry into wet batter.

5. Place scant 1 1/2 cups of batter into each mini loaf vessel.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Let sit in molds for 5 minutes remove and allow to cool on wire rack for remainder of cooking process.

8. For mini muffins , use size 60 scoop and portion batter evenly in tins. Bake for 11 minutes on 325 or until toothpick comes out clean.

Wrap up in parchment paper and use festive string to decorate as gifts!

Spinach Mushroom Alfredo Lasagna for two

I love making lasagna ! But when I cook it is usually just for 2. So making a large lasagna only happens with a party or gathering. But since I like to bake lasagna I’ve found an alternative option. The secret to smaller batches is utilizing a bread loaf pan. Generally an 8.5 inch pan will work for this dish.

Ingredients:
1 & 1/3 cup shredded lite mozzarella or fat free
1 cup fat free ricotta
1/4 cup of egg substitute
4 whole wheat lasagna noodles ( I purchase the kind that cook white to trick the non whole wheat critics) *** (dreamfield, Ronzoni Smart taste, Barella white fiber) ***
3 cups of fresh spinach
1 jar 15 oz lite Alfredo
1/2 cup chopped button mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic chopped
Cooking spray
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1 tsp pasta sprinkle (or italian seasoning)
Cracked Fresh pepper
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to box & preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In meantime in a small bowl combine egg substitute, ricotta, pasta sprinkle and Parmesan; set aside.

3. Spray pan with cooking spray. On medium heat sauté garlic, spinach and mushrooms. Once spinach wilts remove from heat and set aside.

4. Spray the loaf pan with Pam.

5. Spread 1/3 cup sauce on bottom of the pan. Lay noodle (cut to fit the pan) on bottom place reserve noodle on side. We don’t waste food in my kitchen.

6. Spread 1/3 cup of sauce over noodles evenly.

7. Spread 1/3 cup of the egg cheese mixture over the sauce.

8. Sprinkle some sautéed veggies over the cheese spread.

9. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the mozzarella

10. Repeat layers twice.

11. Top with remaing noodle. On top of last noodle spread 1/3 cup Alfredo sauce and remaining mozzarella. I like to grate with an extra bit of Parmesan on the top too.

12. Bake for 30 minutes on 400 degrees.

13. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes

Serves 3 to 4 serving.

Lemon Vanilla Sugar Foot and Hand Scrub

My sister just had a birthday (happy birthday little sista)! As a special present for her birthday I wanted to make her a foot scrub we recently received as a favor at our cousin’s wedding shower. My sister was so disappointed she used up all her scrub so fast. I thought what a better gift then to surprise her with a huge homemade batch. The original recipe made a small batch so I quadrupled it and added one of my favorite ingredients pure vanilla extract for an additional pinch of love. For the original recipe check out DIY lemon sugar scrub.

You will need one quart sized mason jar.

Ingredients :
1 cup of Coconut Oil
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 large lemons)
4 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1 TB pure vanilla extract
The zest of 4 lemons

Directions:

Zest 4 lemons with microplaner and set zest aside.

Juice the lemons and place juice & 3/4 of the zest in a medium to large bowl and coconut oil. Mix with whisk to blend coconut oil lemon together.

Add sugar and whisk together until you reach your desired consistency.

Add more sugar if you want a thicker consistency or more coconut oil if you want a thinner scrub.

Add vanilla extract and whisk.

Whisk until vanilla is incorporated throughout.

Funnel into quart size (4 cup) mason jar. Top with remaining lemon zest for an extra flare. Place mason jar lid on top of rim and ring on to seal the vessel.

Attach recipe on recipe card for replication.

Rhubarb Cinnamon Muffins

I cut down the rest of my rhubarb this morning which yielded about 20 cups and 74 ounces chopped ! I Decided I’ll be making jam later this afternoon but as for this morning I’m baking some muffins.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh rhubarb
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp high quantity cinnamon
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 TB ground flaxseed
2 TB canola oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 farm fresh egg
2/3 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Yields 12 muffins!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray muffins tins lined with either paper liners or silicone liners.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix flours, flaxseed, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl mix egg, buttermilk, vanilla, applesauce, & canola oil.

3. Add liquid batter to dry mix. Be careful not to over mix.

4. Fold in chopped rhubarb.

5. Portion out batter into muffin tins by using a number 16 scoop.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Peachy Coconut Popsicle

We had a Labor Day Picnic Monday with lots of kidos. I wanted to make a special treat to cool off during the hot September day! I had leftover cantaloupe juice and peaches from the cake I made. So I threw everything in the blender and threw it in the freezer. I don’t think there is anything easier to make than a Homemade Popsicle!

Yields 8 (4 oz Popsicles)

Ingredients:
1 cup cantaloupe juice or your favorite 100% fruit juice
1 large peach (about 2 cups) (pit removed/ skin intact)
1 can of light coconut milk
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients in the food processor.

2. Pulse until minimal chunks of peach remain.

3. Yields about 4 cups of liquid. Pour evenly into Popsicle molds. Let molds freeze in deep freezer for 8 to 12 hours before serving.

Grandma Lee’s Calico Baked Beans

My Grandma Lee’s Baked Beans are the best! They always get rave reviews! She passed down the recipe to me for this Labor Day. I hope you will enjoy them as much as my family did this Monday.

Ingredients:
1 large (28 oz) can of Bush’s original baked beans (or two cans of Campbell’s pork and beans)
1 regular size 15.5 oz can of light kidney beans (undrained)
1 15.5 oz can of butter beans (undrained)
1 15.5 oz can of Lima beans (undrained)
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/2 cup your favorite barbecue sauce
1/2 tsp chili 9000 penzeys
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 TB dry mustard
2 TB apple cider vinegar
1 bl 93/7 extra lean ground meat
9 oz of hot sausage
1 med onion chopped
8 slices of applewood bacon (baked already) (chopped)

Directions:
1. On medium to medium-high heat brown up ground beef, sausage, and onion (drain excess fat). Salt and pepper to taste.

2. Transfer meat mixture to crock pot on low heat. Add everything else noted in above ingredients.

3. Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

4. Enjoy! It goes quickly!

Secret ingredient peanut butter cookies

It’s that time of year when you have so much zucchini in the garden you don’t know what to do with it all. Here is a recipe that I tried to make slightly more heart healthy than the original from TOH. Once the cookies cool you cannot even tell there is zucchini “Hidden” inside. Which makes zucchini the secret ingredient.

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.

This recipe yields 42 cookies using a number 40 size scoop.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups ap flour
2 TB ground flaxseed
1/4 cup vegetable shorten or unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups of crunchy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 Tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup shredded & peeled Zucchini

Directions:

1. In a large bowl cream with hand mixer peanut butter, sugars, and flaxseed.

Until thoroughly combined.

Add one egg in at a time. Mixing after each addition.

Add flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and mix until well combined.

Add in shredded zucchini.

Using size 40 scoop portion out onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.

Flatten slightly with cooking sprayed glass cup prior to placing in oven.

Remove from pan right away onto cooling rack.

Enjoy!

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

Apple Cinnamon Scones

Cinnamon Vanilla Rhubarb Jam

Spiced Banana Zucchini Mini Loaves

Spinach Mushroom Alfredo Lasagna for two

Lemon Vanilla Sugar Foot and Hand Scrub

Rhubarb Cinnamon Muffins

Peachy Coconut Popsicle

Grandma Lee’s Calico Baked Beans

Secret ingredient peanut butter cookies