The Pumpkin Shortbread Baby

Hello Sweets,

I have had a terrible weekend :(  As if it wasn't bad enough that I felt sick, but Nathan sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers for valentines day.  No that is not the bad part, the bad part is Canpar gave a fake phone number to call the driver to ensure I get them in time O_o  Yup, a fake number!!!!!  It's a holiday Monday here in Canadia and they don't deliver on weekends, so my beautiful flowers will sit in a cold warehouse for five days.  It's hard enough to be in a long distance relationship on valentines day, but finding out that he sent me a stand in gift until we're together to celebrate and the company screwed it all up is heartbreaking.  I'll be sure to share with y'all what the bouquet looks like when it finally gets to me, at least I know the card and vase will still be intact.  I'm very fortunate that I have a thoughtful boyfriend, it just makes things harder when we're in different countries.  Well it could always be worse, he could be in Japan lol.

Since valentines day was on Friday, I did make a sweet treat but I won't be sharing that will y'all today lol.  I know I'm cruel, but I had one more recipe to get caught up so I decided to write about this one instead.  Lately I've been making a lot of pumpkin themed food, but that's only because the can is big and there are always leftovers.  When I found a recipe that included my favorite cookie, shortbread, I didn't have to look any further for what to do with the leftovers.

Pumpkin Shortbread

Ingredients

cookie

1 1/4C flour

1/2C cornstarch

1 1/2tsp pumpkin spice (I made my own as usual ;) cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger)

1/2tsp salt

3/4C butter, room temperature

3/4C powdered sugar

glaze (I opted not to use this)

2C powdered sugar

2-3Tbs milk

 

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray 9" tart pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2)  In a bowl; whisk together flour, pumpkin spice, cornstarch, and salt.  Set aside.

 

3)  With a mixer beat the butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

 

4)  Add in pumpkin and beat until combined.

 

5)  Turn mixer to low and add in dry ingredients until just incorporated.

 

6)  Spread dough into the prepared pan, smoothing with a rubber spatula.  Bake 60-70 minutes until formed and golden brown.

 

7)  Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.

 

 

8)  Mix up glaze in a bowl, stirring until there are no more lumps.  Pour on top of shortbread.  Let glaze set, slice and serve immediately.

so yummy!

 The pumpkin flavor is so very subtle and not over powering, anyone that is unsure of pumpkin will warm up to this little cookie.  My grandparents thoroughly enjoyed it, and that makes me very happy.  Since I didn't use the glaze, it's best eaten with a glass of milk because shortbread isn't a very moist type of cookie.  This is definitely a keeper for me, I love shortbread so when I find a variation of the treat, I'm sold.

So I finally finished Nathans valentine gift, but cannot share it with y'all until after I see him because as you know he is the editor of my little baby.  I want to share it with y'all so bad, but I can't so I won't lol.  All I'll say is, I think it's the perfect gift to give someone who is in a long distance relationship.  I've also have the itch to start a new painting, I do have a painting currently in progress but I really have an idea I need to get on canvas.  First I'm going to make myself some dinner, and the perfect dinner is......breakfast!!  Yup, I'm really looking forward to it lol.  Until next time....

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

Not Quite a Cake, Yet Not Quite Pudding

Hello Sweets,

Well tomorrow is the day I get my keys!!!  I am doing as much packing as possible tonight so I feel as though it's not such a daunting task, but the mandatory naps aren't helping.  I just woke up from one and am feeling quite groggy, so I figured I write a post to help wake my brain up before I do anything else.  As much as I am looking forward to moving, the stress of the final days is getting to me lol.  I just hate the packing part lol.  Oh well, it has to be done right?  On the plus side, I found this super soft and super awesome bath mat.  Do statements like that mean that I've become old?  I am finding that new household objects are super fun for me, lol yea I am old.

So today we are delving right into chocolate!  Are you a "chocoholic"?  If so then you've picked the perfect day to stop by my little blog :)  I'm not a chocoholic, but if it's the right dessert I will be all over it.  This dessert is the quintessential chocolate craving quencher, if you really want chocolate and can't wait to get it, then this is the recipe for you.  Let's get to the good stuff, so I can get back to packing *yawn*

Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake

Ingredients

(cake)

3/4C flour

1/2C sugar

1/2C unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2tsp baking powder

2/3C milk

1tsp vanilla

2Tbs vegetable oil

(topping)

2/3C packed brown sugar

1/4C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4C cocoa

1 1/4C hot water

 

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a 2qt casserole dish, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder.

 

2)  Add milk, oil, and vanilla.  Stir until well mixed.

 

3)  In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.

 

4)  Sprinkle over cake batter.  DO NOT STIR.

 

5)  Pour hot water over top.  Again, do not stir.

 

6)  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top looks cooked.  Serve warm.

yummy!

chocolaty gooey goodness

  

This dessert is so hard to explain, as it's not quite pudding but it's not quite cake either.  What it is, is a warm, gooey, chocolaty plate of heaven.  I love chocolate lava cakes, but this will do in its place any day!  The fun part is when you serve a piece, because under the cake section is the gooey puddingness (totally just made up my own word lol).  This is something that will definitely be made again, as it was such a great hit.  Nathan sure did love it :)

Now it's time to get back to the fun stuff; packing lol.  Maybe beforehand I will bake up a treat, lol probably shouldn't, but I wanna lol.  Until next time....

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

The Unconventional Peanut Butter Cookie

Hello Sweets,

I know I've been a bad blogger lately as summer is a very distracting season for me, and for that I apologize.  I know I left you all in suspense because I only ever gave you one of the four cookie recipes, so what do you think you're getting today?  Yup another cookie recipe, and to be perfectly honest I have not baked many cookies since the wedding but that doesn't mean I've avoided the kitchen as a whole ;)  As I write this I am in Texas and it's Independence Day here (well it was when I started it lol), which means I prepared a few delicious holiday treats that I will be blogging about in the coming weeks!

So I know what you're thinking, how can a peanut butter cookie be unconventional?  Trust me when I say this was not what I was expecting when researching for a new recipe to try, but it is by far the best peanut butter cookie I have ever had!  Normally I have a go to recipe that is literally three ingredients.  It is a darn good cookie itself but it doesn't hold a candle to the recipe I'm going to share with you today :)  There is one specific ingredient in this recipe that really had me perplexed, but instead of sharing it now I'll wait until the end (always keeping you in suspense).

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1/2C butter, softened

3/4C smooth peanut butter

heaping 1/2C superfine sugar

heaping 1/2C dark brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/3C rolled oats

1/2tsp vanilla

1/2C all-purpose flour

1/2tsp baking soda

1/2tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 3 large baking sheets.  Place the butter and peanut butter in a bowl and beat together, then beat in sugars.

2)  Gradually beat in the egg and vanilla.  Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the mixture.

3)  Add in the oats and stir until just combined.  Place spoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheets, spaced well apart and flatten slightly with a fork.  Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden.

4)  Cool on a baking sheet for 2 minutes,, then transfer to a wire rack.

So did you guess what the unusual ingredients was?  If you guessed rolled oats, then you would be correct :)  I have never in my life come across a peanut butter cookie recipe with rolled oats, but needless to say this is now my go to recipe.  It's so good my sister (Asha, the bride) has dropped subtle hints that she really enjoyed them, lol unfortunately for her I am taking a small break from cookies and delving into some uncharted territories in the kitchen.

Do you want to know something?  It feels SUPER good to be blogging again, and I am feeling motivated to get back to doing it almost daily YAY!!  I also wanted to share with all my lovely readers that I have discovered a new passion that I eventually will share pictures and my progress in this new endeavor.  My newest passion is painting, no I am not professionally trained and even in school I took other forms of art but never painting.  The way I discovered my new passion was by attending a birthday celebration, after dinner we went to something called Painting with a Twist (it's only in the USA right now, hopefully they'll cross the border soon).  Needless to say I caught the creative painting bug, but I'll write a post dedicated to the experience because a few sentences just won't do them justice ;)  Until next time..............................


Stay sweet,



Jennifer xoxoxo