Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I cannot stop baking with pumpkin!!!  I'm not even going to say how many times I've made (and eaten) these cookies in the past few weeks!!  They are so good.

1 cup pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup oil

Combine well.

In a separate bowl, combine:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Dissolve 1 tsp baking soda with 1 tsp milk and stir into pumpkin mixture.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. 

Add:
1 TB vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Bake on greased cookie sheets at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen.

Creamy Taco Mac

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
4 TB taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
10 oz dry rotini pasta
Cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water before draining.  Set aside.

Cook beef and onion.  When browned, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes and taco seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add reserved pasta water, cream cheese, sour cream and cooked pasta.  Simmer until well combined.  Serve with cheddar on top and season with salt and pepper.

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This tasted so good!  It was better than I thought it would be.  We also added some corn in ours.  Yum!

Maple Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

2 cups flour
3/4 cup plus 2 TB packed brown sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 TB maple syrup, divided
3 oz cream cheese, softened

In a large bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.  In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, oil and 1 TB syrup.  Stir into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining brown sugar and syrup until smooth.  Gently stir into batter until mixture appears swirled.

Bake in greased muffin pan at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

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These are AMAAAAZING!!  Yum Yum Yum. 

Bacon Quiche Tarts

6 oz cream cheese
5 tsp milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup cheese
5 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 roll Pillsbury crescent roll dough

Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles.  Press into greased muffin tin and press up sides to fill cups.  Sprinkle bacon pieces into each cup.  Beat together cream cheese and milk.  Add eggs and cheese and beat until smooth.  Scoop evenly into dough cups.  Bake at 375 for 18 minutes.

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SO yummy for a Conference snack this morning!  The recipe also calls for some green onion, but we left that out. 

Supergrain: Millet

My mom has been on a supergrain kick and has gotten me on board!  We have now bonded over our mutual love and excitement about MILLET!

Millet is most commonly used in North America as BIRDSEED!!  Go us!  But in Africa and Asia, it is a daily staple.  It is very healthy, chock full of important nutrients that our bodies need.

To learn more about the nutritional value of millet, click here.

To prepare, cook like rice.  Use a 3:1 ratio and simmer for 35 minutes.  Millet takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with.  It can be added to soups, pasta, rice, etc without much notice.  I like to just cook up a cup of it to keep in the fridge.  Last night I stirred some into our plain white rice to boost the nutritional value.  My kids didn't even know it was there!  Love it!

Or if you'd like to try a yummy recipe that features millet, here is a great one!

HERB MILLET CASSEROLE
1 cup millet
2 TB oil
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tsp savory salt
1/2 tsp herb seasoning (basil, oregano, dill, rosemary, a combo of whatever you have or like!)
3 cups water

In a medium saucepan, lightly brown millet in oil.  Add carrots and celery.  Stirfry for 1 minute.  Add the salt, herbs and water.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 30 minutes or until millet is tender.