Adding a little "Spice" to life!

You know October is here when the smells that come from the kitchen are rich with cinnamon and spice!!

I'm always amazed that cooking with a teaspoon or two of cinnamon in a recipe can make your home smell SO good!

Some more Autumn favorites in our family are:
Spiced Cider... Pumpkin muffins...
Pumpkin cookies...

It was a lovely 32 degree Saturday morning and Jade had a track meet at 11:00 in the morning. I felt SO bad that he had to run his 5K run in the CHILLY morning air and so I put some "spiced cider" in the crock pot for him to enjoy when he got home.
What a yummy treat!
There is nothing that tastes more like the holidays than SPICED Cider!

I hope you enjoy some of our holiday favorites as well!

Spiced Cider
1 gallon unsweetened apple juice
1 orange sliced
cloves
cinnamon sticks
Bring apple juice to a boil on the stove.
Pour in crock pot and
put in
1 large cinnamon stick
1 sliced orange with 2 to 3 cloves studded in each orange slice
Cook in crockpot on low for 2-3 hours.

Enjoy!!

(I sure LOVE my hubby who is always
SO helpful in the kitchen!)

Pumpkin Muffins
½ cup REAL butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 cup pumpkin (OR leftover squash)
¾ cup raisins OR chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

These are really good and freeze well.

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Pumpkin Cookies
(these are an “egg-less” cookie)

1 cup sugar
½ cup REAL butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup leftover squash/pumpkin
2-1/2 to 3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Cream together sugar and butter and vanilla.
Then add squash/pumpkin, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Then mix in flour (to make a nice consistency) and last chocolate chips.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes (or until lightly browned).
These are especially yummy frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 a package)
¼ cup REAL butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
In a mixer bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla till light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating until smooth.

Enjoy!!