Saturday, October 22, 2005

Fall Fun With Colin



Grandchildren can make the holidays so much more fun. Earlier this month we went out with family and friends to the Lakeview Farm in North Plains. The weather was a bit cool but we hitched a ride on the farm train out to the patch, found just the right pumpkin, and rode their sternwheeler back to their country store. It has been ages since we’ve bought pumpkins. Without the kids around we had lost interest in some of our family traditions. My pumpkin is very small and I plan to carve it as a baby and put a pacifier in its mouth!
Last weekend we had a family “Harvest Lunch” with soup and cornbread. We spent the afternoon decorating our traditional pumpkin cookies and enjoying hot cider. This tradition started with a recipe my friend Barb gave me. Over the years our pumpkin faces have gotten quite silly but it gives us a creative outlet and they are quite yummy. Give this recipe a try and start your own tradition:

Pumpkin Cookies
4 c. flour
2. quick oats, uncooked
2 tsps. soda
2 tsps. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. soft margarine
2 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 16 oz solid pack pumpkin
1 c. chocolate chips or raisins
Assorted icings, peanut butter, candy corn, raisins, nuts etc. for decorating

Combine flour, oats, soda, cinnamon, salt; set aside. Cream butter; gradually add sugars; beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and spread into circle shape. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 mins. After cool; decorate using icing or peanut butter to affix candies.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What a great day!!! The food was very tasty and it was so much fun being with the family and sharing in Colin's first cookie decorating experience. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of that special time. Love, Mom