Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

POPOVERS

Ingredients:
4 cups milk
8 eggs
4 cups flour
1-1/2 Tbs. salt (heaping)
2-1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In it put two popover pans (enough for 12 popovers.)

In a saucepan, warm the milk over gentle heat. In a large bowl whisk the eggs until frothy. Slowly whisk in the milk (so as not to cook the eggs.) Measure the flour and salt into a sieve and sift onto the egg mixture. Combine until mostly smooth.  I you do not have a non stick pan, butter pan genorously.

Remove the popover pan from the oven. While the batter is still slightly warm or at room temperature, fill each popover cup three-quarters full. Top each popover with about 2-1/2 Tbs. of the grated cheese. Return the pan to the oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes, rotating the pan half a turn after 15 minutes of baking.

Remove the pan from the oven, remove the popovers from the pan, and serve immediately. Serve with butter.
Makes 12 Popovers                           

New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:
15      Graham crackers, crushed
2        Tablespoons butter, melted
4        (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2  Cups white sugar
3/4     Cup milk
4        Eggs
1        Cup sour cream
1        Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4     Cup all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Add any toppin you'd like (Cherry, Blueberry etc...)

Pine Cone Cheese Ball

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
• 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 3 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
• 1/2 C. Shredded ham
• 1/2 C. Fancy shredded cheddar cheese
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of Tabasco sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of Garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
• Sprigs of rosemary for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Place and spread all the almonds on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan, pushing the almonds around until they turn color, about 20 minutes.
Mix together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise. Add the bacon, ham, cheddar cheese salt and pepper, garlic, Tabasco, Worcestershire and onion. Chill overnight.
On a serving platter, make 2 pine cone shapes with the cheese. Begin to press the almonds at a slight angle into the cheese, starting at the narrow end of the pine cone shape.
Do this in rows, continuing to overlap rows until all the cheese is covered. Garnish with fake sprigs, or real ones, or with rosemary.
Serve at room temperature and spread on crackers.

Basic Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Pour milk into flour mixture while stirring with a fork. Mix in milk until dough is soft, moist and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and toss with flour until no longer sticky. Roll dough out into a 1/2 inch thick sheet and cut with a floured biscuit or cookie cutter. Press together unused dough and repeat rolling and cutting procedure.
5. Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Pressed Cuban Sandwiches & Cuban Cowboy Caviar

Pressed Cuban Sandwiches:

1 loaf of Cuban bread (Italian or French works, too) cut into 6" lengths and sliced open
1 cup of mustard-nnaise (a mix of 2/3 mustard and 1/3 mayo)
6 long, thick slices of swiss cheese
4 lengthwise slices of dill pickle
1/2 pound of serrano ham (or other salty ham such as Virginia)
1/2 pound of pork (can be deli pork or from a leftover pork roast/loin)
olive oil to brush on bread

Cuban Cowboy Caviar:
1 can of black beans - drained and rinsed
1 can of corn - drained
1 small red pepper - diced
1 avocado - skinned and diced
2 scallions (incl green parts) - chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 t lemon juice
1 clove of garlic - minced
1 t sugar

How-to

Pressed Cuban Sandwiches:
Preheat the grill to high.

Spread mustard-nnaise on both side of open bread. Add 3 pieces of cheese, 2 pieces of dill pickle, half of the ham and half of the pork. Close the bread and generously brush one side with olive oil. Repeat for second sandwich.

Turn grill to medium, place the oil side of the sandwich down, and using your bbq spatula press the sandwiches firmly down on the grill. Close the grill top and allow to cook for 30 seconds to a minute then press again. When grill side of bread is brown and crisp coat the top side of the sandwiches with olive oil and flip - repeating the pressing, grilling process until the second side is also brown and crisp.

Cut in half and enjoy!

Cuban Cowboy Caviar:
Combine all salad ingredients in bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small separate bowl and pour over beans/veggies. Stir well to combine and serve immediately. It's that easy...yum!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I'm not kidding, this is THE best tortilla soup! YUM!

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 (14.5oz) can chicken broth
2 cans corn (drained)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice(or both!)
1-2 c. salsa (we like using El Pinto brand salsa, it has GREAT flavor!)
1 c. tortilla chips
½ c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 avocado

In large pot boil chicken for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken, cool, and shred. In a large skillet cook onion, garlic in the oil and add cumin. Cook until onions become clear. Drain water from the pot you cooked the chicken in add chicken broth and onion & garlic mixture. Add shredded chicken,corn, chili powder, lemon (or lime) juice and salsa to the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-40 min. Top with corn chips, cheese, avocado, and a little sour cream."