Pumpkin Roll

Mix and set aside:

3/4 c flour

1 t ginger

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg                                                   

1 t baking powder                                           

dash salt                                                         

Beat:                                                                

3 eggs until thick and foamy                           

Gradually stir in:

1 c sugar

2/3 c cooked pumpkin

1 t lemon juice

Fold in dry ingredients.  Spread on a well greased and floured 15 X 10 jelly roll pan.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.  Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.  Loosen edges and turn onto dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Roll up in the dish towel and let cool.  When cooled, frost with filling and roll back up (without dish towel).  Refrigerate or freeze.

Filling:

1 c powdered sugar

4 T butter

6 oz cream cheese

1/2 t vanilla

Gingerbread House

2 3/4 c sifted flour                   

1 t salt                                                                                                                      

1/3 c packed brown sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
2/3 c molasses 
1 egg
1 c oil

Mix thoroughly and chill several hours (overnight or longer).  Roll dough on oiled piece of foil.  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 300 for 20-30 minutes.  Place patter on hot bread and cut immediately.  Lift out carefully and cool on cake rack.  The gingerbread should be very hard when cool.  (If necessary, the pieces can be laid back on the cookie sheet and placed in oven for 5 or 10 minutes.)  The roof will break off if dough isn't thoroughly baked--Don't overcook.

ROYAL FROSTING

3 egg whites

1/2 t cream of tarter

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat thoroughly in bowl until icing stands in peaks, then keep the bowl covered at all times with damp cloth, as the icing quickly dries and becomes hard. (You may need to add quite a bit more sugar to get it thick.)

Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons real butter
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg lightly beaten

Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup real butter (1 stick)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 -  1 teaspoon peppermint extract
milk, as needed for consistency
optional: red or green food coloring and sprinkles or crushed candy canes

To make cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  heat chocolate chips, brown sugar, 5 tablespoons butter and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and smooth (there will still be grains of sugar though).  Transfer mixture to a large bowl and beat in egg.  Stir in flour mixture until just combined.  Don’t overmix.
If dough is too soft to work with, let it sit at room temp for a few minutes to firm up, or place in the fridge for a few minutes.  Gently roll balls, either 1 tablespoon full for large cookies, or about 1/2 inch balls for silver dollar sized cookies.  Place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Bake cookies until just puffed in teh middle and edges are set but centers are still soft.  About 8-9 minutes for large cookies, and about 5 minutes for small ones.  If using 2 cookie sheets, rotate them half way through baking.  Cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
To make filling, beat all frosting ingredients together, adding peppermint extract to taste.  Add milk by the teaspoonful until a spreadable, but not too soft consistency is reached.   Add food coloring if desired.  Place frosting in a zip-top bag and cut off a corner.  Pipe onto one side of cookie and place another on top.  Roll edges in sprinkles or crushed candycanes if desired.
Yield:  If you use a tablespoon of dough, it will yield 1 1/2 dozen large sandwiches.  If you use a quarter of a standard cookie scoop (about a rounded teaspoon) it will yield 4-5 dozen.

Our Best Bites

Cranberry Guacamole

1 T fresh lime juice
2 T honey
1 minced jalapeno
1 C chopped cranberries
¼ C chopped red onion
4 ripe avocado
2 T fresh cilantro
salt and pepper

Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.
You can make this whatever ratio you like.  Also good with more cranberries and less avocado.

Photo by Traci Magleby

Lisa's Holiday Salad

Dressing:
1 egg or 1/3 C egg beaters
¼ C cider vinegar
¼ C sugar        
¼ t cinnamon
¼ t cloves        
¾ C canola oil
salt to taste ( 1/2 tsp?)

Blend all ingredients except for oil.  When well blended, gradually add oil while blender is running.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Salad:
Mixed greens        
craisins
Apples            
mushrooms
Sugared pecans
(Lisa's sugared pecans- 1 C pecans, ¼ C brown sugar, 2 T cream Bake 350 for 20 min)

Traci Magleby