Recipe ~ Pumpkin Cookies

Good morning, everyone!

This week's post highlights a family recipe of ours... Pumpkin Cookies, featured here in a church cookbook published in Manlius, New York, from the 1970s. 

These treats have become a fall tradition in our home!

The recipe comes from my Grammy:

"I can't remember all the details but what I recall is that I was listening to a local radio station one fall day (between 1969 and 1971) when we lived in Bristol, Virginia, and they shared some favorite recipes. This one sounded so yummy...and it WAS! It became a family favorite and has been shared many times through the years!"

They are very easy to make, and easily convert to gluten-free, although the texture changes a bit. Just substitute GF flour mix for the all-purpose flour!

The dough is quite delicious. I'll let you guess what happened to this particular spoonful. *wink*

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

from Pat Borleis

Cookies:

• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins or dates (chocolate chips work too, although I would cut the sugar a bit!)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix oil, vanilla, sugar, egg and pumpkin together. Add dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoons (or use a cookie scoop) onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 10-12 minutes. Cool and cover with frosting.

Frosting:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• orange food coloring (optional)

Mix butter, milk and granulated sugar. Boil for one minute. Cool (set pan in cold water). Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and food coloring (if using) and spread on cooled cookies.

Enjoy!

~ hannah jane

Sharing ~ October

My converse in Corpus Christi :)

Please note, I cannot vouch for the content of any other page on these websites except for the links that I share with you.

Recipes and Food Blogs:

• Breakfast: No recipe here, but try putting curry powder in your scrambled eggs! Sooo good :)
• Lunch: Cilantro Lime Quinoa: recipe here
• Dinner: Spaghetti Squash with Mushroom Rosemary Sauce: recipe here 
• Dessert: GF Chocolate Chip Cookies: recipe here

Music:

• JJ Heller: She writes very sweet songs about family and love.
• Peter Hollens: An a capella artist who only uses his voice and percussion! 

Books/Authors:

• Douglas Bond (12 and up): Riveting Christian historical fiction novels, such as Duncan's War, King's Arrow, and The Thunder.
• Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims, by Rush Limbaugh (all ages!): a great historical fiction about time traveling back to when the Pilgrims were coming to America. And, there's a talking horse :)
• Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss (12 and up): Written from the perspective of a young woman learning about God and life. Mrs. Walter Chantry gave it to me as a gift, and told me she reads it every year to see what she can learn this time around. A wonderful book about spiritual growth.

Until next time!

~ Hannah

A Visit to Corpus Christi

Hi everyone!

My Mom and my friend Trina are Ford Mustang lovers. On the first weekend in October, we woke up at 5:30 AM to drive 2 hours to the coastland city of Corpus Christi. We were on a mission - in the bay, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, the USS Lexington, was carrying 175 Ford Mustangs on the flight (top) deck. So really, it was a three-for-one: aircraft carrier, planes, and cars.

 Hurry! We don't want to miss the Mustangs!!

Several of the cars had their hoods open, so you could look at the engines. The one below was especially neat because the rivets used in the engine had the Mustang emblem painted on them!

A view from the bridge.

This was a platform jutting off the side of the ship, and so Trina & I "walked the plank" for a picture of our super-cool converse.

The beach was just feet away from the ship, so we enjoyed our lunch there and played in the waves.

Overall, it was a really great day :)

~ Hannah Jane

Odds & Ends ~ September

September was full of adventures - including...

Visits from far-away friends, which of course called for selfies.

Another photo shoot, this time a Mama and baby! I also shot this family's engagement and maternity sessions, so it was extra special. Baby Kassidy is darling...

I really enjoyed seeing some of my favorite musicians, The Piano Guys, live in concert, and getting to meet them afterward!

Al, Trina, Steve, Me, Jon, Allie, Paul & Evvie

I drew a picture of the pianist (Jon) and the cellist (Steve) and they signed it for me!

The lovely Allie Dean gifted me with a photo shoot for my birthday, so we did a sunrise/sunset shoot with my favorite horses, George (left) and Shooter (right).

\

And my personal favorite...

Yes. I kiss horses. #noshame

I am currently studying for a math exam, and let me say that a fall-scented candle, a homemade chai latte, and a best friend/math coach/cheerleader staying over for three days straight helps greatly with morale. :) #trinabree

The nephew keeps on growing...This little man is five months old already! Where on earth did the time go?

"And that's the way it was." 

~ Hannah Jane