THANKFUL FOR FRIENDS

While some have already decorated for

 Christmas this is the last week to

enjoy the fall decor at our house:

We are excited about bringing the smell

of roasting turkey and pumpkin pie

into the kitchen here this week as

our son and daughter in-law and

two "grands" come for Thanksgiving.

On Sunday I had a tea downstairs
 for some new friends from the church
 we attend.  It was a "Thankful For
 Friends" tea and it was a beautiful
 day to just relax and enjoy the
 calm before the busy week.

That little sign read "Gluten Free"!

So today we are enjoying a
 few leftover

treats from the tea:

Two recipes here at the bottom

are for the Pumpkin Cookies and

the Chocolate Peppermint Brownies. 
 I made the brownies in another
 batch using gluten free flour for 
some of the ladies so you can just 
substitute the flour in the recipe.

Pumpkin Raisin  Cookies:  350 degrees for 15 min MAKES ABOUT 60 medium or 46 large cookies

Combine ½ cup (1 stick) soft butter, 2 eggs ½ cup sugar, 1 ½ cups Brown Sugar, 1 Tsp vanilla, 1 Tb lemon juice

Combine: 2 ½ cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ginger,

 ¾ tsp baking soda, ½ Tsp salt, 1 tsp Cinnamon,   Next add these first 2 groups together and then mix in this: 1 ½ cups of canned pumpkin, (recipe  uses not quite a 15 oz can – rest will be for icing)  ¾ cup nuts and ¾ cup of raisins

TIPS:  I like to use parchment paper on my baking sheets to keep them clean.  Chill cookie sheets before dropping dough on them and also chill again in between batches - putting more on them.  Remove them to wax paper on counter/table to cool and get ready to ice them:

 ICING FOR COOKIES:  ¼ cup pumpkin, 4 Tb melted butter, 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar,  ½ Tsp lemon juice, pinch of salt and add ¼ cup of milk (or little more if dry) 

Chocolate Peppermint Bars 
This recipe will make about 4 dozen small rich bars:
#1  You will need for brownies base:    4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, 2 sticks butter, 4 eggs, 2 cups of granulated sugar, 1 cup all purpose flour,1 cups of nuts
#2  You will need for the mint filling:  1 lb.confect. sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), 1 stick butter, 3 Tb milk, 2 Tb imitation peppermint extract, ½ tsp vanilla extract, green food coloring
 #3  You will need for the glaze on top:  2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate and 3 Tb butter
 Get started on the brownies base:  melt the 4 squares of chocolate with the butter in a small pan. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar.  Add the flour to the egg mix and beat well.  Beat in the chocolate, and then fold in the nuts.  Bake 350 degrees in a greased and floured pan 11” x 16” or 2  8” square pans for 25-30 minutes.
 For the filling:  combine ingredients and beat till smooth. Spread as smoothly as possible on warm brownies.
 Melt the glaze ingredients together and brush on top of the filling.  Chill well.  Cut into small squares as these are rich,   You won’t be able to stay out of them!