Cathy's Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

Cathy Carter made these for a Women's Ministries luncheon way back in the olden times of the 1980's. There we all were, sitting around, eating lunch in our "mom jeans" and permed hair! For those of you who were there, this is in the WOW Ministries Cookbook. I've made them a few times and never get tired of them. If you crave pumpkin cheesecake, but want something easy and no-fail, make these. Your friends or family will love them! Makes about 12 2-inch squares. This dessert can be a little messy looking if you don't serve it with whipped cream on top...but for the fam, no cream is necessary.

Ingredients:

2 C flour
2/3 C packed brown sugar
10 T butter (or 1/2 C plus 2 T)
1 C chopped pecans
2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 C sugar
1 C pumpkin
4 eggs
3 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
2 t vanilla

Directions:

Combine flour, brown sugar in bowl. Cut in butter to make a crumb mixture. Stir in nuts. Set aside 1 1/2 C mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into a 9X13" pan. Bake in preheated, 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. combine remaining ingredients, blend until smooth. Pour over baked crust and sprinkle with remaining crust mixture. Bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate before you serve. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a pecan if you want it to be pretty! Put it on the plates, clean up the edges a bit, put on cream with a spoon or a frosting bag, then sprinkle on chopped pecans or just one whole pecan. "Easy Peasy", as the Brits say!

Pumpkin Soup

Fall is coming! When the leaves turn amber and citrine, and pumpkins grow bigger than basketballs. When she was little, we used to take Lauren to Portola Valley's Webb Ranch and let her pick out a pumpkin to carve into a Jack O' Lantern. I remember the clean smell of cornstalks, and the sight of little one's heads bobbing up and down, searching for the perfect pumpkin. "I got one!" they'd yell. Fall is also a perfect time for pumpkin soup. Here's an easy one the Whitson clan has been making for years. From "The San Francisco Junior League Cookbook" circa 1979. Serves 6 to 8.

4 T butter
4 green onions and tops, chopped
 1 small onion, minced
2 T flour
4 C chicken stock
3 C pumpkin puree (Libby's Libby's Libby's)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t mace
1/4 t white pepper
4 C chicken stock
3 C pumpkin puree
1/2 t salt
1/2 t mace
1/4 t white pepper
3/4 C fat-free half and half
Croutons and/or whipping cream

Directions:

Melt 3 T of butter until foamy, add onions and sauté until limp. Sprinkle with four, cook and stir for 3 minutes, then gradually add chicken stock. Cook and stir until smooth and thickened. Add pumpkin puree, seasonings, and half and half. Reheat without boiling and adjust seasonings to taste. Stir in remaining 1 T butter until just melted. Serve immediately, topped with croutons and/or a swirl of whipping cream. To swirl cream, float a T or so of heavy cream in the middle of a bowl of soup. Take a knife and starting from the center of the cream, swirl the cream out into a spiral on top of the soup. It should float! Then, put on chopped green onions or a few croutons. Pretty!

Olde- Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

My daughter, Lauren, loves pumpkin. So, I am including this recipe especially for her. There is a famous bakery in Santa Cruz called The Buttery that has pumpkin cookies a lot like this. People enjoy them in the famous yellow eatery visiting with friends and slurping good coffee. The Buttery adds walnuts and raisins. Your choice whether you want to or not. Since they are like muffins, go ahead, have a couple for breakfast with coffee. I just eat the tops off of muffins anyway--who needs the rest?

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C pumpkin puree
1 lg. egg
1 t vanilla
1 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C raisins

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets or use baking parchment. Combine flour, baking soda, b. powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla till smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake 15-18 minutes till edges form. Bake 15-18 minutes till edges are firm. Drizzle glaze over cookies when cool by "wagging" it from a fork suspended over them.

Glaze: Combine 2 C sifted powdered sugar, 3 T milk, 1 T melted butter, 1 t vanilla until smooth.

Raspberry Squares --Easy Frangipane

I used to make something called "Frangipane"--a French cookie bar that required almond paste, raspberry preserves, sliced almonds and whole a lot of bowls to make. Look it up online if you want to try it...it's divine. However, I have found this easier, less expensive recipe to be almost as good. It's from "The California Farm Cookbook" by Kitty Morse. Serve with vanilla ice cream and extra (toasted it) coconut on the side. Makes 30 bars.

Note: If you have homemade preserves, you can use them in this.

Ingredients:

3/4 C butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1/4 t almond extract
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 C pecans or almonds, finely chopped (this means almost ground-up)
1/4 t salt
1 8-oz. jar raspberry jam (1 cup)
1/2 C coconut

In a medium mixing bowl beater, the softened butter, sugar, and almond extract until thoroughly combined. Add the flour, chopped pecans, and salt. Beat until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 C of the flour mixture. Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an un-greased 13X 9X2-inch baking pan. Spread the raspberry preserves evenly over crust. Sprinkle preserves with the reserved flour mixture and coconut. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the curst and top are golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars...

Highland Fling Shortbread with Chocolate or Caramel

The people of Scotland have contributed quite a few things to the welfare of mankind. Penicillin, sheep cloning, Scotch Whiskey, oatmeal, Dr. Livingston, Alexander Graham Bell (of Scottish descent), Morse Code, and actor Sean Connery. If you go to the Scottish Games, DO NOT try the Haggis. Do, however, find and devour the biggest piece of homemade Scots Shortbread you can find. It is, in my mind, the greatest Scottish contribution to the world. And it tastes a whole lot better than penicillin.

This superb shortbread recipe was found on the back of a shortbread pan box purchased at The Games. I bought the pan partly to get the recipe. It was worth it.


Ingredients:

1/2 C butter just at room temperature, not mushy
1/3 C powdered sugar (unsifted)
1/4 t vanilla
1 C flour (unsifted)

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Butter should be as cold as possible--yet still creamy. Cream in powdered sugar, then vanilla. Now work in flour with clean hands. Knead dough on an un-floured board until nice and smooth. Spray shortbread pan very lightly with non-stick vegetable spray. Firmly press dough into shortbread pan OR roll into a ball, then flatten with the heel of your hand into a roundabout 1/4 inch thick. Place round on parchment on cookie sheet. Note: Thicker is better than thinner. Thin shortbread breaks easily.

Score round with knife indicating where future triangles will be cut (like cutting a pizza). If you are using a shortbread pan or a 9X13 pan, score squares (see Note 1). Prick the entire surface of the shortbread with a fork--about 6 times or one fork prick per shortbread triangle or square. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until just a hint of tan appears. Let shortbread cool 2 minutes before cutting on score marks with a sharp knife and removing from pan. If you have a square shortbread pan, loosen edges and flip pan gently over to remove after cutting.

Note 1: Many people like to cut their shortbread into stars, bars or circles that look like buttons with two holes in the middle of each circle. Your choice!

Note 2: I prefer my shortbread plain, but if you like chocolate on it, see Options 1 and 2. Option 3 is for caramel lovers--mmmmmm!


Option 1: While shortbread cools, melt 1 T shortening in a double boiler. Add 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips. Melt and combine completely. Dip a fork into the mixture, grabbing a little chocolate on it. Suspend fork over shortbread and "wag" it back and forth. Repeat until squiggles of chocolate are all over the triangles or squares. Your choice: sprinkle on nuts, jimmies, or candy bits before chocolate cools. Or leave plain.

Option 2: Melt chocolate and shortening as in Option 1. Gently take pieces of cooled shortbread off of pan and dip the largest side in the chocolate. Your choice: sprinkle on nuts, jimmies or candy bits before chocolate cools. Or leave plain.

Option 3: Make the following caramel dip for shortbread:

Ingredients:

1/2 C dk. brown sugar
1/4 C butter
2 T heavy cream
pinch salt
1/4 C powdered sugar
1 C ground pecans or pistachios

Directions:

For the caramel, combine brown sugar and butter in med. saucepan and bring mixture to boil. Let cook for 1 minute, then remove pan from heat. Stir in cream, salt and powdered sugar. Dip largest end of cookies or one end of bars in caramel. Immediately roll in ground nuts--pecans or pistachios are best.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Blossoms

Everybody has the recipe for these. They are those peanut butter cookies with the chocolate kisses in the middle? Except this recipe is not the one you will find today at the Betty Crocker Recipe Site; this one is a Pillsbury recipe gotten from an olde magazine ad when I was about 10. It has slightly more shortening than the other one, so it makes cookies that don't split as much around the edges. Great cookies, everyone who likes peanut butter and chocolate likes them. So, if you don't have the recipe, here it is!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C flour
1 t soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C shortening
1/2 C peanut butter
1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
48 milk chocolate candy kisses

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except kisses. shape dough into balls--a rounded teaspoonful of each. Roll balls in sugar (I use a paper plate or a piece of wax paper for this). Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Top each cookie with a candy kiss immediately. Press down firmly so cookie cracks around the edge.

Ranger Cookies

Ranger Cookies have been around for a very long time. They go back at least to the 1950s, probably further. They used to sell them at the "Pink Pastry" bakery in Menlo Park. As children, my sister Sarah and I used to occasionally go there with Mom. When we first walked in, the frosting-scented air hit us like a sugar-coated brick. We breathed deep and smiled. Then we saw them. Rows and rows of amazing cookies. Because Mom baked, we almost never had bakery goods. So, when we went in, it was like...cookie heaven! You will love Ranger Cookies. I found this recipe in the "Palo Alto Times" in the 1980s. The Rice Krispies make them crunchy, and the oats make them chewy. Fabulous!

Note: Do make these with shortening instead of butter. Sorry, health conservatives! Yield: I have no idea. maybe 3 dozen?

1 C shortening
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 C quick oatmeal
2 C Rice Krispies
1 C shredded coconut

Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until smooth. sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add and mix thoroughly. Add oatmeal, rice cereal, coconut and mix. The dough will be crumbly. Shape into balls the size of a walnut. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (or parchment) and press slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Butterfudge Fingers

This is one of the most coveted recipes in my collection. It is from my mom, Anne Whitson, who got it from a magazine years ago. Gracing many a Christmas and luncheon cookie plate since, it is to die for. That stripe of butter fudge under the bitter chocolate layer is what makes it. The secret ingredient: browned butter. That's the key. But you will find that out when you bite into one, won't you? Serve for dessert after dinner with vanilla ice cream and coffee!

Note: I always double this recipe and use a 9X13 inch pan. Give some to your neighbors!

2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz.)
1/3 C butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
3/4 C sifted flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 C chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter over hot or boiling water in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, simply put suspend a small pot over a large pot of hot/boiling water. Beat in sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients together; stir in. Add nuts. Spread in greased, 8-inch square pan. Bake 30-35 minutes; until top has dull crust. Cool slightly. Make topping. spread topping on brownies. Makes 32 fingers (0r bars).

Topping: Brown 1/4 C soft butter over med. heat. Blend with 2 C sifted powdered sugar. Blen in 2 T cream (not milk) and 1 t vanilla. Spread on brownies. If mixture is on the thick side, you can use the palm of your hand to squish it into place. Melt 1 oz. of unsweetened chocolate and 1 T butter together. When cooled, spread a very thin coating over the butterfudge. There will be areas it doesn't cover completely--that's ok--just do your best to spread it evenly. Sprinkle on nuts. Cut into bars OR diamonds. Diamonds are harder to cut, but they look really fancy (and you will have leftover pieces that you and the dog can eat).

Firehouse Snickerdoodles

This wonderful Snickerdoodle recipe came from Katie Knox, who is married to a Scotts Valley Fireman. She used to bake these for all the Scotts Valley Firemen about once every three weeks. The firemen used to know that when the green cookie jar was filled, Katie had been there. Recently, her husband, decided to retire. So, Katie, bless her heart, baked cookies as favors for everyone at his retirement party. My husband gave me his and I immediately asked him to call her for the recipe. I am so glad I did! It is an adaptation of the recipe from Betty Crocker's original cookbook. Perfect for us cinnamon lovers!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C butter
1/2 C. shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 C Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 t cream of tartar
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/3-1/2 C sugar
2 t cinnamon

Directions:

Mix first 3 ingredients thoroughly. Blend next 4 ingredients together. Stir together with first mixture. shape dough into 1-inch balls. I use a 1-inch cookie scoop and leave them not quite level. Roll in sugar/cinnamon mixed together ( I use a paper plate to mix and roll). Shape into 1-inch balls (I use a 1-inch cookie scoop and leave them not quite level). If you want a softer cookie (which I like) refrigerate balls for at least one hour. Bake right away for a crisp cookie.

Carol Lawless's Green Been Salad...

Using green beans as a base for a salad is different and wonderful! This recipe is a happy departure from your usual salad fare. And best yet--you can make it ahead. Served with great success by Carol Lawless at her many baby and wedding showers, it would be just as appropriate at a barbecue. Serves at least 8.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds Haricots Verts (thin green beans)
1 medium Carrot cut into fine julienned pieces
1 medium Parsnip cut into fine julienned pieces
1 Red Bell Pepper cut into fine julienned pieces
1/2 small Red Onion, thinly sliced (I omitted this on Saturday)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/4 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
2 1/2 Tablespoons Water
1 1/4 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon Honey
1/4 teaspoon Celery Seeds
2 hard-boiled eggs
Real Bacon Bits (by Hormel or make your own)

Directions:

Par-boil green beans in salted water until crisp-tender (about 2 minutes); cool in an ice-water bath; pat dry.
In large skillet heat olive oil, add garlic and vegetables; cook until fragrant; stir in vinegar, water, honey, mustard and celery seeds until blended and warmed through. Add the vegetables...  toss until warmed (about 1 minute). Transfer to large bowl; add the beans and cooked vegetables; toss well. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce... Tabasco sauce... season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped hard-cooked Egg and crisp diced Bacon. Serve warm or at room temp. To make ahead: cook beans... dressed mixed vegetables can be refrigerated separately overnight. Bring to room temp. - add Worcestershire and Tabasco; season with salt and pepper; garnish with bacon bits.

I

Jennifer McPherson's Beautiful Banana Bread

Often, with the wrong recipe, a sludge of banana ends up on the bottom quarter of the bread. Or...it ends up too dry. This recipe yields a moist bread with just the right amount of sweetness. A slice of heaven. And it fills your house with a wonderful homey fragrance. Thanks Jennifer McPherson! Thanks Dawn Sholz! Thanks Facebook! Goodnight Moon! Note: Only moms will understand this last comment--and perhaps their children.

Note: To combat banana bread sludge at the bottom of the loaf, always use 3 small bananas instead of large bananas. Also, do not slice the bread until it has cooled to very lukewarm. Sorry, I know how hard it is to resist. Just lick the batter bowl while you're waiting. That's what I do!

Ingredients:

2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature--put in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes to warm before cracking)
1 t vanilla
3 bananas (very ripe)
1/2 C sour cream

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray or grease pan ( I line the bottom with parchment paper too).
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cream butter. Add sugar, scraping sides. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Mash bananas, then add sour cream. Mix 1/3 of dry ingredients with the butter mixture, the rest of the banana mixture, and the rest of the dry mixture. Bake for 70-75 minutes, depending on your oven. Check with a long wooden skewer or even a piece of spaghetti to see if it's still mooshy at the bottom before you set it out to cool. Serve lukewarm with butter or cream cheese. GOSH!

Mom's French Onion Soup

It's a gray day in Scotts Valley... the marine layer has crept in and I'm feeling like eating soup! One of the things my mom is known for is her French Onion Soup. She makes an incredible Cioppino, a superlative Turkey Soup, wonderful Funnel Cakes, an extremely good Apple Pie and a fabulous French Onion Soup. I have lovely memories of having this on weekends in the winter. The kitchen was clouded with onion-y steam while mom poured soup into ceramic bowls and put them under the broiler topped with slices of French bread and cheese. She never used a recipe, but I know how she did it. This is very similar. Adapted from "Savoring France" by Georgeanne Brennan. 

Ingredients:

6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus 2 T cut into small bits
4 T extra virgin olive oil
2 lb. yellow onions, very thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 T all-purpose flour
8 C beef broth (canned is fine)
2 C water
3/4 C water plus 1/4 C sherry (Ms. Brennan uses 1 C dry red wine--Mom used sherry)
8 slices good French bread or sourdough French, each about 1/2" thick
2 garlic cloves, halved
4 C shredded Gruyere cheese (a good domestic Swiss is OK) and/or Compte, Emmenthaler, Vacherin
8 t grated Parmesan (or Parmigiano) cheese

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt 6 T butter with 1 T olive oil. Add onions and sauté, stirring, until translucent, 4-5 min. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring often, until onions are well browned, 20-25 min. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook, stirring, until flour is well blended and fragrant, 2-3 min. Add broth and water, 1-2 C at a time, while stirring. Bring to a boil, add wine and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until onions begin to dissolve, 30-40 minutes. Position oven rack 4-6 inches under broiler. Rub both sides of bread with garlic, and brush with remaining 3 T olive oil. Toast under broiler, turning once, until golden, 1-2 min. per side. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a baking sheet. ladle soup into bowls, top each with 2 pieces of toast and sprinkle cheese generously over tops. Dot evenly with butter and sprinkle on 1 t Parmesan per piece. Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes.

Note: You can use just Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano is best) or just Gruyere if you like. Or any of the cheeses listed above... Bon Appetit!