Pumpkin & Chocolate Really Do Go Together !

"The beginning to my yesterday ..... "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard"."

Nothing too serious happened yesterday in the way of snow around our place, however I heard reports of accumulated snow and icy roads in other places such as Owen Sound, Port Elgin and down Paisley way.  We were off the "hook" in this respect.

The wind did get up rather high later in the evening with it being really cold .... brr, I certainly had the woodstove "fired" up, keeping cozy with the exception of being in and out with Bandit, Lexus, and more so with little Mercedes throughout the day and evening.

 "For the most part, there was unsettled skies along with bouts of snowy pellets leaving not much more then a skiff where it land.  It was actually more along the texture of the little Styrofoam balls used for packing.

I will take this, as I am certain it will not be too long off when there will be days our doors will have so much snow piled in front of them, it will make leaving the house a "major" event.  Should we even want to leave the house in such of an event?  LOL

I decided to make my yesterday afternoon into a Pumpkin Chocolate Cookie Adventure ..... so into the adventure I went.

"I had decided if I was going to make cookies, I might as well make a double batch !  I was taken by surprise when the recipe said to drop batter onto cookie sheets by the tablespoons, but it all worked out !"

I was a little concerned with myself when I had put the first batch in the oven, and the parchment paper caught on fire, as I had not trimmed the edges back first.  What on earth was I thinking?  Oh let me answer that .... I wasn't !  LOL  My "Crabby Cabbie" was still there so he assisted me in putting it out right away with nobody coming away "worse for the wear" by it all.  Thank goodness I have myself to "laugh" at somedays, or I would have no fun at all.

"Actually the "dropped by the tablespoon" worked out very nicely as they made a good size cookie, with a double batch yielding approximately 110 cookies.  Approximately, since I am not sure if it was 4 or 5 I personally consumed ....... "

"Let me tell you, they were very tempting, not only to the eye, but to the palate, as they sat out on a plate.  All the more reason to get them under wraps as fast as I could to be further tempted no more !"

I am so pleased to be able to say, "Pumpkin & Chocolate do compliment each other very nicely".

Should anyone like to try this combination, please enjoy the Pumpkin Chocolate Cookie Recipe I used :

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups (12-ounce bag) chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

The cookies pretty much consumed my yesterday, however it was the first "Pumpkin Chocolate Chip" adventure I had ever been on.  Try it some day, as it was most enjoyable.

I was very pleased this morning to go on my Facebook page (very resourceful at any given time, remembering to pick and choose what you want, and to leave the rest), to find out "The Dock 92.3 FM" ,one of our local radio stations, had interviewed a Mr. Julian Franklin of Kraft Canada.  The interview was about the Kraft Food for Families Goal, which ran for only 8 days, wherein the Owen Sound Salvation Army will be receiving an extra $10,000.00 from Kraft Canada for having the most support in their area by way of votes.   Check it out.



Once again, Kudos to both Grey~Bruce Counties, as I am certain all the communities within both counties came together to make this all happen for the Owen Sound Salvation Army's Food Bank.

Yesterday I set a Goal for "Cindy's Recipe Exchange", on Facebook, to have 100 Members by the end of 2011.  Thanks to one Member, we had five new members join yesterday, bringing us to "91 Strong Recipe Exchangers".  Some of us do have "fun" with sharing our experiences with any given recipe.  Not always fun, as I find I am learning from our experiences too.  I think there is a pretty nice combination of learning and fun going on at "Cindy's Recipe Exchange", oh yes, and lots of recipes too!  LOL  Please feel free to grab a coffee or tea, and drop on in to check us out, you might like what you see and decide to stay.

I just heard a snowplow go by outside my window.  I am hoping any icy roads out there will be clear by the time I head "North of the Checkerboard" for my weekly shot in the arm at my Doctor's office.  Best be checking if the Weather Guy is going to cooperate in his department by ensuring it will be a nice drive for me as well ....

No worries in this forecast.  I think it is going to be an "okay" drive there and back this morning.  Jeez, it is hard not to look into the direction of that sunshine way up there next Wednesday.  I am looking forward to having a piece of that already !  LOL

Oh yes, not to forget to check all the bulletins in and around where you live, as I know there is a Christmas Bazaar at the Presbyterian Church in Port Elgin tomorrow.  A number of Churches are getting together tomorrow at the Wiarton Salvation Army to hold their annual Christmas Bazaar.  Lot going on, so if you are not a baker, this would be an opportunity to pick up some Homemade Christmas Baking, treats and gifts.

I am certain I will have some kind of adventure in my day ahead, I just haven't given any thought to it at the moment, as I am going to head out to my kitchen for that second cup of Java, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".