Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

It's that time of year to get out our best recipes and start our holiday baking. But before we lite the oven, we need to check our pantry and make sure we have our basic ingredients on hand. One of the more common ingredients that we will be using, or at least I will be using is pumpkin pie spice. But how many times do we run out of it and not realize it until we need it!?! Here's a quick and easy recipe for making your own spice mix to have readily on hand.The best thing about it, is that you control the flavors.

My favorite holiday pie is my Walnut Pumpkin Pie. When I need pumpkin pie spice, this homemade mix is the first thing I grab. 

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
 
3 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
2 teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cloves 

Combine ingredients & mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. 

Click HERE for printable recipe
 
 

Ode To Tom Turkey

Mr. Turkey...you are a wonderfully handsome bird. Every time I see you I just smile, because you bring fond memories of years past. So today I celebrate you in all your glory. Thank you for being that constant reminder of all things good...all things beautiful...all things yummy! 'Cuz I like you best when your in my tummy!

 

Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants

Sometimes you get a hankerin' for something that nothing else can satisfy. One of my craving this week was a fresh, hot out of the oven chocolate filled croissant. One bite and you'll know why I was craving them so much.  

Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants 

1 pkg. Pillsbury crescent roll dough
1 jar Jiff Chocolate Hazelnut spread

Preheat oven to 350* Grease a cookie sheet. Unroll crescent dough on prepared cookie sheet & separate into triangles. Spread Chocolate Hazelnut over the widest part of the triangle. 

 Lightly roll up in crescent shape.

 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly. Serve warm.

 

 Click HERE for printable recipe

Reese's Chewy Chocloate Cookies

What better way to celebrate the first day of Fall than baking in the kitchen!?! So this morning I decided to go with a "back of the bag" recipe.

 2 c. all purpose flour
2/4 c. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. butter or margarine; softened (I used butter flavor Crisco sticks)
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (10 oz) bag Reese's peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350*

Sift together flour, cocoa, soda & salt in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar until smooth. Add eggs & vanilla, blend well. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Mix until well incorporated. Fold in peanut butter chips. 

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool slightly before removing to cooling rack. Cool completely. Yields: about 4 1/2 dozen.

Click HERE for printable recipe

A Home For The Firey Clove

 

A recent trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond's clearance aisle, I spied a beautiful terracotta garlic baker. The only reason I could see why it was marked down was because it had a small black mark on the outside of the baker bottom. So for a tiny mark that you can't even see, I was more than happy to take the discount. So for this beauty, we only paid $4.99! Yep, it is certainly a bargain hunter's treasure.

 

If you have never used a garlic baker before, you have been missing out. Roasting your garlic enhances the flavor. You can also use the baker to store your garlic in  if you like to use it at room temperature. I'll show share how to roast your garlic in another post.