Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for the Hunters

This week the boys in the family are gone hunting... which means the gals in the family make them treats to take along.  And if you're my Grandma, you make a whole lot more than just treats.  These hunters eat like Kings.  I'm pretty sure they just lay around their campsite all day eating and napping.  :)

Anyways, this year I sent Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies- perfect for this time of year.  They end up making more of a cake like cookie rather than a regular chocolate chip.  They're yummy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 cups white sugar

4 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 cups milk chocolate chips

2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips

In your mixer, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil and vanilla.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Mix the baking soda and milk and combine with the dry ingredients.  Once the wet ingredients are mixed add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix well.  The dough will be pretty sticky.  Add the chocolate chips.  Since the dough is so sticky, it works best to use a cookie dough scooper to place the cookies on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

Mini S'more Cups with Chocolate Ganache

Yep, this is the second s'more inspired recipe this summer :)  S'mores are one of my favorite treats and with no campfire in sight a girl's gotta improvise!  I have to say, these mini s'more cups are even better than the s'more pops.  There's a little more graham cracker going on in this recipe.

Everyone know's you've gotta do a little grocery shopping before you start making sweets.  The babe had a party in her crib last night so she is rocking her oversize shades and messy bed head look.

First up- the chocolate ganache.  It's so easy to make even though it sounds fancy smancy.  Pour your chocolate chips into a bowl and set aside.  In another bowl heat the heavy whipping cream and butter.  I just did this part in the microwave in 30 second intervals.  Once the cream and butter are nice and hot (not quite boiling) add the mixture to the chocolate chips.

Whisk into chocolatey perfection.  Go ahead and stick the ganache in the fridge while you work on the graham cracker crust.

I put the graham crackers in the food processor and blended them up to nice tiny crumbs. Mix the sugar and graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter to make the crust.  Push the crust into a cup shape.  Bake the crusts at 350 for about 4-5 minutes.  They should be slightly browned on the edges.  Take them out and fill the crust with chocolate ganache then top with half of a marshmallow.  Back in the oven they go!

Don't forget to put your oven mitt on.

It's hard work getting the oven mitt on with two crazy doggies trying to get in on the action.  They must have thought this cupcake mitt was the real deal because they were going crazy for it.  (What? Don't you make bake with no pants on?)

My helper decided she'd rather just stick to the grocery shopping and let me handle the hot oven.

Back to the s'mores.  Yum, yum, yum.  Leave them in the oven until the marshmallows start puffing up.  Once they are nice and puffy, turn the broiler on and brown them to your liking.  A marshmallow takes on a whole new life once it's heated and browned.

Let them cool and pop them out of the pan.  Getting them out of the pan was the hardest part.  I think if you make sure you add enough butter to the crust they will set up better and not be such a pain to get out.  I'm sure me being impatient had nothing to do with it.

Another super easy and yummy s'more recipe that doesn't require a campfire :)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Ganache

6oz chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

 1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tbls butter

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

5 tbls butter, melted (you may need to add more)