My Favorite Fall Foods

Apparently my sister only cooks REEEEALLLY good stuff in the fall/winter.  To be honest, she is more of a baker than she is a cook, and to be even more honest, she cooks a lot.  Not mentioning any names but someone in her house likes to have a hot meal at night…no matter what night, no matter what is going on.  Personally, I would be like, bowl of cereal or a sandwich, but whatever, not my house.

My mom was not a big “cook” either but to her defense that is because all she ever had to cook was potatoes, corn and some sort of flat, no fat meat, (think thin bone-in pork chops, over cooked pot roast, breakfast ham, dry ass turkey…) because my father had to have all his meat well done and dry…My mom makes an awesome Turkey Breast and she makes the best Easter dinner ever, but she usually makes it at Christmas…whatever, it is good.

I am the cook in this family and I like to cook all kinds of food.  I love pasta, I love my steak medium rare, I like my pot roast soaked in red wine so it melts in my mouth, I like fat pork chops, big juicy chicken, and you get the idea. 

Sister makes two things that are out of this world deeeelish, Pumpkin Cookies and Cheeseburger Soup.  I do not like pumpkin flavored anything.  But I love these cookies.  I could eat these cookies until they make me sick.  She also found this Cheeseburger Soup recipe that we used to serve at the bar…the purpose being to serve as a special.  However, Debbie and I loved it so much that we ate most of it before we could serve it to any customers.

Even though this is clearly my blog, I have been informed that if I am going to post on the world wide web asking for her to make me these things, that I have to share the recipes with the world wide web.  So, here they are.  I hope you enjoy them half as much as I do.

Feel free to post your own favorite Fall recipes so we can share…however, if you want me to try them, whatever it is should not have nuts in it.  Just saying.  We could start a recipe swap since we are all entering hibernation mode.  

PUMPKIN COOKIES W/BROWN BUTTER FROSTING

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups margarine
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

• 1 cups brown sugar
• ½ Cup of Milk
• 4 tablespoon margarine
• 3 Cups of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then frost.

To Make Frosting: In saucepan, bring milk, margarine and brown sugar to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and vanilla. You may have to add more powdered sugar or more milk to get to your desired consistency for frosting.

CROCK POT CHEESEBURGER SOUP

• 1 Lb. Lean Ground Beef, browned & drained well
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Tbsp dried onion (or ½ of a white onion diced finely)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded & chopped finely
• 3 Potatoes, Cut in small 1 inch cubes (I don’t peel, but you certainly could)
• 2 Small Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Cup Milk (to add later)
• 24 Ounces Velveeta Cheese (cubed to add later)
• Crumbled Bacon (optional-to make Bacon Cheeseburger Soup)

Directions

Brown the meat on the stove top with the onion and drain well. Set aside.

In a 5-6 quart crock pot, pour in broth; add garlic, bell pepper, and potatoes.

Stir in the cooked meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours until potatoes are tender.

Stir in milk & Velveeta 20-30 minutes before serving. Add the bacon now if you are

using it.

Note: I have prepared this on the stovetop as well using a frozen bag of shredded hash browns in place of the 3 Potatoes