Happy Halloween, everyone!
The last time I wore a costume for Halloween, my friends Amy and Robyn and I dressed up as Charlie’s Angels, which involved me wearing the chicest black clothes I had (i.e. black pants, clunky black boots, and a shapeless black sweater. Can you tell how cool I was in high school?). I haven’t dressed up in years, but I’m thinking of going mad scientist for the trick-or-treaters tonight. What do you think, dear reader?
When the trick-or-treaters arrive, they’ll be greeted by the awesome pumpkin Peter and I carved a few days ago. When I was a kid, I always carved the same face every year: three triangles for the eyes and nose and a gap-toothed grin. This time, I kept the gap-toothed grin, but went to the next level with the eyes and nose. Check it:
Treat your pumpkins right, kids.
The gap-toothed grin was supposed to have two teeth, but I was a little too enthusiastic with the overly dull knife. I swear our kitchen is not a place of danger. Also, Peter wants me to point out that this fine pumpkin’s name is “Country Pumpkin“. This declaration was followed by copious amounts of hysterical laughter.
After seeing Kristen make roasted pumpkin seeds, I decided I had to do that, too. I split the seeds from Country Pumpkin into two piles and drizzled them with oil. I sprinkled a little salt over one half (Peter’s request) and tossed the other seeds with cinnamon sugar so that I could use them in today’s recipe.
During the baking part — disaster!
Because of my inattentiveness, the cinnamon sugar seeds burnt to a crisp. Dang. At least the touch-of-salt seeds were perfect.
On to today’s recipe for Pumpkin Week!
I knew I had to do some kind of dessert, and today seemed good because I can give some of them away. Behold: light-as-a-cloud Pumpkin Cookies.
I used roasted pumpkin seeds to top some of the cookies. Tasty, but the cinnamon sugar seeds (*tear*) would have been better.
A plate of goodies that includes a batch of Ye Olde Favorite Banana Crumb Muffins I put together for tonight’s choir rehearsal. I also made something else, but you’re not going to find out what it is until next week — BWAH HA HAAAAAAA!!
Pumpkin Cloud Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Keywords: bake dessert vegetarian pumpkin cookie
Ingredients (20 cookies)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (8 tablespoons or 1 stick)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces canned or pureed pumpkin (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will take several minutes.
Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg white and vanilla and stir. Stir in pumpkin, the flour. If using an electric mixer, a wooden spoon may be needed to finish fixing in the flour.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are set. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
For you scary movie lovers out there, check out these tips for a safe Halloween. And don’t say I didn’t warn you!
I’m out like a light.
Q: If you’re dressing up for Halloween, what are you dressing up as? Did you carve a pumpkin this year?
I want to dress up as a 1920s flapper, but today and tomorrow I have midterms and…that’s basically my excuse for not getting organized and preparing in advance. Oops.
Love the jolly jack-o-lantern! You should dress up 😉 For the kids, of course. It’s one of the responsibilities that come with adulthood.
Aww, hopefully you can pull out the flapper outfit for another Halloween. Good luck with your midterms!
I remember Charlie’s Angels! I still have that picture we took somewhere! Happy Halloween…miss you!
Miss you, too! Say hi to Frank for me!
I think Country Pumpkin scared away all the trick-or-treaters!
It actually makes me a little sad to know you haven’t dressed up since high school.
I love dressing up for Hallowe’en even if my costumes are simple.