Pumpkin Spiced Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Has anyone guessed yet that I love cookies... particularly anything with chocolate chips in it??  These are very fall-ish tasting, pumpkin spiced and chocolately and oh so soft in the middle.  This recipe made 16 big cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
2 TBS pumpkin pie spice
1 TBS vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine the butter, sugar and egg in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.  

Add in honey, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and beat o medium speed until smooth.

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.  Add in chocolate chips and mix with wooden spoon to combine.

 Using a medium cookie scoop drop cookies on baking sheets 2 inches apart.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Original recipe said warm dough will result in thin flat cookies...

Remove from refrigerator and allow to sit while you preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are set.

Monica's Tangy Guacamole

This recipe is from my Aunt Monica and it's always delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 ripe avocados, mashed
• juice from 3 small limes
• juice from 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ground pepper to taste
• chopped parsley optional

Mix all ingredients together at least a half hour before you want to eat this and refrigerate.  If you keep the avocado pit in the middle it helps the guacamole not to brown in the fridge.  

Enjoy with chips or on burritos or quesadillas... any way you want!

Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I bought almond flour at Trader Joe's a while ago and kept meaning to find a recipe and make something with it, but honestly I was afraid of how it would turn out.  Then last weekend I found out that a friend coming over to my house was gluten free, so it gave me the motivation to try this recipe so she wouldn't be left out when the cookies were served.  It turned out better than I ever imagined!  These cookies are delicious beyond belief!  Very moist with a wonderful combination of flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (heaping) coarse salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  

Whisk together the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Baker's tip:  If you don't like the flavor of coconut don't use coconut oil as you do taste it in these cookies.  I love it and it makes this cookie all the more wonderful in my opinion!

In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips. 

Now add the 2 eggs to the liquid mixture and whisk to combine (waiting to add these insures the melted oil or butter is completely cooled and you don't scramble your eggs!).

Combine wet and dry ingredients. 

Using a cookie scoop drop onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-13 minutes.  I did 12 minutes but ovens vary.

Makes 30 cookies.  Best kept refrigerated. 

They were a huge hit with my gluten free friend and EVERYONE else who's tried them!  I'm getting requests to make more already!

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

Easy, healthy, delicious!  Great for breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:

• 4 over ripe bananas mashed up
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or reg whole wheat)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBS brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whipped peanut butter (Jif Whips){I assume reg peanut butter would work too}
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix everything together in a large bowl and let sit while you prepare muffin tins.

Distribute between muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.  

That's it!  Makes 24 muffins.

(I made some with no chocolate chips.)

Vanilla Bean Scones

I decided to make these because they are my husband's favorite breakfast treat from Starbucks!!  They are excellent right out of the oven, or re-heated for 15 seconds in the microwave the next morning...

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 TBS cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 1 vanilla pod, beans scraped (slice lengthwise, scrape out with edge of knife)
• 1 egg
• egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 TBS water)
• coarse sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a small bowl with pouring spout or similar, add the half & half and vanilla seeds, let them sit 5 minutes.  

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  

Add the cold butter cubes and mix with a pastry blender or your hands to break the butter up into smaller pieces, evenly distributed throughout dry ingredients.  

Add your egg to the half & half vanilla bean mixture and whisk to combine.  

Add to dry mixture and stir to combine. 

Lightly flour a work surface and dump dough out onto it.  Shape into a rectangle that's about 3/4 inches thick.  

Cut the scones into triangles and place on lined baking sheet.  

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with course sugar.  

Bake 17-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm with coffee!

Nutritional facts: 275 calories, 12.5 g fat, 74 g sodium, 11 g sugar, 5.5 g protein.

recipe inspired by: www.laurainthekitchen.com