Last year, I did a full week of cookies by posting a new cookie each day, in preparation for the holiday season. I got a great response from that, so I wanted to do it again this year! What better than to start it on the first day of December!

The first cookie is one that I tried this year and fell in love with! This cookie combines two great things: snickerdoodles and juicy apples. How can you go wrong with a cinnamon cookie with apples and white chocolate chips rolled in cinnamon and sugar? You can't!

Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes (includes chill time for dough)
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: about 45 minutes

Yield: 3 Dozen

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 small box (3.5 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix, not prepared
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 cup apples, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium apple)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Cinnamon/Sugar Mix:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until just combined. Stir in the apples and white chocolate chips.
3. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 3 large trays with parchment paper (to prevent sticking).
5. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon/sugar mix. Take about 2 Tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Then, roll generously in the cinnamon/sugar and place on prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the tops are just barely golden brown. (They should not have much shine left on the tops.) Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheets - they will continue to cook while on the trays. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy!!

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving day! This was our first Thanksgiving in the new house and we had 17 people! Hard to believe we had enough food to feed everyone, but in reality, we've been eating leftovers for days! 

We got a 22-pound turkey and while we were hoping everything would go smoothly without any flaws, it did...except for the turkey...
After following the guidelines and letting it roast in the oven for several hours, the temperature probe said it was done! Until my dad started carving slices and found a giant section of PINK! 

At least now we will remember this story for years to come, and our turkeys will always be done :)

We had quite a few family members come in from out of town for Thanksgiving and my mom wanted to have a nice brunch for them on Friday before they left. She said she would be making Amish Friendship Bread and I couldn't contain my excitement. I don't know the last time we had this bread, but it was just as good as I remembered.

The hardest part about making this is getting the starter for it. It is very simple to do, as long as you follow the 10-day cycle. Then, when you are all finished with the starter, you can pass it on to your friends so that they can make the bread or they can start all over again with their own starter!

In "The Amish Cook," Elizabeth Coblentz described this recipe as "Just sourdough bread that is pass around to the sick and needy." While the first recipe was posted on the internet in 1990, this recipe itself is decades old!

Total Time With Starter: 1 hour, 10 minutes
         (Bread Starter will take 10 days from the beginning)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 2 loaves of bread

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup starter (see below for starter ingredients)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking baking powder
• Cinnamon/sugar, for sprinkling on top (I use a mix of 1/2 cup sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and sugar two loaf pans. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except for cinnamon/sugar mixture) with an electric mixer. Pour into prepared loaf pans.
3. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon/sugar. Bake for 55 minutes, or until tops are golden and inside is set. You can test this with a toothpick - if it comes out clean, it's done!
4. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan and transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!!

Starter Ingredients & Directions:

NOTE: Do not refrigerate at any time - keep in a warm place.

Day 1:  In a large glass bowl, combine:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast

          Set aside and cover with a dinner plate or loose lid.

Days 2, 3, 4, 5:  Stir and allow to sit.

Day 6:  Add and mix well:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar

​
Day 7, 8, 9:  Stir and allow to sit.

Day 10:  Add and mix well:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar

This makes about 5 cups of starter (good for 5 recipes as shown above). Use 1 cup of starter for each bread recipe. Here's where you can separate the starter into 4 1-cup bags and give to friends with a copy of this recipe!

Your friends can either make the bread above with the starter that you give them, or they can use the starter you gave them and start over with Day 1!

If you haven't gotten a sense of how obsessed I am with pumpkin everything, then you need to check out more of my posts!! This recipe combines quite a few favorites of mine: Pudding, pumpkin, cake, CoolWhip, and trifle bowls.

​If you're looking for that perfect fall party dessert - this is it!

Total Time: 40 minutes (+10 hours)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 hours

Yield: Makes 1 large trifle bowl (serves approx. 12)

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) package Gingerbread mix (cake not cookies!)
• 1 large box vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3 cups milk
• 1 (30 oz.) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (12 oz.) container CoolWhip, thawed
• 5-6 Gingersnaps, optional

Directions: 

1. Bake the gingerbread according to package directions. Cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding according to package directions and set in the fridge to chill.
3. Once the gingerbread is cooled, stir the pumpkin pie filling, brown sugar and cinnamon into the pudding.
4. Crumble half of the gingerbread into the bottom of a trifle bowl or large bowl. Pour half of the pumpkin mixture over the gingerbread and top with CoolWhip. Repeat with the gingerbread, pumpkin and CoolWhip. 
5. Sprinkle the top with crushed Gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate over night. Enjoy!!

​Source: Paula Deen

Today my blog reached 100,000 views!! Thank you so much to everyone who checks out my site and shares with friends and family! I can't tell you how much you all mean to me!

 It's almost that time again for my week of cookies!
I will be posting a new cookie each day for a week so that you can get ready for Christmas baking!
As you can tell, I already went out and got most of what I need for my holiday baking! I may have also lucked out with some sales on chocolate chips and spices :)

Tune in starting on December 1, as I have some great recipes planned, including these beauties! 

In the meantime, look back at last year's cookies on my Cookie page!
Let me know what your favorite cookie was!

It's almost one of my favorite days of the year - Thanksgiving!
It's a time of great family, great food, and great blessings.

As much as I love the turkey in the Thanksgiving feast, I love the side dishes even more! This cornbread pudding is so full of flavor, and is the perfect answer for that necessary corn side dish.

Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can (15 1/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (14 3/4 oz.) creamed corn
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 8 1/2 oz. package corn bread mix (like Jiffy)
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients.
3. Stir in the cornbread mix and stir until just blended.
4. Pour into a greased 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle the top with paprika.
5. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm and enjoy!