Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These were a delicious cross between a snickerdoodle and a ginger snap cookie-with a hint of pumpkin.  My kids really like these.  

I 

Recipe from: Just So Tasty

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoons and 1/2 cinnamon

In a large bowl whisk together the first 8 ingredients from the flour to the ground cloves (for about 30 seconds). Set aside.  In a separate large bowl using a hand held or stand electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Turn the mixer down to low then beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and pumpkin. Slowly add in the flour mixture, turning off the electric mixer and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula as necessary. The dough will be very sticky. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line 2 cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a small bowl whisked together the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, form the dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons in size, then roll in the cinnamon sugar coating.  Place the cookies on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for about 7-9 minutes until the tops look almost set.

Cooked Pumpkin...in the Instant Pot

This was one of my favorite things to discover doing in my instant pot.  Every year I cook some pumpkin (grown by my awesome dad) and my kids love it, but this way is the not only the easiest way, but also has given me the best results.

1 Pie Pumpkin, whole, washed
1 cup water

Place 1 cup water in pot.  Place pumpkin on trivet in pot and cook high pressure for 13 minutes.  NPR.  Let cool, then peel off skin and cut pumpkin open and remove seeds. Blend pumpkin until smooth.

Dutch Oven Chocolate Cherry Dr. Pepper Cobbler

John and I really liked this cobbler.  Plus it was super easy to make on one of our recent camping trips.  

1 quart cherry pie filling
1 box chocolate cake mix
20 oz Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup butter (1 cube)

Place liner in Dutch Oven and lightly spray with oil.  Pour cherry pie filling evenly across bottom of pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over the cherry pie filling.  Evenly pour the Dr. Pepper over the cake mix.  Then cut the butter in small cubes to cover the top of the cake mix.

Cook with 8 charcoal under and 14 on top for around 40 minutes.

*Recipe from Life Should Cost Less.  She has it as a crockpot dessert, so if you'd like to try that, go check out her awesome directions.

Dutch Oven Monkey Bread

This year I had to wonderful opportunity to attend girls camp with my daughter.  So on her day to cook, they made Dutch Oven Monkey Bread.  It was one of her favorite things they ate at camp and she asked if we could do it on our next family camping trip.  So, I picked up supplies and let her assemble it on our next trip.  All of my kids loved it.  It will probably be requested each time we camp.  

6 cans biscuits 

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 cup butter (2 cubes)

Mix sugars and cinnamon in a large ziplock bag.  (We did this when we packed our food for camping, so it was all ready to go).  Open biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters.  Slightly roll each piece into balls and toss into the sugar mixture bag.  Tossing about 2 cans of biscuits at a time.  Toss bag to coat the dough.  (Hold onto the zipper part of the bag, so that it does not spill).  Pour the coated pieces in the liner.  Continue until all pieces are coated, then pour reamaing sugar on and give it all one more stir.  Melt butter and evenly pour over dough.  

Cook with 8 charcoal on the bottom and 14 charcoal on the top of the Dutch oven.  Ours was done in about 30 minutes.  We gave the pan a quarter turn every 10 minutes to get even cooking.  

No bake Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake

Super creamy with a refreshing summer taste.  Top it with some tasty fresh raspberries.

Recipe Adapted from: I heart Naptime

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 individual pkg)
7 TB butter
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tub cool whip (8 oz), thawed
3 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 container frozen Raspberry Lemonade concentrate (so 6 oz)


Directions:

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Mix until well combined. Press crumbs in the bottom of 6 jars or a 8x8 pan.
2. In a large bowl combine COOL WHIP, frozen raspberry lemonade, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until smooth. Spoon onto graham cracker crust.
3. Refrigerate overnight or Freeze for 3-5 hours. Let thaw 10 minutes before serving.  Top with fresh raspberries before serving.  

Instant Pot Cheesecake

 Cheesecake in the instant pot is divine! It is so creamy!

Recipe from: http://instantpot.com/fabulous-cheese-cake/


Crust:


In a food processor process 1 cup or more butter cookie crumbs.  (Oreos, graham crackers…)
3 Tablespoons melted butter or until crumbs look like wet sand and will hold together when pressed.

Press mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and slightly up sides of pan. 

Filling:
• 2 8oz softened cream cheese
• scant 1/4 tsp salt or pinch
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• ½  cup sugar
• 2 eggs,  1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla



Using mixer, cream together all ingredients until smooth. 

Pour into prepared pan lined with crust.

Cover pan with folded paper towel first, and then secure the paper towel with foil. (The paper towel layers help keep water off the cake)

Add two cups water to Instant Pot.

Place trivet in pot, put cheesecake on trivet making sure there is ample room around the sides of the pan for steam to rise.

Cook 40 minutes on high pressure,  natural pressure release.  



The cake will still jiggle perfectly in the middle,  as it should.  There will be no cracks.  It is the perfect cheesecake with a velvet texture


After cake has cooled,  cover to chill leaving the foil cocked for any residual heat to escape to prevent condensation. 
When it’s cold,  secure the foil completely. 

 * Best made a day before serving to make sure it’s super chilled.

Instant Pot Potato Soup

This soup was fantastic.  And the hardest, most time consuming part was peeling potatoes.  

Recipe adapted from: Pressure Cooking Today

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 6 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 heaping Tbsp. chicken bullion 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes(this did not make it spicy)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups half and half (I used one cup whipping cream, 1 cup milk)
• 6 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
• 
  
• Select Saute and add butter to the pressure cooker pot. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 can chicken broth, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to the onions.
• Put the steamer basket in the pressure cooker pot. Add the diced potatoes. Lock lid in place, select High Pressure and 5 minutes cook time and start. When timer beeps, turn off pressure cooker, wait 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. Carefully remove potatoes and steamer basket from the pressure cooking pot.
• In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water. Select Simmer and add cornstarch mixture to the pot stirring constantly. Add cubed cream cheese and shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add half and half and cooked potatoes and heat through but do not bring to a boil.
• Serve with crumbled bacon.