Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is another pumpkin favorite of ours. This is a recipe I've used since early high school. My family loves having these for Thanksgiving and it is so simple!

Ingredients:

• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet.
2. In large bowl, mix pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla, and egg. Mix until well combined.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in milk. Add both to pumpkin mixture.
4. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly combined.
5. Use medium ice cream scoop to drop mounds of cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly before moving cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Pumpkin, pumpkin and more pumpkin. If you haven't realized by now, I love pumpkin. And since we always have bananas in our house, I thought I'd try this recipe out. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. butter
• 2 bananas
• 1 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 12 count muffin try with liners.
2. In a large bowl, microwave butter until melted, then add bananas and mash. Add sugar and pumpkin, stir well.
3. Stir in egg and vanilla.
4. Add pumpkin spice, cinnamon, flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until combined.
5. Spoon evenly into muffin tin.
6. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 degrees. Keeping tray in oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 mins. Enjoy!

LA County Fair

A few weeks ago, we visited the LA County Fair. We really try to go at least once during the month that it's here, and I was worried we wouldn't make it this year. But last minute Upland day made it super cheap and such a fun date night. I highly encourage you to continue dating your spouse. Even though we've been together for 7 years (!) and spend so much time together, it is so different to actually get out of the house/usual routine and do something fun. We loved spending time watching the cute baby animals, holding hands, and taking fun pictures. The perks of having a creative husband means I get awesome pictures like this. Enjoy!

Apple Fritter Muffins

As fall returns, I can't help but pull out all of my yummy fall recipes. Anything with apples, pumpkin, and spices make the heat not seem so terrible. This recipe is one I found online and tweaked a little to fit us. I can honestly say, these are probably my new favorite muffins. The sweet apples make this melt in your mouth. Hope you enjoy!

Apple Fritter Muffins:

Ingredients
1⁄3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 apple peeled and chopped in small even sized pieces
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup butter, softened at room temperature (not melted)
2 large eggs
11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11⁄2 cups all­purpose flour (I used Gluten Free flour)
13⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 cup milk 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
   
2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon
   
3. In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.
   
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
   
5. Add vanilla extract.
   
6. Combine flour and bakng powder together in a bowl.
   
7. Stir into creamed butter mixture.
   
8. Add milk to batter until smooth.
   
9. Fill muffin cups with approximately one tablespoon of batter and distribute chopped apple evenly in all cups.
   
10. Top with additional batter, about another one tablespoon, covering the apple
    
11. Top each muffin with 1⁄2 teaspoon brown sugar mixture.
    
12. Using the back of a fork, gently swirl brown sugar and cinnamon mixture into muffin batter.
    
13. Bake in the preheated oven for about 22 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    
14. Remove from oven and allow to cool.