Pumpkin snickerdoodles

Oh how I love a soft and chewy cookie with an aroma SO WONDERFUL that I bet my neighbor sniffed the lingering smell and tried bottling it up in a jar to be whiffed for later. (Kinda wierd, I know. But you'd understand if you smelled it too!) This here, is one of my new favorite Fall cookies. (Or a cookie recipe for whenever the heck you want to bake a scrumptious cookie). 

Here we have a brilliant concoction: 

when pumpkin met (+) snickerdoodle, and reproduced 

(=) perfection.

Just FYI: These cookies make a big batch. JUST WARNING. That warning has yet to stop me though...

I found these cookies from one of my favorite blogs, Cooking Classy. Love em!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3 1/2 tsp cornstarch 
• 1 tsp cream of tartar 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 + 1/8 tsp salt 
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger 
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 large egg yolk 
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

For rolling

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice for 20 seconds, set aside. 
2. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar (not until pale and fluffy, just to combined. Occasionally scrape down sides and bottom of bowl throughout entire mixing process if not using a paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl while mixing). 
3. Mix in egg yolk, then mix in pumpkin and vanilla extract. 
4. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients then mix until combined. 
5. Divide dough in half and place each half in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill 45 minutes to 1 hour (dough should be slightly sticky so the cinnamon sugar will stick when rolling but they should be manageable to roll in the palms of your hands). 
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees during last 10 minutes of refrigeration. 
7. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon. 
8. Scoop dough out 2 even tablespoons at a time (run the measuring spoon against side and edge of bowl so it will slightly deflate the dough while also giving an equal tbsp, twice per ball) and shape into a ball, roll dough ball in cinnamon sugar mixture to evenly coat then transfer to Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets spacing cookies 2-inches apart. 
9. Bake in preheated oven 12 - 14 minutes (they should look just slightly under-baked as they'll cook slightly once removed from oven). 
10. Cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Recipe source: Cooking Classy

mexican lasagna

Ben and I love our Mexican food. I can pretty much throw anything together with some tortilla, meat, cheese, onion and cilantro and we'll be licking our fingers. 

We have been saving our pennies lately because we are both on the job hunt with lots of money going out for school and our various bills, so I made this delicious dinner with whatever I could find in our pantry/refrigerator. It was a winner. I call it: Mexican lasagna.

I started off by browning some turkey with onion (I prefer turkey over beef but feel free to use beef if you like). After it was cooked, I added one taco seasoning packet (low sodium). I had about half a bag of frozen corn, so I added that to the bunch as well!

Next I went to work on the tortillas. We have the tortillas that come raw, so I had to fry them up (personally, I think they taste so much better, but normal tortillas work fine!). I cut them into strips so it would be easier to layer.

After my rice was done cooking in the rice cooker, I started to layer. I mixed a 16 oz jar of salsa with 1/4 cup of cream cheese (sour cream would taste wonderful as well, but I didn't have any on hand!). To start, I sprayed the pan with pam (or any non-stick cooking spray), and put a small amount of my salsa mixture on the bottom of the pan. I then layered some tortillas. Afterwards, I added more of my salsa mixture, rice, and then my meat/onion/corn mixture. Finally I add some cheese, I used cheddar because it was all I had, but I would prefer a Mexican blend for next time. I repeated these steps once more (creating two full layers), and to finish off, I topped it off with one more layer of tortillas, sauce and cheese. 

And there you have it! A delicious meal and I didn't even have to go to the grocery store! 

Mexican Lasagna
Printable version
Recipe by Nicia Johnson - Just a Nibble

Prep time: 20
Cook time: 30
Total time: 50
Ingredients

• 6 Raw, taco-sized flour tortillas
• 16 oz Jar salsa
• 1/4 C Cream cheese (or sour cream)
• 1 C White or brown rice
• 1 lb Ground turkey (or beef)
• 2 C Mexican cheese blend
• 1/2 Onion
• 8 oz Frozen corn
• 1 can Black beans
• 1 package Taco seasoning mix, low sodium (I use McCormick's)

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add 1 cup of rice and 1 1/2 cups water to rice cooker and cook.
3. Spray large pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat to medium-heat.
4. Fry tortillas until they are cooked on both sides, cut into strips and set aside.
5. Mix jar of salsa with 1/4 cup of cream cheese (or sour cream), set aside.
6. Open can of black beans, set aside.
7. Dice onions, and add onions and turkey to your existing pan.
8. Once meat is cooked thoroughly, drain fat and add taco seasoning (use the package's instructions).
9. Add frozen corn to meat mixture and stir to de-thaw.
10. Spray medium sized baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
11. Spread 2 Tbsp salsa mixture over the bottom of your pan (add more if necessary).
12. Add the first layer of tortillas, followed by the salsa mixture, rice, beans, meat mixture, and cheese.
13. And the second layer of tortillas, followed by the salsa mixture, rice, beans, meat mixture, and cheese.
14. Add one last tortilla layer, finish with the rest of your salsa mixture on top and a layer of cheese.
15. Cook covered in the oven for 25 minutes, remove cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Enjoy!

north logan pumpkin walk

For the past 32 years, North Logan, Utah, has put on their annual "Pumpkin Walk" at the end of October. What is a pumpkin walk, you ask? They are displays with different themes, made of pumpkins. Some of them use several other props, but there are others, like this Dumbo below, that are made entirely of pumpkins and gourds! I was in awe at the detail and artwork that went into these displays. What a fun way to kick off Fall!

"The Great Pumpkin Adventure"

All the kids were loving this Lego Movie display! They did an amazing job.

Most people know how much I love Disney, so you can imagine how stoked I was when I found the 'Snow White' display. Amazing.

Mary is always the cutest! So fitting to have her in front of this darling Snoopy display!

Okay, I had to. Duck Dynasty display!! So funny. I was dying. I never knew what Duck Dynasty was until I married into the Johnson family, it is pretty great.

THE LITTLE RASCALS! What a throwback to my childhood! The cutest.

Here is a broad view of the trail from one side. Logan is actually pretty beautiful. Especially before the snow (or 'white stuff' as my Mother-in-law calls it) comes. The snow is pretty, but the cold is not.

The very hungry caterpillar after he turns into a butterfly! I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have read this book, both in my childhood and throughout my many years of being a nanny. Loved seeing this display!

The original Mickey Mouse! Made entirely of pumpkins. Two of my favorite things, Mickey and pumpkins.

The whole gang is here! Not going to lie, this one just really made me miss Disneyland. Like, really, really bad. Did I mention I was there only 3 months ago? I have issues.

Superman! The people who do these things are pretty talented. I was seriously impressed.

Because I cannot take serious photos. 

Mary in front of Mary Poppins! Hahah! This was one of their greatest displays.

Mary and I in front of the Disney gang. (:

Mary and her cute niece and nephew in front of the 'Arthur' display! Who knew that this show was still around? 

Jeff and Mary with their niece and nephew in front of The Muppets display. Precious!

Jeff and Mary! Enjoying our beautiful Fall weather! 

Okay, so now that you have seen all of these photos. You now know that this is definitely something you should experience at least once! 

Best time in Logan? Most definitely the Fall. 

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thai peanut coconut and pumpkin curry with the world's best rice

I have used real pumpkin countless times for homemade pumpkin soups and purees. I am a huge squash fan. I love butternut squash, spaghetti squash, zucchini-- practically any squash you can think of. But, for some odd reason I have never eaten pumpkin when it wasn't pureed! I just hadn't linked the fact that pumpkins used for Halloween could actually be diced, cooked, and eaten like any of the other squashes. Well, here I present to you a perfect Fall pumpkin curry that will leave your husband sending you text messages (I quote), "That meal you made last night could be one of my most favorite meals ever". Now that's a keeper recipe in my book :).

 I used a small pumpkin pie pumpkin that I got for 25 cents at a cute pumpkin patch on the side of the road. Can't beat that! Local and cheap is the best. The pumpkin can be kind of tricky to cut. Be careful and give yourself plenty of time. It can be a rather tedious task. If this is too difficult, feel free to open a can of pumpkin and use 1 cup. I like LOVE LOVE LOVE squash, so if squash just isn't your thing, feel free to use less in the recipe or just omit it completely! (I won't be offended).

 This is the finished product. Oh how I was in food heaven! I could personally eat curry all day...but curry with naan I could eat it all day AND all night. 

I had so much fun making this rice. It is full of flavor. Made with coconut milk and topped with pomegranate arils and a drizzle of molasses, this rice is so unique. The combination may not sound like your great-grandmas passed down from ten centuries ago coveted recipe, but if you go out of your comfort zone you will love the flavor combination. The rice pairs so well with the peanut and coconut flavors in the curry. This recipe was a hit at my house, and I'm sure it will be at yours. Plus, this recipe is so simple and easy. It's the best!

Pomegranate Coconut Rice
Printable version
Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
• 1 cup coconut milk (I used lite)
• 2-3 T molasses (for drizzling)
• 1 cup pomegranate arils

Cooking Directions

1. Add water and coconut milk to a saucepan. Let it come to a low boil and then add the rice. Stir. Cover with a lid and turn stove to low. Let rise cook for ten minutes and then turn off the heat completely. Let sit for 20 minutes. Don't lift the lid at all during that time period. When ready to serve with the curry, mix in the pomegranate arils and drizzle on molasses.

Thai peanut coconut curry with the world's best rice
Printable version
Recipe by Mary Watts

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 1/2 pound boneless chicken breast
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 cups cubed pumpkin
• 1 can coconut milk (I used lite)
• 1/3 cup sweet thai chili sauce
• 2 T red curry paste
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 t ginger
• 2 t curry powder
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup- 1 cup milk

Cooking Directions

1. While the rice is cooking, make the curry. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and cook until slightly browned. Add the diced pumpkin, saute for 2 minutes.
2.  Add the coconut milk, chili sauce, curry paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, and curry powder. Let boil for 10-12 minutes. It will thicken. I ended up adding about 3/4 of a cup of milk at the end because it was a little too thick for my liking. Add as much milk as you prefer. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime juice.
3.  Serve curry over the pomegranate rice. I added some roasted peanuts on top.

birthday adventures

This last weekend I, Nicia, celebrated my 26th birthday, which was so surreal. When did time start going by so fast? I'm not ready for this!

Besides the fact that it has been freaking me out, I had a very lovely day. (:

It started with some yummy crepes.
Growing up, crepes were always a treat (a treat that we got rather frequently). My mom would always make them for my birthday and they are definitely one of my favorites.

We found these little beauties at The Crêpery. The minute we walked in, I fell in love. I felt like I had left Utah and was back in Seattle! It totally has a indie/hippy feel to it. I could have stayed there for hours. 

I tried to capture the feel of it without snapping pictures of people and freaking them out. I will have to post about this place again later on. 

The best part about it? Ben loved it too! I bought a sweet crepe (I haven't gotten used to savory yet) with butter, strawberries & sugar. Ben went with a savory (though it was sweet as well) with eggs, bacon and maple syrup. Both were divine. We will definitely be going back.

Once we wrapped up at the crepery, we made a stop at North Logan's Pumpkin Walk, which was SO darling, and I will post lots more pictures of it later on, but here are a few from our time there. If you are wondering what a 'Pumpkin Walk' is, it is a display of pumpkins that have been decorated in different scenes! I realize that sounds very confusing but it will make much more sense once I post the photos!

And this is one of the many reasons I love my husband. He can be silly with me in any situation. (:

After our pumpkin adventures, we did a bit of shopping. I had an awesome find at Old Navy that I will post about later! Super excited about it. May have already worn it twice (it has been three days). 

In the evening, we had reservations with Ben's parents to go to Le Nonne, a local Italian restaurant that I have been dying to try. I had looked up their menu months ago and was so excited to try their gnocchi. Let me tell you, they did NOT disappoint. IT WAS SO GOOD. I haven't had good gnocchi from a restaurant, ever. And I haven't had fresh gnocchi in over a year so I was long overdue. 

To top it off,  they brought me a free birthday dessert. And no, I do not mean a scoop of ice cream with a candle. I mean my FAVORITE dessert, creme brûlée. I think I found my favorite restaurant in Logan. Delightful.

I should have left the candle in when I took this shot, but I was just so excited to start eating.

After this day, and this dinner, I was stuffed. SUPER stuffed. We had intended to have my extremely tasty Cold Stone ice cream cake (devil's food cake, cake batter ice cream with cookie dough & heath bar, YUM) when we got home, but I couldn't do it. I was too full. 

I did manage popcorn and a chocolate bar a couple hours later though, haha. We ended the evening with X-Men, which was fantastic. I loved it. 

Overall, such a perfect birthday. Ben knows I have a bad history of birthdays but both of my birthdays with him have been spectacular. 

The next day, we enjoyed this lovely: 

Yumm. I love good food.
xx

the perfect pumpkin chocolate chip cookie

I know everyone has their favorite pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe, but there is no way any of them are as good as these bad boys. These seriously are the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies around. Don't believe me? I dare you to try them and only eat one...there will be your answer! Better yet, dare you to make a batch and bring a plate full to your neighbors without them banging on your door a few minutes later begging for more. Have I convinced you yet? 

 These cookies are so soft and moist. Each bite is oozing with chocolate chips and bursting with pumpkin flavor. Don't even get me started about the brown sugar icing. This icing goes on so smoothly and dries to a perform firm shell. I seriously bet I ate 7 cookies last Sunday when I baked them. I'm telling you, they are hard to stay away from.

 Trust me, it's not just me who thinks these cookies are out-of-this-world yummy. Last year I brought them to a few different cousins on a cold Fall night. Lets just say, I was back a few days later with more. And I'm pretty sure every family reunion from here on out there will be one night designated just for these cookies.

 So if you are in the mood to try a new Fall recipe, I'd highly suggest these cookies. Not only are they lip-smacking delicious, they are super easy. Which is a great combination for those who have busy lives, or just like to stick to foods with common ingredients. So if you are as addicted to pumpkin treats as I am, this post is dedicated to you.

 And may I add in one more thing: if you have a holiday party coming up, I highly suggest bringing these cookies. You may turn out to be the biggest hit at the party :)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Printable Version
Recipe by Mary Watts - Just a Nibble

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10-12 min
Yield: 3-4 dozen
Ingredients

• 1 C butter
• 1 C sugar
• 1 C pumpkin (canned)
• 1 egg
• 2 C flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 C chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the pumpkin.
3. Add egg and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Use a spoon or spatula to stir in the chocolate chips.*
7. Drop the dough by large tablespoon on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on how cooked you like them.
8. For the frosting, in a medium saucepan, combine the 2 T butter, 3 T milk, and 1/4 C brown sugar over medium heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and add 2 C powdered sugar and 1 t. vanilla. Spread the warm frosting over the cooled cookies. If the frosting seems too thick to spread, just add more milk (a little at a time). The frosting will thicken as it cools.
9. *I used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. Feel free to use any kind of chocolate chips you prefer.

italian stuffed zucchini

We had quite the day yesterday. Our car has been having some trouble and it turns out that it needs a lot more work done than we originally thought. Which is always the case, am I right? Well, Ben and I both needed a way to de-stress. 

Unfortunately, Ben has a few tests coming up, so his de-stress time was really study time. As for me, I took a bubble bath and tried not to think about anything, which is really lovely.

For dinner, I wanted to try something new and different from our usual pasta variations (though we do love those). I had been wanting to try stuffed zucchini for such a long time, especially when I had heard about a recipe found here at An Oregon Cottage. 

I decided to do my own thing, using the original recipe as a base. (If you haven't looked at her blog you should! She is a genius.)

Here is my rendition of stuffed zucchini, Italian style. I really liked the way it turned out, it wasn't Ben's favorite-he said it was too 'zucchini-y', so if that isn't your thing-this may not be for you!

Enjoy!!

Italian Stuffed Zucchini
Printable version
Recipe by Nicia Johnson - Just a Nibble

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 4 Small-medium sized zucchini
• 1/2 Yellow onion
• 1 Tomato
• 1 can Sweet corn
• 1 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lb Ground turkey
• 1 tbsp Dried basil
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp Parsley
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 Egg

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash and cut zucchini lengthwise, also cutting off both ends.
3. Steam zucchini faced down in pan filled 1/4 full of water for about 2-3 minutes (not too long because you do not want them to be too soft).
4. Prepare your pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Scoop out the insides of zucchini, making a boat shape, set aside the leftovers in a mixing bowl and lay zucchini in pan.
6. Brown turkey with Italian seasoning.
7. Add onions, cook until they are transparent, remove from heat.
8. Add can of corn to onions & turkey.
9. Chop zucchini leftovers and tomato (can be done by hand or in a food processor).
10. In a mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese, oregano, basil, parsley, egg, and 1/2 cup of parmesan.
11. Combine turkey mixture and tomato and zucchini to the ricotta bowl and mix well.
12. Place filling inside zucchini bowls.
13. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of zucchini.
14. Sprinkle the second 1/2 cup of parmesan over zucchini.
15. Place in oven and cook for 35 minutes.
16. Let cool and serve.