Squash Cookies

I have oodles of squash to enjoy this harvest season and this is my favorite new way to use it.  Feel free to mix into the batter chopped nuts, raisins, craisins, dried blueberries, carob chips, there are lots of options really.  I just went straight for the chocolate chips J.  This has become my children’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and now my son openly claims squash as his favorite vegetable (that is quite an accomplishment – he’s three years old and he is going through a picky eating phase – at least I hope it’s just a phase).  At any rate, I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!

Squash Cookies

This cookie dough freezes very well for future occasions.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup pureed squash*

½ cup butter (at room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup cane sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups mix-ins (optional): chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins

Preheat oven to 375.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl stir together the first 4 ingredients.  Then add the remaining ingredients except for the optional mix-ins.  Stir together well until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated into the batter.  Lastly, stir in your desired mix-ins if you’re adding any.  Place about 2 tablespoons of batter per cookie in rows on the cookie sheet about

1 ½ inches apart.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the centers are set and golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.

*Cut the raw yellow squash into large chunks and grind it in a food processor or blender.  One regular yellow squash about 7 inches long will yield about 1 cup of puree. 

By Miriam Barton in promotion for The Pioneer Cookbook: Recipes For Today's Kitchen.

This recipe is being shared with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Take It From Me, Inspiring You To Save Wandering Wednesday, Mommy Only Has Two Hands Hump Day Hop, The King's Court IV What's Cooking Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday, Friday Pot Luck, Little Brick Ranch, My Adventure In Mommyhood, KB and Whitesnakes Home Simply Delish, My Meatless Mondays, Bake with Bizzy

Apricot Jam

Homemade Jam always tastes best, fantastic even!  When one of our kind neighbors gave us a large bowl of apricots from their tree I knew just what to do.  I reserved a pile for my children to eat, and with the rest I made jam.  Oh!  It is heaven in a jar. J

Apricot Jam

6 cups pureed apricots

1 peeled lemon

1 cup organic cane sugar

In a pot stir together the apricot puree and the sugar over medium heat.  Puree the peeled lemon and stir that in as well.  Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Pour into 7 or 8, 8 ounce jars that have been sanitized.  Screw on sanitized lids and process in a hot water bath for about 10 minutes.  Wait at least 24 hours before testing the seal.

By Miriam Barton in promotion for The Pioneer Cookbook: Recipes For Today's Kitchen.

This recipe is being shared with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Take It From Me, Inspiring You To Save Wandering Wednesday, Mommy Only Has Two Hands Hump Day Hop, The King's Court IV What's Cooking Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday, Friday Pot Luck, Little Brick Ranch, My Adventure In Mommyhood, KB and Whitesnakes Home Simply Delish, My Meatless Mondays, Bake with Bizzy

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

In a constant effort to have a yummy homemade treat available for my children (lest we cave in to card board flavored processed food), my husband and I came up with these addictively delicious cookies. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3 cups rolled oats

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup butter (at room temperature)

1 ¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl stir all if the dry ingredients together.  Then put the wet ingredients in and stir it all together (you may want to use an electric mixer).

On the prepared cookie sheet place about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, in rows about 1 ½ inches apart.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and the centers are just set.

By Miriam Barton in promotion for The Pioneer Cookbook: Recipes For Today's Kitchen.

This recipe is being shared with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Take It From Me, Inspiring You To Save Wandering Wednesday, Mommy Only Has Two Hands Hump Day Hop, The King's Court IV What's Cooking Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday, Friday Pot Luck, Little Brick Ranch, My Adventure In Mommyhood, KB and Whitesnakes Home Simply Delish, My Meatless Mondays, Bake with Bizzy

Dill Pickles

Ever wonder how to make homemade pickles?  Well, look no further!  It’s actually quite easy. 

You’ll need:

·         fresh pickling cucumbers (cut however you like or not cut at all)

·         sanitized jars and new lids

·         a large pot with a lid

·         solution of 3 parts water to 1 part apple cider vinegar, plus about 1 teaspoon of salt for every two cups of solution

·         fresh dill sprigs

Heat lots of water in the large pot (or hot water bath).  Put a dill sprig in every jar then fill the jars with the pickling cucumbers.  Heat the solution to about 180 degrees, then equally divide it among the jars, making sure to cover the pickles (and leaving about an inch of space at the top of the jar).  Screw the lids on finger tight then carefully lower then carefully into the large pot of hot water.  Make sure that the jars are covered in water by at least a couple of inches.  Put the lid on the pot then let it cook (“process”), for about 5-10 minutes.  Then take them out of the hot water.  Wait about a day to test the seal of one of the jars.

By Miriam Barton in promotion for The Pioneer Cookbook: Recipes For Today's Kitchen.

This recipe is being shared with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Take It From Me, Inspiring You To Save Wandering Wednesday, Mommy Only Has Two Hands Hump Day Hop, The King's Court IV What's Cooking Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday, Friday Pot Luck, Little Brick Ranch, My Adventure In Mommyhood, KB and Whitesnakes Home Simply Delish, My Meatless Mondays, Bake with Bizzy

Homemade Raspberry Ice Cream

There is nothing quite like homemade ice cream.  So creamy and fresh and healthier tasting than store bought brands.  I used a modern ice cream maker with an electric motor, but the hand cracks work beautifully as well.  If you don’t have an ice cream maker, the end of the summer season is when they usually go on sale.  Good luck and enjoy!

Raspberry Ice Cream

10 cups whole milk

1 cup pureed raspberries

1 cup organic cane sugar

¼ cup corn starch

2 teaspoons vanilla

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Whisk ingredients together in the center bucket of your ice cream maker.  Follow your ice cream maker’s instructions regarding ice, rock salt, and the operating of your appliance.

By Miriam Barton in promotion for The Pioneer Cookbook: Recipes For Today's Kitchen.

This recipe is being shared with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Take It From Me, Inspiring You To Save Wandering Wednesday, Mommy Only Has Two Hands Hump Day Hop, The King's Court IV What's Cooking Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday, Friday Pot Luck, Little Brick Ranch, My Adventure In Mommyhood, KB and Whitesnakes Home Simply Delish, My Meatless Mondays, Bake with Bizzy