Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

My absolute favorite type of cookie is pumpkin chocolate chip. Last summer when I was pregnant with Paxton I constantly had cravings for these so I went on a search for the best recipe. I started with two different recipes making them from scratch but then I decided I liked the following recipe just as much. I got this recipe from Sheri at my old job. This is the easiest recipe you will ever make. There are only 3 ingredients and they are mmm mmm good!

Easy as 1-2-3 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 (18.25 oz) box spice cake mix

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin- not pumpkin pie filling

1 bag chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet)

Mix and used a cookie scoop or spoon to drop onto a greased cookie sheet. They don't flatten out much so you may want to wet the back of your spoon and press them down a little. Bake at 350 for 15 mins.

I'm not claiming these cookies are extremely healthy but they definitely give you the illusion of being healthy because you don't have to add any sugar or oil. And yes, I can justify just about anything as "healthy" in one way or another (if you don't believe me just ask). :)

Swedish Pancakes

AKA Crepes AKA Grandma Pancakes

I'm really liking this recipe blog. I made Philly chicken the other night with spiral noodles and the little ladies devoured it. The next time I go to the store I'm going to pick up some corn tortillas and Italian dressing to try the other two.

I got this off Google. It's supposed to make you hungry enough that you make this recipe

In the Abrams family they have a recipe called "Swedish Pancakes". Dallas' great-grandparents joined the church in Sweden, and this is his great-grandma's recipe.  We had these at Grandma Baxter's house when Dallas was home on leave and she taught me how to make them. They're basically a breakfast crepe.  A couple of days later I made these for breakfast and Amaya said, "Oh! Gamma pancakes!" She corrects me if I call the Swedish pancakes.  "No, Ma. Gamma pancakes."

Swedish Pancakes

4 eggs, beaten (Grandma Baxter adds a litte bit of water to "settle the eggs")

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

A splash of vegetable oil to keep the pancakes from sticking (about two tablespoons)

Mix together with a wire whisk until smooth. It's okay if the batter is a little lumpy. Put a large frying pan on the stove at medium heat until it's nice and hot, spray with Pam, then pour a small amount of batter in the pan.

Sorry about the poor quality pictures, I took these on my phone.

Swirl it around until it covers the bottom of the pan in a very thin layer.

Cook about 30 seconds or until lightly brown, then run a spatula around the outside of the pancake and flip. I have a thin spatula I use for this. 

Cook on the other side then remove from the heat.  There's a bit of a knack to making these, so don't feel bad if the first few look terrible, they still taste good.

"Traditional" Swedish pancakes are eaten with jam and cream.  Our favorite toppings are strawberry jam and cream or peaches and whipped cream.  The pancakes themselves are super healthy, so if you are on a diet, you could put sugar free syrup, applesauce, fat free cool whip, fruit, etc. on them. Unless you are on a lemon juice and cayenne pepper diet. Then you can't eat these at all.

If you want to make these as dessert crepes, add a little sugar to the batter and serve with pudding and whipped cream.  Dessert crepes are traditionally a little thicker, so be a little more generous with the batter.

Another salivating Google photo

One thing I love about this recipe is that it heats up great in the microwave so we can have them for breakfast two days in a row.

As you can see, they are a big hit at our house. Amaya cried the other day when I told her we were having regular pancakes.

Modeled by two little orphans I found on the street.

Authentic Mexican Tacos

My Grandma got this recipe from her friend who is from Mexico. They are sooooooo yummy! If you are feeding someone like John however, you need to make a lot :)

1 pound hamburger

1 onion diced

salt & pepper

1 package corn tortillas and oil

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup grated cheese
1 cup diced tomatoes

Sour Cream

In skillet on medium heat cook hamburger, diced onion, and salt and pepper to taste until browned. In seperate skillet heat oil. Place one tortilla in oil and then flip to other side. Using spatula make small puncture for air. Place 1 large rounded spoon of beef mizture on half of tortilla then fold over. Cook on one side until crisp. Turn over and cook till crisp. Place on end in a paper towel lined bowl until oil drains off. You can usually cook 4 tacos at a time. Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream.

Grilled Zucchini

1 Lg. zucchini sliced
1 bottle italian dressing

Marinate and grill until soft.

Philly Chicken

I'm so excited for this new recipe blog! For my first post I would like to share my mother-in-law Bonnie's Philly Chicken recipe. It's super easy and super yummy! It's also a crock pot meal which makes it perfect to fix before church and have it hot and ready when you get home. It's also just perfect to fix while the kids are down for their afternoon nap and then viola! It's ready just in time for dinner!

1- 16 oz. container sour cream
1-8 oz. container Philly cream cheese
1 dry packet of Italian dressing (I like "zesty Italian" because it gives it a bit of a tangy taste)
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 medium chicken breasts (frozen is fine)
Spaghetti or fettuccine noodle

Add all of the ingredients in a large crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Use fork to cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Serve over prepared noodles. Top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yay! First post! I got the recipe here for the muffins we brought to Mom and Dad's last night.  It was super easy and had no butter and no oil! Pretty awesome!

1 egg

1 1/3 cups mashed banana (about two bananas)

3/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/3 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I like semisweet)

Mix the egg, banana, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla together. In a seperate bowl, combine the flour, soda, powder, salt and cinnamon.  Slowly add the flour mixture into the fruit mixture, the stir in the oatmeal. Fold in the chocolate chips.  You can add walnuts at this point if you want.  Spoon into 12 muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Don't worry about overfilling the muffin cups, they don't raise much.

I did a couple variations.  I didn't have enough bananas so I used 1/2 cup bananas and about 1 1/2 cups applesauce and it turned out great. I think it kept the banana taste from overpowering the muffin. I also accidentally used dark brown sugar, but it wasn't a big deal.  The chocolate chips are yummy, but if you want to keep it super healthy you could skip them and it would still be plenty sweet.