Pecan Pie

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: I love this pie crust and filling recipe.  SO GOOD.  Simple (for pie, anyway) and tasty.  The family LOVES it.  WIN WIN WIN! :D

Sue's Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
4      Eggs
1 can Pumpkin
1c    Milk
1c    Oil
2/3c Water
4c    Sugar
3.5c Flour
2t     Baking Soda
1t     Salt
1T   Nutmeg
1T   Cinnamon
1t    Allspice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix all wet ingredients.  Combine all dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients.  Grease loaf pans (2 or 3 standard loaf pans, or many small/mini loaf pans).  Bake 45-50 minutes for a standard loaf pan, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean.  30 to 35 minutes for small loaf pans.

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: I make this with 3 cups sugar, and that is PLENTY.  This is our favorite pumpkin bread.  So moist.  The family *loves* it.  :)   With the recipe above, I fill 3 standard loaf pans, and it works quite well.  If you use the same amount of batter in two pans, they are overly full and may spill over.  And I hate oven messes! :P  I also like to use freshly grated whole nutmeg.  YUM.

Gingersnap Cookies

Original Recipe at: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/11/26/soft-gingersnap-molasses-cookies-4-ways/#ixzz2ambGpfhX

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup dark molasses
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
• 1 cup butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand or handheld mixer, cream the softened butter for about 1 minute on medium speed. Add the brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla. Beat well, scraping down the sides as needed again.
2. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet on low speed. Do not overmix. Cover mixed dough with foil and chill for 4 hours of overnight. I chilled mine overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart. Bake for precisely 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just turning brown – cookies will be puffy and still appear soft in the middle. Mine took 8:30 minutes. Remove from the oven and, if using any variety of flavor chip, immediately press 5-7 chips into the center of each cookie.
4. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for two minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

There are two very critical notes on these gingersnap recipes.  First, make sure you CHILL the dough.  Prepare ahead of time so that the dough can chill 4 hours or overnight.  Your cookies will NOT be as thick as mine unless the dough has been sufficiently chilled. 

Second, the amount of time you bake your gingersnaps is imperative- so so important to the texture of your finished cookie.  Be sure to bake for only 8-10 minutes.  Lean towards the 8 minute side.  The cookies will appear soft and may look undone.  Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and I assure you, they will be done.

Hot Mama Notes:  These cookies are SUPERB.  Some of the best cookies I have ever had.  So soft, fluffy and flavorful!  I would make them again in a second!!!  Grade: A+!

One note: I used fresh grated ginger root (1.5 teaspoons) in addition to the listed powdered ginger.  The reason I did this is because I wasn't sure just how old my ginger spice was, and I wasn't sure how quickly it lost it's potency and flavor (or if it did at all).  To be on the safe side, I threw in some fresh grated ginger, and I think it tasted fantastic.  I would do it again. :)