Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I really enjoy baking, but I feel like I need a reason to do it. If I were to bake something for D and me we would eat just a little and the rest would go to waste. This week I went to a friend’s roller skating 30^th birthday party. She decided to have a dessert bar, the perfect opportunity to hone my baking skills!! I decided to try not one but 2 different desserts. The first recipe came from Martha Stewart. You can always count on Martha for an adorable seasonal treat! 
 

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

·       For the Cookies

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·       For the Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

1. Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture. 
3. Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
4. Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

I was so pleased with the way these turned out. They were delicious and super easy to make! Enjoy!

The most wonderful time of the year

I decided the perfect way to ring in Rocktober would be Pumpkin Pancakes!! I have been waiting a long time to make these little bits of heaven!! It was pretty chilly, fall day around here on Saturday, but nothing some spiced pancakes and a warm cup of coffee couldn't fix.

This recipe was given to me from a patient and recommended as the BEST pumpkin pancakes ever…

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 ½ c all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger pumpkin pie spice

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 ½ c milk

1 c canned pumpkin

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 eggs separated

Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Measure liquid ingredients, including egg yolk, into a quart measuring cup; in a separate small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Use the same beater to combine liquid ingredients- milk, pumpkin, oil and egg yolks. Stir into dry ingredients with wire whip only until combined, and then gently fold in egg whites. Use ¼ cup measure to dip and pour batter onto hot greased griddle.

 

These pancakes were pretty simple to make and I already had all the ingredients at home. I thought they were really delicious, not too spicy but just enough to get that warm pumpkin pie taste. I had a little trouble with under cooking some of them for fear of burning them (my Achilles heel of cooking). I’m not sure if they were the best pumpkin pie pancakes ever since I was a pumpkin pancake virgin, but they were really good. I guess I’ll just have to make more pumpkin pancakes to see if they really were the best! Enjoy! 

Winton Woods Fall Beer Tasting

Last Friday D and I went with a group of friends to a Beer Tasting at a local park. I love trying new beers without having to buy a whole six pack only to find it tastes awful and then of course we have to drink it all any way. I was very excited to find a new fall beer of choice. The event offered some pretty strong contenders. My favorites were: 

River Town Pumpkin Ale 

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The Pumpkin Ale was like drinking a cold glass of pumpkin pie! Plus it's brewed right here in Cincinnati, so you just can't beat it! 

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

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A close second! Very good will definitely be drinking more of this throughout the fall!

I also have an uncontrollable obsession with hard ciders! I love to try each seasonal flavor of Woodchuck cider as it is released, but my favorite cider is:

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JK Scrumpy's Hard Cider!! I could drink bottle after bottle, so goood!!

The tasting offered a cider called Crispin. There were 2 types original and honey crisp. I really loved the Honey Crisp. So I ran out to my local Kroger and bought this...

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Sadly I didn't enjoy it as much as the Honey Crisp... which completely defeated the whole purpose of this blog post!

Finally Fall!

… Well not quite, but it's September so it must be close right???? I LOVE fall!! It’s my favorite season, here's why:

• PUMPKIN EVERYTHING. I am anxiously awaiting pumpkin recipes!! I have been threatening to make pumpkin pancakes. I can’t wait to make pumpkin everything
• Scarves, Sweaters, Boots and Jeans! I always find myself getting super excited about the change of wardrobe by the time the end of season comes a long and this year is no exception. I can’t wait to wear my jeans again. 
• Chili!! My mom gave me a chili recipe that I made last year and it was DELICIOUS. D loved it so much that I was afraid to make it a second time for fear that it wouldn’t taste a good (it’s probably safe a year later right?)
• HALLOWEEN! Not only because it’s my birthday but who doesn’t want to go out for one (or a few) nights a year as something different without shame!!
• PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES! I know that technically this could have been posted with pumpkin everything but I look forward to them so much that this little latte needed its own line.
  Football! I love a lazy Sunday at home with D!
• I love when the leaves change and fall off of the trees. It makes for pretty running! I am also looking forward to my second half marathon in Indy in October.

The cooler weather last week got me really excited for fall weather. My grandma even jumped the gun and served us pumpkin pie for dessert last night. It’s 96 degrees here today and I hope to go boating this weekend, but after that, it’s game on!!

On Wednesday I had a really great tempo run at the park. One old man told me to slow down but I couldn't be stopped!! Today I ran 4 miles and did my regular strengthening program. Tonight's dinner turned out delicious! I'm looking forward to a rest day tomorrow and then a long weekend!!

Run Like Hell '10