Well, the craziness has begun. Look around you at the people as they hurry by. Shopping and not seeing anyone or anything around them. Take a few minutes-won’t take long. Look around you, acknowledge the people you know or smile at the ones you don’t know. It will surprise you how much that alone will relax you. How about homemade for Christmas gifts for family and friends this year? Here are a couple of my favorites. I hope you will try one or share a favorite of yours.
1 1 /2 sleeves saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10×15 inch cookie sheet. Place crackers in a singe layer over prepared cookie sheet. Use more or fewer crackers as needed to cover the bottom of your pan. In a small saucepan over low heat combine butter and brown sugar; bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes; pour over crackers.
Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or until set. Break into pieces and store, sealed, in refrigerator.
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
You can wrap these up in colored plastic wrap, stick on a bow and you’re ready for anything! Have a great week and keep those letters and emails coming. I love hearing from you. We’ll talk more next week. Please contact me at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, P.O. Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.
