Lion House Pumpkin Bread from Stefanie

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
5 eggs
1 16 ounce can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar Lion House
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 3-ounce packages vanilla
pudding mix (instant)
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well 2 large 9x5 inch loaf pans. Set aside. Mix oil, eggs, and pumpkin in mixing bowl and beat well. In another bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to the pumpkin mixture and mix till blended. Stir in pudding mix and nuts. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting by Esther

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg.

2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

3. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.

4. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 365 degrees for approximately 12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Tip: Flavor is stronger when cookies are served cold from the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting (standard recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Strawberry Ghosts from Hope

A bunch of strawberries

2 bags of white chocolate chips

1 bag of dark chocolate chips

a tooth pick

Melt white chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave ( about 30 seconds ..just stir and they melt DON'T OVER COOK THEM) I do just a small amount at a time since they don't taste as good if you try to remelt them) .

Dip the strawberries and sit aside till all are done .

Melt dark chocolate chips ( it doesn't take too much) Dip your tooth pick in the dark chocolate and draw on eyes and on "O" shaped mouth .

Pumpkin Soup with Basil from Tonya

1 large yellow onion, peeled and minced

¼ cup butter

1 cup of canned diced tomatoes

1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

3 ¾ cups chicken broth

1 16 oz. solid pack pumpkin (I believe this is equivalent to 2 cups fresh pumpkin)

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of granulated sugar

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried)

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Grated Swiss cheese, for garnish

Toasted curried pumpkin seeds (see note) for garnish

In a large soup pot, sauté onion in butter for 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes; simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes.

In another saucepan, simmer carrots in 2 ½ cups chicken broth, until soft. Combine cooked carrots, hot broth and pumpkin in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth, adding the remaining 1 ¼ cups chicken stock as necessary to achieve a thin, creamy consistency.

Add pumpkin mixture to onions and tomatoes in soup pot. Season with salt and pepper, sugar and basil. Fold in heavy cream. Heat to serving temperature, but do not boil.

Pour soup into tureen. Top with grated Swiss cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds if desired.

Note: To toast pumpkin seeds, rub a little vegetable oil on your hands, then rub 1 cup of hulled pumpkin seeds in hands to coat seeds lightly with oil. Place seeds on a cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven 15 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Season seeds with salt and curry powder to taste; toss to mix well. Bake another 5 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

"Battier" (Better) Than Reeses Peanut Butter Cups from Emily S

1 package graham crackers, crushed

1 c peanut butter

1/2 c butter, softened or melted

1 lb/3 c powdered sugar

up to 1/3 c milk - OPTIONAL

8 oz. chocolate chips

Mix everything except the chocolate chips and press down into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. (I have been adding a little milk lately to make the mix a bit less crumbly.) Melt chocolate chips and pour over top. Put in fridge or freezer to firm up a little. Then cut into squares before totally firm so the chocolate won't crack. Return to fridge or freezer until firm.