Happy Halloween

Happy Week of Halloween!  Time for my brother's annual Halloween party and batch #360 a Halloween themed cookie.  Skeletons!  For these cookies - make a chocolate cut out sugar cookie using a gingerbread man.  Then with powdered sugar frosting, draw in the skeleton.

I think my brother (pictured above) are of two different minds when it comes to Halloween.  We both like coming up with fun costumes, we'll both go all out, but he'll buy a costume and I do everything I can to go as cheap as possible.  You can't tell in this pic, but the outfit he is wearing looks like an Edward Scissorhands outfit.  Mine, I got the leotard as a gift and added pieces (that I pretty much had) to add to it.  The tutu did come from Goodwill (for $4).  The boot covers were my son's when he was 3, and I wore a track jacket I had underneath for the Supergirl sleeves - and also I was worried about being cold -  I made do.  The result - my brother's costume probably was better, more put together.  But everyone obviously knew who I was and what my costume was - so it worked.   

It's Fall!

Happy Fall!

What's the best thing about fall?  Well, MEA of course.  The 4 day weekend that MN teachers get every October to go to the educator's conference (except my district lets us have a flex day if we report to work a day early in August) - so 4 day weekend (really 5 because I don't work Wednesdays) for me!  Love it!  No holiday obligations - just a few free days off.

This year's MEA - my sisters arranged a trip for all of us to drive down to Chicago to see Hamilton!  I'm not a huge theatre goer, but I also have FOMO and won't pass up a kid free (at least free from my kids, 1 nephew and 1 niece - both teenagers) came along.

But this play, amazing.  Only 1 of 2 plays in my life where I didn't get bored (the other one being Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat).  I do recommend reading the synopsis of the play beforehand to help give yourself a clear picture of what's happening in the play.

I've been singing and humming the songs for the past 3 days.

#358 Favorite Molasses Cookie
I made this very fall like cookie for the road trip down.  Not my kind of cookie, but some of my travel companions enjoyed them.  Very much like a ginger snap.

#359 Spiced Pumpkin Bars
Also on my fall break, I get to go out with my friends.  Off to a haunted hayride tonight with an appetizer and byob party beforehand. So I made these cake like pumpkin bars for that gathering.
Quick and easy recipe.  Got to bring them to the party, but then the dog ate the rest of them (half of the pan) the next morning.  You'd think I'd learn by now to keep everything high up at all times.
These were very good and very popular.

Recipe:
2 cups flour
1 - 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbs baking powder
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
4 eggs
1 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Confectioners' sugar

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin and applesauce; mix well.  Stir into dry ingredients.

Spread into a greased 15 in. x 10 in. x 1 in. baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Do not overtake.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.  Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Treats at Work

Every time I decide to make a batch that I plan to just give away, because the batch doesn't look that appealing; it's always so good. Today's batch:

#357 Mom's Molasses Cookie
How do treats work out at your work?  Every school I've worked at does it a little differently. My current workplace assigns teams of people to bring in treats every Wednesday for a 1 month period. We're a school so it's assigned Sept-June. There was one extra team (my team) than months p, so we're also assigned surprise days. Just bring treats in randomly (on days other than Wednesday).

Now never mind the fact that I work half time and I don't work Wednesday's- so therefore never get any treats that are brought in - but am still assigned to a team to bring treats in. 🙄  I could choose to opt out - but doesn't really matter to me as I've always just brought in batches of cookies at random times. So it works out.

So this batch that I thought would be a good one just to get it done and gone - pretty darn good. Perfect for a cool, fall, rainy day.

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp nutmeg

In a large bowl cream shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, molasses, milk and vanilla. Combine the rest of the ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll into 1-1/4-in. Balls; roll in remaining sugar. Place 2 in. Apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until tops crack and edges are slightly firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.