Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

I used to have really great time management. Apparently it has gone away, or my kids have taken it I'm not sure which one is to blame. Regardless of the cause I can't seem to get things done as quickly or in the same amount of time that I used to. I make lots of plans and 10,000 things seem to sprout up to waylay them. I never used to be late for weddings or funerals. The last wedding my family went to we missed everything except the reception and the last funeral we made it in time to drive to the graveside burial. Granted my youngest was car sick both times and there was road construction that we were stuck in for an hour (we were literally 20 feet from the exit, we could have walked quicker). Still I hate being late, or not getting things done early and the older I get the more things seem to be getting done last minute. However, I have also learned that sometimes last minute strokes of genius aren't so bad. I once made a dragon tail for my son's music performance out of an old towel and some newspaper after I found out all the other mommies had sewed costumes for weeks. My son's tail ended up being a hit and he felt like a superstar. So maybe not all things that happen last minute are so bad.

It's fall and that means one thing, pumpkin recipes. I love pumpkin, in drinks, breads, sweets, you name it. One of my favorite ways to incorporate pumpkin in is cookies. Pumpkin cookies are a great way to celebrate fall and the following recipe for pumpkin cookies has a beyond delicious recipe for a browned butter frosting. The frosting alone is worth making the recipe!

Adapted from Betty Crocker Website.

Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

Recipe by Foodie in WV

Yield: 30 Cookies

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose or bread flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter

Cooking Directions

1. With a mixer combine sugars, 3/4 cup unsalted butter, and vanilla.
2. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Add in pumpkin and eggs.
4. In another bowl combine flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add to ingredients in mixing bowl and beat on low speed for 1-2 minutes.
6. Roll into one tablespoon balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven.
8. In a saucepan melt 1/3 cup unsalted butter oven medium heat.
9. Stirring constantly cook butter until it turns light brown.
10. Take butter off stove and add to mixing bowl along with powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.
11. In mixer beat on low speed for 2 minutes until combined.
12. Add more milk if needed.
13. When cookies have cooled, frost with browned butter frosting.

Tips: 

• If you don't have ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, 1-1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice would also work well in this recipe. 
• Make sure to constantly stir the butter while waiting for it to brown in order that it doesn't burn. Browned butter can go quickly from browned to burnt, so make sure to not leave it unattended. 
• If you don't have parchment paper a greased or foil lined baking sheet would also do. I prefer parchment paper since it allows for even baking of cookies and other baked goods. It really does make a difference. 

Chicken Stew with Turnips and Mushrooms from Eating Well Magazine

Chicken Stew with Turnip and Mushrooms

I love fall. Hot weather isn't something I do well with and most of the summer I stay indoors. Growing up in Seattle it was never overly hot and the humidity was low. Then I moved to West Virginia. The humidity and heat almost did me in the first summer. It didn't help that we had a heat wave and the day my husband and I got married it was almost 100 (and yes my husband and I met and got married in only 11 months - sometimes things just fall into place). Fall is a total other story. I love fall in my state. The leaves are beautiful here and the weather is mild. Plus it means lots of soups, stews, and chili. It is by far my favorite time of the year. Tonight I tried a new recipe for Chicken Stew with Turnips and Mushrooms from the October 2013 issue of Eating Well magazine.

Sculpture Ritter Park Huntington, WV

This recipe has 14 ingredients. It takes 45 minutes of total time, all of which is active and makes 6 servings. I only made a few modifications to the original recipe. First, I used baby kale. I was so happy to have found  washed and ready to eat baby kale at the store this week. It's a new item and I scooped it up. So much easier than washing and cutting regular kale. In order to have the turnips fully cooked it took approximately 10 minutes more than the recipe suggested. I really don't like the texture of undercooked turnips. I served the stew with homemade Irish soda bread.

Bridge Ritter Park Huntington, WV

My whole family enjoyed this stew. The flavor was great and the fact that it had mushrooms was the selling point for my two boys. They are both obsessed with mushrooms. The stew was perfect for a cool evening and serving it with Irish soda bread was a nice combination since the bread could sop up the stew. This is definitely a recipe I would make again. If you aren't a fan of turnips this recipe would also work well with potatoes, sweet potatoes or parsnips.

For the recipe go to Chicken Stew with Turnip and Mushrooms.

Chicken Stew with Turnip and Mushrooms

Recipe Type: Main

Summary:

A filling chicken stew recipe with baby kale, turnips and mushrooms. Perfect for fall and winter!

Preparation Time: 0h, 15m

Cooking Time: 0h, 30m

Total Time: 0h, 45m

Yield: Serves 6