Mint Candy-Filled Cookies

** Recipe from Pillsbury **

Cookies:
* 1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
* 3/4 c. unwrapped & chopped creme de menthe candies (ie. Andes mints)

Frosting:
* 2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
* 1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
* 1-2 drops green food coloring, if desired
* 2-3 Tbl. milk

Garnish:
* 24 creme de menthe candies, unwrapped

Heat oven to 350. In medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in 3/4 c. chopped candies. Shape teaspoons of dough into balls; place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set & edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. In small bowl, mix frosting ingredients until smooth, adding enough milk, 1 tsp. at a time until desired spreading consistency. Spread 1 tsp. frosting on each cooled cookie. Cut each créme de menthe candy in half crosswise; cut each half diagonally into 2 triangles. Garnish each cookie with 2 candy triangles to form a tree.

Praline Pumpkin Dessert

** Recipe from Betty Crocker **

* 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

* 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

* 3 eggs

* 1 c. sugar
* 4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (plus extra, if desired, for topping)

* 1 box yellow or spice cake mix

* 1 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

* 3/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

* optional - whipped cream for topping

Heat oven to 350 (325 for dark or non-stick pans). Grease or spray bottom of 13x9" baking pan. In medium bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar & pumpkin pie spice with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Pour melted butter evenly over top. Bake 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. To serve dessert, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows. Serve warm or chilled, with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. Store covered in refrigerator.

Harvest Pumpkin Bars

** Recipe from Sisters Stuff **

* 2 c. flour
* 2 c. sugar
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
* 2 c. pumpkin (16 oz)
* 3/4 c. oil
* 4 eggs

Mix dry ingredients together; add pumpkin, oil and eggs. Mix until smooth. Pour into greased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Frosting:
* 6 oz. cream cheese
* 12 Tbl. butter (melted)
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 4 c. powdered sugar

Spread frosting on cool bars.
Optional-top with walnuts.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

** Recipe from Paula Deen **

Cake:
* 1 (18 1/4 oz.) package yellow cake mix
* 1 egg
* 8 Tbl. butter, melted
Filling:
* 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin
* 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
* 3 eggs
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 8 Tbl. butter, melted
* 1 lb. powdered sugar
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 tsp. nutmeg

Heat oven to 350. For the cake: combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Pat the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9" baking pan.
For the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey."

Whipped Sweet Potato Bake

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 3 cans (15 oz. ea.) sweet potatoes, drained

* 1/2 stick butter/margarine, melted

* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

* 1 tsp. ground ginger

* 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

* 3 c. mini marshmallows

Heat oven to 350. With mixer, beat all ingredients together, except for marshmallows. Spoon into lightly greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish; top with marshmallows. Bake 15-20 min. or until mixture is heated through & marshmallows are lightly browned.

Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Breakfast Rolls

**Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
* 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 c. brown sugar
* 1 /4 c. canned pumpkin
* 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll crescent rolls to form 4 rectangles placed side by side. Pinch seams together to form one long rectangle. Place cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon & nutmeg into a bowl & combine with mixer; beat well. Spread mixture over dough, leaving 1/2" border around edges. Starting at long end, roll up & cut into 1" pieces. Place around 2 - 9" cake pans that have been sprayed with non-stick spray. (Leaving centers open will form a circle/ring.) Bake 28-30 min, or until rolls are golden brown. Remove from oven & let cool 10 min. Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting.


Frosting:
* 4 oz. softened cream cheese
* 1/2 c. powdered sugar
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 Tbl. canned pumpkin

Mix all ingredients & spread over warm rolls.

Quick Italian Soup

**Recipe from Betty Crocker**

* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 med. onion, chopped (1/2 c.)

* 1 box Hamburger Helper lasagna

* 5 c. hot water

* 1 can (14.5 oz.) whole tomatoes, undrained

* 1 c. frozen corn

* 2 Tbl. grated Parmesan cheese + additional for topping, if desired

* 1 sm. zucchini, chopped (1 c.)

In 4 qt. dutch oven, cook beef & onions over med-high, 5-7 min., stirring occasionally until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in water, Hamburger Helper sauce mix pouch, tomatoes, corn & cheese; break up tomatoes. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, cover & simmer 10 min, stirring occasionally. Stir in Hamburger Helper pasta pouch & zucchini. Cover & cook 10 min. longer. Sprinkle each serving with additional grated cheese.

Baked Potato Soup

** Recipe from Sisters Stuff **

* ¼ c. butter

* ¼ c. chopped onion

* ¼ c. flour

* 14 oz. can chicken broth

* 1 can evaporated milk

* 2 lg. or 3 med. baked potatoes

* salt & pepper to taste

* optional: bacon, grated cheese, green onion

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and sauté until tender. Stir in flour, and then add broth and milk. Scoop pulp from one potato and mash; add to soup. Bring to boil and then add the rest of the potatoes (scoop the pulp and cut into cubes). Top with crumbled bacon, cheese, and green onion.

Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder

** Recipe from crazycraftycousins.blogspot.com **

* 1/4 c. butter
* 6 Tbl. chopped onion
* 3/4 c. diced celery
* 2 1/2 c. hot water
* 2 c. cubed potatoes (1/2" thick)
* 3 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
* 2 Tbl. sugar
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 dash white (or black) pepper
* 3 Tbl. flour
* 1 quart half & half cream

Melt butter in large saucepan. Once melted add celery & onion and saute for 5 min. (not til brown, just til soft). Add water, potatoes, corn, sugar, salt & pepper, making sure water covers everything, adding more if not covered completely. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, usually about 30 min. Whisk flour into 1 c. of the half & half and then stir into soup. Add remaining half & half and simmer until soup is thickened to a creamy consistency (usually about 15 min). Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired. If the chowder is too thick, add some milk, if it is too thin, simmer for 5-10 min. more.

Better-Than-Almost-Anything Cake

**Recipe from Betty Crocker**

* 1 box German chocolate cake mix
* water, oil & eggs called for on cake mix box
* 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
* 1 jar (16-17 oz.) caramel, butterscotch or fudge topping
* 1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 bag (8 oz.) toffee chips or bits

Preheat oven to 350. (325 for dark or nonstick pan). Bake cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2" with handle of wooden spoon. Drizzle milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Drizzle with caramel topping. (Works best if topping is room temp, or slightly heated in microwave.) Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover & refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee chips. Store covered in refrigerator.