A Couple Fave Fall Recipes

Easy Corn Chowder

Ingredients: 

2 medium unpeeled red potatoes

1 cup cubed cooked ham

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth

1 can (12 oz.) fat-free evaporated milk

1 can (15 oz.) creamed corn

2 tablespoons sliced chives

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cooked crumbled bacon (optional)

Directions:

1.  Cut potatoes and ham into 1/2 inch cubes; set aside.  Dice bell pepper.  Coarsely chop celery.  Heat butter over medium heat.  Add bell pepper and celery; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Stir in flour; heat until bubbly.  Gradually add broth, evaporated milk and corn, whisking until blended.

2.  Add potatoes; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir in ham; heat through.  Remove from heat; stir chives into soup and season with salt and black pepper.  Top with bacon and enjoy!  

Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting

(not exactly an easy recipe...but delicious!)

makes 6 dozen 

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

11 ounces (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 oz.)

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk, plus more if needed

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups confectioner's sugar; sifted

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.  Fit a pastry bag with a large coupler and a 1/2 inch plain round tip (such as an Ateco #806); set aside.

2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in medium bowl; set aside.  Cream 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter and the brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment until pale, about 3 minutes.  Mix in eggs, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  On low speed, add pumpkin, 3/4 cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix until combined, about 2 minutes.  Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, until well combined.

3.  Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to pastry bag.  Holding tip close to parchment paper, pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds 1 inch apart.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Bake until tops are springy to the touch, about 12 minutes.  Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  

4.  Meanwhile, put confectioner's sugar in a large bowl; set aside.  melt remaining 10 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

5.  Immediately pour butter over confectioner's sugar, scraping any brown bits from sides and bottom of pan.  Add remaining 5 tablespoons milk and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla; stir until smooth.  Spread about 1 teaspoon icing on each cookie.  (If icing becomes stiff, stir in a little more evaporated milk until spreadable.)  Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.