Halloween is one of the reasons fall is one of my seasons.. There is something magical & enchanting about the month of October .. Every year since my son was born we have made it a family tradition to create scarry jack-o-lanterns out of pumpkins and watch scarry movie's during the week prior to halloween. I'll be honest, I really do not cook scarry halloween recipes, most of the goodies I make this time of the year are cookies & pumpkin base recipes. But I have a feeling when my son is a bit older he's going ask me to create some of those scarry edible halloween goodies that a lot of people like to create for halloween parties . Since we are never home on halloween I really do not see any reason to make scarry/creepy halloween recipes at the moment ( we usually attend halloween events or trick or treat on Oct 31st) So I thought I would add a recipe that my mom use to make (from her old recipe file box) that I now make for halloween.. It's not a "halloween" recipe, but it seems to hit the spot by the time October comes into full swing. Feel free to use this recipe at any time of year.. ( These cookies make wonderful treats to put inside "trick or treaters" bags when they come to your door, just wrap a cookie up in orange or black clear color plactic wrap to give the cookies a halloween color touch )



No Bake Cookies

2 cups of Oatmeal
1/2 cup penanut butter
1/4 cup dry cocoa
1/2 stick of butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 tea spoon of salt
1/2 cup of milk
1 tea spoon of vanilla
Wax paper



In a medium saucepan combine cocoa, butter, sugar, salt & milk, heat on medium then; stir occassionally. When it begins to boil, cook for one minute & a half. Remove from heat and add oatmeal,peanut butter & vanilla, stir until it's mixed well then use two table spoons( one table spoon is for scooping and the other spoon is for pushing the cookie mixture off from the other table spoon onto wax paper..) Makes sure you work fast and don't let it sit too long in the pan because the cookie mixture gets hard quick once you add the oatmeal.

I can honestly say, this No-Bake Cookie recipe of my mom's is still the best recipe I have ever used, these cookies blow away any No-bake cookies you can buy at the grocery store!

Well the fall season is here, time for trick or treating and finding a perfect excuse to make yummy baked goods. This recipe is perfect for the fall & the up & coming winter holiday months.. But I will warn you now, when ever I make this recipe it does not last very long ( it's a huge hit with my family & friends whenever I make it) So if you plan on serving it to more then a few people I highly recommend that you double this recipe or make 2 cakes instead of one and be ready for all of the compliments you will receive for making one of the best coffee cakes your friends and family have ever ate..


Pumpkin Coffee Cake


3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin
1 egg, beaten lightly
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

For the streusel topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Cream together butter, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla.
Beat in 3 eggs. Combine flour, baking soda and powder, and add to the butter mixture along with the sour cream.
In another mixing bowl, mix pumpkin, 1 beaten egg, 1/3 cup sugar and pumpkin pie spice. In a 13x9 baking pan, pour half the plain batter, then half the pumpkin batter, then half the streusel. Repeat layers, making sure to end with the streusel. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.




When this cake bakes somehow the layers bind together and there is a moist pumpkin center which is what makes this cake so delicious ( well thats my favorite part)..oh and the streusel is wonderful when you use mixed nuts (mostly pecans).. This recipe is wonderful for any time of year for brunch,breakfest and even for dessert after dinner.