Pumpkin Cookie Time! (AND Who Won Jason Statham?)

At last! Oh at long, long last! I'm nearly in tears with joy! I love autumn and it's whispering through the morning air here in Albuquerque! Those subtle changes in the temperature…that feel that lets you know it's on it's way…the sound of hot air balloon burners to wake you in the morning! I LOVE it all!

To me, the first day of school is my official "pumpkin cookie day!" For years and years I've baked pumpkin cookies for my kids on the first day of school so that the warm, comforting aroma of pumpkin, spiced and milk chocolate chips is wafting through the house when they get home…delicious pumpkin cookies waiting to tantalized their taste buds after that stressful first day back! Oh, I love them! If I had to pick one recipe my mom gave to me that would be known as my favorite, it would be this pumpkin cookie recipe! I've made a few subtle changes over the years…but nothing too rash…and let me tell you, these cookies are delicious!

Now, I have shared this recipe publicly in past years, but in case you missed it along the way, I'm posting it here.  The original recipe makes a TON of cookies…so I've also shared a half batch recipe, okay?

Marcia's Pumpkin Cookies

1 ½ c. Shortening (I use a butter…about 1 ¼ c.)

4 c. Sugar

3 Eggs

2 t. Salt

3 t. Nutmeg

3 t. Cinnamon

1 t. Ginger

1 t. Allspice

1 t. Cloves

1 29 oz. can of Libby's Pumpkin

½ t. Baking Soda

3 t. Baking Powder

7 c. Flour

1 large package (3-4 cups) of Milk Chocolate Chips (Nestle's)

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs.  Sift remaining dry ingredients together and add in.  Mix in Milk Chocolate Chips.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 14-17 minutes until soft and cakey.

And the half batch recipe…

Marcia's Pumpkin Cookies

¾ c. Shortening (I use a butter…about 1 ¼ c.)

2 c. Sugar

1 Egg and 1 Egg Yolk

1 t. Salt

1 ½ t. Nutmeg

1 ½ t. Cinnamon

½ t. Ginger

½ t. Allspice

½ t. Cloves

1 15 oz. can of Libby's Pumpkin

¼ t. Baking Soda

1 ½ t. Baking Powder

3 ½ c. Flour

1 regular sized package (2 cups) of Milk Chocolate Chips (Nestle's)

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs.  Sift remaining dry ingredients together and add in.  Mix in Milk Chocolate Chips.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 14-17 minutes until soft and cakey.

These are sooooooooo good!  In fact, now that we've been discussing them…I think I'll whip up a batch today!  How about you?  Mmmmm!  I'm salivating!

Now as far as the Jason Statham in The Transporter CD is concerned…Kacee…I drew your name out of my hat as the winner!  Toss and e-mail out to me at marcialmcclure@cs.com and I'll get it in the mail to you asap!

Shall we have another contest this week, ladies?  Hmmm…I think so!  How about…hmmm…let me think a minute!  Oh!  I know!  How about a one pound package of Jesse Bryant's Raspberry Almonds?!  Yeah?  Let's do it!  Just post here…let's see…post your favorite thing about Take a Walk with Me and I'll draw a name later this week!  The winner will receive a pound of the Raspberry Almonds that so so soooooo inspire me!  I only have a photo from one of last year's contests to show you…but it gives you an idea of what the almonds look like!  They are sooooooooooooooooo delicious!  You'll never be the same!