Spinach Appetizers

2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
2 cups packaged stuffing mix, preferably Pepperidge Farm
1 cup grated parmesan
6 eggs, beaten
¾ cup butter , softened

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Place on a cookie sheet; freeze. When frozen, remove from cookie sheet and store in container or plastic bags.

When ready to serve, place frozen spinach balls on cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until hot.

Ham and Swiss Cheese Roll-ups

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 tsp dried celery flakes
1 tsp mustard
½ cup dried cranberries
2 green onions, chopped
5 flour tortillas (10 inches)
½ lb thinly sliced deli ham
½ lb thinly sliced Swiss cheese

In a small bowl, combine the first three ingredients until blended. Stir in the cranberries and green onions; spread over tortillas. Layer with ham and cheese. Roll up tightly; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Just before serving, unwrap and cut each tortilla crosswise into 16 slices.

Gooey Cinnamon Squares

Soft Cookie Base:
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup milk

Cake Layer:
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla
12 tbsp (1½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 large egg
1¼ cups all-purpose flour

Topping:
2 tbsp sugar
1½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9”x13” pan with at least 2-inch sides of parchment paper. Coat entire pan with a nonstick spray.

SOFT COOKIE BASE: Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and milk, and beat until combined, scraping down bowl and beating for 10 seconds more. Beat in dry ingredients until just combined.

Dollop the base over the bottom of the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer with a spatula. Set aside.

CAKE LAYER: Whisk corn syrup, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl and set aside. In a  large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, scraping down sides of the bowl, and mix for 10  seconds more. Add ⅓ of the flour and mix, then ½  of vanilla mixture and mix. Repeat again, twice, until all of the flour has been mixed just until combined. Dollop over the base and spread carefully with spatula.

TOPPING:
Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a tiny dish and sprinkle evenly over the entire cake layer.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until bronzed in top. The cake layer will rise and fall in the oven but will still be slightly gooey under the cinnamon crust when squares are done. Let cool completely on a rack, then cut into squares.

Blackberry-Walnut Rugelach

Filling:

1 (13 oz) jar Bonne Maman blackberry preserves

¾ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup dried blueberries*

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Dough:

½ lb cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp sugar

Combine walnuts, dried blueberries, sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl; set aside. Combine cream cheese, flour, butter and sugar in a large bowl and blend.  Divide dough into four pieces. Dust each with flour, shaking off excess. Roll each piece between sheets of waxed paper into a 10” circle. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Spread each circle of dough with blackberry preserves.  Divide filling among circles, spreading evenly. Cut each circle into 12 wedges.  Roll up each wedge from bottom edge to point. Arranged on baking sheets, point side down. 

Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Store cookies in airtight container.

*Raisins or currants can be substituted for the dried blueberries.

Makes 4 dozen.

Whoopie Pies

Cake:
2¼ cups flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp salt
12 tbsp butter, melted
1¼ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk

Filling:
1 stick butter, softened
1¼ cup confectioners sugar
1 jar Marshmallow Fluff
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and set aside. In another medium bowl, mix melted butter and sugar on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

Turn mixer to low and alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Scoop 2 tbsp batter onto prepared sheets about 2“ apart and bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile beat together butter and confectioners sugar at medium speed. Add vanilla and Marshmallow Fluff and beat until smooth.

To assemble pies:
Spread filling on flat sides of half of the cakes and top with remaining cakes.

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Cake:
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1½ tsp vanilla
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 cups chopped bananas

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 36 muffin cups (or use cupcake liners). Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the vanilla, pineapple, pecans (if using) and bananas.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting:

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy, Gradually ass the sugar beating until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla.

Frost the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with chopped pecans, if desired.

Oatmeal Topped Peach Crisp

Topping:
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup rolled oats
⅓ cup plus 2 tbsp flour
¾ tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp cold butter (¾ stick), cut into small pieces

Filling:
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tsp cornstarch
¼ tsp vanilla
2 lbs, ripe but firm peaches (about 5 medium, halved, pitted and cut into ½” thick slices)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Topping: Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl. With your fingertips, blend the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until large clumps form and the flour and butter are completely incorporated, about 3 minutes. Crumble the clumps into small pieces the size of kidney beans, then refrigerate the streusel while you make the filling.

Filling: Place the brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the peaches and stir until evenly coated.

Transfer the mixture to an 8”x8” glass or ceramic baking dish and arrange it in an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved topping evenly over the peaches.

Bake until the topping is browned and crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. Place the dish in a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Flourless Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup Trader Joe’s Creamy Almond Butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
⅔ cup Trader Joe Organic Coconut Sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp Trader Joe’s Colombian Instant coffee
3 tbsp cocoa powder
⅓ cup chocolate chips
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients. SLowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Use a table scoop to scoop out cookies and roll them into a ball. Use the palm tp slightly flatten and then add more chocolate chips in top if desired and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder*
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp milk
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips and/or chunks
sea salt for sprinkling

NOTE: Dough must be chilled  for 3 hours before cookies can be baked.

Whisk the flour, cocoa powders, and baking soda together until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the sugars and beat on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg and vanilla on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients until combined. The dough will be thick. Switch to high speed and beat in the milk, then add the chocolate chips. Cover the dough tightly with foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the dough form the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. This makes the dough easier to scoop and roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.

Scoop and roll balls of dough, about 2 tbsp of dough each, into balls. Place in the baking sheets and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. The baked cookies will look soft in the center when you remove them. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If desired, press a few more chocolate chips or chunks into the top of the warm cookies. The cookies will deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

*⅔  cup of unsweetened cocoa powder can be substituted for the cocoa/dark cocoa mix.

Constant Comment Spice Cake

½ cup milk
5 Bigelow Constant Comment Tea Bags
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1⅔ cups flour
2½ tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9” round cake pan. Combine milk and tea bags in a small saucepan. Heat over medium/low heat until bubbles form around the edge, stirring occasionally. (DO NOT BOIL). Remove from heat and let cool (15-20 minutes); remove tea bags squeezing out liquid. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk to blend. Add the cooled milk; continue to whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the flour and baking powder; mix until a smooth batter forms.

Pour batter into pan. Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until center of cake springs back when touched. Cool on wire rack before removing from pan. Let cool completely before serving. Dust top with confectioners sugar.

Chocolate Madeleines

4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla
1¼ cup sifted cake flour
½ tsp baking powder
3 eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees, if using nonstick pans). Spray madeleine pans with nonstick cooking spray. Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir in the butter. Set aside. Mix together flour, and baking powder.

Beat eggs in a large bowl until light and lemon colored; add vanilla. Gradually add the sugar, beating constantly at high speed 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and beat until mixture has quadrupled in volume, about 5 minutes. Gently fold in the flour mixture, then the chocolate.

Place one tbsp batter in center of each mold. Bake 12 minutes (placing pans on racks on the lower  half of the oven). Cool on rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

Madeleines with Almonds and Apricot Glaze

⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp butter

2 large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup plus 2 tbsp plus ½ tsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

1½ tbsp milk

¼ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

2 tbsp chopped almonds

For glaze:

3 tbsp apricot jam

1 tbsp water

MADELEINES: Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until foaming subsides and butter starts to smell nutty and milk solids are a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour brown butter into a heatproof container and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk 1 egg with the sugar until foamy. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining egg until the batter looks smooth. Add milk to the cooled (but still melted) brown butter and drizzle the mixture into the batter, whisking continuously. 

Whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts. Set the batter aside for 50 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spray a madeleine pan with non-stick cooking spray and fill each mold almost to the top. No need to smooth batter as it will even out as  it bakes. Sprinkle almonds on top. Bake 9-11 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove madeleines from the oven and immediately invert the hot pan over a wire rack, gently rapping the pan to dislodge the madeleines. 

GLAZE: Combine jam and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring, until the jam melts into the water. Remove from the heat. Using a pastry brush, brush the shell-side of the madeleines with the glaze.

Best served on the day they are made but you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Strawberry Topping

4 cups chopped strawberries (about 1½ pints)
⅔ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cornstarch

Put chopped strawberries and sugar into a saucepan. Add ⅔ cup water to cover, stir to blend. Heat mixture over medium high heat until it boils. Stir, then reduce heat to medium.

Mix cornstarch with 4 tbsp water until a thick liquid forms.

Pour the liquid into the pan, stirring continuously, and continue to stir until well blended. Cook the strawberry mixture over medium for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Serve over cake, cheesecake, ice cream, sundaes or waffles.

Basic Buttermilk Cake

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1½ tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper; butter the paper. (if you’re making cupcakes, fill cups with paper liners or butter them.)

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape the bowl and beaters and beat well to incorporate.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Add a quarter of the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, then add vanilla and a third of the buttermilk. Repeat, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping well after each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bke 25 to 30 minutes (15-20 minutes for cupcakes), or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Turn pans onto the rack; remove parchment or wax paper and cool completely before frosting.

Lasagna with Sausage

1 lb sweet Italian sausage
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp sugar
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 boxes (26 oz), Pomi tomatoes
1 box (13 oz) Cirio tomatoes
2 cans (6 oz) tomato paste
12 lasagna noodles
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese, drained
1 egg
1 lb. mozzarella, thinly sliced
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Remove sausage meat from outer casings; chop the meat. In a 5-qt Dutch oven, over medium heat, saute the sausage, onion and garlic stirring frequently, until brown - about 20 minutes.

Add the sugar, half the parsley and salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and ½ cup water, mashing tomatoes with wooden spoon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until thick - about 1 hour.

In large pot, bring water and 1 tbsp salt to boiling. Add lasagna noodles, 2 or 3 at a time. Return to boiling; boil uncovered and stirring occasionally,10 minutes of just until tender. Drain in colander; rinse under cold water. Dry on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl, mix ricotta, egg, and remaining parsley.

In bottom of 13x9 baking dish, spoon 1½ cups sauce. Layer with 6 lasagna, arranged overlapping, to cover. Spread with half of the ricotta mixture; top with one third of mozzarella. Spoon 1½ cups sauce over cheese, sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layering, starting with 6 lasagna and ending with 1½ cups sauce sprinkled with Parmesan. Spread with remaining sauce; top with rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil.

Bake 25 minutes; remove foil; bake uncovered, 25 minutes longer. Cool 15 minutes. Serves 8.

Nutella Swirled Oreo Bottom Mini Cheesecakes

18 Double Stuff Oreos
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each one.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in vanilla, eggs, and sour cream.  Continue beating until combined and smooth.

Add a heaping tablespoon of cheesecake batter to each muffin cup.

Warm the Nutella in the microwave for 20 seconds. Place a scant teaspoon of Nutella in each cup. Add another tablespoon of cheesecake batter on top, filling the cupcake liner. Use a toothpick or knife to gently swirl the Nutella into the cheesecake mix.

Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes until filling is set. Cool completely in tin before removing. Store in refrigerator.

NOTE: Nutella can be replaced with hot fudge sauce.

Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

NOTE: Batter must be chilled at least 1 hour (or overnight) before baking cookies.

6 tbsp butter (¾ stick)
4 ounces Baker’s semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
½ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
½ cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¼  tsp baking soda
about 24 Dove’s Milk Chocolate Promises with Caramel
Flaky sea salt, for topping

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, chopped chocolate, and chocolate chips. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until fully melted and combined. Remove pan from heat and let chocolate cool slightly.

In a small bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and the melted chocolate mixture and beat for 1 or 2 minutes more. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. The batter should be thick but pourable. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop out scant 2 tbsp of dough and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the dough into small disks, about 2 inches in diameter, and place a caramel in the center. Scoop out a rounded tsp of dough and flatten into a disk. Place the disk over the caramel, pinching the layers of dough together.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until just set on the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each cookies with a little flaky salt. Let cool for at least 5 minutes on baking sheet before serving.

Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
1½ cups Ghirardelli caramel flavored baking chips
2 small Gala apples, peeled, cored and diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars. Add in the eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. While mixing, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir in the caramel chips and apples making sure they are evenly distributed.

Place golf ball sized scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown. Let rest for a minute to two on baking sheet before removing to wire rack to cool.

Turkey Sloppy Joes

1 tsp oil
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 lb. ground turkey
Salt and pepper
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup BBQ sauce (recommended: Stubb’s Original)
½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp red vinegar

Add oil to  skillet and place over medium high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper; saute for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Transfer ingredients to a small bowl.

Add ground turkey to skillet and season with salt and pepper; break up meat as it cooks. Once turkey is cooked, add the onion/bell pepper mixture back in. Then add ketchup, bbq sauce, Worcestershire, and vinegar. Sir well to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes longer. If sauce looks too thick, add a tbsp water.

Serve on hamburger buns. Or serve over elbow macaroni.

Optional: Add ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese to skillet just before serving; cover with a lid until cheese is melted.

Oreo Cookie Frosting

This is not difficult, just a bit unusual. If you prefer a frosting that's a bit easier to make, try adding Oreos to your favorite buttercream frosting.

1 cup milk
5 tbsp flour, preferably Wondra
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 tbsp vanilla
10 Oreo Cookies



Gradually add milk to flour until well-blended.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat; cool completely.  (Cover with waxed paper to avoid “skin” forming.)

Beat butter and sugar for  five minutes, scraping sides of bowl often.  Beat in cooled milk-flour mixture. Add 1 tbsp vanilla.  Beat just until combined. Fold in chopped Oreo cookies.

Trader Joe's Cookie Butter Cupcakes

Cake:

1½  cups sugar 

2¼ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie Butter

1 cup buttermilk

¾ cup water

½ cup canola or vegetable oil

1 tbsp Trader Joe's vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 cup Trader Joe's unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup Trader Joe's Cookie Butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 24 cupcake liners in pans. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a  medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Cookie Butter, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour batter into pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean, about 15-20 minutes.

Let cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove to the rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting: Mix together the butter and Cookie Butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Mix in vanilla.

Optional: Sprinkle frosted cupcakes with crushed Trader Joe Speculoos cookies.

Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake Muffins

1¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp salt
½ cup canola oil
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1½ cups canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup milk, at room temperature

Crumb Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
6 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners (recipe makes 15 muffins). Set aside.

Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt together until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, pumpkin puree, eggs and milk together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold everything together gently just until combined and no flour pockets remain.

Spoon the batter into liners, filling them almost full.

Make the crumbs: Whisk the flour, sugars and pumpkin pie spice together until combined. Stir in the melted butter until crumbs form. Spoon crumbs evenly on top of batter and gently press them into the batter.

Bake for 5 minutes at 425, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for an additional 16-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Make ahead tip: Muffins can be frozen up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature.

Eggnog Cheesecake

CRUST
2 cups vanilla wafers cookie crumbs
6 tbsp butter, melted
½ tsp ground nutmeg

FILLING
4 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp rum extract (or 3 tbsp rum)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks

Heat oven to 325 degrees. To prepare crust, mix together crumbs, butter and nutmeg; press onto bottom and 1½ “ up side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.

To prepare filling: beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, rum extract and vanilla with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition, just until blended. Blend in heavy cream and egg yolks; pour into crust.

Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan of loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. If desired, garnish with nutmeg and whipped cream.

Oatmeal-Coconut-White Chocolate Cookies

1 cup salted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

¾ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut

3 cups old-fashioned or quick oats*

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat butter and both sugars with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking soda and continuing mixing until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the speed to low and add the flour, mixing until incorporated.

Beat in the coconut, then mix in the oats and white chocolate chips until evenly combined.

Using a large (3 tbsp) cookie scoop, drop the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers have set.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Quick oats give a more delicate texture to baked goods.  If you want a heartier texture, use old-fashioned oats.