Recipe Time...YUM, Let's Eat!!!

OK...since I have been on a cooking kick lately...thought I would share a couple of my fav recipes for the season....

The Rum Raisin Cream Cheese pie Recipe and Pumpkin Spice Cookies...YUM!!!

PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES
4 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour

2 Teaspoons baking soda

3/4 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 Teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 Cups sugar

2 Large eggs

1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 Cup molasses

1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl; sift, and set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar. Beat, starting on low speed and increasing to high, until mixture is fluffy, about 2 minutes; scrape the sides of the bowl down once with a rubber spatula. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla; beat on medium speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

3. Turn off mixer. Add molasses, and mix on medium speed until just combined. Scrape sides of the bowl, and add dry ingredients. Mix, starting on low speed and increasing to medium high, until ingredients are just combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Transfer dough to a clean work surface. Roll the dough into four 1 1/2-inch-diameter logs. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

5. Heat oven to 350°. Unwrap, and slice each log into 3/8-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies crack slightly on the surface, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

6. Now eat and enjoy…specially with a nice cup of hot cider.
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Rum Raisin Cream Cheese Pie
Crust:
2 cups graham crackers
¼ cup butter
2 Tablespoons sugar
Filling:
1/3 Cup Rum
1 Cup raisins
12 oz cream cheese
2/3 Cup sugar
¼ teaspoon. salt
2 eggs
2/3 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sour cream topping:
1 C sour cream
3 T sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
The day before, heat the rum in a small saucepan over low heat just until it comes to a simmer. Add raisins, cover and set aside over night until plump .
Crush the Graham crackers to a fine consistency (I do this with a rolling pin and the G.C. in a zip lock bag)…take 2 cups of the Graham Crackers put in bowl pour in the melted butter and sugar, mix well. Press and pack firmly into the bottom of a deep pie plate or I use a spring form pan lined on bottom with parchment paper and then press the Graham Cracker crust mix over that….set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temp. cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add sugar and salt and continue beating until well blended. Beat in eggs until smooth. Stir in cream and vanilla. Stir in raisins and any remaining liquid.
Pour filling into G.C. crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 400. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, until filling has set around the edges. The center should remain slightly soft; it will become firm as it cools. Cool for at least 1 hour. For topping … Stir together sour cream, sugar and vanilla until sugar dissolved. Spread over baked pie, concealing any surface cracks. Chill for 1 hour before serving.