Cookies and Coffee Anyone?

My parents are in town for a visit this week. The kids are having lots of fun with Grandpa and Grandma. It is a rainy day so they have been playing lots of Uno and Eye Spy! Now they are with Grandpa at the dollar theater, watching "Cars."

It seemed like a good day to do a little fall baking. These Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies get eaten up very quickly!

Cookies
Originally uploaded by pwinn.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups butterscotch chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.F Cream the butter and sugar. Add pumpkin and vanilla. In separate bowl, stir together dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture and stir. Add butterscotch chips. Drop by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Allow to cool on sheet for 1 minute, then remove to cooling rack.

This next recipe is for Gingerbread Coffee which is perfect for warming you up on a cold morning.

Coffee
Originally uploaded by pwinn.

Gingerbread Coffee

Ingredients:
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix together the molasses, brown sugar, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Pour about 1/4 cup of hot coffee into a cup, then stir in a tablespoon of the spice mixture until dissolved. (Return unused mixture to refrigerator.) Fill cup to within an inch of the top with coffee. Stir in half and half or cream to taste, then garnish with whipped cream and a light dusting of cloves.

Enjoy and repeat until spice mixture is gone. Then make some more. ;0)