Golden Leaf Pumpkin Pie

Golden Leaf Pumpkin Pie
from: "Holiday Food Fun"

So far, this is the best pumpkin pie I've made, and Jon even really liked it! He's a sucker for Costco pies and I finally made one he'd rather have instead of Costco pies. The leaves didn't taste good, but the pie was delish! Here's a picture. It's the pie on the top left corner...apple pie is in the middle.

1 package (15 ozs) refrigerated pie crust, divided
1 can (16 ozs) solid pack pumpkin
1 C half and half
3 eggs
2/3 C sugar
1/4 C honey
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground allspice
1 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
Golden Leaves (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425F.

Roll 1 pie crust on floured surface into 10" circle; ease into 9 " pie plate. Trim and flute. Reserve remaining pie crust for golden leaves.

Combine remaining ingredients except Golden Leaves. Pour into crust.

Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F. Bake 40-45 minutes until pastry is brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Garnish with Golden Leaves. Refrigerate leftovers.

Golden Leaves
1 refrigerated pie crust, reserved from pie
1/2 C half and half
3 T sugar

Roll pastry on floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Cut out leaf shapes using knife from dough, about 2" by 2 1/2". mark veins in leaves with tip of knife. Roll pastry scraps into rope 1/4" thick. Cut into 2-3" pieces and twist to make tendrils.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lay pastry leaves on bottom of inverted flat bottomed ovenproof bowl so that leaves will have a curved shape. (Leaves may also be baked flat on ungreased baking sheet.) Lay tendrils on ungreased baking sheet. Brush leaves, and tendrils with half and half; sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack; cool completely. Makes about 12 leaves.

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin (and Choc Chip) Cookies
from: Ember Marini

Be prepared to either freeze or share these cookies...supposedly it makes 5 dozen, but I made a lot more! They sure are good though!

Ingredients
4cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
2 cups vegetable shortening
2 cups white sugar
1 can (15oz) pure pumpkin
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups raisins or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in medium bowl. Beat shortening and sugar in a large mixer bowl. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla beat until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture at low speed until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a greased baking sheet (don't make your cookies to big or they will be gooey.)

Bake 12-15mins or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Freeze Cookies: You can make your cookie balls, flash freeze them on a cookie sheet, then put them into a tupperware/rubbermaid container in the freezer for the next time you want to bake just a few! :)