What's for Suppah?

This time of year finds me settling into comfort; a crackling fire in the wood stove, savory soup bubbling in a heavy pot on the stove, soft, cuddly yarn for knitting, purring kitties and the aromas of something wonderful baking in the oven. Does life get any better?

Today was one of those days. I awoke with the need to bake something that would fill every crevice of the house with lingering, spicy aromas. After a brief internet search for a recipe, I decided on Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies. Can we say "YUM"?


The recipe called for the addition of raisins, but hey, I was in a chocolate mood, so I substituted chocolate chips - great choice, I might add.

The results of the recipe were grand! Not only did the house smell WONDERFUL!, but the recipe itself was easy. I doubled the recipe, making enough to take in to the ladies at work, some to a next door neighbor and froze several batches more for a later date.

The recipe:

Oatmeal Pumpkin Pecan Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter — softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin (from can)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
1 cup raisins ( I used chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking sheets.
Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl.
Beat butter, brown sugar and sugar in large mixer bowl until light and
fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Add flour mixture. Mix well.
Stir in nuts and raisins.
Drop large tablespoons of dough onto greased baking sheet. Spread into
circle or oval. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are firm and lightly browned.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool
completely.
Makes about 32 cookies

While the cookies were baking, I turned my attention to the beautiful bunch of fresh kale H brought home from the grocery yesterday.

H spent 21 years in the Air Force as a Meteorologist and our favorite assignment was three years on the island of Terceira in the Azores, an island archipelago about 1000 miles off the coast of Portugal. We had lovely Portuguese neighbors who farmed the land and often invited us for dinner.

One of our favorites was a savory soup called Caldo Verde, or roughly translated "hot green". This lovely soup consists of onions, garlic, chopped fresh kale, potatoes, chicken broth and Linguica, a spicy smoked sausage.

This delightful suppah is bubbling away on the stove as I blog.

Oh my, but it's gonna be a lovely evening!