Gingersnaps and Pumpkin Dip

This is a dessert that I fix EVERY fall.  The gingersnaps are chewy and delicious and the pumpkin dip tastes like a very sweet pumpkin pie!  YUM YUM..

Gingersnaps

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoon ginger

Sugar (optional) 

Cream together shortening and sugar.  Beat in egg and molasses.  Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves and ginger together in a bowl.  Add molasses mixture and blend well. Chill cookie dough for at least 1 hour.  Then using your hands, roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 7 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  If desired, (I always do this.  It forms a nice crust on the tops) roll dough balls in sugar before baking.  Bake at 350. 

Yields about 4 dozen.

Pumpkin Dip

2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

15 oz. can of pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 lb. powdered sugar

Blend cream cheese with mixer until smooth.  Add pumpkin and spices to cream cheese mixture, fold in powdered sugar.  Chill before serving.

NOTE:  I always 1/2 the pumpkin dip recipe because it makes so much.  

HAPPY FALL!

fungi

There is some fungi in my yard, more commonly known as mushrooms. Even though they are fungi they are still very beautiful.  Adele noticed them first and wanted to tear them to pieces and inspect them but before she did I got a few pictures.

I thought this one looked like a chinese mushroom.  I am not exactly sure what that means but that is what I think. 

We saw this mushroom a few days ago and thought it was really cool that it had grown in our driveway among the rocks.  What will to survive!  I took a few pictures of it thinking of how we sometimes have to thrive in hard circumstances (like the rocks) and as I was marveling over this thought Adele knocked it over with a stick.  Well... that's life I guess.

Adele and Jason thought this one looked like a loaf of bread.  Probably because it was getting late and we hadn't eaten supper yet!

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Ecclesiastes 3:11