Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I keep hearing about these cookies, how easy and how good they are. So, I decided to give them a try. They are both easy and good. In fact, they are extremely easy. Not the best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies I have ever had, but really good. Factor in the ease of preparation and they are fantastic ;) I will defiantly make them again.

1 box Spice Cake mix

1 can pumpkin

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Combine cake mix and pumpkin. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Winner!

The winner of our giveaway is Laurie George! Thanks to everyone who entered. Check back often for more great recipes and more great giveaways!

Pesto Orecchiette

Does everyone shop at Costco? I find the best stuff there. For example, their pesto sauce. It's made with all fresh ingredients and no preservatives. It is way more pesto than we can eat before it expires, try as we might ;) So, I use what we can and freeze the rest.*

This is not much of a recipe, but it is so easy and so good! Orecchiette is perfect for this. I buy this pasta at Target. You can probably find it in most specialty markets as well. It's shaped like a little ear. The center of the pasta is more thin and gets nice and soft. The edges are thicker and stay a little chewy when cooked. I find mine usually take a little longer to cook than the package recommends. So, try one when they should be done, before you drain them. Also, remember to salt the water well. That is the only chance you will have to season the actual pasta.

This is also great topped with grilled chicken.

1/2 pound pasta, cooked

1-2 tablespoons pesto sauce

fresh mozzarella, parmesan or feta cheese

Mix pasta and pesto. Top with cheese of your choice.

*Freezing Pesto

Spray an ice cube tray with non stick spray and fill with pesto sauce. Freeze it for a few hours, once the pesto has frozen solid pop the cubes out and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

Hot Chicken Salad

If you have ever been to a shower given by my family then you've probably had this dish! Our menu planning always seems to lead us here... it's always a crowd pleaser! It's perfect on it's own with some fruit or a fresh green salad, but also great as a warm chicken salad sandwich on a croissant or roll. There is a fair amount of chopping involved but the end result is worth it!

6 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or chopped

3 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onion

8 ounce package sliced mushrooms

1 small jar pimentos

1 can water chestnuts

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon season salt

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except cheese. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 5 minutes.

Giveaway

It's our first giveaway in the kitchen!!!

The Swag:

A few of my favorite kitchen tools and products, Caldrea kitchen hand soap and dish soap (my favorite!) in the scent of your choice, and a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant of your choosing, because even with simple recipes like mine you can't eat in every night ;)

How to Enter:

Leave a comment on this post, tell me a recipe, idea, or something else you would like to see featured on this blog. 1 entry

Add the Simple in the Kitchen button to your blog and write a post telling people to check it out. 1 entry

Become a follower of Simple in the Kitchen and subscribe to posts. 1 entry

Become a fan of Simple in the Kitchen on facebook. 1 entry

Do all four and receive one additional entry.

The Rules:

Entries will be taken until November 24th. Winner will be announced here on November 25th. Winner will have 7 days to contact me. If winner has not made contact by December 2nd a new winner will be chosen. Winner will be drawn at random by someone other than myself :)

Good Luck!

Rustic Pesto Pizza

I had a pizza just like this in Las Vegas a few months ago. I haven't been able to get it out of my head! It was soo delicious. So, i decided to recreate it. Which turned out to be pretty simple and pretty close to the real thing!

3/4 cup prepared pesto sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 recipe pizza dough

Roll dough to roughly the size of a cookie sheet. Place dough on greased cookie sheet. Use your fingers to press the dough out to the corners and sides of the pan. Bake crust 12 minutes at 450 degrees. Remove crust from oven and top with pesto sauce, cheese, tomato and sprinkle with salt. Return to oven for about 8 minutes longer. Top with fresh basil before serving.

Pizza Dough

1 package dry rapid rise yeast

1/4 cup warm water

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 cups cold water

Dissolve yeast in warm water. In your mixing bowl combine flour, salt, olive oil, honey and yeast mixture. Knead with dough hook or by hand about 5 minutes. Let dough rest 10-15 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

Growing up the only frosting I knew came out of a plastic jar, and it was good. Then I met my husband... his mom MADE frosting. What?!? This didn't come from a jar??? Oh baby it was good! I was hooked! It really is so much better and better for you. I said BETTER for you not GOOD for you. The frosting from the store is full of partially hydrogenated oils and chemicals I can't pronounce. There is a good chance most of you already know this little secret, but hopefully at least a few of you who are in the dark as I was will see the light at the bottom of that little plastic jar.

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 stick butter, softened (not warm or melted)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 pinch of salt

milk, to desired consistency

Combine all ingredients except milk. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

*Photo from google images