Karen's Pumpkin Muffins

I got this recipe from an old friend who assured me that even an exhausted mother of quadruplets like me could handle making it. And she was right! My kids gobble up these bite-size muffins and beg for more.

1 box spice cake mix
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water (or just enough to moisten batter, if needed)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and spoon into a mini-muffin tin (I use the medium-size scoop from Pampered Chef). Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My mom made these cookies during her most recent visit, and they lived up to their name by disappearing in a flash. I was out of brown sugar, so we used an additional cup of granulated sugar instead, plus a couple of tablespoons of molasses for flavor. The result was fantastic!

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.

* For bar cookies, bake 30 to 35 minutes in ungreased 13" x 9" metal baking pan.

From Quaker

Janet's Stirred Persimmon Pudding

I was introduced to persimmon pudding by my husband's family. The recipe his mother uses differs from the traditional preparation in that the pudding is periodically stirred during baking. The result is just as tasty, but it resembles spreadable fruit rather than a brownie. For a real treat, top with whipped cream—or skip the whipping and just drown the pudding in half-n-half!

1 quart persimmon pulp
2 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 quart milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a very large bowl, stir together persimmon pulp and sugar. Incorporate beaten eggs, and then stir in flour and baking soda. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into 13" x 9" baking dish and bake for 90 minutes (stirring after the first half-hour, and then every 10 minutes thereafter), or until a rich garnet color.

For a half recipe, use a 2-quart baking dish.

Simple Stove-Top Rice Pudding

As a kid in South America, I ate my share of arroz con leche (rice pudding). This version, however, is the best I've ever tasted. I recommend making the cinnamon-and-dried-fruit variation by adding 1/2 cup raisins and 1 teaspoon cinnamon along with the vanilla at the end.

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup medium- or long-grain rice
2-1/2 cups whole milk
2-1/2 cups half-and-half
2/3 cup granulated sugar (may substitute brown sugar)
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (at least 3 quarts) or small soup kettle (4 to 5 quarts). Stir in salt and rice; cover and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice until water is almost fully absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Add milk, half-and-half, and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high to bring to simmer, then reduce heat to maintain simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until mixture starts to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking and scorching, until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding, about 15 minutes longer.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cool and serve at room temperature or chilled. (Can be covered with plastic wrap on surface of pudding and then refrigerated up to 2 days.)

From The Best Recipe

Basic Roasted Carrots

I hate cooked carrots, but I love these roasted baby carrots. The key is to caramelize them at a high temperature—makes them taste almost like candy. Even my four 1-year-olds give this simple recipe eight thumbs up!

2 pounds baby carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Toss carrots, oil, and salt in broiler-pan bottom. Spread into single layer and roast for 12 minutes. Shake pan to toss carrots; continue roasting about 8 minutes longer, shaking pan twice more, until carrots are brown and tender.

From America's Test Kitchen