Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heat Oven to 375

1 C shortening
2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
15 oz canned pumpkin
4 C flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugar. beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake 12 minutes.

Delicious cookie recipe from my friend Steph H. I like to bump up the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg in mine to enhance the pumpkin flavor. These cookies are so soft and yummy that you're going to have to have people in mind to give some to before hand or you'll end up eating all of them yourself.

Pumpkin Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix-plus ingredients called for on box to prepare
1 ½ t pumpkin pie spice
15 oz canned pumpkin
cream cheese frosting
candy corn
Prepare cake mix as directed on box with water and oil BUT omit the water. Mix in spice and pumpkin. Place in desired cake pan(s) and bake according to directions on cake mix box. When cool, frost and decorate with candy corn.

Magazine. Real Simple, I believe. I use canned frosting--no audible gasping please. I upped the pie spice in this recipe and usually think it could even stand to have more. Our favorite with this recipe is cupcakes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Heat oven to 400

1 ½ C flour
1 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
¼ t ground cloves
¼ t cinnamon
¼ t ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 C sugar
¾ C canned pumpkin
¼ C vegetable oil
12 oz chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients in large bowl. Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in second bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 18-20 minutes.

I got this recipe from my mom over the phone my freshman year of college. Apparently she got it from my aunt Sheri. Very good.