Merry Christmas Everyone!

Earlier today I wrote a post and Typepad suddenly froze before I was able to save it.  Poof!  It vanished somewhere to reside with other dead posts.  So, here I go again. 

Yesterday, my friend Nancy held her annual gingerbread decorating party.  Last year my house was so awful, I refused to show it to anyone after I left the party.  I think my house was a little better this time.  Nancy orders her houses from a local grocery store. They're quite sturdy and will last forever, I'm sure.  Next year, I'm going to bring a pastry bag, to pipe icicles onto my roof.  I won't be happy until my house resembles Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water.  As you will see, I have a long way to go until I realize my dream.

Here's my finished house.  Don't know about you, but I've always wanted a Necco Wafer roof.  I certainly need to work on my landscaping next year.

Nancy even provides you with a sturdy plastic box for transport and storage.

Nancy was unable to attend her own party--the work of a doctor never ends.  But, Lizzie, her daughter was an able substitute.

Earlier in the day, Lizzie delivered a tin of cookies to me.  She spent almost a week baking hundreds of cookies to give as gifts. I think we have a foodie in the making, don't you?

I baked Nancy's favorite treat in the whole world --Quaker Oats, oatmeal cookies. It's a classic and the recipe is right on the box.

I also made a Cook's Illustrated recipe for Pumpkin Whoopee Pies. They were delicious. I gave some to Nancy and the rest went to Bob's office party. I'm pleased to say that they were a huge hit and vanished almost immediately. The picture shows the small pies that I made.  I've also made versions that are quite large--almost the size of your hand. And if you want to see serious Whoopee Pies, check out E at Foodaphilia.  She's the Whoopee Pie Queen!

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!!

Pumpkin Whoopee Pies    (Cook's Illustrated)

Cookies
1    (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2    large eggs
3/4    cup vegetable oil
2    cups granulated sugar
2    teaspoons vanilla extract
2    teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2    teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
4    cups all-purpose flour
4    teaspoons baking powder
2    teaspoons baking soda
1    teaspoon table salt

Filling
8    tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened but still cool
4    ounces cream cheese (1/2 package), at room temperature
3/4    cup Marshmallow Fluff (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4    teaspoon table salt
1    teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4    cups confectioners' sugar , sifted


1. For the cookies: Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Stir pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in large bowl until well blended. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture until well incorporated.

3. Using small ice cream scoop (#30 is the perfect size) or tablespoon measure, drop 2 tablespoons of dough on prepared baking sheet. (You should fit nine scoops of dough on each sheet.) Spread dough into 2-inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick and spaced 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are just set and bottoms are lightly browned, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Slide cookies, still on parchment, to cooling racks. Cool baking sheets, line with fresh parchment paper, and repeat with remaining dough.  For mini Whoopee pies, use one teaspoon of the dough.

4. For the filling: With electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add Marshmallow Fluff and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 60 seconds. Beat in salt and vanilla until well blended, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Reduce speed to low and gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Spread 2 tablespoons filling on center of flat side of one cookie. Place flat side of second cookie on filling and press cookies together to bring filling to edges. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. (Cookies can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days).

Comments

[e]

Pumpkin Whoopies! Oh my! I'm trying these as soon as possible.

[Jennifer]

Oh yum! And your gingerbread house looks awesome!

Merry Christmas to you too! :)

[Alisha]

I haven't made whoopee pies in ages -- I think I'll have to give that recipe a go this week. Hmm.. plans, plans.

Merry Christmas!

[Kate]

Oh my, the house is SO great! I just love it. One year Griffin made a gingerbread house with Grandma out of graham crackers and frosting. He made this very elaborate yard and a twisting sidewalk, and at the end of the sidewalk he had a jelly person that had fallen face first into the 'snow'. He told me that the sidewalk was 'really, really slippery'. It was so adorable.

[Teresa]

I love the Christmas tree peeps!

[Shannon]

Merry belated Christmas, Sher! I would've commented yesterday on Christmas proper but as a special holiday gift to our household, our router broke yesterday. Hurray! So I type this from work.

[Garrett]

This inspires me to try to hold a cookie swap next year.

[Rosa]

That gingerbread house is magnificent, wow!!! The other goodies also look very yummy...

With a bit of delay, Merry Christmas to you too!!!

[ann]

HO-LEE CRAP! pumpkin whoopie pies?
*shoves Sher like Elaine Bennis shoves Jerry*

SHUT UP!

*goes into Keanu Reeves mode*
WHOA

*returns to being Ann*
drools

Can't you send me some? pretty please? ;-)
Happy New Year Sher!

[s'kat]

That house is utterly adorable! I don't think I would have the patience required to make that rooftop.

And yeah, I can totally see those whoopie pies scoring you some serious karma points. Happy holidays!

[Tanna]

Wonderful house!
Merry Christmas!!!

[Glenna]

Wow! That's a baker's heaven on a page. Love your house, it's really adorable, Lizzie's cookies look wonderful, and I can practically taste the pumpking whoopie pies. Yuuuuuuuuum!