Pumpkin Cookies

(from the back of the Libby's "Solid Pack Pumpkin", circa 1983.)

4 Cups unsifted all-purpose flour
2 cups quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups butter or margerine, softened *1
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract *2
1 can (16 oz.) Libby's aolid Pack Pumpkin *3
1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate morsels 4*

Assorted icings or peanut butter
Assorted candies, raisins, or nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, oats, soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
Cream butter; gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
Alternate additions of dry ingreadients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition. Stir in morsels.
For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup dough onto lightly greased baking sheet; spread into a pumpkin shape useing a thin metal spatula. Add a bit more dough to form the stem. *5
Bake at 350, 20-25 minutes, until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookiesheet, cool on racks.
Decorate useing icing or peanut butter to affix assorted candies, raisins, or nuts into jack-o-lantern faces. *6
Yields about 32 large cookies.


*1 - Mom used Crisco for fluffier, cakier cookies.
*2 - can be omitted if you have none.
*3 - any solid pack pumpkin will do.
*4 - or substitute raisins if you want it more healthy.
*5 - or use your darned finger, and leave them round if you're in a hurry.
*6 - or leave blank if you're in a hurry. the decorations don't make the cookie - the cookie alone is awesome.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

(from "Cherished Recipes" published by St. Mary's of the Assumption Church, circa 1984.)

1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 eggs
1/2 cup chocolate bits
1 cup oil
2 cups shredded zucchini *1
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts *2

Mix in large bowl the sugar and the cocoa. Add eggs, oil, zucchini and vanilla; set aside.
Sift together flower, soada, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Mix with zucchini mixture. Fold in chocolate bits and nuts.
Pour into 2 greased and flowered 4x8x2" loaf pans and bake at 325 for 1 hour or until done.
Very rich and freezes very well.

Submitted by Lee.

*1 - if useing baby-seal sized zucchini, core and sead before shredding. If zucchini is very wet, let stand and drain overnight.
*2 - can omit.

Hot or Cold Zucchini Soup

(from"Cherished Recipes" published by St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Cheshire, MA, circa 1984)

1 medium Onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 medium zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 (13 oz.) cans chicken broth (5 1/2 cups)
2 Tablespoons flour

Saute onion and garlic in butter and oil in a large saucepan until tender, but not brown. Add zucchini, salt and pepper and cover.
Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until tender.
Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the broth; bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Cool.
Puree mixture, part at a time, in blender. Taste and add extra seasonings, if necessary. Chill several hours before serving (if serving cold.)
To serve, top each serving with a spoonful of sour cream mixed with chives or grean onions (optional)

-submitted by Jim and Sandy

*Freezes well.