Nothing is quite as Christmas-y as a glass of eggnog (topped with a sprinkle of nutmeg, of course) and a few deliciously spiced cookies. These pungent little cookies are softer than a traditional gingersnap, but still a perfect pair for a holiday drink or an everyday cup of hot tea. The granulated sugar on top gives them an extra special sparkle!

Gingersnaps
from my vintage Betty Crocker cookbook (but with extra spices!)

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

In a large electric mixer bowl, blend the shortening, brown sugar, egg, and molasses. Blend in the dry ingredients except the granulated sugar. Cover a chill for 1-4 hours.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Dip the top half of each ball in the granulated sugar. Place balls sugared side up about 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and crackled on top. Remove from sheets immediately and cool on racks. Eat immediately with a spiced glass of eggnog, or place these friendly little cookies in a tin to savor with a cup of tea later.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, dear readers. And now the Christmas season is finally here! Let’s ring in the cheer with some delicious and easy treats.

Here is a recipe for Divinity Fudge that goes all the way back to my dad’s dad’s mom – my great grandmother! These fluffy, melt-in-your mouth candies have a deliciously nutty aroma that you will not be able to resist! You can chop your nuts and mix them in, or you can top your candies with nut halves, or you can do like I did – BOTH!

Divinity Fudge
From my great grandmother

2 cups sugar
½ cup water
½ cup light or dark corn syrup
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired
40 walnut halves or pecan halves (toasted, if desired)

Combine sugar, water, and syrup in saucepan.  Heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Boil without stirring until syrup forms a hard ball in cold water (265 degrees on candy thermometer).  Remove from heat and quickly beat the egg whites and salt until stiff.  Slowly add syrup in a thin stream to the egg whites, beating constantly.  Beat until candy thickens and begins to loose its gloss (about 5-7 minutes, depending on the weather and temperature where you are).  Add almond and vanilla extracts (and the chopped nuts, if desired) Quickly shape with teaspoon into large pieces and drop onto a greased plate or wax paper.  Put half a nut on each piece.

Well, it’s an exciting day for Vintage Victuals, dear readers. It is VV’s third blogoversery! I can’t believe that my first post three years ago has led to so many fun recipes, fun people, and fun food! Thank you all for being a part of this special place – it wouldn’t be the same without you!

My family had an impromptu get together last night, so I whipped together an old-time favorite: a pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling. I started making this tasty treat years ago when I was in college, and it has become a much-loved tradition, especially for my brothers and my husband. I often make it for Thanksgiving, as it nicely complements our usual collection of pies and tarts. It is always a major crowd pleaser!.

Assembly is easier than it sounds – the process is very similar to my Auntie Gladys’s Chocolate Yule Log,which you should check out for Christmas! It helps to have an extra set of helping hands during the rolling process, but just remember – it’s going to taste amazing even if it doesn’t look perfect!

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
from Libby’s

For cake roll:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2  teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

For filling:
1 eight-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted for lumps
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15″ by 10″ jelly-roll pan, and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment paper. Lay a smooth tea towel on a flat surface and sprinkle it with the powdered sugar. Set these aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. In a large electric mixer bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and light in color.

Add the pumpkin and beat vigorously. Stir in the dry ingredient mixture until completely moistened. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched. Quickly loosen and turn the cake out onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar. Roll the cake up in the towel, starting with the narrow end. Allow the rolled cake to cool completely on  a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer. The filling should be completely smooth. Carefully unroll the cooled cake, and remove the towel. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, and re-roll the cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. (I can’t usually manage to get the boys to stay away from it for that long, so good luck!)

You may want to slice a sliver off of the ends of the cake to create a clean look. Plus, you get to sample the slivers just to make sure the cake is completely delicious. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

In our house, Sunday morning is synonymous with waffles. It is a tradition that my husband brought into my life and that I have wholeheartedly embraced. Wile we generally stick to a classic Belgian waffle, we mixed it up this week with a tasty recipe from my local hero Alton Brown.

Oat Waffles
from Alton Brown

5.5 ounces old fashioned rolled oats
4 ounces all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar (or brown sugar for extra flavor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 ounces melted unsalted butter
2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Heat a medium skillet and add the oats. Toast over medium heat, stirring or tossing occasionally, until the oats are very fragrant (about 3 minutes). Cool the oats completely and toss into your food processor. Process for 3 minutes, until the oats resemble the texture of whole wheat flour.

Preheat your waffle iron according to the appliance directions.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (oat flour, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon). In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter into the eggs, and then whisk in the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Let the batter rest for at least five minutes.

Cook the waffles according to your waffle iron’s directions. Waffles should be golden brown and pull away from the iron easily. Serve with butter and real maple syrup.

Happy Halloween, dear readers! I hope you all had a day filled with magic, mystery, and (of course) delicious food. Here is a festive fall recipe to celebrate the day.

I have adapted Paula Deen’s pumpkin bars so that they are more flavorful, and more munchable. Her recipe gives us a great start, with an unbelievably moist and tender pumpkin cake topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting. But extra spice and a thinner cake make for a more finger-friendly (and finger-lickin’ GOOD) pumpkin bar. And the toasted pecan topping really takes this tasty dessert over the top…

Pumpkin Bars
adapted from Paula Deen’s recipe

For the bars:
1 cup oil
1 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9×13 inch pans with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium electric mixer bowl, beat the sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate. Add the pumpkin and the vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the pumpkin mixture, mixing on low speed until smooth and creamy. Split the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth with a spatula. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together. Next, add the powdered sugar (be sure to sift it if it is lumpy). Add the vanilla, and beat the frosting until it is smooth and creamy.

Frost the cakes and slice into bars. Sprinkle with pecans, if desired. Yield 32 to 40 bars. Enjoy!!

If you ask me, fall is the perfect time for an easy. flavorful, crock-pot soup. We all seem to be so busy at this time of year, and everyone would rather be outside enjoying the crisp weather and beautiful fall colors than slaving over a complicated dinner recipe. So throw this easy chicken salsa soup in the crock pot and get outside and enjoy the day!!

To make this recipe even easier, you can add the onion and garlic to the crock pot raw, and use pre-cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces. The salsa in this soup is a great shortcut, delivering tons of flavor with minimal work! Use spicy salsa for a zestier soup. I always like to use low-sodium broth in my soups so that I can control the level of salt in the final product. I would recommend serving this soup with a nice cornbread or a handful of tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Chicken Salsa Soup

From AllRecipes.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 package of frozen corn
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
Sour cream, avocado, and/or cilantro for garnish

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Empty the skillet into your crock pot, and add the chicken pieces. Brown the chicken over medium-high heat and add to the crock pot. Add the salsa, corn, beans,  chicken broth, and cumin. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Serve with your choice of garnish.

If you ask me, nothing is more comforting than a big bowl of delicious, cheesy mashed potatoes! This version features the intermingling of tangy buttermilk with sharp, melty cheddar cheese. Leave the skins on the potatoes for extra texture, color, and nutrition. This dish makes a perfect pair with saucy pork chops, roasted chicken, holiday turkey, or juicy pot roast.

Buttermilk-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

5-6 medium red potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/2-3/4 cup buttermilk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced or shredded

Place potatoes in a large pot and completely cover with cold water. Salt the water, if desired. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes for about 20-30 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Over low heat, add the butter and mash the potatoes with a masher or ricer. We like to leave ours a little lumpy for texture. Gradually add and stir in the buttermilk, until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Last, add the cheddar cheese and allow it to melt before serving.

When I was younger, there were nights when dad was in charge of feeding us kids. Now, truth be told, my dad is an amazing cook. But on a busy weeknight, he was known to feed us one of our quick and easy favorites: Beanie Weenie. A delicious mixture of hearty baked beans and juicy hot dogs, this easy dinner is sure to please kids and dads alike. Everyone knows you can combine a can of pork-and-beans with a package of hot dogs to make this fast and tasty dish. But I’ve designed a “souped-up” version of this weeknight favorite that piles on a few extra layers of flavor.

Homemade Beanie Weenie

1 12-ounce beer or cider
4 large kosher beef hot dogs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cans of your favorite baked beans or pork-and-beans
4 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
A few shakes of Worcestershire sauce

In a deep skillet, pour the beer over the hot dogs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a pot, saute the onions in the olive oil until they are translucent and beginning to brown. Stir in the beans, ketchup, honey, and Worcestershire and simmer over medium heat. Drain the hot dogs and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Fold into the bean mixture and serve warm with cornbread on the side.

Hello, dear readers! I’m happy to announce that I am back from a brief blogging hiatus! I’m just bursting with new recipes to share with you all, starting with this delicious treat for a chilly fall morning. My freezer is full of ripe bananas that I’ve stashed away for a rainy baking day. I was perusing this banana bread recipe and decided to tweak it into some delicious Cinnamon-Pecan Banana Muffins. Fall is in the air, and I just love a deliciously spiced muffin to pair with my morning coffee at this time of year. So welcome back to VV, and I hope you will stick around for some more of my vintage-inspired recipes.

Cinnamon-Pecan Banana Muffins

Muffins:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Topping:
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Prepare a muffin tin with liners and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and stir in the milk and vanilla. Add to the creamed mixture, stirring until combined. Next, add the dry ingredients and stir just until the flour is moistened. Do not over-stir or your muffins will be tough!

Fill the prepared muffin cups with batter about 3/4 of the way full.

In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the topping. Sprinkle the each muffin generously with the topping.

Bake the muffins for about 25 minutes, or until the tops bounce back when lightly touched. Serve warm.

Yield 12-16 muffins.

Here is a nice, light, springtime dish for a weeknight meal or a fun dinner party. The fresh lemony flavors, delicate crab meat, colorful veggies, and tangy feta make this a wonderfully complex, yet simple dish.

Lemon-Feta Crab Pasta
from a little card we picked up at Kroger

8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning or dried oregano
12 ounces lump snow crab meat
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped spinach leaves
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Cook the pasta according to the package directions so that it is al dente. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the Greek seasoning.

Stir in the crab meat, the spinach, and the tomatoes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until crab is heated through and spinach begins to wilt. Add the lemon juice and zest and toss to combine.

Add the crab mixture to the warm pasta and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with feta. Yield ~ 4 servings. Enjoy!