Back from the dead...

or at least I'm sure some of you thought I may have fallen off the edge of the world. Nope, I'm still here. Things are going so fast and furious that I rarely have time to blog and now I have added hurdles. Last week we moved to a new house in the same city but a house that we have a 5 year lease on. Now at least we won't have to move to a new house every furlough. The really sad thing about our new house is that there is no internet or phone!!! EKKK!!! No I'm not joking! I am currently sitting at the old house using the wireless that's on until the end of the month.

In 6 weeks we fly out and head to Texas for furlough. This furlough will be different than any other we have ever had. Our oldest son is finished with school, getting his liscense when we return and he'll start college in the fall. We'll be returning to Croatia without him so this furlough will be a bit different. Gonna need LOTS of grace!

Anyhow, I'm totally busy with life here in Croatia and preparing for the upcoming change. I have lots of share but the lack of internet makes that a little difficult.

As soon as we make it to the states, I'm sure I'll be back to blogging again. Until them I'll leave you with a recipe I made today and LOVED.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream-Cheese Filling

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 whoopie pies.

• FOR THE PUMPKIN WHOOPIE COOKIES
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• FOR THE CREAM-CHEESE FILLING
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1.     Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

2.     In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

3.     Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

4.     Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)

5.     Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days

Check out Martha Stewart for more great recipes