At the house with the boys...

A picnic in the kitchen...

Making Pumpkin bread with my little helpers. I love this recipe (at bottom) b/c it makes 3 loaves. I bake one and freeze the other two batters for another day. So yummy!

 Peanut butter pie (recipe below) with an  (doubled stuffed) Oreo crust...

 A truck driving riding cowboy..

 Rocking the boat with Daddy...

 Building tall towers (high on the list of to-dos these days)...

 And playing with ladybugs...

I love experiencing these adventures with my little men. They are so full of excitement and joy for life. We are blessed!

Pumpkin Bread

2/3 c. shortening

2 2/3 c. sugar

4 eggs, beaten

2 c. pumpkin (15 oz. can)

2/3 c. water

3 1/3 c. flour

½ tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. ground cloves (or ¾ )

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or ¾ )

2/3 c. chopped pecans (optional, I don't use)

2/3 c. chopped dates (optional, I don't use)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, pumpkin, and water; mix well. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cloves together. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Fold in pecans and dates. Pour into 3 greased 5 x 9 inch loaf pans. Bake 50-55 minutes (Med=45 min, large=50 min). Cool in pans for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

§  FOR CRUST

§  25 whole Oreos

§  4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

§  PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:

§  1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

§  1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese

§  1-1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

§  1 package (8 Ounce) Cool Whip, Thawed

Crust:
Crush the Oreos until they’re fine crumbs. Pour melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling:
Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed Cool Whip and beat mixture until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour filling into crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.