Potatoes and Pumpkin Cookies

We got a box of potatoes from a friend the other week. I knew I wouldn't get them used up before they began to rot so I diced them, cooked them just until the water began to boil, then spread them on cookie sheets to freeze. Once they were frozen I put them in gallon size ziplock freezer bags. I got about 8 bags all together. Will be so handy to pull precooked potatoes out for soups and casseroles.

I tried a new recipe yesterday. Snickerdoodle cookies with pumpkin/cream cheese filling. They were fun to make and looked really nice. Luna and I took a plate of them to our neighbors this morning. It was such a beautiful morning, just perfect for a walk so I turned my back on the work that needed to be done and went visiting! 

Here is the recipe:

Grandma Skinner's Snickerdoodles
Makes approx. 4 dozen

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 and 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla (I use Mexican vanilla but any kind will work)
• 2 and 3/4 c flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp cinnamon and 3 tsp white sugar  (can be brown) for rolling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Stir dry ingredients together in separate bowl and add to creamed mixture. Chill for 20-30 min. Roll into Tablespoon size balls and then toss in the cinnamon/sugar mixture, coating the dough evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned but soft.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Makes approx. 1 & 1/2 cups

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened 
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin (you can also use 1/4 cup pumpkin for a thicker consistency.)
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/8 c white sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 
  
• Beat all ingredients in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Adjust sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

I can't decide if I like the filling. I used a 1/2 cup of pumpkin and I think if  I were to make them again I would use only half that amount.  Another option would be to use the filling as a dip and serve it with small cookies.

I spoke with Miss Sharon yesterday and she feels Braden is making some progress. A few weeks ago she called to say he is doing better but shortly thereafter he regressed back to where he was in the beginning. Sharon said it will be 5 steps forward and 3 steps backward, then there will be times when he reaches a plateau and will need a push to continue improving. Next week I am meeting with Joseph's future therapist at Presley Ridge. We will be discussing Joseph's struggles and going over his history. I am not sure how to "evaluate" a play therapist for issues other than RAD. We took Braden to several therapists before we found one who had even been trained to deal with RAD. That experience has left me a little leery of  therapists in general.