The best breakfast on a cold winter morning, is a hearty bowl of hot oatmeal. But maybe on the weekends, we can offer a warm, sweet treat to get the mornin' goin'.

PUMPKIN SPICE MUFFINS

4 lg. Eggs

2 c. all purpose flour, sifted

2 tsps. Baking soda

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ground Cloves

2 tsps. Ground cinnamon

½ tsp. Ground ginger

¼ tsp. Ground nutmeg

2 c. sugar

1 c. vegetable oil

1 lb. canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 Crack eggs in large mixing bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, clove, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Beat eggs thoroughly, add sugar and continue beating.
(I whip this recipe up just using a sturdy fork) Gradually add oil and pumpkin, beating well at a low speed.
Add flour mixture, several spoonsful at a time…mixing until flour is moistened. Pour into an ungreased muffin tin or bunt pan and bake for 1 hour or until surface springs back when pressed with fingertips. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Next is a warm winner from

Ellen's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

Heat the oven to 350° F and grease a 6-cup tube pan. Mix walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon to make topping and set aside. Stir or sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt until dry ingredients are well combined. Cream the butter with the sugar until the mixture is light, then beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in alternate thirds with the sour cream, beating well after each addition. Spoon half the batter into the pan and sprinkle with half the topping, then add remaining batter and sprinkle on the rest of the topping. Bake for 40 minutes without opening the oven, then test for doneness (a toothpick should come out clean). It may need another 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
Thanks for that one Ells..it's a keeper, and a great cake to bring when visiting!

CRANBERRY BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup orange juice

2 cups fresh cranberries OR 1 cup dried cranberries (or cranorange raisins)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. orange zest

Grease a loaf pan.

In a bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg until blended. Stir in flour mixture, in 3 additions, alternately with orange juice, mixing each time only until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in cranberries and walnuts and zest.
Turn into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean-about 55 minutes. Turn out on a wire rack and cool completely. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and a plastic bag and store for 2 days in the refrigerator to allow flavors to blend before serving. Bring to room temperature before serving. Heat if desired.

APPLE SOUFFLE PANCAKES

These giant size apple pancakes that are baked in the oven. Great for a party brunch, these tasty pancakes need to be served immediately, as like a souffle, they will sink rapidly if left to sit too long.Delicious with mimosas! :o)
This recipe makes two large pancakes - enough for four hungry people.

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup flour (no need to sift)

3/4 cup milk

pinch of salt

1/4 cup butter (or margarine - if you really must!)

2 medium apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1/4 cup sugar (unbleached or light brown)

ground cinnamon (to your personal taste)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 - 9 inch round cake pans in the oven. Beat together thoroughly - the eggs, flour, milk, and salt. Make sure all ingredients are well blended and lump free. Remove the heated pans from the oven. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in each pan and rotate until butter is melted and distributed around all sides of the pan.
Layer the apple slices on the bottom of each pan. Gently divide and pour the pancake batter evenly between the two pans. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar mixture over each pan.
Bake uncovered until golden brown and puffed. Approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Serving suggestion: Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and serve with sausage patties.

Here, we'll bring you some easy, hot, comfort meals. These next 3 recipes come straight from the Friary, courtesy of Brother Augustine, who is my

Chicken Pot Pie

This is a great recipe to make with leftover chicken or turkey.

1 pkg. of prepared pie crust (the kind that rolls out or unfolds)

1 lb. cooked chicken breast cut up (pre-cooked packaged or leftover)

1 cup each of 3 of your favorite frozen or canned veggies. Chris likes to use green beans, carrots and mushrooms. Peas might be another option.

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 jar of chicken gravy

Line an 8 inch square baking dish, with one of the crusts

In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients, and pour into crust lined dish. Cover with a second pie crust , tucking and rolling all the edges neatly. Poke fork holes decoratively into the top crust. Bake at 350* for one hour. A little longer if the crust is not brown enough. Will serve 4 large portions or 6 smaller ones.

There's more Rib Stickin' Meals from Cousin Chris, just around the next snow drift.