Pumpkindoodles

NEWS FLASH!!!  Weird things happen during pregnancy!!!

Since learning that I was growing another human being, Habibi and I have been tracking Hulk's progress on babycenter.com.  Each week, we check on the status of his/her growth and development, in addition to reading up on any pregnancy tips on the website.  In recent weeks, I have been warned of an increase in appetite (check!) and an upcoming growth spurt (uh oh...).  Warnings heeded, I have continued to educate myself on birthing classes, a necessary increase in protein for my diet and the importance of nutrients like calcium and folic acid.  All good advice.  

However, as my waist continues to disappear and I start to notice an increase of cellulite on my thighs, I can't help but hate how my image is changing.  (Yes, I understand that this is all necessary to give life, but I can still be pissed so back off, Judge Reinhold.)  So, I once again turned to Baby Center for some uplifting and "useful" information.  After finding an article entitled Looking and feeling great during pregnancy, I felt encouraged.

Until I actually read it.

In a misguided attempt to make child bearers feel better about themselves, the article lists a few of "pregnancy's pleasant surprises."  I realize that most women probably do enjoy most of these things, but I have my own opinions, indicated below in red...

Fast-growing fingernails:  Sometime around the fourth month, your nails may start to grow faster than usual. Pregnancy hormones get the credit!  Sick.  I think long fingernails are disgusting.  Not only that, but if your fingernails grow fast, wouldn't your toenails grow fast?  Great, now I get to "look forward" to this, too:

A luxuriant head of hair:  During the second trimester, you might notice that your hair looks extra healthy and full. You're not actually growing more hair — thanks to pregnancy hormones, you're just losing less.  Not many women have the same problem that I do, but I have far too much hair (on my head - I am not a goat).  The amount I lose in a single shower could make wigs (plural!) and I still have plenty.  So now, are you telling me that I'll be stuck with that hair, too?

Anouchka's hair before pregnancy
(I know that's not me, but we basically look the same...)

Anouchka's hair during pregnancy

A newly ample bosom:  It's common to go up a cup size or two during your pregnancy, so you may have some new cleavage to show off!  Screw you, Nature!  I liked mine the way they were!  And "ample" is only a good word when we're talking about pancakes, i.e. "Anouchka has an ample amount of pancakes that she doesn't have to share."

So naturally, to cope with all of these new changes, I have needed an excess of baked goods around the house.  (The Asylum where I grew up was not renowned for mild-mannered self-control.  You can judge me all you want but before you do, ask yourself this:  Who has the cookies?)  I have always been one who loves to cook, but I typically bake only "when The Spirit moves me."  Lately, I have been feeling a lot of movement from The Spirit (and Hulk...or maybe that's just gas?), and Habibi has been indulgent enough to help me out around the house so that I can bake when I suddenly decide to do so at 9 pm.  Sure, he always gets a portion of the goods, but most of the time, he can't keep up with my pre-natal confection gobbling speed.  Poor guy.

Alice and Betty amuse themselves with their favorite video game on the iPad
while I bake and Habibi wonders where he went wrong in life.

After devouring the last of the chocolate chip cookie dough dip (because the best way to ensure that something doesn't tempt you is to eliminate the temptation, right?), I needed another fix.  Wanting to use the last of the pumpkin in my fridge, I decided to try a semi-homemade variation of the snickerdoodle, my second favorite type of  cookie in the whole wide world.  Thus the "pumpkindoodle" was born...

Pumpkindoodles

(Makes 2 dozen, plus enough batter for you to snack on while baking)

Ingredients:

More pumpkin = softer, gooier cookies!

• Package of sugar cookie mix - Get one that claims to make about 3 dozen, even though we all know that's a bold faced lie.
• Maybe about a cup of canned pumpkin? You'll need enough so that when you blend  it with the cookie mix, it looks more or less like this >>>
  
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (or substitute), set aside
• A healthy shake of cinnamon (at least 1 tbsp), set aside

To do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix enough pumpkin with the package of sugar cookie mix so it is sticky enough to shape.
• Separately, blend the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.
• Scooping out by the spoonful, roll small amounts of dough into a ball.  Then dab the top half of each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mix.
• Place up to 12 at a time on a cookie sheet and lightly press with a fork.
• Bake for 6-10 minutes.  Note that cookies will be soft and puffy, but will continue to cook after being removed from the oven.
• Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before handling.

I like to line my baking sheets with foil for easy clean up.

These cookies are soft, gooey, pumpkin-y, cinnamon-y, and sure to please (provided you like all of these adjectives).  Plus, since there are no raw ingredients of animal origin involved, you can eat as much batter as you want...

...just don't blame me if you eat so much that you get sick.