Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

 

 

 

These are seriously the easiest muffins to bake.

EVER!

1 box Spice Cake Mix
15oz pumpkin (plain pumpkin)
1 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven according to the cake mix.
Mix the cake mix and the pumpkin.
And then mix it some more.
Pour in the chocolate chips and mix some more.

Pour into greased muffin tin. I like to use the little cupcake wrappers.
Bake. For a long time. They are dense so they will tale longer to bake. The box said 18-20 minutes and I think I baked them at 30 minutes or longer. Just keep an eye on them.
They do not rise much. I ended up with 18 muffins instead of 24.

Great for a fall snack or for breakfast.

Also:
Sometimes I individually wrap them and then freeze. My Hubby likes to grab them out of the freezer frozen and take them to work. By the time he gets there and is in his morning meeting the muffins are thawed and he eats his breakfast during his meeting. Pumpkin muffins and coffee. :o)

Optional:
I bought some cream cheese frosting and turned a few into "cupcakes"

Sloppy Joe-Lanterns

My friend, Tasha and I were talking after school and neither of us quite knew what we were having for dinner. Tasha mentioned Sloppy Joe's.
GREAT IDEA!
So off to the store I went.
I had to pick up Pumpkin Muffin ingredients to make with my classes. They had a great deal on all of the ingredients.
All 3 ingredients.
After I made the Sloppy Joe's I looked at my kids' plates and had a moment of brilliance. I know because Madison told me it was brilliant.

 

Sloppy Joe-Lanterns!

Freestyle Peach Tart

Freestyle Peach Tart
Makes 2 Tarts

When I was pregnant with Sarah my MIL gave us a peach pie. I ate the whole thing. The WHOLE thing. I justify my actions in that I was pregnant, the baby wanted it and it has to be healthy because it has fruit as an ingredient.
I gained about 70lbs that pregnancy.
I had a baby that was 11 lbs 1 oz and 24 inches long.
I'd say peaches are pretty darn healthy.

Ingredients
1 package refrigerated pie dough (2 pie crusts)
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
8 oz cream cheese, room tempish
4 cups peeled and sliced peaches
Topping of your choice
   We eat this with vanilla ice cream but the recipe is oriningally from Kraft Food and Family magazine (Summer 2012 p.56) and calls for Cool Whip on top.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lay the pie crust out on a silpat. If you don't have a Silpat go buy one. Right now. If you are completely unable to get one you can spray a cookie sheet with foil.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar.

In another bowl stir together the cream cheese and 2 Tbsp cinnamon, sugar.

Divide and spread onto crusts leaving about 2in around the outside.

Set aside 2 Tbsp cinnamon, sugar and pour the rest over the peaches and toss until they are coated evenly. Don't kill them until all you have is peach juice. Gently toss them. And if anyone knows a peach peeling tip or trick or magic spell PLEASE let me know!

Divide and spread onto pie crust over the cream cheese.

Fold up the edges and sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon, sugar over the tarts. Make sure to get some on the crust edges.

 

Bake about 25 min.

Eat one and share the other one with your family. Just kidding. Maybe... Share one with your family and bless another family with the other tart.

Fry Bread

Tonight was our church's Progressive Dinner.This year's theme was Italian. If you don't know what a progressive dinner is; it is like a Gypsy potluck. We eat each course at a different house.
First we met at the church and dropped the kiddos off to be sat on. You know; babysat. Then a prayer, an icebreaker and some directions and we were off! The first stop was appetizers. Cheese, crackers, pizza, bread and toppings, meatballs and spiced cider; Oh My! I have to give a shout out to Russ for pouring! That was some good pouring!
Then we drove on to Soup and Salad. It was so hard to choose! I picked a soup that reminded me of the potato and sausage soup at The Olive Garden, green salad with pasta salad on top, homemade wheat bread, pea salad and a smidgen of a fruit salad. Ugh! This was all way too good and I was already full! But the show must go on!
So we drove to the main course. I tried to get just a bite of everything. Such good food and so much of it! This is also where my contribution to the night came in. I tried out a new recipe for fry bread. Marilee, a family friend, makes Italian fry bread for special occasions and it is the best! I love bread anyway but this stuff is the bombdiggity! When I heard we were doing the Italian theme I knew what I was going to bring! I  have to admit I was a little nervous about trying a new recipe to serve to everyone at church.What? I should have tried the recipe once before doubling the recipe and serving it to everyone? Naw. That's not how I roll. My dear, sweet, darling Noah joked, "I thought you like your church. What did they ever do to you?" But it turned out great and everyone else liked it too because there were NO leftovers! It also made me feel good to hear people talking about how good it was even when they didn't know I was the one who made it. I may be bragging a little but I'm pretty sure I have bragging rights at this point.
But we weren't done! We still had dessert. So many delicious things to choose from! Again I tried to take just a little bit of everything. Pumpkin bars, cheese cake, tiramisu with homemade lady fingers, and things that I don't even know what it was but BOY was it good! I do not consider myself a quitter but at some point I just couldn't eat any more. I was so full.
I loved getting to see the houses too. I laugh thinking about trying to squeeze all those people into my Little House! We were welcomed with such warm hospitality and beautifully decorated houses. I had an awesome evening eating and fellowshipping with my old friends and meeting new ones.
Besides the fact that our church rocks and has lots of talented cooks and bakers; the point of the story is that I made bombdiggity fry bread and wanted to share the recipe.

Fry Bread

1 cup milk
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp sugar
2 packages yeast
1 cup warm water (somewhere around 100-110 degrees)
4 1/4 cups flour
(I doubled this recipe to make enough for the progressive dinner. It served a lot of people.)

Scald (I had to look this up) the milk, salt, butter and sugar. Let it cool.

In a large mixing bowl add the water to the yeast and dissolve. Add the milk mixture and flour and mix well. I had to knead it by hand at the end. It is sticky. Cover with a towel and let double in size. I put it in the oven and leave it but you have to remember to pull it out before you preheat the oven; especially if it is in a plastic bowl. My Grandma Mary Ellen always used to let the dough rise in the bathroom because it was usually the warmest room in the house.
Once the dough has doubled in size you will need to heat a few inches of oil in a pot or frying pan. I think Marilee uses a cast iron skillet. I prefer a large pot because it is tall so you don't have as many oil spatters to clean up when you are done. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a water drop go ahead and start your pulling, stretching and frying. I pulled off pieces of my sticky dough and stretched them out a little and dropped them in. I could fit about 3 safely, 4 when I got impatient. Noah was in charge of turning them over and taking them out when they were golden brown. He said 4 was too many because they would stick together.
We served them with pastas. You could also sprinkle powdered sugar, or cinnamon and sugar on them and serve them for dessert like elephant ears. :o)
Go make some bombdiggity fry bread, give a prayer of thanks for all you have and go brag about your bombdiggity fry bread skills.

Lemon Cream Currant Scones

Mix together:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt (Kosher)
1 tsp grated Lemon Zest
1/2 Cup Currants
Add:
1 1/3 Cups Heavy Cream

When Cream is integrated, knead 8-10 times on a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch circles with a biscuit cutter or drinking glass rim. OR form into an 8 inch circle and cut into pizza wedges. Place on a buttered cookie sheet (unbuttered Silpat) 1 inch apart.

Bake at 400 degrees (conventional oven or 350 degrees for a convection oven) for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

While the scones are baking you can make the Lemon Glaze

Mix together:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (I just squeeze the lemon I got the zest from)

Add more lemon juice as needed until glaze is smooth and slightly thick.
Drizzle on scones and top with more lemon zest.


*From the kitchen of Lauren Hemenway.

Blueberry Scones

Blueberry Scones

2 Cups + 2Tbsp+1Tbsp Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
3 Tbsp Sugar
1/8 tsp salt
6 1/2 Tbsp + 1 1/2 Tbsp Butter, chilled
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Cup Half and Half, chilled
2/3 Cup frozen Blueberries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use your Flexipat.
Combine blueberries and 1Tbsp flour in a small bowl and place it in the freezer.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Cut in butter until it is about pea sized. These will melt while baking in the oven; leaving pockets of buttery yumminess.
Add vanilla and half and half until it is just barely incorporated. (I didn't have half and half but I did need to use up some whipping cream. I doubled the recipe and came up 1/2 Cup short so I used regular old 2% Milk and the world survived.)
Knead blueberries into mixture until it forms a ball. Pat dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 9-10inch circle.
Cut into 8 triangles and place 1 inch apart on your baking sheet.
Take 1 1/2 Tbsp butter and cut it up into 8 pieces. Place a piece on each triangle.
Bake 15 minutes.

I found the original recipe from a blog called Good Things Catered. I can't find it though. Sad. She had a ton of awesome recipes. Loved her Window Sill Tomato Sauce.
Sorry there are no pictures. My camera battery went dead. I guess I will be forced to make them again soon...

Orange Cream Cranberry Scones

I have extra Heavy Cream left over from Holiday baking. This is my Holiday Scone.

Here are all my ingredients. I have learned that there is a reason why the cooks on TV have all of their supplies out and ready to go. It just makes everything easier. It also insures that you will not begin making a recipe only to find that you do not have enough sugar/eggs/flour/vanilla/butter/etc.

That includes having your cooking tools ready. Here are the ones I used:

I <3 my Pastry Blender and my Zester!

Mix together:
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt (Kosher)
1 tsp grated Orange Zest
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

Add:
1 1/3 Cups Heavy Cream

When Cream is integrated, knead 8-10 times on a lightly floured surface. (At this time your hands will be too sticky to take a picture.)
Pat or roll out until it is 1/2 inch thick.
Cut into 2 inch circles with a biscuit cutter or drinking glass rim.
                                       OR
form into an 8 inch circle and cut into pizza wedges. Place on a buttered cookie sheet (unbuttered Silpat) 1 inch apart.

Bake at 400 degrees (conventional oven or 350 degrees for a convection oven) for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

While the scones are baking you can make the Orange Glaze
Mix together:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp Orange Juice (I just squeeze half of the orange I got the zest from and eat the other half)

Add more orange juice as needed until glaze is smooth and slightly thick.

Drizzle on scones and top with more orange zest.

The original recipe is Lemon Cream Currant Scones. Just substitute Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice for the Orange Zest and Orange Juice and substitute Currants for the Cranberries. Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!

I got the original Lemon Cream Currant Scone recipe from a cooking class at the YWCA when I was on the Membership board. Lauren Hemenway, who owned The Verve Coffee and Art House taught it. I also have her Peach Scone recipe. Our Favorite! If only I could get her cookie recipe...

Brown Bag Burritos

This is a favorite at our house. I can make a ton of these and freeze them. Since I am going back to work on Monday I made some of these today.
When Noah gets off work at noon and gets home, he pops a couple of these burritos in the oven and they are done by the time he is showered and changed. Easy, fast and good. Can't get better than that!

I got the recipe from http://amysfinerthings.com/brown-bag-burritos

Brown Bag Burritos

2 lbs Ground Beef
2 cans refried beans
1 1/3 cups enchilada sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup minced onion
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
3 cups shredded cheese
20 flour tortillas

Brown ground beef and drain.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in and simmer for 20 minutes.

Scoop 1/4-1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture onto each tortilla and roll up. It helps if you warm up the tortillas in the oven. They are easier to work with and don't tear as easily.

This is how many I ended up freezing. I am down a few due to Noah, me and the kids.

Wrap each burrito in foil. Since we only cook them in the oven we don't wrap them with a paper towel. If you save the bag that the tortillas come in, you can use it to keep the burritos from running all over the freezer. :o)

Best Fried Chicken Ever

I can't remember where I got this recipe but I have changed it so I guess I can claim it as mine.
Recipes are only suggestions anyway, right?
Noah says this is better that KFC.

Best Fried Chicken Ever

Ingredients:
Oil for frying
1-2 1/2 lbs Chicken (our favorite is the legs)
3 Eggs
1/3 Cup Milk
2 Cups Flour
A good shake of Paprika
Another good shake of Cumin
House Seasoning

House Seasoning:
1 Cup Salt
1/4 Cup Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Garlic Powder

Beat together eggs and milk.

In a brown paper lunch bag combine flour, paprika (enough to give it a slight red color to the flour) and cumin. Pinching the top closed and shaking the bag works well.

Season chicken with House Seasoning. The recipe above makes quite a bit. I ran out of Garlic Salt but I kept the shaker it came in. I used what I needed tonight and put the rest in the shaker to save for other uses.

Dip the chicken in the egg and milk mixture.

Toss 2 chicken legs (or whatever chicken part) in the brown bag at a time. Thoroughly coat with flour mixture.

Here is my assembly line. Yes, I did manage to get flour EVERYWHERE.

Heat oil in a large pot. I use a candy thermometer to make sure I get the oil up to a good 350 degrees. Once I get it up to that on about Med-High, I turn it up to High while I get the chicken ready and in the pot. SLOWLY put the chickens in the oil. You may even want to use "pinchers". You don't want to crowd the swimming pool so you may need to fry them in more than one batch. I usually end up frying two batches.

Once I get all the legs in the oil I turn it down to Medium, cover and cook for about 7 minutes.

Uncover, turn over and cook uncovered for about another 7 minutes.

Turn again and cook, turning as necessary until done.

Lay on paper towels on plate and pretend you did not just cook your dinner in a pot of oil.

I also made homemade mashed potatoes. Gravy and green beans. And homemade Apple Crisp for dessert. Not bad.

Not thrilled with the Apple Crisp. It would probably have tasted better if I had remembered the butter. I was probably sub-consciously making up for the chicken in oil and potatoes with LOTS of butter.


Nope...I just plain forgot.

The girls and I did have fun making it and it wasn't actually that bad. Just a bit dry.

Cinnamon Ornaments

Disclaimer: Sorry about another recipe however this one is not edible. Please do not try to eat it.

4 Cups Cinnamon
(Yes, 4 cups. Yes, the people at the grocery store will look at you strange when you say you need 4 cups of cinnamon)

3 cups Applesauce

1/2 cup glue (I just used a 4 oz bottle of the cheapest Elmer's Glue)

Mix everything together very well. I used a spoon for  mixing the cinnamon and apple sauce. It got pretty thick and I completely abandoned the spoon by the time I added the glue. Really mix it. Get in there.

Let it sit for about an hour. I let mine sit longer  and it was fine.

Roll it out. About 1/2 inch worked well. The more you work with it the more moist it becomes.

Cut out with cookie cutters. We borrowed a box of 100 cookie cutters from my Aunt. I let the kids do just about whatever cookie cutters they wanted. This recipe makes ALOT of ornaments!

We laid them out on aluminum foil and I poked holes in them with a small straw.

Bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours. Flip them over after an hour. I let mine sit for a couple of minutes before I flipped them. I found that they stuck to the aluminum foil unless I waited. They will shrink a little.

After baking them we let them cool and and then strung them with ribbon. They turned out really cute and our Little House smells amazing!

I got the recipe from www.kinderart.com/seasons/cinnamonronaments

Orgasmic Blueberry Pie OR Super Duper Blueberry Pie

1 3/4 cups frozen blueberries
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup whipping cream-whipped
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond flavoring*
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 graham cracker crust

Combine condensed milk and lemon juice. Mix well.
Stir in vanilla and almond flavoring.

Fold in whipped cream.
Pour into pie shell.

Refrigerate until set. (A couple of hours)

Mash 3/4 cup blueberries.

Mix sugar with cornstarch and add to mashed berries.
Cook until thickened.
Take off stove and add 1 cup blueberries and stir together.

When pie is set and blueberries are cool spread blueberries on top of pie.
Refrigerate until ready to eat.

* The almond flavoring is what really makes this pie. DO NOT SKIP THE ALMOND FLAVORING!!!

This is my showcase dessert. Thanks for the top secret recipe, Aunt Patty! It is actually very simple (don't tell anyone) and absolutely delicious!
The name of this recipe is Orgasmic Blueberry Pie but when taking it to church functions I have changed the name to Super Duper Blueberry Pie (following an awkward and humorous conversation with the pastor's wife).  :o)

Reindeer Poop

No Bake Cookies!

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 3/4 cups oats
1tsp vanilla

Melt margarine in pot.

Add sugar, cocoa and milk.

Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Stir in peanut butter, oats and vanilla. Mix well.

Quickly drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper or Silpat to cool.

This is a recipe I learned how to make when I was in middle school at DeSales. We learned how to make "Elephant Poop" in Mrs. Michael's Home-Ec class. I made these once before Noah and I were married and was very excited to have stumbled upon a favorite cookie from his childhood. His Grandma Roberta used to make them for him. Of course they weren't called poop though. We call these cookies Reindeer Poop at Christmas time however we enjoy our Elephant Poop the rest of they year. The recipe remains the same. :o)
P.S. If you are making something called Poop you must be prepared to be a little silly!