{Pumpkin Pie French Toast}

Pumpkin Pie French Toast

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 slices of bread

Optional - Broken gingersnap crumbs as a yummy crust!

Directions:

1. Mix the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mutmeg and brown sugar in low flat bowl for easy dipping.

2. Dip the bread into the egg mixture on both sides and grill in a pan until lightly golden brown, about 2-3 minute per side.

3. Serve with maple syrup.

{Pumpkin Bread}

Pumpkin Bread


Ingredients:

1-3/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices. In a sparate bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar. Add 2 eggs. Mix until fluffy.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix.

Add 1/2 of the pumpkin. Mix.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix.

Add 1/2 of the pumpkin. Mix.

Add the rest of the flour mixture. Mix.

Add chocolate chips and half of the nuts. Pour in loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 75 minues, or until knife inserted into bread comes is dry.
Enjoy!

{Blueberry Pie with Crumb Topping}

Crumb topping

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling

1/2 cup granualted sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp. fresh finely grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter, unsalted cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the pie, 9 inch pie crust. Mix crumb topping ingredients together until mixture resembles crumbs about pea size. Don't overprocess. If you are using a food processor use the pulse button. Set aside.

Make the filling. In a large bowl stir together the sugar, flour, until well mixed. Gently stir in the blueberries and lemon rind, juice. Pour the mixture into the pie crust, dot with butter. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the pie.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place the pie in the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving. This is great with a dollop of vanilla icecream!

(recipe from Sweetie Pies)

{Black Forest Cake}

(Serves 12-16)

Ingredients

* 1 (18 ounce) box devil's food cake mix, baked as directed in 9 x 13 inch pan and left in pan
* 3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
* 1/3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
* 1 1/3 cups water (or as called for by your cake mix)
* 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
* 1 tablespoon almond extract
* 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
* 1 (5 1/8 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding, prepared as directed 
* 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
* chocolate sprinkles
* maraschino cherries

Directions

1. Mix cherry pie filling and almond extract.

2. While cake is still warm, poke top all over with fork and spread the cherry filling mixture all over the top.

3. When you prepare vanilla pudding, make it as directed on box, but add the vanilla extract to it with the milk.

4. Fold Cool Whip into pudding.

5. Spread pudding mixture over cake, covering the cherry pie filling.

6. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and or cherries.

7. Chill until serving time.

{Cornflake Biscuits}

Recipe #1

* 3 tbsp yogurt
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 3 cups flour
* 250g butter
* 1 cup cornflakes, crumbled
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 egg yolk, beaten

Preheat the oven at 180C.

Make a mixture from yogurt, olive oil, salt and chili powder. You can decrease or increase the amount of chili acording to your taste.

Make a hard dough by combining flour, butter, cornflakes and baking powder with the yogurt mixture.

Take small balls from the dough and roll them out on the counter. Cut them with cookie cutters.

Lay the baking sheet in an oven tray and place the biscuits on it. Then spread egg yolk on each.

Cook them for 25 minutes and then let them cool on wire rack.
________________________________________________

Recipe #2

The recipe doubles and triples very well. These were made teaspoon-size, but if you like big cookies you can make them larger.

(Serves 24 cookies)

* 4.5 ounces butter at room temperature
* 3.6 ounces sugar
* 1 whole egg at room temperature, lightly beaten
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1 cup fresh walnuts, cut in small pieces
* 1 cup cornflakes
* 3 cups cornflakes to roll biscuits
* 1 pinch salt

1. Beat the butter with the sugar until white and fluffy.

2. Add the lightly beaten egg and beat until very well incorporated and batter is very fluffy.

3. Sift the flour with the salt and add to the batter. Beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom.

4. Add 1 cup of walnuts and 1 cup of cornflakes and beat just until mixed, to divide the ingredients in the dough. Scrape down the sides, make into a ball and chill for 20 minutes.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F with rack 1 shelf up from middle. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

6. In a large bowl add 2 cups cornflakes and lightly press on them just to break the bigger flakes.

7. With 2 teaspoons, make little balls of dough and put in the cornflakes. Roll them around to stick the cornflakes to the dough. Put them on the baking tray, seperating them about 1 inch from each other.

8. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes and then lower the rack to the middle and continue baking until they are golden and crispy.

9. Allow them to cool on the baking tray and store in an airtight jar.

{Pistachio Walnut Cake}

Preheat over to 350. Combine 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 package instand pistachio jello pudding, 4 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 16 ounce container of sour cream. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Pour 1/2 the batter into a greased 10" bundt pan. Sprinkle 1/2 the sugar/cinnamon/walnut mix. Pour the remaining batter and sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture on top. Bake at 350 for an hour or until center browns and springs back when lighly touched. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from bundt pan. Enjoy!!

{Candace's Cupcake Buttercream}

Buttercream Frosting Recipe


Ingredients
* 3 cups powdered sugar
* 1 cup butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 tbsp whipping cream

Directions:

1. Cream the butter with the sugar.

2. Then add the liquids.

Note: To make it chocolate, add 3/4 cup cocoa and an extra tbsp of whipping cream. Easy!!  Oh, that only makes enough to frost about 12 cupcakes (depends on how much frosting you use on each one, though), so I doubled it.

(source: Candace M)

{Cherry-Chocolate Chip Cookies}

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 9 minutes per batch

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2 eggs
* 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 12-oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate pieces
* 1 cup snipped dried cherries
optional - add walnuts, pecans, etc.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces and cherries.

2. Drop dough by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 minutes. Transfer to racks. Cool. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

{Chocolate Cake Day}

Yesterday (January 27th) was Chocolate Cake Day!

(Need I say more?)

Chocolate Cake Day is a a chocolate lovers delight, and a day to eat cake. Why this a day to "bake your chocolate cake....and eat it, too!"

On this day, a white or yellow cake will not do. Nor, will part chocolate, part white suffice. It must be chocolate, all chocolate. You can make milk chocolate, dark chocolate, fudge, or any other type of chocolate cake.

There are three objectives of Chocolate Cake Day: To bake a chocolate cake. To decorate a chocolate cake. And, to eat a chocolate cake. Of course, if you are to busy to bake or decorate a cake, then just eating a chocolate cake will certainly do!

{ABC's of Pie}

Today (January 23rd) is National Pie Day!

(Mmm!...Pie)

What's a girl to do.  How do I choose?
There's so many to select, so here's what I'll do...

A is for Apple
B is for Banana
and C is for Chocolate!

(Mmm!...Chocolate!)

♥  ♥  ♥

Apple Crumble Pie

* 1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
* 5 cups apples (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
* 1/2 cup white sugar

For the topping:

* 3/4 tsp cinnamon
* 1/3 cup white sugar
* 3/4 cup flour
* 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Arrange apples in unbaked crust
3. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples.
4. Mix 1/3 cup sugar with flour and cut in butter until crumbly. Spoon mixture over apples.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until apples are soft and top is lightly browned.

♥  ♥  ♥



Banana Cream Pie

* 1 graham cracker crust
* large box instant banana pudding (for a fuller pie, use 2)
* 2 1/2 cups milk
* whipped cream
* 1 or 2 ripe bananas

1. Mix pudding and milk. Slice banana(s) into 1/4" slices.
2. Line bottom of pie crust with banana slices.
3. Pour pudding into pie crust.
4. Top with whipped cream.
5. Gently lay banana slices on top in an appetizing pattern.

♥  ♥  ♥



Chocolate Cream Pie

* 1 large box instant chocolate pudding
* 2 1/2 cups milk
* 1 chocolate or graham cracker crust
* whipped cream
* chocolate chips or shavings (optional, but suggested)

1. Mix pudding and milk. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Pour into pie crust.
3. Top with whipped cream.
4. Sprinkle with chocolate chips/shavings, or any other garnish you prefer.

(source: http://www.piemaven.com/)

Cricut Cake Machine!

Cricut Cake™ Personal Electronic Cutter

The Cricut Cake™ Personal Electronic Cutter is specifically designed for decorating cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and confections in no time at all.

Just choose a shape, a size, and press "cut". Decorating like a professional has never been faster or easier.

Bon Appetit!

Keywords: Cricut Cake™ Personal Electronic Cutter

($399.99)

(Source:  http://www.cricut.com/)

What Kind Of Cupcake Are You?

What Kind of Cupcake Are You?

http://www.teennick.com/quizzes/quiz_main.php?id=3518

(Click on the link or quick link above to find out!)

{Pretzel Cookies}

Today, some Yummy Goodness arrived to my door!  Our neighbor made us the most wonderful, twisted & not too sugary little rope-looking/twisted pretzel-type cookies! 

I've yet to try the following recipe, but am hoping that it's the possible exact match, to what I just experienced!

Basically, if this recipe is in fact, one in the same, then your cookie should end up tasting pretty much just like the ones that come in those mixed Christmas Butter Cookie tins!

Pretzel Cookies

* 1 egg
* 1 cup butter or margarine
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup milk
* 3 1/2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* cinnamon sugar

Directions:

Cream together egg, butter or margarine, sugar and milk.

Dump flour over egg mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon and baking powder evenly over flour.

With a fork, blend cinnamon and baking powder into flour and then continue blending until all ingredients are combined.

Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide dough into four equal parts.

Return three parts to the refrigerator and divide remaining dough into twelve equal parts.

Sprinkle bread board with cinnamon sugar. Roll each piece of dough into a 10-inch strip while coating with cinnamon sugar.

Twist into a pretzel shape and place on cooking sheet. Bake in oven until lightly golden.

Repeat with remaining dough.

{Apple Pear Sauce}

Ingredients:

* 2 apples
* 3 pounds of pears
* 2 Tbs. juice (apple, cranberry, lemon, or grape)

Directions:

Peel, core and chop apples into 1 inch pieces. Cut off each end of pear. Cut in half and using a melon baller or spoon, scrape out the vein and seeds. Leave the peel on the pears.

Your pile should have peel-on pear halves and peeled and chopped apples.

Now, place your fruit in a medium saucepan with the juice. The pears are mostly water so you don't need any more than 2 Tbs. of juice. It's really just in there to get you started.

Cover and cook on the lowest setting on your stove.

After about 20-25 minutes, lift the lid and check your fruit. You should be able to chop the pears in half with a wooden spoon and there should be a lot of liquid at the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 15-20 minutes on low or increase the heat to medium and cook another 10-15 minutes but you'll need to watch it closely.

When the pears easily break apart with a wooden spoon, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
Using an imersion blender, blender, food mill or food processor blend the mixtures until it is smooth. The pear peel will disappear. Serve cold or at room temperature. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!

{New Year's Almond Butter Cake}

New Year's Almond Butter Cake


Ingredients:

* 3 cup - Cake Flour (sifted)
* 3 tsp - Baking Powder
* ½ tsp - Salt
* ¾ cup - Butter or shortening
* 1 ½ cup - Sugar
* 3 - Eggs
* ½ cup - Almonds (finely chopped)
* ½ cup - Raisins (finely cut)
* 1 cup - Milk
* 1 tsp - Vanilla
* Lemon Butter Frosting
* Things to decorate with

Method:

Sift flour once.

Add baking powder and salt to it and sift together thrice.

Cream butter thoroughly while adding sugar gradually until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly.

Add nuts and raisins and beat well.

Add flour, alternately with small amount of milk, beating after each addition until smooth.

Add vanilla.

Bake in two greased 9-inch layer pans at 375 oF for 25 minutes.

Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Optional: (choose between a Christmas or New Year's theme!)

Decorate top of cake with wreath of holly, maraschino cherries or red cinnamon candies can be used as berries and slices of angelica or citron can be used as leaves and stems.

Alternatively, decorate with poinsettias made of candied cherries. Slice cherries in rings, cut rings in half, and arrange to form petals of poinsettias.