Pumpkin, Spice, Everything Nice...That's what these muffins are made of!

My friend, Lindsey, sent me the world's easiest recipe for pumpkin muffins.

They have only three ingredients.

Three.

I'm game!

She told me that all you do it mix 1 box of spice cake mix, 1 can pf pumpkin, and 1 individual cup of applesauce. 

But I thought, "No chocolate? Every good recipe has chocolate!"

So, I added chocolate chips to the mix.  I have a problem, I can't seem to leave well enough alone.

First, pour 1 cup chocolate chips into a small bowl.  Open cake mix and sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of it over the chocolate chips. This will keep them suspended in the muffin and keep them from sinking.

Stir it until all chips are coated.

In mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, applesauce, and pumpkin.

Once it is all incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop into lined muffin tins and bake as directed. I like to use an ice cream scoop so they are all the same size.  Bake as directed on the cake mix box.  Mine said to bake at 350 for 18-21 minutes. They took 20 minutes.

(You can also make this recipe as  a cake or bundt cake.  A bundt cake with a simple icing of milk,  powdered sugar, and splash of vanilla drizzled over it would be divine.)

Oh my.
These are so moist and delicious.
No one will ever know that they were so easy to whip up!


Today I am thankfil for simple and delicious recipes!

Chili

Fall is officially here. (yay!)

That means it's time for good ol' comfort food! 

I was raised eating chili made from those seasoning packets you get from the grocery store.  Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to figure out how to make it from scratch.  Last year I tried Pioneer Woman's recipe for chili from her cookbook.  It was good, but not what I was looking for.  I decide this year to just wing it, throw in whatever I felt like, and ya know what? It turned out pretty darn good! What's great about soups and chilis, is that you can change and adapt the recipes to fit your taste!

Here is the recipe I came up with:

2 lb ground hamburger, or ground turkey

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion-diced

2 cloves garlic-minced

1 1/2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce

4 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 tbsp cumin

*optional but tasty*1/4 c masa flower (Mexican corn flower) dissolved in 1/2 c water

1 can Rotel

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

In large pot, heat oil. Add in onion and garlic and cook a few minutes until softened.  Add hamburger meat, salt, and pepper.  When meat is browned, drain fat from meat, return to pan.  Stir in tomato sauce and all spices.  Simmer for 1 hour.  Stir masa into water and add to chili mixutre. (This is optional, but it really is good.  This was my favorite part of PW's recipe, so I stole her idea!)  Add rotel-juice and all, and jalapeno. Simmer another 30 minues to 1 hour.  Salt and pepper to taste.  If it looks too thick, you can add more tomato sauce or water as it cooks (just check your seasonings if you do).  You can also add a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans if you're into that sort of thing.

Our favorite wat to eat chili is on a bed of fritos, topped with our favorite things.  Cheese, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, onion...whatever we feel like!

Today I am thankful for the changing of seasons.

Soft Sugar Cookies

I may have been neglecting my sewing and crafting, but I would never neglect my husband's sweet tooth.

This is his all time favorite cookie. I think they are pretty good, but then again, I don't really like cookies that don't involve chocolate.  ;)

Here is the recipe:

3/4 c sugar

 2/3 c Crisco shortening

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp milk

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

In large bowl, cream together Crisco, sugar, and vanilla.

Add egg and milk. beat until light and fluffy.

In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add to sugar mixture 1/3 at a time until incorporated.

Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheet by rounded teaspoons.  (You can leave alone, which is what I do, or you can press them down a bit.)

(Parchment paper is my favorite discovery. I won't bake cookies without it!  It keeps them from sticking, and prevents the bottoms of the cookies from being darker than the top.  Love the stuff. You can find it on the same aisle as ziplocs and wax paper.)

Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes. 

Mine took exactly 12.

It will depend on how big your scoops were.

They will remain a light color.  If they turn golden brown, they are over baked!

Let cool for a minute or two on baking sheet, then move to wire cooling rack.

Once cool, top with your favorite frosting or icing.

For my icing, I sifted 2 c powdered sugar and added just under 1/4 c milk.

(Start with less, add more if needed.) 

Beat until smooth. 

Add desired food color. 

Spoon onto your cookies (or dip them right in!)

**UPDATE** I guess I make teeny cookies! :) I roll mine into about 1-1 1/2 inch balls, and get a ton of cookies. Roll em however you want...I just like these babies to be on the smaller size.
I also have discovered a frosting recipe that sends these over the edge in the yum department.
Frosting
1 stick softened butter (the good stuff like Land o' Lakes)
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c water plus extra as needed
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup water. Beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is smooth, adding more water, as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is spreadable. Divide the frosting between 3 small bowls. Color the frosting by mixing in 1 drop of food coloring at a time, until the desired color is reached. Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies and decorate.
(found here)

Happy baking!

Today I am thankful for our wonderful church.

Caramel Dipping Sauce

I came across the most HEAVENLY caramel sauce recipe.

It's smooth...it's creamy...it's decadent...it's DELICIOUS.

And I couldn't wait to share it with you! :)

I found this recipe here over at HowDoesShe.  It takes about 10 minutes total to make, and I was able to whip it up with things I already had on hand.  

*Warning...only make this if you don't have a problem with losing all self control and drinking it straight from the jar.  It's really that good. Not that I drank it from the jar...but I only made it about 10 minutes ago.  Who knows what could happen!

Here's the recipe:

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1/3 c butter (the reall stuff, like Land o' lakes)

1/2 c corn syrup

2/3 c whipping cream

Mix sugars, syrup, & butter in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat (this will take about 5-6 minutes) stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. 

Stir in whipping cream.

Pour into jar and refrigerate.

The sauce will thicken as it chills.

Today I am thankful I'm training for a 1/2 marathon.  I will need it with this sauce around!

Ranch Dressing

I love the stuff.

I am super picky about it, though, so don't get to eat it often.

After working at it forever, and tweaking other recipes, and finally figured out how to make good ranch at home!

Here's the recipe:

1c Hellman's Mayonaise

1c Buttermilk

1 tbsp ranch dressing mix (that stuff in the package)

1/2 tsp dill (I use freeze dried, but fresh would be fantastic)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne (I promise this isn't a spicy recipe!)

1/4 tsp freshly groung black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

Wisk all ingredients together and refrigerate for atleast an hour.  The longer it sits, the more the flavors meld.

It's that easy! Enjoy!

Today I am thankful that it's finally Friday!

Peach Cobbler-Texas Style

My husband's grandpa is so sweet.

He lives about 2 hours away from us, and every summer, a peach farm from Colorado brings a truckload of peaches through his town. He always buys us a case and sends it our way. I'm talking huge, ripe, sweet, and super juicy, farm-grown peaches.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Last year, we weren't able to eat them all (a case holds about 50 big peaches).

This time I was determined to not let that happed, so I decided to find a peach cobbler recipe.

Apparently there is a great debate whether cobbler should have a pastry style crust, or dumplings. I'm all crust, all the way, baby. I found this recipe, altered it just a bit, and it was delicious. And I don't even like cooked fruit.

Here is the recipe I used, with the teeny modifications I made. All I did was add some cinnamon to the peach mixture, and put the first crust under the cobbler, rather than in the cobbler. Oh, and the recipe calls for a 9 inch square baking dish. I used a 9x13 rectangle glass pyrex dish.

Pastry Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping and rolling

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Peach Filling:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling

Pinch salt

10-14 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons heavy cream

For the Crust:

Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough just comes together.

Remove dough and knead lightly on a lightly floured surface until it just comes together. Divide the dough in half and form into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll each disk into a 9x13-inch rectangle approximately 1/4-inch thick. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and return to the refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble.

For the Filling:

Melt butter in a large high-sided saute pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and water and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, peaches, and flour and cook for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove one crust from the refrigerator, and place in the bottom of 9x13 dish.

Bake until crust is golden brown. (This took me about 25 minutes or so...just watch it and get it as golden as your heart desires.)

Place the peach mixture on top of the golden crust, using a slotted spoon. I had quite a bit of juice left that didn't make it into the cobbler. I wanted that bottom brust to not get soggy, and it didn't! :) Top the peaches with 2nd layer of dough. Place on a baking sheet and brush the top crust with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar (and cinnamon, if so desired) and return to the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbly. (This took 30-40 minutes for me.) Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

This stuff is sooo good served hot with vanilla ice cream.

Or even cold, straight from the fridge the next morning from breakfast. Yes, I speak from experience, people!

Today I am thankful that we still have our grandparent's in our lives, but sure do miss the two we have lost.

Chocolate Coffee Toffee Caramel Ice Cream Pie (say that ten times fast!)

Chocolate Coffee Toffee Caramel Ice Cream Pie.

 (I couldn't come up with a better name.  I was too concerned with eating it.)

I was day dreaming about ice cream the other day. What you don't dream about ice cream? I do.

  I do NOT like coffee, but for some reason I decided coffee flavored ice cream would be good with other ingredients...particularily chocolate. Boy, was I right. I don't think being right has ever tasted so good.

You see, chocolate makes everything taste better.  You can't convince me otherwise, so please don't try.

Thank you in advance. :)

::ingredients::

25 oreo cookies-crushed

4 tbsp melted butter

1 pint coffee ice cream

1 pint chocolate ice cream

3 heath bars

caramel sauce

Start by throwing 24 or 25 oreos in a food processor. No one will notice is you eat one of said oreos.

Give em a few good whirls around the food processor until they look like this.

(You can also put them into a zipoc bag and take your frustrations out on them with a rolling pin. Works beautifully.)

Pour them into a pie dish, and drizzle 4 tbsp melted BUTTER. (not margaring or veg. spread. Butter is better. That's going to be my new motto.)

Using a fork, blend the oreo crumbs and butter well and press into dish, including the sides.

Pop it in the freezer for an hour or so.

When they hour is almost up, remove your coffee and chocolate  ice cream from the freezer and let it soften a bit.

Spread the coffee ice cream onto the frozen crust. I used an offset spatula. 

Chop up 2 toffee bars (I used Heath Bars) and sprinkle them over the coffee ice cream.  Drizzle some caramel sauce on top.  (If your coffee ice cream layer is overly soft or soupy, pop it back into the freezer to firm up, along with your chocolate ice cream.  I had to do this. Somehow I forgot I was softening ice cream. If not, move on with your chocolate layer.)

Spread the chocolate ice cream on top of the coffee, toffee, caramel layer. 

Lick the spatula.

  Now chop up that last Heath bar and sprinkle it on top. Cover with foil and freeze it for atleast 2 hours.

Cut, and EAT.  

You can change up all of the flavors/ingredients to fit your favorite ice cream.

Today I am thankful for 100 degree weather that makes ice cream taste even better.

Chocolate Ganache Swirl Cheesecake

seriously. yum.

Again...my food styling is sub-par, but this is one Heavenly cheesecake. (this coming from a cheesecake fanatic!)

I made this a while back, and I have been craving it like crazy this week. Normally I would whip one up, but my husband doesn't like chocolate. That was hard to say. Who doesn't like chocolate? Sheish... Anyways it is his birthday week, so I am only baking things that he loves.  (plus, I ate this entire thing on my own last time...I really don't need to make that a habit. I don't want to have to buy all new jeans!)

I am working on a tute for Kanzashi flowers, (and making a lot of them) so I thought while I was working on that I would share something fantastic! The recipe can be found here.  Don't be suprised when it takes you to one of my favorite blogs.  Seriously I think I love it as much as I love this cheesecake. Wait, is that possible?

There are so many ways you can make this. Change the recipe up just a tad, and you have a completely chocolate cheesecake...which I am dying to make. Or leave out the swirl part and the ganache and you make my husband happy...it would break my heart, but I'd rather him be happy! :) On a side note-this was the first cheesecake I ever made, and it came out perfect. No cracks, moist, beautiful. I have always been intimidated by making cheesecake (not once have I been intimidated by eating one...) and this one was so easy! Don't be scared...if I can do it, so can you!

You NEED this cheesecake in your life.

and I just made my craving worse...I know what I'll be baking next week!

Today I am thankful for my bed. Man, did I need some sleep last night!

Monterey Chicken Recipe

My husband loves to grill, and as much as I love to cook, I love him grilling in the summer. Less dishes...cooler kitchen...kids outside playing...seems like a win/win to me!  He has been grilling a lot this summer. (Someone got a new "toy" a couple of months ago. :)  Acouple of nights ago, after rummaging through the fridge, he decided that he would whip up one of my favorite things to order at Chili's. (We have a strick eat-at-home policy, so Chili's would be a treat!)  Monterey Chicken...grilled BBQ chicken breast, bacon, monterey jack cheese. YUM.  It was so quick and easy, and all I had to do was fry some bacon.

(I promise it tastes better than this picture looks! I'm not good at food styling, or food photography. When staring at a plate of food, my only concern is eating the food...)

Here's the recipe:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt (to taste)

papper (to taste)

1 cup favorite BBQ sauce

8 slices thick cut bacon-cooked

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Diced tomato (optional)

Preheat grill.  Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Place on hot grill 4-5 minutes, flip, grill another 4-5 minutes. (Meat thermometers are great! You want your chicken to be cooked between 160-165 before you take it off of the grill.)  Brush each side of chicken liberally with BBQ sauce. Place 2 slices of bacon criss-cross on top of chicken, top with cheese. Allow the heat of the grill to melt the cheese.  (You want it just melted, but not bubbly and brown.)  Remove from grill and top with diced tomatoes just before serving. (My hubs won't eat the tomatoes, but I love them!)   Great served with creamy homemade mashed potatoes and corn on the cob! Or maybe even potato salad and cole slaw...I feel follow up recipes coming on!

*Change it up-instead of Monterey Jack, use Pepper Jack Cheese for those who like things spicy-top with pico de gallo

*Another yummy idea-Marinate the chicken for 2 to 4 hours in your favorite italian salad dressing. Grill, brushing with extra dressing.  Squeeze a little fresh lime juice over the chicken and top with sliced avocado and swiss or monterey jack cheese.

Today I am grateful for always having plenty of food on the table, and never worrying about my children going hungry.

Blondies!

Buttery, chewey, delicious blondies.  YUM. 

See what I mean? (and I don't know what happened to the one on the top...)

I came across a recipe for bondies, tried it, liked it, changed it! ;) I can't help it! This is a really easy recipe...one for which I do NOT want to know that calorie count.  Heck, I don't want to know the calorie count for anything I eat.  I'm a firm believer that things just don't taste as good if you are well informed of nutritional content.  I have had a recipe for blondies for a while (that I can't find...sad) but it calls for cream cheese and several ingredients.  Aaaand it is rather expensive to make, and makes a large batch...which in all honesty, I can handle the large batch part. :)  I enjoy inexpensive recipes that I can whip up with pantry items, though.  This recipe is one of those.  I think that's a good and a bad thing.  I can't tell you how many times I was craving it and whipped a batch up on the spot.  My jeans might not appreciate that.  On to the recipe!

Blondies
ingredients
1 1/2 stick salted sweet cream butter (I usually use unsalted, but love the flavor the salted gives these!)
1 1/2 c dark brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

directions
Preheat oven to 350.   In small-medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar.  Cook about 5 minutes or so over medium heat (lower if needed-you don't want to boil this), until sugar is melted-stirring often. Set aside to cool slightly.  In medium bowl, wisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.  In a large bowl, wisk together eggs and vanilla.  Add small amount of butter/sugar mixture while wisking to temper the eggs.  (Don't add too much at first, or you will scramble the eggs. Yuck)  Slowly pour in the remaining butter/sugar mixture, wisking the whole time.  Once well incorporated, wisk in the flour mixture, just until incorporated. Don't over mix!  At this point, you can stir in anything you like...macadamia nuts would be incredible, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips...you get the idea.  Do what feels right. :)  Grease and flour (or spray) an 8x8 baking dish. (Next time, I'm going to try muffin tins, and make blondie cups.)  Pour the batter into the dish.  You can bake plain ( like the one in the left of the picture) or swirl somthing yummy in.  My favorite is Nutella.  I dropped small balls of Nutella about 1 1/2 inches apart and used a knife to swirl it through the batter.  Peanut butter would also be delicious!  Bake for about 30 minutes.  The top will be nice and golden!

My husband doesn't like Nutella-GASP-I know, right? I still love him tremendously though. So, when I make these, I don't swirl Nutella throughout...just on half. 

*baking tip-use room temperature eggs when baking.  When all of your ingredients are the same temperature, it will turn out so much better! You can set them out on the counter for a while, or to speed things up a bit, place the eggs in a bowl of warm-NOT HOT-water.

Cool slightly and enjoy!