French Toast Muffins with Maple Glaze

French toast and muffins combined sound like a winning recipe to me.  I whipped these up really fast this morning.  I saw the recipe mentioned on A Thrifty Mom earlier this week and finally decided to make them.  They are simple and sweet.  I think next time I might try adding some cinnamon to the batter also.


French Toast Muffins with Maple Glaze
from A Thrifty Mom
(printable recipe)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon maple flavor
1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor


Combine milk, egg, maple flavor and butter.  Add brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt stirring until combined.  Pour into 12 cup lined muffin pan. 


Bake 20 minutes.  Cool.


While muffins are baking, combine glaze ingredients until smooth.  Dip muffin tops in glaze and let set up.  Serve.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

I have never made chocolate banana bread.  Have you?  I saw a recipe and knew it had potential. Chocolate and banana are a good combination and the bread met expectations.  

I found this recipe from a fellow food blogger.  I don't know her but I wish to say "thank you" to Alice for posting this recipe.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread  

From Savory Sweet Life

(printable recipe)

1 stick of butter, softened 

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 large ripened bananas, mashed 

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup Special Dark chocolate chips, roughly chopped

Preheat over to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan, or 2 mini pans with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Stir in egg, mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, and cocoa. Mix everything until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan(s).  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan 10 minutes and remove.  Bread slices better after it has cooled awhile. 

Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with Ganache

This cheesecake has been a long time favorite of much of my family.  The recipe is from Hershey's and I have added a layer of ganache.  More chocolate never hurts anything or anyone.


Fudge Truffle Cheesecake with Ganache
Adapted from Hershey's
(printable recipe)


Chocolate crumb crust:
1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine


Cheesecake filling:
1 - 12 oz. package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
3- 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Ganache:
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


1 Prepare CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST:  Stir together graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and cocoa.  Add melted butter.  Combine.  Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.; set aside. Heat oven to 300°F.


2 Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1-1/2 minutes; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred.


3 Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add melted chips, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour into prepared crust.


4 Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan. Refrigerate several hours before serving.


5Heat whipping cream over medium heat (just before boil).  Pour in chips and let sit.  Stir until smooth.  Pour ganache layer over cheesecake.  Let stand until set.  Serve.

Pumpkin Butter with toasted pecans

Back in the  70's when my husband and I were on a very strict budget we made several homemade gifts for Christmas.  The box I sent to family members in Vermont and New York had a jar of homemade pumpkin butter.  It was my first time making it and to my surprise everyone seemed to love it!

Apple butter was more common and they were used to eating it.

A couple years ago while visiting my very ill brother, he mentioned to me how he loved the pumpkin butter I sent him.

Recently I made that same recipe but added toasted pecans to the batch. I just wish my brother was still living so I could send him a  jar.



Crock pot Pumpkin Butter

8 cups pumpkin puree ( bake 4 small pumpkins sliced side down on a cookie sheet at 350 till tender and when cool, scoop out insides.  Puree in food processor.)
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 lemons squeezed

Add lemon juice, sugar and spices to the puree.
Cook in crockpot on low till thick.
Put hot pumpkin butter in sterilized jars and seal.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Filling

I love whoopie pies and pumpkin are my favorite!  Here is a recipe from bon appetit with a maple filling.  Marshmallow creme fillings are my favorite and this one with maple flavor pairs well with pumpkin.


Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Filling
from bon appetit
(printable recipe)


Filling
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
2 teaspoons maple extract


Cake
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
Nonstick vegetable oil spray


Filling
Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add marshmallow creme and maple extract; beat until blended and smooth. Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.


Cake
Sift first 7 ingredients into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in another large bowl until blended. Gradually beat in oil. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients in 2 additions alternately with milk in 1 addition, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Cover and chill batter 1 hour.


Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment; spray lightly with nonstick spray. Spoon a large rounded tablespoon of batter onto baking sheet to form cakes and space several inches apart. I use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop.  Let stand 10 minutes.


Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool cakes completely on baking sheets on rack. Using metal spatula, remove cakes from parchment.


Line cooled baking sheets with clean parchment; spray with nonstick spray, and repeat baking with remaining batter.


Spoon desired amount of filling on flat side of 1 cake. Top with another cake, flat side down. Repeat with remaining cakes and filling. Can be made 8 hours ahead. 

Sweet Pumpkin Soup

We had a delicious sweet butternut squash soup at Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World a couple of years ago. I found a recipe online and adapted it to include pumpkin instead.   This is a sweet soup which tastes similar to pumpkin pie.


Sweet Pumpkin Soup
Adapted from Boma's Butternut Squash Soup
(printable recipe)
2 tablespoons butter
1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup mild cheddar cheese

In medium saucepot, add butter and melt over low heat.  Add pumpkin, water, milk and cream.  Stir until combined.  Add sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander.  Stir well.

Make a slur of cornstarch and water and add to soup.  Add cheddar cheese and let simmer on low heat until melted, stirring occasionally.

Use emulsion blender or place soup in blender or food processor to smooth out the soup.  Serve warm.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

With the arrival of fall, pumpkins and apples seem to be inspiration for treats around our house. These adorable cupcakes taste as good as they look.  You might even do a double take trying to figure out if these are caramel apples or not.  

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

from The Girl Who Ate Everything

(printable recipe)

1 box spice cake mix

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped Granny Smith apple

35 caramels

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, milk and vegetable oil in mixer. Scrape bowl then mix 3 minutes.  Add chopped apple and stir.

Pour batter into paper-lined muffin pans about 2/3 full.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove and cool on wire rack.

Meanwhile, combine caramels and milk in small saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth.

Spread caramel atop cupcakes trying not to touch liners.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Insert stick into center of each cupcake.

My Dad's Spaghetti Sauce

On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese!  Memories of the favorite dish my parents, Joe and Marion Rudd made was enjoyed by so many people especially the family! It was a sauce that was cooked slow all day and the meatballs were perfectly hand rolled by my Dad that if you measured each one they would be the  exact same size. I now make this sauce and as I prepare it I can almost hear their voices saying, "Make sure you add the tablespoon of sugar Joe (Ma would say) so you will cut the acid flavor." "Yes Marion," Dad would say, like he had never heard her say it before. I make the sauce the exact same way but as for the meatballs I never did get the recipe for them, but I have got pretty close to mastering them close to my Dad's recipe.

My Dad's Spaghetti Sauce
(Printable Recipe)

1 28 ounce can tomato puree

118 ounce can of tomato paste

1 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon basil
Red pepper flakes, to taste
2 bay leaves

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Cook onion and garlic in  4 tablespoons olive oil on medium low heat. Add tomato puree and paste. Add three cans of water of paste can.  Mash plum tomatoes till blended in the sauce.  Add oregano, basil, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, cheese and don't forget the tablespoon of sugar! Bring to a medium high heat till starts to bubble then turn quickly down to simmer. Cook slow for at least 6 hours.

Buffalo Turkey Sloppy Joes

This recipe caught my eye immediately when I flipped through the new issue of Taste of Home magazine.  Homemade sloppy joes and buffalo chicken tenders are both big hits at my home. This recipe seemed to combine these two recipes together. Adults will enjoy the sprinkling of blue cheese on top.  I now have a  new recipe for our family favorites.


Buffalo Turkey Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Taste of Home - Maria Regakis
(printable recipe)
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 hamburger buns
1 cup crumbled blue cheese


In large skillet, cook ground turkey, celery, onions, carrots and garlic over medium high heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, hot sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper.  Stir well to cover meat with sauce.  Cook on stove top for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Serve meat mixture on buns.  Top with more hot sauce if desired.  Sprinkle blue cheese on top.