One more Taste of Fall Recipe!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes!

So, if you are still have leftover pumpkin, OR, squash puree  

(OR you have bags of puree in your freezer)

and you want a quick and easy sweet treat  that is the perfect amount of spice,
is very moist

uses basic food storage ingredients, 

is topped with delicious cream cheese frosting  

AND makes a batch of 24 cupcakes, this is a great recipe to make up.
(perfect to make up even at Christmas as the flavor reminds me of Spice Cake or Gingerbread)

It's delicious for an afternoon snack for kids, 

perfect to send in your families lunches, 

OR, to enjoy a "taste of fall" (OR, Christmas)
anytime of the year.

Easy, Delicious and Amazing!!  

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes 

1 cup pumpkin/squash puree

1/2 cup buttermilk

(mix together buttermilk and squash puree in a bowl and set aside) 

1 cube butter

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 large eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 cups unbleached flour

Beat together butter, sugars and vanilla  for one minute until fluffy.

Then add in eggs (one at a time) scraping down bowl as needed

Then add in salt, baking powder/soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and mix well.

Then add in flour alternating with buttermilk/squash mixture until well combined.

Spoon batter into 24 muffin tins (lined with baking cups).

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, OR, until toothpick inserted in comes out clean

Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes.

Remove cupcakes from tins and let cool one hour

Frost with cream cheese frosting and ENJOY!

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1/4 cup REAL butter

4 (oz) cream cheese

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Beat together butter, cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy. 

Gradually add in powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

Enjoy a "Taste of Fall" all year long...

as long as you have pumpkin puree in your freezer

you can ALWAYS make these up to enjoy...

and take my kids word for them,

"they are absolutely delicious"!

Taste of Fall...

Pumpkin Pecan Dessert Bars!

Pumpkin + Spices + Pecans = Heaven!
  All you need to do is just try one bite of these yummy Pumpkin Pecan Dessert Bars and you will be hooked!

I'm still swimming in Squash puree as we have been given 2 Hubbard Squash and 4 Banana Squash from family and neighbors!   
So, what better thing to make up and use our abundance than another Pumpkin recipe. 

I have never been able to make a pumpkin pie and have it turn out. I know, it is supposed to be easy, but mine are usually too browned on the top and not completely cooked in the middle.  That is why I was SO excited to have found this yummy recipe. I adjusted the sugar in it as I didn't want it to be too sweet and also adjusted the spices a little as well and added in a little more flour.

It is the perfect blend of an oatmeal/pecan crust,
a custard like pumpkin filling and
topped with savory pecan nuts on the top
and is definitely at WINNER at our house!
 
The perfect accompaniment to any Thanksgiving Feast, 

or, when you're craving pie, 

but don't feel like making and rolling out a crust. 

Pumpkin Pecan Dessert Bars 

(topping...mix together and set aside)
1-1/2 cups pecan  pieces 

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. corn syrup

(crust)

1 cube melted butter

1-1/4 cups unbleached flour 

1/2 cup rolled oats 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients together well and put into greased 9x13 pan and  

bake for 15 minutes.

While crust is baking make filling:
(filling)

2-1/4 cups pumpkin/squash puree

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar 

1/3 cup unbleached flour 

3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Beat together pumpkin puree and sweetened condensed milk.

Add in rest of ingredients and beat until smooth. 

Pour over crust and bake 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with Pecan topping

Put back in oven and bake another 25-30 minutes until set

Remove and cool completely.  (keep chilled until serving)

Delicious, decadent, yummy, easy to make and 

definitely a great replacement for traditional Pumpkin Pie 

Enjoy a slice of Heaven today!

Taste of Fall...

Pumpkin Spice 

Pull-Apart Bread 

YAY, it's almost the weekend!  
I love weekends...
 I love having time with my family
(but I don't like having 1:00 church...
can't wait until January 2012 to start having 9:00 church again).

Since Sunday mornings are pretty laid back
as we don't have church until 1:00 it means we can take our time with getting up and we can go on a morning walk around the block and then lounge around and write in journals or read a book  
AND there is plenty of time in our morning to make this yummy bread recipe to enjoy for breakfast.

This reminds me of "Monkey Bread"  
that mom used to make for us when we were kids
(with canned biscuits rolled in cinnamon and sugar and sprinkled with brown sugar and butter).

It's absolutely delicious and another FUN way 
to use our abundance of cooked squash and pumpkin.

Don't let the steps fool you...
it is VERY easy to make.
Plan on about 2-1/2 to 3 hours from start to finish
(with most of it being RISING time)
(if you started making this at 7:00 am
you could plan on eating BRUNCH around 10:00)

Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread

(ingredients for bread dough)
2 Tbsp. REAL butter
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp. yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup pumpkin or squash puree 
1 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups unbleached flour

(ingredients for sugar filling)
2 Tbsp REAL butter 

2/3 cup brown sugar (recipe originally called for 1 cup...feel free to use that amount if you like it more sweet)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

(ingredients for glaze)
2 Tbsp. REAL butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 capfuls Rum flavored extract (if you don't have this, use vanilla)

Melt butter in saucepan until lightly browned.  Add in milk slowly until heated through.
Put milk/butter mixture in mixing bowl and let cool 6 minutes
Add in yeast and sugar and let stand until bubbly (about 6-8 minutes)
Then add in salt, pumpkin/squash puree and 1 cup flour and stir.
Add in rest of flour and mix with dough hook for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Put dough in oiled bowl and coat well with oil, cover and let rise one hour 

 (while dough is rising, melt butter and then add in sugar and spices and mix well)

After one hour of rising, punch down dough and roll out on floured board into a 20x12 inch rectangle.
Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture onto dough and press it into the dough with your palms.
Cut rectangle into 6 strips 
Lay strips on top of each other and then cut each strip into 6 squares (cut in half and then in half again)
Stack strips vertically in either a greased bread pan, OR, Bundt pan.
Cover with towel and let rise 30 minutes.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until top is golden brown. 

While bread is baking make glaze by heating butter, milk and brown sugar. 

Bring to boil and then add in powdered sugar and extract. 

Turn to low and make sure not to burn.
After pulling bread from oven, drizzle with however much glaze you would like... 

I just put the tiniest amount as I didn't want that much sugar

 Dump out bread onto a clean plate, 

dig in, pull apart and enjoy!

The perfect accompaniment to boiled or poached eggs 

and some kind of yummy beverage 

whether it be Herbal Tea, Warm Cider, or a COLD glass of milk!

Enjoy some Taste of Fall today 

and have a wonderful weekend!

Taste of Fall...

Pumpkin Muffins!

 Autumn Time wouldn't be complete without making up a few batches of Pumpkin Muffins!
SO yummy and if you like the Pumpkin Bread that you can get a Great Harvest, these are the closest thing I have been able to make that resemble that yummy bread.

 

I'm always AMAZED at how far one large squash will stretch...

We ate it for dinner 2 times, shared a large chunk with Tracy's parents,

made up 4 batches of Pumpkin Cookies, 2 batches of Pumpkin Muffins

a batch of Pumpkin Pull Apart bread and a batch of Pumpkin Pie Bars.

I bake my muffins in TEXAS sized muffin tins 

 so they are larger and feel a little more "Gourmet"  

I usually make up a batch of muffins and put them in Cellophane Bags tied with festive ribbon and deliver these to the ladies I go Visiting Teaching to in one of the Autumn Months.

I also have a tradition of making these up along with Spiced Cider for  
Halloween Morning breakfast and you can guarantee they will be embellished with a SPIDER ring in the middle of the muffin.

Kids just LOVE this!

 These freeze well and if you have any leftovers, they are wonderful to freeze and have to pull out when you need a quick lunch, snack, or yummy treat! 

Pumpkin Muffins
½ cup REAL butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 cup pumpkin (OR leftover squash)
¾ cup raisins OR chocolate chips (I sometimes put 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup chocolate chips)
Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in comes out clean.   

After pulling out of the oven, I always put them in a Rubber-Maid type of container to keep them moist).

These are really good and freeze well and are great for breakfast, lunch or snacks! 

Enjoy! 

 Make up some Autumn Goodness and

go and spread a little JOY and sunshine 

to someone in need today!

(whether it be bringing smiles to the faces of your family members,

elderly women/men in your area that need a little cheer, 

OR, friends/family that could use some yummy-ness 
added to their day).

Taste of Fall... (and a secret!)

Pumpkin Cookies!

 These truly are one of our family's 

VERY favorite cookies, just as Sugar Cookies are a tradition at Valentines day, Pumpkin Cookies are a tradition to make up in October

and it is a good thing we only make them up during the Fall Time, because we can pretty much eat a whole batch (which makes 24 cookies) in one whole day.   

They are just SO amazingly yummy!

They are the perfect texture, 

have a hint of cinnamon flavor 

and the semi-sweet chocolate chips and
cream cheese frosting make them irresistible!
WOW, 

every event that we bring these to they are always the biggest hit!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! 

 *************************

I have to  make this next step known 
 as it is something I do out of habit and don't even really realize I do it... 
it's that perfectionist in me that wants to make each cookie I pull off the cookie sheet, perfectly round and uniform looking,
But my sister-in-law Cheryl was baking with me a month ago and as I was 
pulling cookies off the cookie sheet, she said something to the effect...
"THAT is why my cookies don't  
look or taste exactly like yours"! 

Who would have known 
that such a simple thing of "smashing" a cookie after you pull it off the cookie sheet, could make that big of a difference.  Sorry!!
So something to remember when you make the majority of the cookie recipes on my blog...
"The Secret's in the SMASH"!!
(someday when I get more free time I need to add that to all of my cookie recipes) 

Pumpkin Cookies
(these are an “egg-less” cookie)
1 cup sugar
½ cup REAL butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup leftover squash/pumpkin
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cream together sugar and butter and vanilla.
Then add squash/pumpkin, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Then mix in flour (to make a nice consistency) and last chocolate chips.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes (or until lightly browned).
When you remove cookies from the cookie sheet, "smash" them with your spatula to flatten them slightly.This makes a really nice, dense cookie. 

 Frost with Cream Cheese frosting 

and you will have the yummiest cookie ever to enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 a package)
¼ cup REAL butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
In a mixer bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla till light and fluffy. 

Gradually add the powdered sugar beating until smooth.

PS...I keep mine in a cool place until we eat them...either in our cool basement, OR, in the fridge.

Enjoy!

 SO happy that we have this yummy recipe 

to make up and enjoy during this 

wonderful Fall-time of the year!
I hope it becomes a favorite 

of your family as well!

Taste of Fall...

Pumpkin Pancakes!

So, since Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, 

and along with Fall comes lots of yummy recipes,

those of my favorite being made with pumpkin or squash,

I thought I would do some 

"Taste of Fall" posts 

where I share my favorite Fall Time recipes, most of which are a wonderful way 

to use up the pumpkin and squash that we have in abundance this time of the year!

Today's featured recipe is Pumpkin Pancakes...

I really don't think I have had a more tasty breakfast pancake than this yummy recipe.

My kids and hubby were WOWed  

over by them and we can't seem to get enough of these

light, fluffy, full of flavor, perfect and delicious pancakes.

(I just wish we had LOTS more pumpkin/squash than what we do,

so we could enjoy these ALL throughout the year, they are that good!)

Pumpkin Pancakes 

(Mix all dry ingredients together)

1-1/4 cups unbleached flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

(Mix all wet ingredients together in another bowl)

1 cup milk 

2 Tablespoons melted butter

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin OR squash puree

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  

Melt butter on a non-stick skillet. 

Pour batter on skillet (1/4 cup per pancake).  

Cook 2-3 minutes per side.

Serve with REAL butter and REAL maple syrup!

Make up some yummy-ness for your family today that is sure to make your house smell SO good and bring many smiles to faces and "OOHs and AAHs" from your family as they eat them!

Enjoy!