Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

 Why does fall simply scream for you to make things from pumpkin?  And, why is pumpkin so good?  And why are these muffins so super fantastic?  Let's see.  Because it's fall, they are made from pumpkin AND cream cheese and they are amazing.  Does that explain it?

This week was parent teacher conferences at our grandsons' school.  Mom needed help while she went to the conferences, so they stayed here with Grandma.  We had a lot of fun.  I taught them how to play Red Light, Green Light, Mother May I?, and Hide The Thimble.  There was also hide and seek and I Spy.  We had a lot of fun.  The also wanted to bake muffins, so we did.  The 7 year old picked this muffin off my Pinterest board.  We got to it and baked away.  Ever let a 3 year old crack the eggs?  I'm just sayin'.

This recipe makes 24 muffins.  That's a lot of muffins, so they took a good portion of them home so that Dan and I didn't eat them all.  The recipe is from Annie's Eats.  Here is what you need"

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar

Muffins

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Topping

1/2 cup sugar
5 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or put paper cups in each muffin well.

To make the filling, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar with a mixer until well blended.  Set aside.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt, and baking soda.

Combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil with a mixer until well blended.  Add dry ingredients.  On low, mix just until blended.

Fill each muffin cup with just enough batter to cover the bottom of each well or paper (about 1 TBSP).

Scoop a small amount of filling (about 1 heaping tsp) into each muffin cup over the batter.  Top with remaining batter covering cream cheese completely.

Make the topping by mixing all the ingredients together.  Cut the butter in with a pastry cutter or a couple of knives until blended.   Sprinkle on topping.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before serving, as cream cheese center will be hot.

It will take all your will power to not eat as many of these at one time as you can.  Trust me.  Just look at the center of these muffins.  Yum.

My daughter said she ate 3 in one day, so just be warned.  I am not kidding when I say you will have a hard time staying away from these.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and then the Christmas holidays, you will certainly find an occasion or two to make and serve these.  Give it a go.  They are so worth it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Oh how we love pumpkin season.  You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right?  Winder, Spring, Summer, pumpkin...We anxiously anticipate it every year."  Unknown

Pumpkin, Caramel, and Pecan Cheesecake - WOW!

 Hello everyone!  Yes, October is winding down.  It's almost Halloween.  How is that possible?  Where has this month gone?  The leaves are finally starting to change.  The transition is later this year because it has been so warm.  It's so nice to see the colors in the trees and the variety of hues on the hillsides.  It definitely means fall is here!

Our first born celebrated the 11th anniversary of her 30th birthday on Saturday.  We sat with her boys while she and her lovely husband had a date night.  They don't get a lot of those.  So, we celebrated with the family at our house on Sunday evening.  I cooked dinner for everyone and instead of the standard birthday cake, I made this fabulous pumpkin cheesecake.  The recipe is in the new Bon Appetit and the Food Network Magazine.

It is a Philadelphia cream cheese advertisement and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it.  Why? Because it sounded absolutely amazing and guess what?  It is absolutely amazing!  Talk about a dessert you are going to want to make for any and all upcoming occasions.  Things like Thanksgiving, Christmas, the new moon, the full moon, the sun shining, the dog got a haircut.  Just pick something.  It's worth it, believe me.

Here is what you need:

1/2 cup chopped pecans divided
38 Ginger snap cookies, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup butter, melted

4 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
25 Kraft Caramels
1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (notice, it's NOT 350)

Chop 1/4 cup nuts finely, place in medium bowl.  Add crushed ginger snaps and melted butter.  Mix well.  Press into bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until blended.  Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and vanilla, mix well.  Add eggs 1 at a time mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.  Pour over crust.

Bake for 45 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Make the sauce when you are ready to serve.  Microwave the caramels and milk in a microwaveable bowl on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

Serve cheese cake by spooning the caramel over each piece served and sprinkle with nuts.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.  We desired, it's just not in the picture.  YUMMMMMMY!

This cake is really easy to make and is even better the second day.  Oh so good.  Give it a try, especially if you are a pumpkin lover or a cheesecake lover.  It is a marriage made in heaven!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake!
Hedy Lamar

It's An EARTHQUAKE Cake - No Insurance Necessary

It's a beautiful Monday.  Spring is finally showing all it's flair.  Trees are leafing, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, birds are warbling, it is warm and breezy, and all is right with the world.  Hope you enjoyed a sunshiney kind of weekend too!  We went to opening day of tee-ball and little league for our two oldest grandsons  and we spent some time out of doors blowing giant bubbles among other things.  I think I enjoyed it as much or more than they did.

You can find directions for the blower and the bubbles on my blog.  We made these for all the grandsons for Christmas.  I posted the "how to" the week before Easter.

We are so eager for warm weather, we even went to Bobby's Dairy Dip and enjoyed a cone.  If you ever come to Nashville, you must go to Bobby's Dairy Dip.  We grilled out AND we ate this fabulous cake that I made.  And, I do mean fabulous!  It has everything you could ever want in a cake.

Why is it called an earthquake cake?  Have you ever experienced an earthquake?  They are not the most pleasant experience, let me tell you as the ground rumbles and shakes and everything around you is in danger of falling or collapsing.  I think this cake is called an earthquake cake because it looks like undulating ground that happens during an earthquake.  The cream cheese filling sinks, the chocolate, nuts, and coconut rise, and it all tastes outstanding in the end.  The good thing is, nobody gets hurt and there is no need for earthquake insurance.  Just eat and enjoy!!

Here is what you need to make this amazing cake.  Did is say it was good?  Yeah, it's better than good. I can't think of the proper term to describe it other than delectable.

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food), made according to directions on the box
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.   Sprinkle chopped nuts and coconut on the bottom of the pan.

Make the cake according to directions on the box.  Pour over nuts and coconut.

Beat softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium low until well blended.  (Looks like cheese cake batter).  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time so you don't have a powdered sugar explosion.  Mix thoroughly.  Drop by spoonfuls over the chocolate cake batter.  Leave a 1" margin around the edge of the cake so it doesn't run over while baking.

Weave a butter knife through the cream cheese filling in an "S" pattern to create a swirl in the cake batter.  Do not go too deep, stay very shallow - you don't want to disturb the coconut and nuts on the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve.

This may be the ultimate cake.  It has all the good stuff.  Chocolate, coconut, nuts, cream cheese, chocolate chips.  I mean, what's not to love?  Seriously?  This cake is beyond good.  It is magical.  It's other worldly.   It's worth making.  Make sure you have people to share it with or you will eat the whole thing yourself.  I'm just sayin'.

I found this recipe on Cheryl's Recipe Archives at ideascomefrombrownies.blogspot.com.  She has some fabulous recipes and this is Earthquake Cake recipe #2.  Check out her blog if you like good things to eat.  And, make this cake.  You may feel the earth move under your feet.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“The Earth is God's pinball machine and each quake, tidal wave, flash flood and volcanic eruption is the result of a TILT that occurs when God, cheating, tries to win free games.” 
― Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Sinfully Good Red Velvet Cookies - 21 Days Til Valentine's Day

Greetings friends and neighbors.  I have been absent for a couple of days due to an AT&T issue that shut our internet and cable down.  Seems there was a server problem in Atlanta and it caused outages all throughout the southeastern United States.  If you think you are not dependent on the internet, think again.  I look up so many things in a day's time its unbelievable.  Then again, perhaps I spend way too much time on the world wide web.  How did I discover this?  By all of the things I accomplished here at home during the two days without service.  Perhaps it's time to reevaluate my minor addiction.

We are now 21 days away from Valentine's Day.  It is rolling up in a hurry don't you think?  Do you make things for your sweetheart, family or friends?  Or, do you just run out and grab some run of the mill manufactured card and maybe some candy or flowers?  I am not knocking your choice whatever it may be.  Thoughtfulness is the name of the game when it comes to the big red heart day.  If you start planning now, you can do something original or hand made which shows you put in just a little more thought or effort into expressing your love and appreciation for your special someones.  Perhaps you can make a special dinner, hand made card, or gift.

How about baking some lovely cookies that are devilishly delicious?  How about some sinfully good red velvet cookies?  Huh?  How about it?  These are divine and so easy to make.  This recipe came from Food.com.  Here is what you need:

1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 18 ounce box red velvet cake mix
confectioner's sugar for rolling and dusting

Directions:

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Beat in the egg.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Add the cake mix and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up the mix so that you can roll the batter into balls.  

After the batter has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12 minutes.  The cookies should remain soft and gooey.  Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioner's sugar.

My thought was to add some white chocolate chips to the batter for a little extra something something.  Doesn't that sound just fine?   Either way, these cookies are sooooooo good and the beautiful red and white is perfect for Valentine's day.

(A little FYI, your hands will be very red from the food coloring in the batter after rolling all the balls.  Don't be alarmed, just scrub them really well with a good soap or dishwashing liquid.  It does come off and does not leave your hands stained.)

Now is the time to start your plans.  Aldi's still had some of their seasonal red velvet cake mixes today and I am partial to theirs, but there are other brands available.  You might want to make a test batch before the big day so you will get to eat some of them.   I'm just sayin'.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

-- Maya Angelou

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Filling - Kicked Up Another Notch

Have you started thinking about Valentine's Day yet?  I know, we just took down the Christmas decorations and survived New Years Eve.  But, it's time.  Really, it is.  It will be here before you know it.  I started working on decorations this week, but have been sidelined by a few things that came up along the way.  Things like going to see Les Miserables today.  I have no words.  It was beautiful and beyond moving.  I will be thinking about it for days and days.  Probably forever.

Back to the subject.  Last night I had the urge to bake.  That happens to me sometimes, actually a lot of the time.  I had seen these Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cupcakes on Pinterest and thought they looked like just the thing to bake, so I printed out the recipe from LickTheBowlGood.blogspot.com.  When I read through the recipe I realized it only made 8 cupcakes.  Eight?  Dan could eat eight by himself in one evening.  So, I used a bit of her recipe and bit of my own idea and came up with these.  Are they good?  Heck yah!  Fabulous in fact.  I will give you her recipe (which I have NOT baked), and will tell you how I made mine.

Aldi's has a red velvet cake mix that is seasonal and it is fabulous.  I like it better than making red velvet from scratch if truth be told.  I bought 6 cake mixes at Christmas time so that I would have a few on hand when they were no longer available.  Then, I discovered this recipe and I am going to head up there tomorrow and see if they still have some in stock.  I will be making these again, plus I have a great cookie recipe to share with you later that is made from this same cake mix.  They would both be perfect for Valentine's Day.

Here is the recipe from LickTheBowlGood.

1 cup + 2 TBSP all purpose flour
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1 large egg
1 TBSP red food coloring
3/4 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP sour cream

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix all the ingredients for the cupcakes together.  Make the filling in a separate bowl.  Put paper liners in 8 muffin cups.  Put 1 Tbsp batter in each cupcake paper.  Add 1 Tbsp filling to each cupcake paper.  Put another Tbsp batter on top of filling.  Bake cupcakes for 20-23 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Now, here is what I did to make my version of this fabulous cupcake with the cream cheese filling.  I kicked it up a notch.  Shhhh, don't tell.

Make the red velvet cake mix according to package directions.  This cake mix made 24 cupcakes.  See the difference?  There are other brands of red velvet cake mixes available, I just really, really like Aldi's.

To make the filling I used 8 ounces of cream cheese softened, 4 Tbsp sugar, 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix all together until it is smooth.  Then, (yes, then) I added 2/3 cup of chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture.  Red velvet cake with cream cheese and chocolate chips?  Yes, please!

Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake papers.  Add 1 Tbsp batter to each cupcake paper.  Add a scant 1 TBSP cream cheese filling to each cupcake paper, dropping it over the cake batter.  Again, add 1 Tbsp cake batter to each cupcake paper to cover the cream cheese.  Bake at 350 for 19-22 minutes, according to directions on the box.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in center cupcake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Now, (yes, now) I made a little icing glaze to go over the cupcakes.  I think they are plenty rich without a lot of icing, so this is what I did.

2 Tbsp butter, melted in saucepan
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
1 or 2 TBSPS milk

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Add the white chips and stir until they melt.  Add the powdered sugar and 1 TBSP milk.  If glaze appears to thick to drizzle, add a little more milk.  You don't want it too runny.

When cupcakes are cool, use a spoon and drizzle the icing over the cupcakes.  This will set in just a few minutes and they are ready to dive into.  Wow!  They are sooooooooo good.  Dan ate 3 in a row.
Here is how they look on the inside.

You have cream cheese and chocolate chips in the middle of red velvet cake.  Wowsa, they are awesome.  The glaze adds just a nice hint of icing.  Perfect.

Wouldn't these be beautiful for Valentine's Day?  You know any Valentine would love to receive some of these!  The great thing about using the cake mix is you don't have to mess with the red food coloring.  I have been known to splash it everywhere when mixing.  It can be a mess.

Feel free to try the recipe from Pinterest, I am sure it is very good.  I just took the easier road last night.  Sometimes it is just the thing to do - the easier road.  As it turned out, it was the right road.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

To love another person is to see the face of God.  Victor Hugo.  Les Miserables  (I will never stop thinking about this movie.)

No Bake Cheesecake With Gluten Free Option

Cheesecake.  Have you ever made one from scratch?  Do you find the thought of baking one intimidating?  There is the water bath and all that to be considered.  It does take some time and trouble.   Do you like cheesecake?  I mean, asking that question seems redundant.  The question should probably be is there anyone who doesn't like cheesecake?

Today, I have a simple solution to the dilemma of cheesecake being difficult to make.  This is a no bake cheesecake from the great and powerful Martha.  Stewart that is.  As for the cheesecake, it's amazing.  Our son in love called it superb.  That's pretty good, right?

This cheesecake is gluten free because I used crushed rice Chex instead of graham crackers for the crust.  Just thought I'd throw that in in case you eat gluten free like our other son in love.  Otherwise, it is a creamy, flavorful, easy confection to make.  No baking!  Yes!!!!

You will need a springform pan which is necessary for all cheesecakes.  So if you don't have one, make a trip and purchase a 9 inch springform pan.  You will find many uses for it once you have one in your pantry.  I do use mine frequently.

Martha's cheesecake recipe is for a plain cheesecake.  I felt the need to doctor mine up a bit because I asked Dan what he would like for dessert and he said anything with some chocolate.  Okay, I can do that.  Guess you can tell by the picture this is not a plain cheese cake.

Just look at that.  Don't you want a piece?  I know you do, so here is what you do to make this amazing dessert.

Ingredients

2 packages (20 sheets) graham crackers, crushed  (I used 4 cups rice Chex, crushed)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I added these to my crust) - optional (not in Martha's recipe)
11 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 14 ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 small lemons)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Put graham crackers (or rice Chex) in a large resealable plastic bag, crush with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs form.

Pour crumbs in a medium bowl, stir in sugar.  Add melted butter and chopped pecans and stir until well combined.

Press the crumb mixture into a 9 inch springform pan, spreading it 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of the pan.  Press flat.  Chill crust in freezer at least 20 minutes.

While crust is chilling, make the filling.  Using an electric mixer set at medium high speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.  Beat in the condensed milk a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.  Try not to eat it all before you put it in the crust.

Pour the filling into the crust (after removing from the freezer), smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Unclasp sides of pan and remove cheesecake.

Now, how easy is that?  No baking, no water bath, no big crack in the top of the cake when it doesn't bake evenly.  It is not as tall as the cheesecake I normally bake, but who cares?  It is every bit as good and twice as easy to make.

After I poured the filling in the crust and smoothed it, I sprinkled several hands full of sliced almonds all over the top.  You could use any chopped nut you preferred, but the almonds rocked.  Then, I put about 5 squares of semi sweet baking chocolate in a bowl and melted it over simmering water (a double boiler).  I used a spoon and drizzled the chocolate all over the top of the cake.  It looked fabulous, and I put it in the fridge to chill.

When I opened the fridge, there was a box of strawberries looking right at me and they said, "hey, we would make a beautiful topping for the cheesecake."  Yep, I did it.  I took the tops off, put them in a pan, added about 2/3 cup of sugar, mashed some of them with a potato masher to make some juice and simmered them until the juice thickened.  Just let me say, that was a very good decision.  When it was dessert time, we sliced that cake up and spread some strawberry happiness over it.  Wowsa!  Wonderful goodness is all I can say.

Now I really wish I had a piece with some coffee.  You want one too don't you?

Well, get busy.  Make one.  Share it - or don't.  Eat it all yourself if you want.  It's worth it.  Believe me.   Just ask Todd, he said it was top notch.  Todd knows his desserts.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Because you don't live near a bakery doesn't mean you have to go without cheesecake.  Hedy LaMar

Cheesecake Filled Strawberries - Fabulous for New Year's Eve

Do you love cheesecake?   Strawberries?  Cheesecake with strawberry topping?  Then here is the perfect recipe for you that is SO much easier than baking a cheesecake.  Really, these are so simple and absolutely divine.  These would be perfect for New Year's Eve or a football Sunday or for dessert or just because.

Our youngest son has spent the last year living in California.  He made these one night for a backyard movie night and said they disappeared almost instantly.  I suggested he make some for Christmas Eve and let me tell you - they are as good as he said, maybe even better.

These cheesecake filled strawberries are really easy to make and here is what you need.


About 28 strawberries (we used 2 boxes)
1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
4 TBSP powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cut the tops off the strawberries, wash and dry them,  and hollow them out with a pairing knife.  

To make the filling, beat the softened cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix until well incorporated.  Take a small zip lock bag and make a small cut to remove the corner.  We used a piping tip in the bag, but you don't have too.  It just makes it a little fancier.  Fill the bag with the cheesecake filling and pipe some filling int each strawberry.  Do your very best not to eat them all while you are making them.  That, my friend, will be a challenge!

Serve.

That's it.  How much easier is that than making a cheesecake?  You can also crush some graham crackers and dip the filled berries if you want.  We didn't want.  Your choice.

Not only are these beautiful to look at, they are amazingly delicious and easy to make.  What could be better?  Easy.  Delicious.  Beautiful.  Everyone will think you slaved for hours and hours making these.  Just don't give away the secret that you didn't.

While looking on Pinterest, I saw several variations on this theme and the one idea I might try next time is to dip the berries in chocolate after you fill them.  Chocolate covered cheesecake filled strawberries?  Oh my, oh my, oh my.  That would be somewhat like gastronomical heaven I think.

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and you might really want to consider these.  They are fruit after all and everyone needs fruit.  Right?  And, some cheesecake.  Right?  And, maybe some chocolate.  Right?  In these you get all three in one delicious bite.

Give these a try.  You are going to be SO glad you did and if you have to eat gluten free, these are right up your alley.  Just make sure your vanilla is gluten free.  Make.  Eat.  Enjoy.   It will make ringing in the New Year that much more enjoyable.  Thanks Tyler!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It's time to ring out the old and ring in the new.   May we increase in wisdom, love, and compassion and decrease our fears and judgements.  donna

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake - Spectacular!

 It's countdown to Thanksgiving which is only 9 - count 'em - 9 days away.  Are you cooking?  Are you going to someone's house?  Are you going to a restaurant?  Are you skipping it altogether?   If you are cooking, do you have your menu set?  Do you have to take a dish if you are going elsewhere?  So many things to think about, so little time.  

If you are serving dinner at your abode and you want a dessert that is scrumptious and not too difficult, have I got a "must try" for you!  Woweeeee, this pumpkin cream cheese cake is fabulous.  If you are in charge of taking dessert to someone else's home, have I got a "must try" for you!  Oh, I just said that didn't I?  Well, I am not being facetious when I say give this cake a try.  I mean, what's not to love?  Pumpkin and cream cheese in the same dessert should seal the deal without any other considerations.
This cake is easier than baking a pie, but has that same moist, spicy flavor that pumpkin pie has.  It has cinnamon and cloves and nuts, and cream cheese, and a cinnamon glaze that is oh so good and cream cheese.  Look at this slice up close.

See that vein of cream cheese deliciousness running through there?  Doesn't it make you want to take a bite?  Or maybe just eat the whole piece?  And, this time of year is perfect for anything pumpkin.  We love our pumpkin bread, pumpkin crunch, pumpkin dump cake, Trader Joe's pumpkin tea,  and now we have THIS lovely cake that would be perfect for a breakfast type coffee cake, or even more perfect for an after dinner treat.  I have to say, Dan and I jumped right in as soon as it was ready - still warm actually - and enjoyed it with a lovely cup of hot java.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Dan doesn't like pumpkin pie (I know, I know), but he really loved this.  As a matter of fact, he had two pieces!

Here is what you need (because you really do want to make this!)

Filling

1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 TBSP all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)  ( I used 1/2 cup chopped pecans)

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  (note temperature)  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

In a large bowl,  sift together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and sugar.  Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.   Fold in nuts if using.

Pour half of the pumpkin batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.  Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.  Cover the cream cheese with the remaining pumpkin batter.  Using a knife, stick it straight down through the top layer of pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling.  Swirl the knife around these two layers creating a marble effect.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool before removing from pan.

After removing the cake from the pan, pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides.  Hold yourself back at this point.  Now, serve.

This cake is worth the effort to make, believe me.  I had the urge to make something sweet this afternoon while I was Christmas crafting.  Do you ever have that urge come over you?  The "I need something sweet" urge?  If you don't, I understand....but I get that urge and today was one of those days and I wanted something pumpkin.  Simple as that.  I pulled out this recipe and went to work.  Let me say, it was a really good choice!  This cake is moist, slightly spicy, with that wonderful vein of cream cheese running through it and that delicious cinnamon glaze topping it.  Perfection!

This cake will be just the thing for Thanksgiving, Christmas,  and all winter.  Yummmmmo!  It would be a wonderful gift to give for the holiday season, or take one to work and share with your co-workers. Have the neighbors over for coffee and cake.   Be sure and have the recipe handy because they will ask for it.  Now go rummage through your cupboards and see if you have all the ingredients because you really, really want to make this.  Now.  Really.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.
William Powell 

Speculoos (Biscoff) Gooey Butter Cake

How many of you like, no I mean love, windmill cookies?  You know what I'm talking about right?  The brown spicy cookies shaped like a windmill that we all ate as children (probably as adults too).  Well, I LOVE windmill cookies and always have.  Not only is the shape intriguing, but so is the awesome gingerbready, spicy taste.  Yum yum.  Windmill Cookies are called Speculoos cookies in the Netherlands.  Amazing what a little research will tell you.

My daughter and her family were living in Dallas and she kept asking me if I had ever had Biscoff or Nutella.  I couldn't figure out what the heck Biscoff was nor Nutella.  No, I had never had it.  She told me it was a spread somewhat like peanut butter.  I am not a big peanut butter fan (unAmerican, I know), so I don't usually look at the nut spreads at the grocery store.  She kept insisting that I needed to try them both.  Well, one day I gave in and purchased some Nutella thinking we would try and figure out what all the fuss was about.  Helloooooooo, maybe best stuff ever.  That is until I bought some Speculoos Cookie Butter (aka Biscoff spread).  Holeeeeeeeee Moly, this stuff is downright sinful, dangerous and beyond delicious.

Nutella is chocolate and hazelnut spread.  It's wonderful.  Speculoos Cookie Butter, which is sold exclusively at Trader Joe's and is a product of the Netherlands,  is ground up windmill cookies (called Speculoos) and mixed with a myriad of oils to make it the most deliciously spreadable concoction on the face of the earth.  What genius thought this up?  If you don't have a Trader Joe's, look for Biscoff.  (The label says it is "a deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits").  Okay, works for me.  On the side of the jar it says "All you have to do is taste it to understand!"  Now THAT is the understatement of the century.  It says you can spread it on pancakes or waffles, peanut butter and cookies, sandwiches, serve on ice cream, dip pretzels or celery in it.  What don't you do with something this delicious?"  Good question.  You could put this on just about anything and make it taste even better, just eat it by the spoonful or make this gooey butter cake that is 1. amazing, 2. amazing, and 3. amazing.  Get the point?

If you have never had gooey butter cake, get to the grocery as fast as you can and get all the ingredients it takes and make one immediately.  Yeah, it's that good and that's just plain gooey butter bake.  I have made Paula Deen's pumpkin gooey butter cake and Plain Chicken.com's Nutella gooey butter cake  (recipes on my blog) and they are out of this world.  But, Plain Chicken's Speculoos (Biscoff) gooey butter cake is to the moon and beyond.  Here is what you need:

Crust

1 14.5 oz yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 Tbsp. butter, melted


Filling

1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
1 cup Speculoos Cookie Butter (Biscoff)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1 pound box, powdered sugar (that is 3.5 generous cups)

Mix the yellow cake mix with 1 egg and 8 Tbsps melted butter.  Press in the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan.  Set aside.

Make the filling by beating the softened cream cheese and Speculoos Cookie Butter (Biscoff) until smooth.  Add the 3 eggs, vanilla and melted butter.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix until it is all incorporated.

Pour the filling over the crust mix in the 9x13 pan and do everything within your power not to eat it before you bake it.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  The very center should still be a little "unset".  It will continue to bake when you remove it from the oven.  Let cool, cut into squares and serve.  Listen to the raves and requests for more (that's if you don't eat it all yourself)!

I am sitting here noshing on a little square and drinking a cup of coffee while I type this just so I can try and tell you how OH EM GEE good this is.  I wish you were here so I could share some of it with you.  It's worth the drive believe me (or at least a trip to the store).

The slightly gingerbreadish flavor of the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and whatever other flavors are in the Speculoos (windmill) cookies makes this gooey butter cake just about indescribable.  If you've had windmill cookies you know what I am talking about, only difference is this cake is creamy and spicy with a fabulous crust, not hard and crunchy like windmill cookies.  You owe it to yourself, your family and everyone you know to try this recipe.  I'm not kidding.  They will all thank you.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Childhood memory.  My mom always liked Fig Newtons (ugh) but sometimes we could talk her into Windmill Cookies.  That was a happy day.  Who knew somewhere down the road they would become the most delicious spread ever made?    donna

Strawberry Frozen Pie with Vanilla Wafer Nut Crumb Crust

Happy Monday to you!  Hope your weekend was a wonderful one.  Thankfully, it rained just enough on Saturday to wash away some of the pollen that has been plaguing me and half the population in Nashville.  I have never seen as much pollen as we have this year.  Guess that's the payback for a mild winter, but I am willing to make the trade off.   Yes, I am having allergy symptoms, but I will deal with those for the time being.  The warm beautiful weather and beautiful blooming trees are worth a few boxes of tissues.

Our first born daughter and her family moved here in December, right before Christmas, which thrilled us all!  Her in-loves made their first visit this past weekend and we all had a cook out Sunday evening.  The entire Nashville family was there.  The weather was stunning, the grandsons all got to play outside to their heart's content and we got to catch up with Alma and Jack.  I play board games with Alma on FB just about every night, but we haven't seen each other in person for many years.  You know how you can pick up with some people right where you left off - never skip a beat?  That's how it is with them, they are such wonderful people.    We had a great time catching up AND they asked us to visit their summer home on the Maine coast which would be awesome.  Perhaps we will get there one of these days.  We definitely look forward to their return visits to Nashville, that's for sure!

Daughter #1 asked if I would make dessert.  Me?  Why of course!  Thanks for asking.  You know how I love to bake.  Because it has been so warm, I was in the mood for something summery and super delicious so I decided to make this Strawberry Frozen Pie which is outta sight!  I have been making this pie since the first year we were married (1969).  The first time I made it was for Dan's grandmother when she came to our house for dinner.  She loved it and I have been making it ever since.  It is actually a combination of two different recipes.  The crust is from a similar recipe, but it has egg whites in it and I don't trust serving raw egg whites, so I always used the filling from one recipe and the fantastic nut crumb crust from the other.  Here is what you need to make this excellent frozen pie:

Ingredients:

Crust

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 stick melted butter

Filling:

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, or 2 10 ounce pkgs frozen strawberries with syrup
1 cup sugar for fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar for frozen strawberries


Whipped cream or cool whip for topping (I made fresh whipped cream)

If you are making your own vanilla wafer crumbs (which I do), place about 1/3 box of vanilla wafers in a gallon sized zip lock bag, squeezing all the air out.  Roll with a rolling pin until you have small pieces - enough for 1 1/2 cups.  (I don't like the crumbs to be like dust, I like very small pieces, about the size of the chopped nuts).  I chop the pecans in my nut chopper.  If you don't have a nut chopper, use a knife and chop into small pieces.  Place vanilla wafer crumbs and nuts in a bowl.  Melt 1 stick of butter in microwave and add to vanilla wafer crumbs and nut pieces.  Press in the bottom and up the sides of a 10 inch pie pan.  I use my trusty corning ware pie plate that I got for a wedding gift.  I realize it is now an antique.  Sigh.  Put in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool before filling.

Using a mixer, blend cream cheese and sour cream  in a mixing bowl until well mixed.    Mix 1 1/2 cups sliced berries with 1 cup sugar and stir.  Add to cream cheese mixture.  (If using frozen berries, thaw berries and add 1/2 cup sugar and mix.  Add to cream cheese mixture.)  Blend with a mixer to break up strawberry pieces, don't completely pulverize.  You want some strawberry pieces in the filling.    Pour into crust.

 Freeze until firm.  I usually freeze overnight.  Remove from freezer about 5 minutes before serving and decorate with whipped cream.   That strawberry in the middle of the pie  in the picture is HUGE.  Kroger had giant California strawberries on sale and I do mean GIANT!  They were delicious.

How to make whipped cream:

Put 1 pint heavy whipping cream in a deep bowl and beat with mixer on medium high until it starts to thicken.  Add about 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla.  Beat until it forms stiff peaks.  Don't over beat or  you will have butter.  It should look like this.

I piped the whipped cream onto the top of the pie by placing it in a gallon sized zip lock back after cutting a corner off the bag and placing a large star tip in the hole.  Fill the bag with cream and pipe on however you want.  Now, this is a lot of whipped cream and I actually used part of it for the cheese cake I will write about tomorrow.  Just thought I'd let you know.  You could actually use about 1/2 of a pint of heavy whipping cream.

Now, let's discuss this pie.  Description?  Heavenly!  Delicious!  Amazing!  Fantastic!  Awesome!  Divine!!  And, it's really super easy.  Our 8 year old grandson doesn't like strawberries much, but he said it was the best pie he had ever eaten!  Today's endorsement from the world's pickiest eater.  Made me smile.  Jack and Alma raved about it - especially Jack who likes fruit type desserts, so it was definitely a good choice.  (Wait till we get to the cheesecake).  

Put this recipe in your arsenal and pull it out when you want something quick, easy, fantastic and special.  Summer is just around the corner and this pie is so good for warm summer days.  Think about making it for Easter, Mother's Day or Father's Day.  You will get requests to make it again.  The nut crumb crust is maybe the best crust ever and so much easier than a traditional pie crust.  The filling - well I could just eat it with a spoon right out of the bowl - it's somewhat like ice cream or frozen yogurt only better.  The combination of the crust with the filling - they write novels about those kinds of things.  That's all I can say about it.  You will just have to make one and eat it to understand.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Good friends are like stars.....you don't always see them, but you know they are always there.  author unknown

It's Called Pumpkin Crunch But We Called It "Pumpkinlicious"!

If only I could get a picture of this dessert that would: 1. do it justice and 2. let you taste it just so you could know how good it is.  Maybe good is not the right word, maybe it should be fabulous - pumpkinlicious.  All I know is that it is one of the best dessert's ever - EVER!  Goodness gracious, I have no effective description for this fantastically wonderful goodness.  

Our second daughter and son in love came to dinner last week, and I wanted to make a dessert that I had all the ingredients for.  Well, God bless Pinterest  because I had found this recipe a while back and posted it to my recipe boards.  Let me tell you, it's a keeper!  Here is what you need.

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cups butter (1.5 sticks)

1 12 oz container cool whip

1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon and eggs and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin mixture.  Sprinkle pecans on top of cake mix.  Cover nuts with pieces of thinly sliced butter.  (Make sure it is almost completely covered with butter, you'll understand when you eat it).  Bake at 350 for one hour.  Let cool completely  Beat cool-whip, cream cheese and confectioners sugar together and spread on top.  Serve.

Wowee, did we all love this dessert.  Our "kids" each ate two pieces.  I mean, yeah, it's that good.  You are thinking that is a lot of butter, but it makes the pecans all "praline like" and the filling is like pumpkin pie and all that gooey goodness on top.  Wowza.  If you could just taste it, you would rush to your kitchen right now and make one.  I'm not kidding.

This is an easy dessert to make for the holidays and everyone will enjoy it of that I can be sure!  This will become a standard at our celebrations - right there with coconut cake and pecan pie.  It's actually better than pumpkin pie and easier to make.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  It's making my mouth water just writing about it.  If only I had a yellow cake mix in the house......

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Christmas was better when I still believed in Santa.  Oh to be 20 again.  ; )