Yummy Fall Dessert

Pumpkin Crunch Cake


Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I will add a bit more next time, perhaps another 1/2 to 1 tsp more)

1 teaspoon salt

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts work well too)

1 cup margarine (2 cubes), melted (I think 1 1/2 cubes would be plenty)

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

(Or make your own whipped cream or use ice cream)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9x13 inch baking pan.

Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well and spread into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the top of the pumpkin mixture and pat down flat. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the cake mix then drizzle the melted margarine all over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour but no longer than 1 hour and 20 minutes. (Mine was done in 50-55 minutes, so check it!) Top cooled cake with whipped topping when ready to serve.


I love the crunchy top on this and it was so easy to make! A great alternative to pumpkin pie or for anytime you're craving pumpkin sweets. I also think this could be good, and a pretty presentation, to serve it with caramel sauce drizzled under or over it.

Sweet Lemon

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
(more like a pound cake)
American Profile

Ingredients:

Bread ~

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tlb poppy seeds
2 Tlb coarsely grated lemon rind
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 large eggs

Glaze ~

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp coarsely grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of two (9x5 in) loaf pans.

To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients (flour through lemon rind) in a large bowl and blend well.

Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients (sugar through eggs) in a mixing bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

To prepare glaze, while bread is baking, combine all ingredients; stir well to combine. Remove loaves from oven; drizzle immediately with glaze. Let cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; turn out onto wire racks, and let cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves

This is really delicious! The lemon flavor keeps it so light, but the bread is satisfying and just sweet enough. I like to make mine in mini loaf pans so that you get a better glaze to bread ratio. I usually get 4 mini loaves out of 1 recipe. If you do use the mini pans, you will need to adjust your oven time a bit, I would check them at 40 minutes. Great for a snack, brunch, or even dessert.

Simple Breakfast Idea

Pancake Muffins


Ingredients:

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
12 tbsp filling: try Nutella or fruit jam
confectioners sugar for sprinkling
maple syrup for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously coat the bottom & sides of a 12-muffin tin with butter. Make Bisquick pancakes per instructions on the box. Fill each cup in the muffin tin half-way. Add 1 tbsp of filling to the middle of each muffin, then cover with the remaining pancake mix. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on serving dish & use a flour sifter to sprinkle with sugar. Serve with warm syrup.

These were super easy and a great way to make pancakes for a large group without having to stand over a hot griddle. I loved the crunchy texture of the outside and they tasted just like pancakes with a burst of flavor!

Another Tuna Idea

Asian Tuna Patties

allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

3 green onions, minced

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup cornmeal**

2 tablespoons vegetable oil


Directions:

In a large bowl, mix tuna, egg, bread crumbs, green onions, and garlic. Blend soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, and pepper into the mixture. Form the mixture into about 6 patties approximately 1 inch thick. Lightly sprinkle each patty on all sides with cornmeal.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry each patty about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

**The cornmeal was far too crunchy and not a good texture for the tuna. I would suggest using breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, or frying with no coating at all.

These were quite tasty. I would happily eat them on their own, but they were also good as a "fish" sandwich, with coleslaw, or cabbage crunch salad. Could also do some kind of Asian noodle.

Oh My YUM!!!

Easy Decadent Truffles
Yield: approx 60 truffles

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
2 cups (16 oz) semi sweet chocolate, melted (I do mine in the microwave, starting with 1 minute, stir, then stir in 30 sec intervals until melted. Do not over cook! If your chocolate seizes try adding warm cream or a little butter.)
I added a couple handfuls of Ghirredeli 60% chocolate chips, another 2 oz or so
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

More chocolate for dipping, optional (you will need at least another 16 oz if you'd like to dip them all)


Directions:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about an hour, then shape into balls. After an hour, I used a large melon-baller to scoop out the chocolate mixture and placed the blobs on a wax-paper lined baking sheet and put them back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. Then, when I took them out to roll them with my hands they were easier to manage and didn't melt all over me. I put them back into the fridge for another 15 min (it's important to keep the mixture cold) before I dipped them.


Variations:

Sub your choice of flavored extract for the vanilla, then be creative with your decorating!!

Raspberry: raspberry extract, dip in chocolate and decorate or roll in nuts

Almond: almond extract, roll in crushed almonds or dip and sprinkle on top

Peppermint: peppermint extract, top with crushed candy canes

Peanut butter: Melt some smooth peanut butter in with your chocolate

Dips or drizzles with white, milk, dark chocolates. When set, you can pipe a frosting design on top, red/pink for raspberry, green for mint, etc. The Possibilities are endless!

*NOTE: This recipe splits very easily. The first time I made it, I used two bowls split all the ingredients and made half regular and half raspberry truffles. Both delicious!

Soft and Delicious

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

allrecipes.com (revised)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups quick-cooking oats 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.	Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. With a spoon, stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Stir in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. **Drop by heaping spoonfuls (mine were rather large scoops and cooked perfectly) onto ungreased baking sheets.
3.	Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes (don't skip this step) before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

**chill the mix for 2 hours prior to baking and the cookies won't spread.

These were chewy, soft, and perfect with a glass of milk. I usually put nuts in everything, but didn't have any and found I actually really enjoyed the soft cookie with chocolate and no nuts. We kept these for about a week in a Ziplock bag and they stayed soft and chewy up until the moment they disappeared.

Inexpensive and Filling

Tuna Noodle Casserole (from Scratch) Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, divided 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked medium egg noodles 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk salt and pepper to taste 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 3 tablespoons bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter or spray with cooking spray.
2.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
3.	Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mix in mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
4.	Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tuna, peas, mushroom mixture, and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl, mix with bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole. Top with cheese.
5.	Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Adjustments: I don't really like peas, so I omitted them and doubled the celery. I thought the mushrooms added a nice texture element.
You'll want to make extra sauce or it will turn out dry. I made close to twice as much, but I also didn't measure my noodles, and may have had a little extra.
You will want to flavor your white sauce more than called for to achieve the right amount of flavor. I added dill, S&P, and garlic powder. Lemon could be a good addition or fresh parsley.
I also liked this as leftovers and the family ate it quite well.

Veggie Dinner

Carrot Burgers
All Recipes


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups crushed cornflakes (Didn't have any, I used 1/2 breadcrumbs and 1/2 crushed corn Chex)
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 Tlb finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tlb vegetable oil (used olive oil, a little more than called for)
Hamburger buns


Directions:

Place shredded carrots in a saucepan with some water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until tender; drain. In a bowl, combine carrots, cornflakes, eggs, celery, onion, salt, sugar and pepper; mix well. Form into six patties. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook patties for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Serve on buns if desired.

(These were surprisingly good! They had good texture and flavor. It would still be fun to play around with the flavors a bit, some fresh cilantro or parsley would be complimentary. Could substitute water chestnuts for the celery. I wasn't too sure about the corn flakes, but I liked the corn flavor it brought. Would also try again with Panko breadcrumbs. We ate ours on slightly toasted hamburger buns with lettuce and a creamy dressing. Would also be great with creamy coleslaw or on top of a green salad. To make enough for our family of 6, I made 1 and 1/2 times the recipe.)

Candybar Fudge on a Brownie

Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 batch of brownies (9x13 boxed mix)
• 1 cup chopped Reese's peanut butter cups
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Instructions:

1. Make the brownies as directed on the box in a 9 x 13 pan, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Remove the brownies from the oven, and top with Reese's and peanuts. Place the tray back in the oven, and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted into your brownies and comes out dry. Remove the brownies.

3. In a microwave safe dish, melt the chocolate, butter, and peanut butter for about 45 seconds. The squares should keep their shape, and will melt completely when stirred. Then, stir in the Rice Krispies.

4. Pour your melted mixture over your brownies, and place the tray into a refrigerator. Allow the brownies to cool for at least two hours, or overnight, until serving. We preferred to keep them cold in the fridge.

Temptation

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

With three layers of chocolate brownie, raw cookie dough filling (without the egg!), and rich chocolate glaze topping, these luscious sweet treats are the perfect way to spread the love this year.

For brownies

• 1 package brownie mix (or your favorite recipe) (I used family sized dark chocolate fudge brownie mix)
  
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, added to mix

Bake brownies according to package. Cool completely.

For filling:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour

Beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar until fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour and mix well. (I added in a handful of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips) Spread mixture over cooled brownies. (It seems like there isn't enough of this mixture to cover all the brownies, but it is very rich so I don't think you'd want to make more. The easiest way I found was to flatten out portions at a time and then apply it to the top of the brownies.)

For chocolate glaze topping:

• 1 (6-oz.) package chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon corn oil, margarine, or shortening

Melt chocolate and butter until smooth. Spoon glaze over filling and spread to cover.

(Instead of using this glaze, I made a semi-sweet ganache.)

These were impossible to resist! Rich and delicious. We liked them best chilled so I covered and stored them in the fridge. If I were bringing these to a dinner or potluck I think I would chill them and then cut them into bite sized pieces... the perfect thing to pop in your mouth!

Filling but Light

Marie's White Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 med onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tlb vegetable oil
2 cans (15 1/2 oz) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

In a large saucepan saute chicken, onion, garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately.