Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I have Pinterest to thank for this one. Pinterest can definitely be time-waster, but when I find a great recipe like this one, it makes it all seem worth it, right? (That way I can justify to myself continuing to spend time on Pinterest.)  :)

I have a recipe for Pumpkin Bars with cream cheese frosting which I always make at least once each fall, which I love. However, when I saw a recipe adding cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting, I decided I had to try these. I'm glad I did; they were delicious!

This recipe comes from Taste of Home. I used their original recipe this time, but would also like to try what looks like a slightly healthier version here, from Dulce Delicious. She also has some great pictures of the cupcakes, so check out her blog.

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes:
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
2 1/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, just put 1 TBSP lemon juice in a measuring cup, and add enough milk to make one cup; let sit for a few minutes.)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and ginger; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes* or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened (I reduced this to about 5 tablespoons, and it still turned out great)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 2 dozen

*I made mini cupcakes, and baking them 14-15 minutes in my oven was just right.

Pumpkin Cake with Eggnog Cream

I realize it's not the season for all these holiday themed treats, but I figured I'd keep going as long as I started in on Christmas treats.

This one doesn't have to be used for Christmas, but is more of a fall/winter dessert. After all, you have to be able to buy eggnog for it! I found this recipe a couple of years ago, but just got around to making it this year. My in-laws all seemed to enjoy it, and it also looked really pretty. :)

Here is the recipe:

Cake:
1 16-oz. can pumpkin (not pie filling), (the recipe recommends using name brand)
3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger

Icing:
2 c. powdered sugar
milk (a few teaspoons)
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Garnish (optional):
nutmeg
1/4 c. toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped (I used chopped almonds)

Cream:
2 c. heavy cream (I used regular whipping cream and it worked fine)
1/2 c. eggnog (Light didn't work well when I tried it. Sorry, you've got to use the full-strength stuff here.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease and flour a bundt pan. (Or spray thoroughly with Pam with flour.) Mix pumpkin, sugar, oil, and eggs together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Stir flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger together in a separate bowl. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until smooth. pour batter into prepared pan.Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Don't over bake or it will become dry.) Gently shake cake in pan or tap on counter to loosen. Turn out onto cake plate to cool.

Place powdered sugar into bowl. Add milk 1 tsp. at a time until you reach a thick "gravy" consistency. Add a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Drizzle over top of cooled cake and garnish by sprinkling lightly with nutmeg and nuts before glaze sets, if desired.

Beat heavy cream until quite stiff. Fold in eggnog to make soft peaks. Serve slices of cake with a generous dollop of the eggnog cream.

You can also use the cake recipe to make pumpkin muffins. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

This. Is. So. Good. Chocolate and peanut butter are one of those made in heaven combinations. If you're not a peanut butter fan, you'll want to move on from this one. But if you like peanut butter and chocolate, TRY THIS! You won't be disappointed.

Last Christmas, my cousin Julie gave me a little recipe book that was sold as a fund-raiser for the Jordan High School girls' soccer team. I just recently got around to trying this recipe from that book, and I shouldn't have waited so long! It is definitely a new favorite! I have tried many "from scratch" chocolate cake recipes, and this is by far the best I've tried. Keep in mind, I like dense, not dry cake. (I'm not allowed to use the "m" word; my husband doesn't like it. But hopefully you know what I mean by "not dry".) If you like super light, fluffy cake, this might be a little dense for you. You can always substitute your favorite chocolate cake recipe and use it with the frosting below.

Here you go; your new favorite dessert recipe!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

1 cup water
1 cup butter (Yes, a whole cup. And more in the frosting. I didn't say this was good for you...)
6 T. cocoa
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
Peanut butter cups, chopped

In a small saucepan bring water, butter, and cocoa to a low boil. Remove from heat. In a large bowl combine the flour, soda, and salt. Pour the sugar on top of the flour mixture. Pour the boiling mixture on top of the sugar. (This creates a fudge like reaction as the two combine.) Add eggs and sour cream and mix until combined. Mixture will be thin.

Grease a 9x13 pan or grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees: 35-40 minutes for 9x13 or 25-30 minutes for round cake pans.

This cake is not as good if baked too long. Start with the shortest time, and increase only if needed. When it looks almost done, tap lightly with two fingers. It should slightly dent in and barely spring back. If not, bake a few minutes longer.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 T. milk or cream
1 tsp. vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar (I used about 3)

Cream together butter, peanut butter, milk or cream, and vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

I actually added a layer of chocolate frosting (I just used Betty Crocker) on top of the cake, before adding the peanut butter frosting on top. If I made it with round pans, I would tort the cake and alternate chocolate and peanut butter frostings between layers. Top the peanut butter frosting with the chopped peanut butter cups.

If you frost it warm, the frosting will melt and start to separate. It does taste really good warm, though. My suggestion is to let it cool before frosting, but warm it up just a little in the microwave before eating. Mmmm...

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

Wow, I've been a slacker. I haven't posted in months! Well, I'm finally back.

I made this cake last week for the first time. It was delicious, (our friend Josh went back for seconds), and as he said, it looks like a "retauraunt quality" cake. I took this from "Our Best Bites". Here is the link to the original recipe, complete with pictures. I'll also share it here, with the couple of slight variations I made.

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

1 package Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake (Or other favorite chocolate cake recipe. I used this one, baked in two round pans.)
1 recipe (give or take a little) chocolate ganache (here is the link to their "Super Easy Chocolate Ganache" recipe)
Crushed Heath bars or a bag of chocolate-covered Heath bits
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. boiling water (just heat in a small bowl in your microwave)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake cake according to cake mix/recipe directions in two 8-inch round pans. Allow to cool and set aside. This can be done several days in advance; just freeze the cakes when you're done.
In a small bowl, combine gelatin and cold water and allow to stand for about 1 minute. While gelatin is softening, bring 2 Tbsp. water to boil in the microwave. Whisk into the softened gelatin and allow to cool slightly.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. Mix in gelatin mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Prepare ganache (if you haven't already) according to directions.
With a serrated knife (or cake leveler), carefully slice the dome-iest part of each cake layer off so the layers are level. Place one layer on the serving plate and spread about 1/2 (I used a little more) of the chocolate mousse over the cake. (I spread a layer of ganache over the bottom layer before putting the mousse on.) The rest of the mousse can just be eaten right out of the bowl :) Sprinkle with Heath bits.
Place second layer on top of Heath bits.
Spoon ganache over the top layer, allowing it to drip down the sides. (They give more instructions on this on the Our Best Bites blog link above.) Sprinkle with additional Heath bits and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Banana (or coconut or chocolate) Cream Pie

I have a few quirky food preferences. (My husband would probably say picky, but I'll go with quirky.) One of these is related to bananas. I like fresh bananas, but I don't like artificial banana flavoring of any kind. Because of this, I don't like pies made with banana pudding. This recipe is for a vanilla cream pie base, that you can actually turn into a banana, coconut, or chocolate cream pie. I'll admit, I've only made banana. I'm not really a coconut fan (another of my food quirks), and if I'm going to have a chocolate pie, I prefer this chocolate silk pie. However, that one is very rich, so if that one is too much for you, it might be worth trying the chocolate version of this one. I can, however, vouch for the banana version of this pie, and it's delicious. And really not hard to make. Try it out!

Banana (or coconut or chocolate) Cream Pie

1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 c. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 baked and cooled pie shells

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Add eggs and mix with dry ingredients. Add milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. After boiling, remove from heat. The mixture should be thickened. Add vanilla and stir to make a vanilla cream pie, or adjust per one of the variations below. Pour desired cream mixture into cooked and cooled pie crust. Top with whipped cream. Makes 2 pies, 16 servings. (I often cut the recipe in half and make just one pie.)

Variations:
Chocolate Cream Pie: Add 1/2 c. cocoa or 3/4 c. bittersweet chocolate
Banana Cream Pie: Mix 4 sliced bananas with cooled vanilla mixture
Coconut Cream Pie: Add 1/2-1 c. flaked coconut to vanilla mixture

Chocolate Chip Cookies Take Two

I have already posted one chocolate chip cookie recipe. However, I have to admit, I am continuously on the search for the "perfect" chocolate chip recipe. This is of course very subjective, so my perfect cookie may or may not be yours. However, I do think these are pretty darn good. I made them recently for my family, and my brother said they are the best he's ever had...so at least a couple of us like them!

These are very similar to my other recipe. However, I combined this with a few small changes from another recipe I tried. Here are the results:

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Take Two)

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. oil
1 c. brown sugar (I prefer dark brown sugar in these)
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 c. flour (or slightly more if needed)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
chocolate chips (I use a 12 oz. bag)

Cream butter, oil, and sugars. (Thoroughly. Let the mixer run for a few minutes.) Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 9-10 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls have always been a weakness of mine. They are one of my favorite treats. One that can even be considered breakfast once in awhile (although of course not a very healthy one). Cinnamon rolls are infinitely better when baked fresh, and eaten warm out of the oven. This necessitated learning to make them fresh at home.

There are at least hundreds of cinnamon roll recipes out there. Just google it...you'll see. I have tried a few different recipes, and actually have a few more I would like to try. For now, this is the recipe I use most often, for a few different reasons. First of all, this recipe is quick. It only requires one rise, which cuts the time in half compared with many of the recipes out there. After all, I don't want to have to get up at the crack of dawn to make them for breakfast. Also, while these are definitely not healthy, they don't have as much butter, etc. as some of the recipes I've seen out there. So I feel a little better about eating them, yet they still taste great! It also gives the option of using part or all wheat flour. I'll admit, I've always used white for these, but maybe one day I'll add some wheat to make them a little better for me.

This particular recipe makes about 2 dozen, so I usually cut it in half.

Cinnamon Rolls

4 eggs (Room temp. I just stick the whole eggs in warm water for a few minutes if they're cold.)
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. warm water
2/3 c. powdered milk
7-8 c. flour (white, wheat, or a combination)
2 T. yeast
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon
Raisins, nuts, chocolate chips - optional. I don't add any of them, but if you like soggy raisins in your baked goods, be my guest :)

Cream together sugar, shortening, eggs, and salt. Add warm water, powdered milk, and 3-4 cups flour. Blend in yeast and then additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead lightly with a dough hook or in a bowl. Let rise 1 hour and then roll out to about 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Spread with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Add raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips if desired. Roll up, starting from a long side, and cut into about 1 1/2 inch pieces. (I prefer to use thread to cut them.) Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool about 10 minutes and glaze.

Glaze:
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
milk to make spreadable

Combine sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Gradually add milk until glaze reaches desired consistency.

Enjoy!

Heavenly Chocolate Bars

I have a bad habit of trying out new recipes when I'm serving them to a group. Since I don't always like all the recipes I try, you would think I would wait to experiment when there wouldn't be so many people eating them, but for some reason, I keep doing it anyway.

Yesterday, we went to a BBQ, and I had signed up to bring a dessert. True to form, I decided I wanted to try something new. Thankfully, this was one of the times when it worked out ok. Several people said they liked them, and I had a request for the recipe, so I decided it could be considered a success. Which means I'll probably do it again, and wind up serving something terrible to a group some time. If so, I'll just pretend not to know who brought whatever disastrous dish it is...

In the meantime, here is the recipe from last night, which is worth adding to my collection. It is from the book Chocolate Never Faileth. It doesn't take much hands-on time; just be aware you do need time for them to cool completely before drizzling the chocolate on top.

They're different from other bars I've had. They're kind of brownie-like, but with a somewhat gooey layer as well. Hmmm...I'm realizing I don't really know how to describe them, so you'll just have to try them for yourself:

Heavenly Chocolate Bars

Crust:
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 c. flour
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Topping:
2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. peanut butter chips (I didn't have PB chips but had butterscotch, and that was good, although I bet the PB would be great also. I'm sure you can use any combination of chips you would like)

Drizzle:
1 c. chocolate pieces, melted (chocolate chips work fine)

Preheat oven to 350. For the crust, cream brown sugar and butter. Add the flour and cocoa; mix well. (This is pretty thick, so it was much easier to use my KitchenAid mixer than it would have been to mix it by hand.) Press by hand into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish until mixture is spread evenly and covers the bottom of the dish. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the crust bakes, in a medium bowl, create the topping: Mix the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla with a spoon. Stir in the baking powder and salt; mix well. Stir in both kinds of chips. Pour over baked crust and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. (15 minutes was plenty in my oven.) Cool completely.

To make the drizzle: In a microwave-safe glass bowl, melt the chocolate pieces. Microwave for one minute, stir, then heat at 30-second intervals until smooth. Stir the melted chocolate with a wooden spoon for a couple of minutes before using it to allow it to temper and prevent it from blooming when it cools. Pour melted chocolate into a ziploc bag, cut off a corner, and drizzle the entire cup of melted chocolate over the top of the bars in a checkerboard pattern, a zigzag pattern, or whatever design you like. Allow the drizzle to harden before cutting the bars and serving.

Peanut Butter Frosting

This is another one from the Barefoot Contessa. I've tried a few different peanut butter frosting recipes, and so far this is my favorite. I tried it on chocolate cupcakes, topped with a layer of chocolate ganache, and then this piped on the top. They were rich, but delicious.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 c. powdered sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened (I just used salted because that's what I had)

3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. kosher salt (regular salt should be just fine)

1/3 c. heavy cream (I just used regular, not heavy)

Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Tuxedo Brownie Cups

Someone recently commented on my mini-muffin pan. They thought it was really cute, but wondered what I use it for. I have a few things I make with the pan, including the mini-quiche and peanut butter cup cookies that are both on this blog. This recipe is another great use for my mini-muffin pan. I recently made these for the first time in quite awhile, and I'd forgotten how much I like them. These take a little time, but they're pretty simple, and look just a little fancy. (I can't say I use the word fancy very often, but no other word seemed to fit just then.) This is actually a Pampered Chef recipe, introduced to me by a friend at work.

Tuxedo Brownie Cups

1 package (19-21 oz.) fudge brownie mix AND ingredients to make cake-like brownies (I am typically a fan of fudge-like brownies, but I've tried both, and these are definitely easier to work with if you follow the directions and make the cake-like recipe)
2 squares (1 oz. each) white chocolate for baking
2 Tbsp. milk
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat, and they still taste great)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 c. frozen whipped topping, thawed (The last time I made these I used real whipped cream because that's what I had, and I think I liked it even better, but either works)
1 pint small strawberries, sliced Orange zest, mint leaves, and/or melted chocolate (Optional. I use melted chocolate.)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray cups of mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray for baking (Pam with flour). You can also use mini-muffin cups if you prefer. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. (My small cookie scoop is the perfect size for scooping up the batter.) Bake 14 minutes or until edges are set. Do not over bake.

2. Remove pan to cooling rack. (Or the top of your stove, like I do. I have to make a confession; I don't own cooling racks. It's a little ridiculous, I should probably buy one, but for now, I just go without.) Immediately press tops of brownies to make indentations. (A rounded teaspoon works well for this.) Cool in pan 15 minutes. Loosen edges and gently remove brownies from pan. Cool completely. Wash pan, spray again with cooking spray, and repeat baking with remaining batter.

3. Microwave white chocolate and milk in the microwave, uncovered, on high 1 minute; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Gradually stir in white chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in whipped topping (or whipped cream).

4. Pipe cream cheese mixture into cooled brownie cups. Slice strawberries thinly, and arrange on top of filled brownie cups. Garnish with orange zest and mint leaves or drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Place in airtight container and refrigerate 1-3 hours before serving. Makes 4 dozen

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

We used to have a patient come to the office where I work who would often bring in treats. She made great treats, so we nearly always asked her for the recipes. She started automatically bringing a copy of the recipe in with her treats after awhile, knowing she would be asked to bring it in later anyway.

This is my most used of her recipes. It's sweet enough to be a dessert, but if I use the rule that says it's good for you if there's a veggie in it, I feel less guilty eating it.

The recipe makes 2 regular size loaves, but can also make 6 mini loaves.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs
1 c. oil
3/4 c. water
3 1/2 c. flour
3 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 t/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, and water and mix well. Mix dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake one hour and 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

German Chocolate Cake

I recently read a book by a baker who grew up in Germany who said that there is NOTHING German about coconut and pecans in a carmel frosting. Well, misnomer or not, German Chocolate is one of my husband's favorite flavors of cake. I'm actually not a huge coconut fan, so this is one of those recipes I make just for the benefit of others. I actually wish I liked coconut, because the cake looks so good, but I really just pick around the frosting when I eat this cake.

I'm not sure this is the perfect cake recipe, but I do think it's light, airy, and good. (I've mentioned in earlier posts that from-scratch cakes are sometimes a little dry for my taste. This one is better than some, but I've wondered if it needs a little fine-tuning. But it's still worth making.) I also put a layer of this frosting along with a layer of chocolate frosting on top of a single chocolate cookie from my Homemade Oreo Cookie recipe for a tasty German drop cookie. (Tasty at least to those of you who like pecans and coconut.)

German Chocolate Cake

1 (4 oz.) package German Sweet Chocolate
1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, which I usually don't have on hand, you can put one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup, and fill it up to the 1 cup mark with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and it will work as a substitute for buttermilk in your recipes.)

Melt chocolate in the boiling water; cool. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in vanilla and chocolate. Set aside. Mix flour, soda, and salt. Beat in the flour mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into three 9-inch layer pans, lined on bottoms with waxed paper. (I use 8-inch because that's what I have. It's worked fine.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in center. Cool 15 minutes in pans; remove and cool on rack. Spread frosting between layers and over top of cake. (I use the coconut frosting in between two of the layers and on top of the cake, but I use chocolate frosting in the middle layer and on the sides of the cake.)

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten (you won't use the whites from these 3 eggs)
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 c. angel flake coconut
1 c. pecans, chopped

Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened (about 12 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and nuts.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven are one of my favorite treats. I am somewhat picky about cookies, however. In general, I do NOT like crunchy cookies. There are a couple of exceptions, but for me, chocolate chip and sugar cookies especially must be soft. (No Chips Ahoy for me, thanks.) As long as they're soft, I pretty much like all chocolate chip cookies. However, I do like to try different recipes to find the one I like the best. This is my current favorite. I got this from my friends Missy and Kimi on their blog: http://ificould-ificould.blogspot.com/. (They have lots of other fun craft, sewing, and recipe ideas there as well.) I had never tried one that used oil along with butter before. It helps make them a little crisp on the outside, but nice and soft on the inside.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
chocolate chips (I like lots of chocolate chips, so I use a whole 11-12 ounce bag)

Cream butter, oil, and sugars. (Really cream them, let your mixer go for a few minutes.)
Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients together and add to mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoon fulls on an ungreased cookie sheet (I use a cookie scoop), and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Cinnamon Bundt Cake

This is delicious. It is very similar to the chocolate bundt cake recipe, but of course with different flavors. Yet another recipe introduced to me by my sister Kathy.

1 yellow cake mix
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
3/4 c. oil
3/4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar

Beat cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, vanilla, and eggs on high for 8 minutes. Batter will be thick. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Grease and flour a bundt pan. (Once again, I use Pam with flour.) Sprinkle some of the cinnamon and sugar mixture into the prepared pan, and shake to coat. Alternate layers of the batter and the cinnamon/sugar mixture in the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Caramel Popcorn

This is by far my favorite caramel popcorn recipe. I owe my friends Nicole and Barb from work for this one. They always buy pre-popped popcorn for it, but I usually make it with two bags of microwave popcorn, and it's still delicious.

Caramel Popcorn

1 stick butter
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle brand)
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 bags of yellow popcorn

Melt butter in pan. Add brown sugar and corn syrup, and bring to a boil. Add sweetened condensed milk. Return to boiling, and cook to soft ball stage. (Test after about 2 minutes of continuous boiling.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Let cool a little before serving.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This is another recipe that reminds me of high school. We used to make these at my friend Melanie's house all the time. I don't have her peanut butter cookie recipe, so I use this one, but the basic idea is the same. They are best warm, so the chocolate is still melted.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1/2 c. shortening (I use butter flavored)
3/4 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add sugars, beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place each into a greased mini-muffin cup. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

While baking, remove wrappers from peanut butter cups. Remove from oven and immediately press a peanut butter cup completely into the center of each cookie.

Pumpkin Bars

Yummy pumpkin cake bars with delicious cream cheese frosting. My sister Mary Ann first introduced me to pumpkin bars, and they've become a favorite of mine. I like my sister-in-law Heather's theory that I can count it as healthy if dessert has a fruit or vegetable in it. That makes me feel better about eating these tasty things. These are actually good even substituting applesauce for half of the oil. (From the Ivory Favorites cookbook.)

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together dry ingredients, and add to pumpkin mixture. Spread in greased jellyroll pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool before frosting.

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. softened butter (I sometimes reduce the butter by a little bit.)
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy.

Chocolate Lava Cakes

I've had great chocolate lava cakes at restaurants, and wanted to try to make some at home. I found this recipe on the internet and decided to give it a try. These are rich, but oh so good. I love the chocolate that oozes out when you cut into the cake. Be aware, the filling needs to be made several hours in advance.

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Chocolate lava filling:
3 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (I just use bittersweet chocolate chips. Actually, I do 1/2 milk chocolate chips, because the bittersweet was a little too dark for my husband's taste.)
6 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cakes:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 c. hot coffee or water (I just use hot water)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened (I usually just use salted, because that's what I have on hand)
1/2 c. granulated sugar, divided
3 large eggs, separated

For the filling, line a plastic ice cube tray with a large piece of plastic wrap. With your fingers, gently poke the plastic down into eight of the cubes so they are fully lined with plastic.

Melt the chocolate with the cream and corn syrup; whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla extract; set aside to cool until tepid. Fill the eight lined ice cube cups with the chocolate; freeze at least 4 hours, or cover and freeze up to a month. (I usually try to make it at least 6 hours in advance; they haven't always set enough in 4 hours. If they're too soft, they melt into the cake while it bakes instead of staying separate from the cake.)

For the cakes, place rack in center of oven and heat to 425 degrees. Generously butter (I use Pam with flour) eight 4-ounce souffle dishes or ramekins. (I have small set of Pyrex bowls that I use.) Place them on a large cookie sheet.

Melt the chocolate with the hot water (or coffee). Set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Cream the butter with 1/3 c. sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop the mixer and stir in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and salt with a spatula. Beat the egg whites with a clean mixer until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue beating until thick and glossy. Thoroughly mix one quarter of the beaten egg whites into chocolate batter; gently fold in the rest.

Fill each prepared souffle dish about halfway full with the chocolate batter. Gently bury a frozen chocolate cube in the center of each; add remaining batter, filling cups almost to the top. Bake until cakes are puffy and set, 18-20 minutes.

Gently loosen from the sides of the dishes with a butter knife (careful, they're hot), and invert onto serving plates. Serve warm. These are great with vanilla ice cream, real whipped cream, and a few raspberries or strawberries.

Toffee Apple Dip

I listed this as both an appetizer and a dessert. It's truly sweet enough to be a dessert, but I usually serve it as a snack/appetizer. You can use it however you wish. Our friend Lisa gave me this one, and I've used it many times.

Toffee Apple Dip

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 package Heath toffee chips

Beat together cream cheese, sugars, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in toffee chips by hand. (Don't add the toffee chips until about 1/2 hour before serving, or they will get soft.) Serve with sliced apples.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

This is a pretty typical banana bread, but has a tasty twist. It has a crispy, sugary, cinnamon topping that makes it so good. In order to make the topping turn out right, it only works in a bundt or angel food pan. I tried loaf pans, and it just wasn't the same.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Bread:
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. sour cream
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. bananas, mashed (about 2 large bananas)

Topping:
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/8 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. nuts, chopped (optional)

The recipe said to line an angel food cake pan with waxed paper and grease well. I use a bundt pan because I don't have an angel food cake pan, and I had trouble getting the waxed paper to work. So I spray the pan really well with Pam With Flour. (Upon further reflection after baking it with the waxed paper once...DON'T do it. Just really grease the pan thoroughly. There's a chance a little of the topping will stick to the pan, but when I used waxed paper, the topping didn't bake through correctly, and there was no crunchy goodness on the top of the cake--and that's the best part.)

Cream the sugar, butter, and eggs. Combine baking soda and sour cream; stir into butter and sugar mixture. Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and bananas. Pour half of the batter into the pan. Combine topping ingredients. (I keep the chocolate chips separate and sprinkle them on separately; I find I can control how well they are spread out that way.) Sprinkle half the topping over the batter in the pan. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining topping. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes. (About 55 minutes has usually been about right for me.) Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean. Cool before removing from the pan.