Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting {so easy!}

It’s not technically Fall yet, but in my home we’re not held to any seasonal rules when it comes to baking. Pumpkin muffins will show up in my oven whenever I get the fancy for them {which is often}. What makes this recipe a fave is the flavor and moistness factor. Wow, are these little bundles amazing!
But what really “takes the cake” is adding some divinely whipped cream cheese frosting! And no, you don’t have to get a tub o’ frosting from the store. This cream cheesy goodness is easy peasy and you probably have most of the ingredients already. It only takes 3-4 items. Easy, right?

For those of you who want to add a lil’ something more, you can fill these muffins with some frosting along with topping them. Just get one of those neato cupcake fillers from JoAnn’s or Michael’s and a plastic baggie. Be sure to scoop out a tiny bit of muffin from the top/center first or you’ll have a frosting explosion busting through new cracks in the muffins. Speaking from experience here. But we still seriously enjoyed the “mistake”!

Any questions? Okay then, let’s dig in!

Pumpkin Muffins {modified from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook}

  • 1 1/2 c. flour 
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda 
  • 1/2 tsp salt {I use sea salt}
  • 1 c. sugar 
  • 1 c. pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin {NOT pumpkin pie mix}  
  • 2 eggs, beaten 
  • 1/2 c. vegetable oil (I use canola) 
  • 1/4 cup water  
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon 
  • 1/4 tsp allspice 
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven at 350. Butter a 12-muffin tin. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. {I don’t generally sift this recipe. I mix with a big whisk. Works great.} Mix remaining ingredients together in large bowl. Combine dry items into bowl with wet items. Mix just until combined, but not too thoroughly.  Spoon batter into muffin tin filling each opening about 2/3 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven and altitude {until toothpick stuck into the center of a muffin pulls out mostly clean}.  If you want to make mini-muffins, use 2 12-count mini-muffin tins, fill each opening to the top, and bake for 10-15 minutes depending on your oven and altitude.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 8oz brick softened cream cheese  
  • 1 c. powdered sugar  {aka confectioners sugar}
  • 1/4 c. softened butter 
  • *Optional: 1/2 tsp vanilla extract {I don’t use it usually.}

Put all ingredients into a medium bowl, and using a hand mixer {or stand mixer if you have that}, blend together on medium high speed until smooth with no lumps {just 1-3 minutes}.

Now, you might think there’s a secret to dressing up pumpkin muffins. Nope, no secret…I say “Go for it!” You can pipe on your frosting using cake decorating stuff, or you can smear it on with a knife.  It’s going to taste like heaven both ways, so just enjoy. And if you happen to have left over frosting afterward then you haven’t put enough on those muffins and you need help just store it in a closed container in the fridge and use within 1 week, {Like it’s going to last that long. Ha.}

Do you have an awesome muffin or cupcake recipe for fall? Please, oh please, let me know as I’d love to make and scarf ‘em down share them with my family.  Hee hee.

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So Good: Cookie Recipe

Oh. my. word.
Have you had these?  I think not.  Take a gander and soak it up…In case you’re thinking that I have never had these delectable treats before due to my gushing on about them, you would be wrong.  I’ve had them manytimes before, though it’s been several months now since our last tangle.  That’s just how my taste buds are.  Even when some dreamy-goodness that I have previously drooled over dances across my tongue, a party happens in my mouth and my brain.  Every. single. time.That’s just how I roll.

So the recipe…it’s pretty tough…okay it’s not really hard.  But I may get flak for it.  Cause it calls for a boxed cake mix.  And, I admit, sometimes I use those.  Now in my recent baking years I have tried to make everything from scratch.  And for some things I always will:

  • Pancakes, for one.  I just can’t give up Alton Brown’s fabulous buttermilk recipe.  It’s that good.  No box mix will e-ver compare.  Ever.
  • Chocolate chip cookies.  Need I say more?  Yes, those refrigerated dough tubes and buckets are so very convenient and some taste pretty good.  But I’d rather spend 15 minutes mixing a double-batch, freezing it into individual little bakable balls, and keeping them in the freezer to bake any time.  Why? They taste amazing {and they’re preservative-free}.
  • Chocolate-cherry fudge cake.  Chocolate. Cherry. Enough said.

So back to this recipe.  You know, the chocolate fudgey cookies?  Aw, c’mon…quit drooling over the photo, people.  You can go back and visit it later.  We’re moving on now. Ahem.

As I was saying, this recipe is super easy.  Like, you can do it during commercials when you watch Amazing Race.  Unless you’re part of the majority of the American population that has Tivo or Hulu or something like that.  Then you can make these little yummies any. time. you. want.  So here you go:

Chocolate Fudgey Cookies
- 1 box devil’s food cake mix {it’s okay…one mix won’t hurt you}

- 2 eggs
- ½ cup oil {I use canola}
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips {more is better in my opinion}Preheat the oven to 350.  Mix the first three ingredients together in a bowl with either a mixer or your super-strong arm.  Mix in chocolate chips.  Spoon onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool for a few minutes.  Devour. And because I’m nice and sweet, I’ll show some more cookie shots.Do you hear that?  Sounds like your tummies are growling.  Or is that mine?  I guess it’s time to eat another one.  And hey, don’t you like my cute serving plate and pitcher?  I love them!!  They remind me of warm spring and cool streams and friendly daisies.  Because daisies are the friendliest flower and my favorites.  If you like ‘em, you can get your own at Dayspring where everything is 25% off thru the end of April.

But the cookies you’ll have to make yourself.  I told you these were easy.  And I would never steer you wrong.  Especially when it relates to baked goods.  And even more so because they’re chocolate.  So go, live long, and bake cookies!

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Menu Plan Monday: Sept. 7, 2009

I’ve got to get back into the habit of cooking dinner every day again.  It’s so easy to grab something out after a long day of school and packing and general fixing-up-of-the-house.  But I’m determined, so here goes.

Monday: Georgia Chicken, corn, egg noodles

Tuesday: Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday: Ranch chicken, rice, corn

Thursday: Burgers, raw carrots, chips

Friday: Baked chicken, leftover rice, peas or steamed brocolli

For more yummy ideas be sure to visit Meal Plan Monday.  Hope y’all have a great week!

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Christmas Cookie Week 2008

I know, it’s been over 2 weeks since my last post. Being new at blogging, I’ll have to figure out how to blog AND enjoy the Christmas season next year. And even though it’s already 2009, I still want to share our Cookie Week.

The week before Christmas, my chicklets and I made cookies here at home. And I don’t mean we spent one day baking or made one batch or chose one type of cookie. Our house became a cookie-baking factory. This is what we made:

* Chocolate Macaroons
* Sugar Cookies with Pistacios and Cherries
* Florentines
* Monster Cookies
* Swedish Christmas Cookies
* Sugar Cut-Outs
* Cheesecake Petit-Fours
* Spritz Cookies

This has never happened at my home before. In the past, I’ve bought the prepackaged dough (and there’s nothing wrong with that) and made one or two of those. Of course, that was when we did school until right before Christmas.

But not this year. I decided to eliminate as much stress as possible from our Christmas season, so structured school has been on an extended holiday. Yeah!

So in my efforts to make these weeks off exciting, our kitchen was overrun with almost everything baking-related. I said almost.

In my past, I was a hamburger helper gal. I really had no interest in cooking or baking. If I’d had a family that did not require food, my stove would have become a desk. Or a bookshelf. Or a craft counter would have been cool.

But then I became domesticated. (No, not like a cat.) I started enjoying cooking and baking. Part of that came about because of a line I once read: “A good meal is a daily love gift to your family.” I definitely wanted to communicate love to my family.

So I have tried harder to like making food. Now I love cooking and baking. No, I don’t always care to cook. But baking has become more and more a fun activity for me. Probably because I enjoy eating what I bake. I really do.

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Menu Plan Monday – December 15th

This week on MPM is a little bit of everything — old favorites, newbies, and “no cooking” nights! We’ve been going wild making tons of cookies so check back in the next day or two for those recipes — and photos! Hope your season is bright!

Monday — Ranch Chicken (never made it last week)

Tuesday — Foolproof Standing Rib Roast (first time for this)

Wednesday — Pizza & leftovers (Spider X loves leftovers with a passion. I love pizza even more.)

Thursday — Dinner out (Macaroni Grill, I hope! Love their bread and alfredo sauce!)

Friday — Minestrone

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Ranch Chicken

This recipe is so yummy, easy, and delicious! The main ingredients are as follows:
* 3/4 c. fine corn flake crumbs
* 3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
* 1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
* 2 sticks butter, melted
* 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. In a medium size bowl, mix together the first three ingredients.

2. With the melted butter in a large cereal bowl, dip one chicken breast in the butter, completely immersing it.

3. Next, drag the chicken in the dry mixture making sure it is completely coated.
4. Lay the chicken in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish.

5. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. For any chicken that will not fit in the dish, just place in a second baking dish. I usually put 4-5 pieces in the large dish and put the rest in a smaller dish.
6. Sprinkle the remaining dry mixture around the chicken and pour the butter over the sprinkles. This will create a wonderful sauce to pour on rice or noodles, or to pour on the cooked chicken itself. We call this sauce “ranchlin’s.”
7. With oven rack in the middle of the oven, bake the large pan of chicken for 20-25 minutes. After it’s done you can bake the remaining 1-2 pieces. We are very big on leftovers so the first batch easily feeds this family of four. The second batch is for either hubby’s lunch (he’s a leftover-aholic) or leftover night.
8. Serve with rice or noodles and a veg — love steamed broccoli with this! Enjoy!

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Menu Plan Monday – Dec. 8th

 

This is my first time joining in on Menu Plan Monday and I’m excited! Some day soon I’ll actually link to recipes for these. By the way, I love using my crockpot, can’t you tell?

Monday: Cheesy Crockpot Chicken , egg noodles, corn

Tuesday: Crock-Pot Roast , potatoes, corn

Wednesday: Chili (a la Crockpot)

Thursday: Ranch Chicken, rice, brocolli

Friday: Minestrone

Saturday & Sunday: leftovers!!

 

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The Turkey Man Cometh

There’s something about tryptophan that makes a person giddy. That’s right, I said giddy.

Forget about the well-known fact that tryptophan – found in turkey – makes one relaxed and prone to a horizontal position within a half hour of consuming said turkey.

I’m talking about the other side of tryptophan about which you probably didn’t know.

I experienced this giddiness just tonight.

Tonight? But it’s not even Thanksgiving!

Let me explain.

In a couple of days, my family is going to be hosting at our home – for the first time EVER – Thanksgiving dinner. In an effort to be prepared for the rest of the family, we decided to have a turkey run-through.

Huh?

Okay, okay. No run-through…just an excuse for Spider X to have his favorite food groups before the crowd arrives.

Oh, you want to know about my hubby’s faves? Well, he only recognizes three food groups. Yep, just three. Turkey, stuffing, and gravy. That’s it.

“What about side dishes?”you say. Uh, that’s where the stuffing and gravy come back into play again.

What about dessert?

Well okay, there’s the requisite slice of pumpkin pie. But my hubby really doesn’t see other foods other than the trio.

Anyway, as we were cleaning up the kitchen afterwards, that’s when the giddiness erupted.

We were decimating cutting up the carcass to make broth for future gravy, soups, and what-not. It was decided that after clean-up we’d watch “the Snoopy movie” we got from Netflix. Snoopy movie? Then someone said “You know…what’s it called? The Great Turkey?”

That’s when the hooting started with laughs and words like “he rose up from the butcher block” and other phrases along the same vein as another Snoopy autumn feature.

Tryptophan. Another one of God’s great designs to keep families together, laughing, and having fun.

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Caramel Apple Boy

For weeks now Mr C has been begging asking to make this gooey treat. After all it’s fall and apples are this season’s poster child. As much as I adore all things sweet, I don’t really care for the sticky mess that is left to clean up. However, this year my smart boy convinced me that he would take care of everything. Okay, I said. Let’s go!

 

Well, I have to say I was impressed with my little man. He gathered all the ingredients, mixed them together, prepared the apples, and included big sister Catz in the dipping. By the way, that’s her arm with the never-gonna-take-it-off bracelet.

 

And after the apple-dipping Mr C cleaned up everything! There was not a caramel drip or popsicle stick in sight. My sweet boy had taken on this responsibility and succeeded! I am so proud of him!

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Mug of the day: Coffee imposter

Mmmm.

 

There’s nothing like a hot mug of fresh-brewed coffee to start the day.

Unless you’re like me. And couldn’t care less if what’s in your mug is straight from the coffeemaker or straight from a can. A can of powdered mix I might add.

That’s right. I’m one of those. A drinker of GFIC…General Food International Coffees.

I don’t even know if there is actual coffee in those mixes. But I like the international coffees.

Well, not coffees. Just one coffee. And it’s a good one, too.

Suisse Mocha.

Mmmm.

You see, I don’t care about it’s origin, how long the beans were roasted, or if it was freshly ground before it found it’s way into my mug.

As long as it tastes like chocolate!!!

The folks at Starbucks look at me almost cross-eyed sometimes when I give them my order.

“I’d like something chocolatey, please,” I say with a smile.

“You want hot chocolate?” they ask.

“No, I’d like something chocolatey with a small coffee flavor” I add, still smiling.

“Oh, you want a mocha?” they ask, a little bit impatient.

“Well, as long as you only use less than a half of a shot of espresso. Like a teaspoon’s worth” I state, continuing my smile.

This is when I get the feeling one of the employees would like to jump the counter and whack me with the creamer thermos.

So I’m going to enjoy my steamy, chocolate-coffee delight.

Even if there is no real coffee in it.

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