Pumpkin Pecan Dessert Squares

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix

8 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

4 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 eggs

1 jar Muirhead Pumpkin Pecan Butter

2 TBSP milk

1 TBSP All-Purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Reserve 1 cup of cake mix in a small bowl.

In a bowl, stir together remaining cake mix, 8 TBSP melted butter and 1 egg. Pour into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the jar of pumpkin butter with the remaining 2 eggs and the milk. Spread over the cake batter in the baking pan.

Add the flour, sugar and cinnamon to the small bowl with the reserved cake mix and stir together. Add the 4 TBSP of cold butter. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut the butter until pea-sized crumbs form and the mixture clumps together. Crumble over the mixture in the baking dish.

Bake until golden, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

This is an enjoyable treat that warms up your home with the fall scent of pumpkin pecan. Enjoy!!!

Butternut Squash

Cut the butternut squash in half and lay face up in 9x13 pan. Fill pan 1/2 inch with water. Generously spray insides of squash with spray butter. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon. (maybe a little ginger)

Cook at 400 for 1 hour. Leave in longer if needed.

Spoon squash into serving bowl. Spray with more butter or use real butter, add more cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle with salt. Lightly mash so it is chunky. Serve! That is the lowfat version. If you think your family may not eat it, let them sprinkle some brown sugar on their portion.

(sorry about the funny picture positioning, haven't figured out how to move them around...I wanted the one in the bowl at the bottom, oh well, I guess you at least get the idea, :) right?)

Pumpkn Pancake & Cider Syrup

Pancakes: Beat 2 eggs Stir in: 3/4 cup pumpkin, 2 TB sugar, 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt; 1-1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup oil, and 1-1/2 cups flour.
Stir in about 1-1/2 cups milk, until desired consistency.

Syrup: Mix well and boil 1 minute: 1 cup sugar, 2 TB cornstarch, 2 cups apple cider or juice and 2 TB lemon juice.

Stacia's Treat

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my "must make at least twice" Fall recipes
that I got from one of my fabulous college roommates.

1 1/2 c. shortening

3 eggs
4 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 large can pumpkin
7 1/2 c. flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
3 tsp. nutmeg
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 packages chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

BEWARE! IT MAKES A TON!

If you don't need 150+ cookies - you can always cut the recipe in half.

And here's a recipe card I made last year for a recipe exchange. Enjoy!

Roasted Fall Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

I know this kinda sounds strange, but seriously it's so amazing!

Ingredients for roasting:

A 2lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths

1 red onion, peeled and quartered

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

3 large red new potatoes, peeled and quartered

salt and pepper

olive oil

Ingredients for pizza:

Olive oil, for baking sheet and drizzling

Flour, for dusting surface

1 pound pizza dough, fresh, or thawed if frozen
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
Roasted Fall Vegetables, coarsely cut (you will have extra)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, or 1 tsp. of dried (optional)
Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 chicken breast, grilled and chopped (optional, but not an optional item for Wayne)

First:

You need to roast the veggies.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide vegetables and garlic between two rimmed baking sheets (line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup); dividing evenly, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, tossing them and rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. (To store: Let cool, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Pour off any accumulated liquid before using.)

Next:
Preheat oven to 475°. Brush a large baking sheet (preferably rimless) with oil, or line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup. I like to sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan after oiling it to add a little crunch to my crust. Totally optional.
On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch dough as large as will fit on baking sheet; transfer to sheet.
Sprinkle dough with half the mozzarella. Scatter vegetables and chicken on top, and dollop with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and, if using, rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.

I like to brush the edges of the crust with a little olive oil before baking. And I grill the chicken breasts with the rosemary on them instead of sprinkling it all over the pizza. And there you have it! A delicious and filling fall dinner.

No Bake Peach Cheesecake

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 c. sugar divided (1/4 & 3/4)
4 pkg (8 oz each) Neufchatel Cream Cheese, softened (this is the 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 3 oz pkg peach jello
1 15 oz can sliced peaches in juice, drained, chopped*
1 8 oz tub lite cool whip thawed

Mix graham cracker crumbs, margarine and 1/4 c. sugar. Press onto bottom of 13x9 pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling. Beat Neufchatel Cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add dry gelatin mix, mix well. Stir in peaches and cool whip. Spoon over crust. Cover. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. YUMMY!!!

*can substitute 2 chopped fresh peaches.

Carrot Cake

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
3 c. grated carrots
1 c. raisins-optional
1 c. nuts-optional

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add oil & mix well. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add grated carrots and mix well. Pour onto greased cookie sheet (large). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar (approximately)
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cube butter/margarine softened
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together with mixer.

Caramel Brownies

1 pkg. German Chocolate Cake Mix (or Dark Chocolate)
3/4 c. melted margarine
1/2 c. evaporated milk
2 c. chopped nuts-optional

50 unwrapped caramels (one package has about 50)
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together cake mix, margarine, 1/2 c. evaporated milk and nuts. Spread half of the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. While this is baking, melt caramels in 1/3 c. milk on medium to med-low heat. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Pour melted caramel mixture on top. Drop the remaining cake mixture by spoonfuls on top. Bake at 350 for 20-24 minutes. Cool for at least 3 hours before cutting. Super yummy :)

Oreo Cookie Frosting

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons of water
1 lb of confectioners sugar (approx 4 cups)
1 tablespoon of meringue powder (found at Michael's Craft Store)
14 Oreos, finely crushed in food processor
Directions
In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter , vanilla and water. Add confectioner's sugar, meringue powder and crushed Oreos. Mix until well combined. And there you have it....another way to enjoy those Oreos!

Layered Jello

Since Jello salads are so popular in Utah....I thought it was time for me to learn how to make one.

ingredients:
1 3/4c boiling water (per packet)

8 - 3 oz. packets of various jello flavors and colors (raspberry, lime, pineapple, orange, mixed berry)

4 oz. sour cream

4 oz. cream cheese

about 8 oz. cool whip

Place 9×13 glass baking dish in refrigerator on level surface for at least 20 minutes or until completely chilled. Whip the sour cream and cream cheese together until well combined in a large bowl. Add in the cool whip, whisking until smooth. Set aside.

In another bowl combine one packet of jell-o with 1 cup boiling water, once the sugar has desolved, add 3/4 cups of cold water, let it cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Pour 1 cup of the jello into the chilled baking dish making sure it covers the entire bottom and place back in the refrigerator until when you touch it, it is mostly set. With the remaining 3/4 cup of jello whisk in 3 Tablespoons of the cheese/cool whip mixture until smooth. Pour the jello/whip mixture on top of the set jello layer. Repeat for each flavor of jello making sure each layer is set before adding another (about 15 minutes).

Tips:Make sure that each layer is set well enough (it’s pretty much solid to the touch) before adding on a new layer. Don’t forget to let the newly mixed jello & boiling water cool before you add the next layer on, if not it will melt the other layers and things will get all kooky with layers between, separated and to the sides of each other. Once you get into the rhythm of making the layers, it’s becomes quite easy. You’ll be setting one jello layer in the fridge, while the next flavor is cooling.

Just so you know - I only used 5 boxes because that's all I had on hand. I also thought it would be prettier in a triffle bowl. And I was right. ...it's beautiful! I made this twice...the first time I didn't have all the ingredients to do the cream cheese mixture so instead I just used plain old vanilla yogurt and it was delicious.

Peanut Butter Dip

This is one of those recipes that you almost always have the ingredients around for. And it's pretty delicious too!

1 Cup Vanilla Yogurt

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (I added a little more)

Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth and serve!

It is great with fresh fruit, graham crackers, pretzels and marshmallows.

Sweet Potato Hash

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon

found on Shazam in the Kitchen, adapted from Bon Appetit

1/2 pound bacon sliced in 1/2 inch strips
2 small onions chopped
1 large red pepper diced
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Leave drippings in skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened. Stir in potatoes and another shake of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally so that any excess liquid evaporates and potatoes start to brown. Stir in thyme and bacon.

Chicken Salad

Okay girls. Here is my way belated posting of that CHICKEN SALAD.

GOOD things come to those who wait :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless, skinless CHICKEN breast
2 ribs of CELERY
1 small red ONION
1 cup GRAPES
1/2 cup PECANS
1/2 golden delicious APPLE
1 tsp. DILL WEED
1 oz. fresh parmesan CHEESE
1 clove GARLIC
1 cup Hellmann's light MAYO


DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken breast in a large pot of water. Add 1 tsp. of salt, pepper and season all. Boil for 30 minutes until cooked. Then drain and put in refrigerator to cool. I like to just run it under cold water to speed things up. Chop celery, pecans, onion and cooled chicken. Peel, core and chop apple. Add to a large bowl. I like to squeeze the juice from the celery, apple and especially the onion prior to adding them in the bowl to keep it from having too much liquid. Add grapes halved, dill weed, parmesan cheese, pressed garlic and mayo. Mix with a large spatula until blended.


SERVING OPTIONS:
For a MEAL, use chicken salad as stuffing for croissants.
For an APPETIZER, Place a bread bowl on a platter, line the bowl with green leafy lettuce and encircle with club crackers.

Adams peanut butter cup ripple cheesecake

This is a picture of the first layer you will add another layer of cheesecake and toppings again and bake! I would of taken a picture of the finished product... but it's gone! It is SO yummy!!!

Adams peanut butter cup ripple cheesecake

For the Crust:4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies1/2 cup melted butter

For the Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate fudge topping, divided
6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges
6 butterfinger, chopped

Crush Oreos in a food processor. Add melted butter and mix well. Press onto bottom and up 1" sides of a 10" springform pan. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed till combined. Stir in vanilla. Pour half of cream cheese batter over crust. Microwave half of the hot fudge topping till pourable, but not hot. Drizzle this over the cheesecake batter. Sprinkle with half of your peanut butter cups and butterfinger. Pour the rest of your cheesecake batter over the peanut butter cups and butterfinger. Then top with remaining peanut butter cups and butterfinger, pressing down on them a little.

Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen but do not remove sides. Cool 1 hour longer on wire rack. Microwave remaining fudge topping and drizzle over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with more peanut butter cups if desired.

This is sooo good! Add as much hot fudge, and peanut butter cups and butterfinger as you think looks good. I think I added more of each of these ingredients. Enjoy!