4-Star Pumpkin Bread

I made this yesterday and it was....delicious. I highly recommend.

3-1/2 C flour
2 t baking soda
2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground ginger
3 C sugar
1 C vegetable oil
4 eggs
15 oz pumpkin
2/3 C water
1-1/2 C chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° and grease 2 loaf pans.

Sift together the dry ingredients (flour through ginger) in a medium bowl. In a large bowl or standing mixer, combine the sugar and oil. Add the eggs to the sugar/oil mixture, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the bumpkin and stir until smooth. Add to the sugars mixture approximately 1/3 of the flour mixture and a little of the water, stirring until smooth. Keep adding the flour and water, stirring after the additions, until all ingredients have been added.

Pour into loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hr 15 min, or until the top is nicely cracked and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Next Best Thing To...

This is not a fancy dessert, but it's sooo good. I hadn't eaten it in years, and when I ate it this summer, I remembered how awesome it is. Try it.

1 C flour
1/2 C butter
1 C chopped pecans or walnuts
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 C powdered sugar
8 oz Cool Whip, divided
1 large pkg (6-serving size) instant vanilla
pudding mix
1 large pkg (6-serving size) instant chocolate
pudding mix
3 C cold milk
grated chocolate

Mix together flour, butter, and pecans until crumb-like. Press into bottom of 9" x 13" pan and bake at 350°F until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and half the Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled crust. Then mix the pudding mixes with the milk and mix until smooth and thickened. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Spread the remaining Cool Whip on the top and garnish with grated chocolate. Keep refrigerated.

Anyday Sundae

Food processing frozen bananas results in a surprisingly ice cream like texture. This is tasty!

1/2 C skim milk
2 C frozen banana slices (~2 medium bananas)**
4 t chocolate syrup
2 t chopped nuts

Pour skim milk into blender. Blend on high for about 15 seconds. Add frozen banana slices and blend on high for about 4 or 5 seconds. Stop and stir with spoon as needed.

*Freezing overripe bananas works best. Cut them into slices before freezing.

Sweet Potato Souffle

I'll take this over pumpkin pie any day.

3 C fresh mashed sweet potato
1 C sugar
1/2 t salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 stick butter
1/2 C milk
1 t vanilla

Mix all ingredients, pour into a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Cover with following topping:

1 C brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1 C chopped pecans
1/3 stick butter

Bake 35 minutes at 350°F.

Alison's Bundt Cake

Super easy, very tasty. If you wanted to make Auburn's day, you could add dried cherries and use super dark chocolate chips. Just don't overbake it.

Mix together:

1 devil’s food cake mix
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C oil
3/4 C water
8 oz sour cream
1 bag chocolate chips
4 eggs, each beaten in separately

Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350°F.

Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

I love this cream cheese frosting because it's not too sweet. You can taste the tanginess of the cream cheese.

8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
3 T butter softened, but still cool
1 T sour cream
1 t vanilla
1 C powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium high speed in the stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Then add confectioners’ sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute.

Mascarpone Brownies

I cannot recommend these highly enough. Unlike most brownies, though, they're better cold or room temperature.

Brownies
1 C unsalted butter (plus more for preparing pan)
3 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C cocoa powder
1/2 C mascarpone cheese, softened
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 C flour
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9" square glass baking pan and set aside. Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at half power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each heating. Continue until both are completely melted. Sift sugar and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/chocolate mixture. Beat in (by hand) the mascarpone, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in flour and salt.

Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack.

Ganache Frosting

6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 T heavy cream
3 T unsalted butter

Place chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and cream over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture is almost boiling, pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.

Pour ganache over cooled brownies and spread evenly. Allow ganache to firm before cutting brownies.

Smart Cookies

If you want a less horrible for you treat, these are a great alternative.

1 C whole wheat flour
1 C brown sugar
1-1/2 C oats
1/2 C oat bran
1 C raisins
3/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C walnuts, broken
1/4 C flax seeds
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t vanilla
1/2 C applesauce

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix everything together and then divide the mixture into 16 equal parts. Roll into balls, and then flatten (they don’t grow much as they bake). Bake for 14 minutes on a greased baking sheet. Let rest on a cookie sheet for 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Seriously, they're outrageous. So very (dark) chocolatey.

8 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 T unsalted butter
2/3 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs
3/4 C packed light-brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do no overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2-3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12-15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer racks to cool completely.

Sour Cream Bran Muffins

Unless you're one of those people who doesn't like to slather warm muffins with butter, you'll like these. You can always leave out the raisins.

1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 C sour cream
1/4 C molasses
1/2 C raisins
1 C whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 C wheat bran

Put rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°F. Grease 12 muffin cups.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in egg, sour cream, and molasses. Stir in raisins. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and bran in another bowl. Add sour cream mixture and stir until just combined (batter will be lumpy). Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full. Bake until golden brown and springy to the touch, 20 minutes. Turn muffins out onto a rack to cool.

Keersten's Chili

Best chili ever. (It's the ground cloves.)

1 lb hamburger
1 small onion, diced
3 cans of beans
1 can diced, stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 cans diced green chilies
1/4 t cayenne pepper (or to taste—I use less)
1 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
2 t sugar
1 bay leaf
1/8-1/4 t ground cloves

1. In a large stock pot, brown hamburger and drain.

2. Add green chilies and onion and saute until onion is translucent.

3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 45 min- 1 hour.

4. Top with grated cheese and sour cream.

Sausage & Basil Lasagna

This isn't the sausage lasagna that I got stuck in my nasal cavity, but it's still pretty awesome.

Sauce

2 T olive oil
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
1 C chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 t dried oregano
1/4 t dried crushed red pepper
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
14-1/2 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages, onion, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper and saute until sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper.

Filling
1-1/2 C (packed) fresh basil leaves
15 oz + 1 C part-skim ricotta cheese
1-1/2 C (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (6 oz)
3/4 C grated parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 large egg
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper

Using on/off turns, chop fresh basil leave finely in processor. Add ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper. Process filling until just blended and texture is still chunky.

Assembly
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 C (packed) grated mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
1 C grated parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 1-1/4 C sauce in 9" x 13" glass baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles on sauce. Drop 1-1/2 C filling over noodles, then spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with 3/4 C mozzarella cheese and 1/4 C parmesan cheese. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce atop noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with nonstick olive oil spray. Cover lasagna with foil, sprayed side down.

Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, increase oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until noodles are tender and sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.

Brady Garlic Spread

This super delicious garlic bread topping comes from my sister. Try it. You'll like it.

1/2 C mayonaise
1/2 C butter
1 T parsley
1/2 t oregano
1 C parmesan cheese
6-10 cloves garlic
1 loaf sourdough bread

Spread the topping on both sides of a split loaf of bread, then broil. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.

Pumpkin Soup

1 T butter
2 onions
2 C cooked, mashed pumpkin
1 potato, finely chopped
20 oz or 2 1/2 C veggie bullion
1/2 t thyme (or more)
1 pinch sugar
salt to taste
a little pepper and nutmeg
1/3 C whipping cream (optional)

Melt butter, add onion and saute. Add pumpkin and potato, stir. Add bullion, thyme, sugar and simmer for 20 minutes, until tender, covered. Blend until smooth, reheat, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add cream just before serving (optional).

Veggie Basil Soup

Melt 3 T butter in a large pot

Add and simmer for 10 min:
1 medium onion chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped

Add and bring to a boil:
3 large potatoes, chopped
2 large tomatoes, sliced
4 C veggie broth
1 T basil

Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes. Add 2 small zucchini and simmer 10 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese.

Napa Cabbage Salad

1 head chopped napa cabbage
5 green onions, chopped
1 can mandarin oranges and/or pineapple tidbits
2 C of chicken, cooked and cubed

Dressing:
1/2 C salad oil
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C cider vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T minced fresh ginger

Topping:
1 package ramen noodles, broken
2 T melted butter
1/2 C silvered almonds
handful of sesame seeds

Mix together and spread on a cookie sheet, toast under broiler and cool. Put on top of salad at serving time.

Taco Soup

Brown:

1 lb ground beef

½ C Chopped onion

Add:

3 C Water

3, 14oz cans stewed tomatoes

2, 16oz cans kidney beans or small red beans

1, 16oz can tomatoes sauce

1 packet taco seasoning

Simmer 15 min, then on top add 2 small avocados, grated cheese, sour cream, Fritos

No-Bake Cookies

Bring to a boil (1min) onthe stove:

2 C Sugar

1/2 C milk

1/2 C butter

1/3 C cocoa

Remove from heat and add (mixing well):

3 C oatmeal (quick cooking works best)

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C coconut (optional)

Mix well and drop spoonfuls onto non-stick surface. Let cool.

German Pancakes

Mix in blender:

6 Eggs

1 C flour

1 C milk

1 tsp salt

Melt 1/2 cup butter into a 9x13 pan

Pour batter over butter

Bake @ 400 for 20 minutes

Serve with favorite toppings

Waffle Cookies

Mix:

1 ½ C Sugar

1 C butter

4 eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

2 C flour

½ C cocoa

Bake for 2-3 min in buttered Waffle iron, frost, and voilà! You have a little piece of scrumptiousness to snack on :)