Happy Halloween

We have been having such a problem with fruit flies a work lately, I just knew I could get away with wearing this to work:

Happy Halloween!  I just love the dressing up part of Halloween~!  I like the creativeness of making your own costumes (like the creativeness of making your own Christmas). 
I looked back at some of my scans and here are some of our families past costumes:

1987

1996

1997

1984

2004

Enjoy this day of creativity by dressing up.

Dancing away this weekend

PUMPKIN PA_LOOZA *Friday*

I hate to say it, but I am a little bit sick of pumpkin baked goodies!!  I''m ready for some maple goodness, or caramel yummies... or ... could it be... CHOCOLATE!
oh yeah and Mr. Produce has asked if we can PLEASE have some Food Fun Fridays with 'dinner' type meals 'cuz he is tired of throw together dinners.. he wants a REAL MEAL.

This week I am featuring recipes I've made out of pumpkin. It certainly is that time of year!! (and apparently its spelled with a Z)   I like to say that I love the look of pumpkins around the house, but not necessarily the taste of ONLY pumpkin... which is why I've been on the hunt for THE best recipes that use pumpkin!! Not anything like pumpkin pie (that is WAY too much pumpkin for me!) I will explain the recipes and AFTER the recipe I will comment on them:

Pumpkin Dump Cake



Ingredients
• 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
• 1 10 oz can Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted
• 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking spray
3. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
4. Pour into your prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle your entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your nuts or graham crackers and toffee chips.
6. Pour your melted butter evenly on top.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned.

I made this for the church dinner and the little squares I cut were yummy.  Although, I wouldn't put the whole box of cake mix ontop, maybe only half.  so much of it was still powder even when all cooked.  And maybe cook it a little bit longer too.   THE TOFFEE BITS TOTALLY MADE IT THE YUMMIEST EVER.
I found this herehttp://cookiesandcups.com/pumpkin-dump-cake/print/

PUMPKIN PA-LOOZA *THURSDAY*

This week I am featuring recipes I've made out of pumpkin. It certainly is that time of year!! (and apparently its spelled with a Z)
I'd like to say that I love the look of pumpkins around the house, but not necessarily the taste of ONLY pumpkin... which is why I've been on the hunt for THE best recipes that use pumpkin!! Not anything like pumpkin pie (that is WAY too much pumpkin for me!) I will explain the recipes and AFTER the recipe I will comment on them:

Pumpkin Pie Fruit Dip
1 15oz can of pumpkin puree
1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1 - 2 C powdered sugar
1 TBL pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp cinnamon
Mix all the above ingredients together in a large bowl.  If you have a mixer, use it so you can get all the lumps out, you want it nice and smooth. 
You can serve it with apple slices, and vanilla wafers, or graham crackers like I did ... really ANYTHING you would want to dip into pumpkin pie! 

This tasted just like pumpkin pie. have I mentioned that I hate pumpkin pie? well they loved it at work.. see:

I have seen other recipes that use cool whip.

PUMPKIN-PALOOZA *WEDNESDAY*

This week I am featuring recipes I've made out of pumpkin. It certainly is that time of year!! (and apparently its spelled with a Z).
I'd like to say that I love the look of pumpkins around the house, but not necessarily the taste of ONLY pumpkin... which is why I've been on the hunt for THE best recipes that use pumpkin!! Not anything like pumpkin pie (that is WAY too much pumpkin for me!) I will explain the recipes and AFTER the recipe I will comment on them:

Crockpot Turkey-White Bean-Pumpkin Stew

2lb lean ground turkey
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 (15 oz) cans of white northern or navy beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can pumpkin puree
4.5oz canned chopped green chilies
2C chicken broth
sour cream, cheese, chopped cilantro and chives for topping (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

HEAT a large heavy saute pan over high heat and lightly spray with oil. 
ADD meat and cook, breaking it up.
PUT in crock pot.
PUT oil in the saute pan, then onions, garlic and saute' about 3-4 minutes. 
ADD cumin and saute another minute.
ADD to crockpot. 
IN crockpot ADD beans, pumpkin puree, green chilies, broth, chili powder, oregano and bay leaves. 
COVER and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
REMOVE bay leaves and adjust seasoning to taste before serving.

This was sooo sooo good.  Not soup at all but a rich hearty tasty stew. 
The key is seasoning it to your taste.  It was great!

found recipe here: www.skinnytaste.com

PUMPKIN PA-LOOZA *Tuesday*

This week I am featuring recipes I've made out of pumpkin. It certainly is that time of year!! (and apparently its spelled with a Z)
I'd like to say that I love the look of pumpkins around the house, but not necessarily the taste of ONLY pumpkin... which is why I've been on the hunt for THE best recipes that use pumpkin!! Not anything like pumpkin pie (that is WAY too much pumpkin for me!) I will explain the recipes and AFTER the recipe I will comment on them:

easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy
 
 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 box of Yellow Cake Mix
1 Can Pumpkin Puree
1 tsp pumpkin Pie Spice (optional)
1 1/2 C milk chocolate chips (optional)
Beat pumpkin , cake mix and spice in a mixer on medium/low speed until well combined.  The batter will be thick and smooth.  Add the chocolate chips and fold just until incorporated.  Fill greased muffin pans or cupcake liners cups 2/3 of the way with batter
The oven should be preheated to  350degrees.  Bake 20-25 minutes. 
You could add a little dusting of powdered sugar or glaze or frosting.

I wanted to use up the extra frosting from the pumpkin cheesecake cups so I made this recipe.. IT IS SO EASY and was yummmmmy. 
I only used 3/4C of chocolate chips.-perfect-
It was wonderful, just a nice subtle taste of pumpkin in a very moist muffin!

PUMPKIN PA-LOOZA *Monday*

This week I am featuring recipes I've made out of pumpkin.  It certainly is that time of year!!
I'd like to say that I love the look of pumpkins around the house, but not necessarily the taste of ONLY pumpkin... which is why I've been on the hunt for THE best recipes that use pumpkin!! Not anything like pumpkin pie (that is WAY too much pumpkin for me!)  I will explain the recipes and AFTER the recipe I will comment on them:

Cheesecake Carmel Pumpkin Cups
(easier than it looks)
2C flour
1tsp Baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1/2C butter
1/2C brown sugar
1 egg
1C canned pumpkin
1C chocolate chips
Combine all ingredients saving the chocolate chips for last.
Important:  *use mini muffin tins*
drop ½ TBL into greased mini muffin tins, then press the end of a thick spoon or scoop to make a 'bowl'.
If you have to use a cookie sheet: drop ½ TBL onto greased cookie sheet and press the back of a tablespoon into the tops of the cookies to create a shallow ‘bowl’.
Bake 350° for 9 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool

Cheesecake Buttercream Middle
8oz. regular cream cheese
1/4C butter, softened
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBL sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
4C confectioners sugar (more or less for desired consistency. 
(best made in a mixer) Whisk together the cream cheese and butter. Alternately add 1C of the confectioner’s sugar with 1 wet ingredient until all ingredients have been added. Whisking in between additions.
Pipe cheesecake buttercream into cookie cups. Drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with pecans. 

NOTES:
1.  I will use LESS chocolate chips next time.  It dominated the flavor.
2.  It only made about 18 little mini 'cups'.
3.  After putting a 1/2 TBL in the muffin tin, I used the end of an ice cream scoop to make these look like 'cups'.
4.  The Buttercream 'middle' made WAY too much frosting, hence the need for tomorrows recipe.  (The people at my work have had a great time eating all my offerings!)
5.  I took this recipe to the church dinner.  It looked VERY impressive!  too bad there were only 16.  With the caramel drizzle and pecans, it is actually a pretty expensive recipe too!.


found the picture and recipe here: http://www.somethingswanky.com/2011/09/cheesecake-caramel-pumpkin-cups.html