Hello Monday

Hello sun.
I love it when my job takes me to places like this.

Hello 5k running buddy.

It was a perfect day to raise money for breast cancer.

Hello yummy fall drink.

Another reason I love work travel.....Trader Joe's pit stops!

Hello new Cooking Light.

I may have a slight recipe magazine addiction :)

Hello girl's night in at Ashley's house.

Ashley makes a fabulous chocolate martini.

Hello fall decoration.

Hello sweet readers.
Wishing you all a treat filled week. 
Stay safe from Sandy my east coast friends.
Happy Halloween!!

Linking up to Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

We're still on a pumpkin kick around here and probably will be for a while.
It is fall after all!

I found this recipe in an old Cooking Light magazine.
Not sure what issue, since I am a recipe hoarder and tear them out of magazines like crazy.

I cheated and used a thawed frozen pie crust and it turned out great.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

recipe from Cooking Light

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (12oz.) can low-fat evaporated milk

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

1 (15 oz.) can unsweetened pumpkin (I used Libby's pure pumpkin)

1 unbaked pie shell (I used deep dish)

Position oven rack to lowest position.
Preheat oven to 425°.
To prepare filling, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin, and stir with a whisk until smooth.
To prepare crust, roll dough into an 11-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute.
Pour pumpkin mixture into the crust. Place pie plate on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet on lowest oven rack. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.






















Looking for more pumpkin recipes? 
Here are some of my faves:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Butter
Pumpkin Angel Food Cake
Pumpkin Spice Granola
My Favorite Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Pie Bites
Mini Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin Cobbler
Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom  sponsored by Whirlpool and enter to win a new Whirlpool Range.

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

I love, love, love pumpkin!
If you don't believe me, just check out my Pinterest boards.
I have an entire board just for pumpkin recipes.

I have to make these cookies at least once every fall.
Give them a try and you'll see why :)

Be a nice friend and drop some off to some of your favorite people :)

They will love you for it!

(Fall printable by Thirty Handmade Days)

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cup pure pumpkin (I used Libby's)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. 

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

In another bowl cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer.  Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and beat until creamy.  Stir in the dry ingredients by hand just until combined, do not over mix.

Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto your baking sheet.  Bake for 13-15 minutes. 

Cool cookies on wire rack.  Frost them once they have completely cooled.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Beat in confectioners' sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and creamy. Frost cooled cookies.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

There's just something about fall that makes me want to break out my mega Costco container of cinnamon.
The aroma just makes your house smell all nice and cozy :)

I'm not a big Snickerdoodle cookie fan, but boy are they tasty in cupcake form!
Hope you like them too.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

4 eggs

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

5 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1-2 T heavy cream or milk

For cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pan with cupcake liners.

Sift cake mix into a large mixing bowl.  Add cinnamon and whisk together.

Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.

Scoop batter into liners using a cookie scoop for even distribution.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until done.

Cool completely before frosting.

For frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes on med-high speed.  Lower the speed and add the cinnamon and milk. Beat for another 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Frost cooled cupcakes.

Dust with raw sugar if desired.

Makes 20 cupcakes.

(I use a Wilton 1M tip for frosting my cupcakes)

Hello Monday

Hello busy weekend of cupcake baking.

Hello cupcakes for a 101st birthday party.

Happy Birthday Emily!

Hello Sweet 16 cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Ashleigh!

Hello JMU tailgating cupcakes.

I'm happy the Dukes won the game!

Hello new book from a sweet friend.

Thank you Linda :)

Hello praying mantis hanging out on my nephew's pants.

Hello to a Sunday afternoon of stacking wood for my parents.

Hello family.

Great job on the wood pile :)

Hello mid October.
Hello sweet readers. 
Wishing you a fabulous week!!

Linking up to Hello Monday with the lovely Lisa Leonard.

Strawberry Pop-Tart Cupcakes

My daughter has been crazy about these new little Pop-Tart Mini Crisps.
I noticed a little bag of them on our kitchen counter and thought they would look super cute on top of a cupcake.
They do.

Strawberry Pop-Tart Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 box Yellow Cake Mix

4 eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pan with cupcake liners.

Sift cake mix into a large mixing bowl. 

Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.

Scoop batter into liners using a cookie scoop for even distribution.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until done.

Cool completely before frosting.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 cup Strawberry Preserves

4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and strawberry preserves and beat for another minute.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and then beat for another 2-3 minutes. 
Frost cooled cupcakes.

Top with a strawberry pop-tart mini crisp and sprinkles.

Kroger Cart Buster Deal of the Day

Do you shop at Kroger?  If not, you should!
The Kroger Cart Buster Sale is in full swing and takes place until October 20th.
A different "Deal of the Day" is featured each and every day, so it's a great time to stock up!

Fall is such a busy time for me baking and getting ready for the holidays.
Kroger's Cart Buster Sale helps me get prepared and save money too. 
Gotta love that :)

I'm super excited about stocking up on Ragu Pasta Sauce for those busy nights when I don't have time to make my own.  Skinny Chicken Parmesan is one of my family's favorites and Ragu Sauce helps make it delish!

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 T olive oil

1 T Italian Seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Spaghetti Sauce

1 cup shredded light Italian Cheese Blend

Drizzle each chicken breast with olive oil.

Season with salt, pepper and italian seasoning.

Saute chicken breasts in a large frying pan over medium heat until lightly browned and done inside.

Pour a little of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a bake dish.

Place cooked chicken breasts in the bake dish. Top with the remaining sauce and then the cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with whole wheat pasta.

 

What are you waiting for?
Download your Deal of the Day coupons and get to Kroger now!

Download a digital coupon for a different product each day straight to your shopper card at the Cart Buster site for great deals on your favorite products at the Kroger Co. Family of Stores!

I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective.

The Best Margaritas Ever

I don't make margaritas often, but everytime I do I get asked for the recipe.
So here it is girls :) 

The Best Margaritas Ever

1 can frozen Limeade

Tequila

triple sec

water

1 bottle of beer
(I use Bluemoon or Coors Light)

Put the frozen limeade into a pitcher.

Fill the empty limeade can 2/3 full of tequila and add it to the pitcher.

Fill the empty can 1/3 full of triple sec and add that.

Now fill the can with water, add it and stir.

Pour 1 Blue Moon beer into the pitcher and stir again.

Pour into glasses with crushed ice and serve.

The end.

Recipe from Meg at Whatever



Cinnamon Churro Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Here are the other cupcakes I made for my girl's night in.
The light cinnamon flavor of the cake combined with the chocolate frosting is definitely a winner.
I cheated and topped mine with Churro's from Costco :)
Enjoy!

Make pom pom bunting for extra cuteness :)

Cinnamon Churro Cupcakes

with Chocolate Frosting

For Cupcakes:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pan with cupcake liners.

Sift cake mix into a large mixing bowl.  Add cinnamon and whisk together.

Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.

Scoop batter into liners using a cookie scoop for even distribution.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until done.

Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup + 2 T cocoa powder

2-3 T milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla for 5 minutes on high speed.  Lower the speed and add cocoa powder and milk. Beat for another 5-8 minutes until light and fluffy.

Garnish:

Costco Churros cut into pieces

Recipe adapted from Love and Olive Oil