Friday, October 30, 2009
First Christmas ornament of 2009
I haven't been JUST cooking pumpkin recipes, I promise! This is the first of what I will be several fabric Christmas ornaments that I make this year. It is a fabulous way to use scraps of your favorite or not so favorite fabric. The tutorial is here, and is part of the Sew, Mama, Sew Scrapbuster Month.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Swagbucks alert!
Hi everyone! I have posted about Swagbucksseveral times before, but I was just looking at the "Swag Store", and saw that you can earn $5 in PayPal funds for only 70 Swagbucks. That is a great deal. PayPal funds are great for shopping at Etsy or Ebay, which is where I find a lot of my fabric and craft supplies. If you have never used Swagbucks before, it is easy--just use it as your search engine, earn Swagbucks, and redeem the Swagbucks for prizes. Also, refer your friends to Swagbucks and you can earn along with them! I hope you will check out this website. I personally like to collect the Amazon.com gift cards:-)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake
In celebration of fall season, and my birthday week, I will be running five of my favorite pumpkin recipes this week. Please come back each day, Monday through Friday, for my latest recipe. I hope you all enjoy, and that you have a wonderful fall season!
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 cup (about 30 wafers) vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, stir together crumbs, cocoa and powdered sugar; stir in butter. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9 inch springform pan. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until well blended. Stir in small chocolate chips; pour batter into prepared crust. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees; continue baking 50 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely, remove side of pan. Refrigerate before serving. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 cup (about 30 wafers) vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, stir together crumbs, cocoa and powdered sugar; stir in butter. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9 inch springform pan. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until well blended. Stir in small chocolate chips; pour batter into prepared crust. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees; continue baking 50 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely, remove side of pan. Refrigerate before serving. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
In celebration of fall season, and my birthday week, I will be running five of my favorite pumpkin recipes this week. Please come back each day, Monday through Friday, for my latest recipe. I hope you all enjoy, and that you have a wonderful fall season!
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Muffins:
2 1/2 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cup peeled apples, finely chopped
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, spice, baking soda and salt. In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; sitr just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Proceed with making streusel.
Streusel Topping:
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter
Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle streusel topping over batter. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Last recipe is Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake! See you tomorrow!
Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Muffins:
2 1/2 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cup peeled apples, finely chopped
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, spice, baking soda and salt. In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; sitr just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into 18 greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Proceed with making streusel.
Streusel Topping:
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter
Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle streusel topping over batter. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Last recipe is Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake! See you tomorrow!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Glaze
In celebration of fall season, and my birthday week, I will be running five of my favorite pumpkin recipes this week. Please come back each day, Monday through Friday, for my latest recipe. I hope you all enjoy, and that you have a wonderful fall season!
This cookie recipe is a tradition in my home, and from the time I was able to work in the kitchen by myself, they became my specialty. I am not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, surprisingly, but I love these cookies and would make them every Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Glaze
Cookies:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift flour. Measure and resift with dry ingredients. Set aside. Cream butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in pumpkin and egg. Add dry ingredients at once, blending only until there is no trace of flour. Stir in vanilla. Drop on lightly greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes.
Glaze:
3 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Measure first 3 ingredients into a pan and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and vanilla and allow to cool slightly. Spread on cookies.
Tomorrow: Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
This cookie recipe is a tradition in my home, and from the time I was able to work in the kitchen by myself, they became my specialty. I am not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, surprisingly, but I love these cookies and would make them every Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Glaze
Cookies:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sift flour. Measure and resift with dry ingredients. Set aside. Cream butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in pumpkin and egg. Add dry ingredients at once, blending only until there is no trace of flour. Stir in vanilla. Drop on lightly greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes.
Glaze:
3 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
Measure first 3 ingredients into a pan and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and vanilla and allow to cool slightly. Spread on cookies.
Tomorrow: Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Cookie recipe coming soon
I promise to post the cookie recipe soon. This is what I get for not having these posts ready ahead of time! Today has been busy, and I am about to go out with my little girl for a birthday tea (today is both of our birthdays), but the recipe will come soon. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Snack Cake
In celebration of fall season, and my birthday week, I will be running five of my favorite pumpkin recipes this week. Please come back each day, Monday through Friday, for my latest recipe. I hope you all enjoy, and that you have a wonderful fall season!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Snack Cake
3 Tablespoons applesauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/6 cup water
7/8 cup flour (half white/half wheat)*
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Mix applesauce, salt, sugar, egg, pumpkin and water together. Sift dry ingredients together in separate bowl and then combine with wet ingredients. *I used 1/2 cup of white flour and just under 1/2 cup of wheat flour.* Spread batter into greased 8x8 pan withholding one tablespoon of batter.
Cream Cheese topping:
4 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat is fine:-)
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 egg**
Blend these four ingredients together until smooth. **For the 1/2 egg, I beat an egg in a separate bowl and then pour half of it into the mixture. You can also use just one small egg.** After ingredients are blended, dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the pumpkin batter. Swirl with knife. Drop the last tablespoon of batter across the top and swirl again. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until tester comes out clean (the cream cheese may be a little gooey).
This recipe is again a halved recipe which is why several of the measurements appear strange. The 8x8 size is perfect for a couple of days snacking, and you don't have to feel guilty about eating a HUGE pan of goodies by yourself. Enjoy!
HT: KD
Come back tomorrow (my birthday!) for a family tradition of mine, Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Glaze
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Snack Cake
3 Tablespoons applesauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/6 cup water
7/8 cup flour (half white/half wheat)*
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Mix applesauce, salt, sugar, egg, pumpkin and water together. Sift dry ingredients together in separate bowl and then combine with wet ingredients. *I used 1/2 cup of white flour and just under 1/2 cup of wheat flour.* Spread batter into greased 8x8 pan withholding one tablespoon of batter.
Cream Cheese topping:
4 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat is fine:-)
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 egg**
Blend these four ingredients together until smooth. **For the 1/2 egg, I beat an egg in a separate bowl and then pour half of it into the mixture. You can also use just one small egg.** After ingredients are blended, dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the pumpkin batter. Swirl with knife. Drop the last tablespoon of batter across the top and swirl again. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until tester comes out clean (the cream cheese may be a little gooey).
This recipe is again a halved recipe which is why several of the measurements appear strange. The 8x8 size is perfect for a couple of days snacking, and you don't have to feel guilty about eating a HUGE pan of goodies by yourself. Enjoy!
HT: KD
Come back tomorrow (my birthday!) for a family tradition of mine, Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Glaze
Monday, October 19, 2009
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (light version)
In celebration of fall season, and my birthday week, I will be running five of my favorite pumpkin recipes this week. Please come back each day, Monday through Friday, for my latest recipe. I hope you all enjoy, and that you have a wonderful fall season!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
8 oz. canned pumpkin (approx. 1 cup, or half a can)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups flour (3/4 cup white flour, 3/4 wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
a dash of nutmeg and cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine eggs, oil, applesauce and pumpkin until well blended. Stir in sugars. In a separate bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to wet mixture. When combined, stir in vanilla, and then chocolate chips. Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full, and place in oven. Bake for 16-18, or until tester comes out clean (make sure you avoid the chips when inserting tester:-). Makes approx. 16 muffins.
Note: You may want to add more spices or cut back on them depending upon your preference. This recipe is a halved variation on one I found on Recipezaar, so the recipe is easily doubled and makes TONS of muffins! Feel free to double it, though, because you will love these muffins and eat them quickly.
HT: Money Saving Mom
Tune in tomorrow for a recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Snack Cake!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
8 oz. canned pumpkin (approx. 1 cup, or half a can)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups flour (3/4 cup white flour, 3/4 wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
a dash of nutmeg and cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine eggs, oil, applesauce and pumpkin until well blended. Stir in sugars. In a separate bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to wet mixture. When combined, stir in vanilla, and then chocolate chips. Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full, and place in oven. Bake for 16-18, or until tester comes out clean (make sure you avoid the chips when inserting tester:-). Makes approx. 16 muffins.
Note: You may want to add more spices or cut back on them depending upon your preference. This recipe is a halved variation on one I found on Recipezaar, so the recipe is easily doubled and makes TONS of muffins! Feel free to double it, though, because you will love these muffins and eat them quickly.
HT: Money Saving Mom
Tune in tomorrow for a recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Snack Cake!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
My Glade Scented Oil Tin Design
Glade Scented Oil Candles has a contest right now to design a new tin for their candles. It is a simple process using their predetermined design items and colors. I had fun playing around with my design last night. Check it out, give me your opinion, and make your own!
Check out this design entry from the "Design The Next Glade® Scented Oil Candle Tin Contest"
Check out this design entry from the "Design The Next Glade® Scented Oil Candle Tin Contest"
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Fall = Apple Cider and Mulling Spices!
I love fall--the crispness in the air, the changing leaves, the need to wear long sleeved shirts and blue jeans! My husband and I call early fall "courtin' time", because we fell in love in the fall, often taking walks during the day, or sitting on front porch rocking chairs as the sun set. Wonderful memories!
One of my favorite parts of fall is the abundance of apples; they are my favorite fruit, and I cannot get enough of them! Fresh from the mountains apples are the best:-) Last Christmas I "concocted" my own recipe for mulling spices to add to apple cider. In fact, it was one of my first posts on this blog. Since apple cider is appearing everyone in stores and coffee shops, I thought I would repost my recipe for mulling spices. It definitely Works for Me (and, as an aside, it worked wonderfully as Christmas gifts last year too!).
4 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground orange peel
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon nutmeg
Mix everything together, making sure that you break up the chunks of brown sugar.
Instructions for use: Add 1/2 cup of mix plus 1 cup of water to 2 cups of cider or juice. Bring to a boil and then simmer until ingredients are dissolved and all is well combined. Enjoy!
*Note: For a single serving, use 2-3 Tablespoons to 1 cup of cider*
One of my favorite parts of fall is the abundance of apples; they are my favorite fruit, and I cannot get enough of them! Fresh from the mountains apples are the best:-) Last Christmas I "concocted" my own recipe for mulling spices to add to apple cider. In fact, it was one of my first posts on this blog. Since apple cider is appearing everyone in stores and coffee shops, I thought I would repost my recipe for mulling spices. It definitely Works for Me (and, as an aside, it worked wonderfully as Christmas gifts last year too!).
4 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground orange peel
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon nutmeg
Mix everything together, making sure that you break up the chunks of brown sugar.
Instructions for use: Add 1/2 cup of mix plus 1 cup of water to 2 cups of cider or juice. Bring to a boil and then simmer until ingredients are dissolved and all is well combined. Enjoy!
*Note: For a single serving, use 2-3 Tablespoons to 1 cup of cider*
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Love the 90% section
At my local CVS (and mayn CVS stores, of course), there is often a bin near the checkout counter that is 75-90% off. The items displayed are not always things I want/need, but occasionally you do find good deals. This week, they had trial size bottles of Nivea Touch of Happiness/Touch of Sparkle body wash in the 90% bin. I am pretty faithful to my Aveeno body wash, but back in the spring I bought some Nivea Touch of Happiness as part of CVS couponing deal, and I love it! It is a wonderful, fresh scent that does make me happy (but I have always been easily entertained:-). The best part? They were only $0.12/bottle! I bought six bottles total, three of each type. I don't know if I will like the Touch of Sparkle, but our church is collecting trial size toiletries for an upcoming health fair, and those would be perfect. Anyway, I love the 90% bin at CVS! Make sure you check your CVS clearance bin before leaving the store.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Trio of skirts
As I mentioned in a previous blogpost, I demonstrated making a skirt from the free Oliver & S pattern here at a women's event called "Get Crafty." The bright green with pink ribbon skirt is the one I actually made during the demonstration, and the blue and cream skirt below it is what I took to display. The last skirt is one for me; I used basic instructions from Sew What! Skirts and adapted the Oliver & S pattern. I hope to post a tutorial on the "Mommy skirt" soon. Now Girl has a fun party skirt (the green) and she and I have "mommy and daughter" matching skirts.
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