Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These were DELICIOUS! I got the idea here. From a blog I love to follow. I made these for a bridal shower last weekend and people were absolutely raving about them. I actually made two kinds of cupcakes, but you'll just have to wait patiently for the other kind. Let's just say, "Chocolate dream!" 

Back to these little beauties. It may seem a little daunting to make these, but really it was pretty simple. And it was worth every second of prep. Plus, I think this is my new favorite recipe for cream cheese frosting. It's so delicious. 

The little flags on top were extremely simple too. I just made little diamond shapes and put the bride and groom's initials on them. Then I folded the diamond in half and glued it to a toothpick. Ta-DA! Thank you to my wise sister-in-law for the idea. I called her in a panic. She always gives me the best ideas.

Enjoy!

{CARAMEL PUMPKIN CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING}

1 french vanilla cake mix

1/3 c, vegetable oil
2 eggs

1 c. pumpkin puree 

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. milk

Caramel ice cream topping

Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and milk until smooth. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cupcakes cool. Then take melon baller (or teaspoon), and spoon out a little divot in the top (save the tops though!). Spoon in 1 teaspoon of the caramel topping and replace the divot. The caramel will soak through the cupcake and deliver caramel goodness throughout. Top with cream cheese frosting (recipe follows).

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cubes butter (8 T.), room temperature
1/2 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powder sugar

Cream the cheese and butter together on low speed with a mixer.  Scrape the bowl. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Mix together. Add powder sugar on low until incorporated.  Mix on med-high for 3 minutes to make the frosting a bit lighter. Chill for 1/2 hour to stiffing up before using. 

Austrian Apple Pancake

I love breakfast foods. Which is a little strange, since I don't love mornings so much. 

My beautiful sister gave me a box FULL of apples a couple weeks ago, so I've been trying to find yummy recipes to use up all those gorgeous apples. This one is definitely a winner. My little son keeps yelling, "More cake, Mommy. More CCAAKKEEE!" I'd say it's a hit. Enjoy!

{AUSTRIAN APPLE PANCAKE}

click here for a printable version

2 golden delicious apples, peeled and sliced 

1/4 c. butter

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. lemon juice

3 eggs

3/4 c. milk

3/4 c. flour

1 T. sugar

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, cook apple slices in  2 T. of butter until tender (about 8 minutes). Add cinnamon and lemon juice and cook 1 minute. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk,flour, sugar, salt and remaining melted butter (2 T). Mix until smooth. Pour batter over apples in the hot skillet, do not stir. Place skillet in oven and bake until puffed and golden, 18-20 minutes. Make sure you cover the handle with foil, if it's not metal. Serve with maple syrup and powdered sugar.

Corn Chowder

This is easily one of my favorite soups. And it's super easy! But let's be honest, what isn't good with a little bacon in it? mmm.

And with the weather turning colder by the second, it's the perfect time for some soup for the soul...and of course the belly.

Until next time... Enjoy!

CORN CHOWDER

½ lb bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 c. corn
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk

Brown bacon; in drippings sauté onion. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until veggies are tender, about 20-30 minutes.

P.S. In the picture, you'll notice there are some peas. I added some that night, because I was a little short on corn. I really liked it actually!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Cookies

Speaking of pumpkin, now I'm obviously on the hunt for excellent pumpkin recipes. I saw this on a local television show and I knew it was a winner! Cream cheese swirled through pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? Plus, look how cute they are with the little green stems. These are excellent, but they are best eaten, the day you make them. And make sure you have enough milk in the house to go along side, or you'll be sorry! Enjoy.

{PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE SWIRL COOKIES} 

Click here for a printable version.

1 pkg. (8-oz) lite cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. white sugar

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. canned solid packed pumpkin (or homemade puree)

1 egg

Orange and Green food colors, optional

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 12 oz package

3 c. flour

1 T. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. powdered sugar

 3 T. flour

Beat together softened butter, white sugar and packed brown sugar. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin, egg and a couple drops orange food color; stir in chocolate chips. Add 3 cups flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking powder; stir until thoroughly mixed. Remove 2/3 cup cookie dough and set aside. Roll remaining cookie dough out between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper or parchment paper into a 12x15x1/4 inch rectangle. Freeze dough while preparing cream cheese filling.

Knead a couple drops green food color into reserved 2/3-cup cookie dough. Roll dough into approximately 36 small marble size balls, freeze until ready to use.

Beat cream cheese until smooth; add powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of flour; beat until smooth and creamy. Remove cookie dough from freezer; peel off top parchment paper; spread prepared cream cheese over 2/3 the width of the rectangle (keep cream cheese on one side of dough and spread out to both ends). Using the parchment paper to carefully lift, roll cookie into a log, starting on the long cream cheese side (jelly roll fashion with cream cheese in center). Wrap log in parchment, return to freezer for 2-3 hours, preferable overnight (or until stiff).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray or line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove cookie dough from freezer, remove parchment wrap, cut into 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick slices; place on prepared baking sheet. Place a green marble size piece of dough at the top of each cookie and slightly flatten to form a stem. Bake about 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cookies on rack. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

NOTE: Pumpkin Pie spice may be replaced with mixture of 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Baked Potato Soup

I never thought the cold weather would come! But came it did today. And it's now 10:36pm as I write this post, and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm still not dressed for the day. I DID shower, don't worry. But I got right back into my pajamas. And my son did too! It was a badly needed low-key day after a crazy busy weekend.

There's one thing my husband and I don't share and that is our weather preferences. I prefer the hot, sunny, beach weather. And he prefers the cloudy, snowy, mountain weather. So, he's ecstatic about this weather. I, however, cope by...not getting dressed, I guess. Just kidding. There is ONE benefit to this weather. And that is that cold weather brings with it the need for....

SOUP!

And this recipe is absolutely one of the best. We've had it a few times before, but this time after every bite, my husband was raving, "So good, honey. Seriously soooo good." Why, thank you. I actually took a small batch to a friend and she was still talking about it days after the fact too. So it must be a winner. Honestly, look at that picture. You can't tell me your mouth doesn't water seeing all that goodness in one bowl. Mmm. You'd love it even more with this or this.  Enjoy!

{BAKED POTATO SOUP}

click here for a printable version of this recipe

6 T. butter

2 c. onion, finely chopped

4 T. flour

2 can chicken broth (about 4 cups)

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 c. half-and-half

Garnish with:

Cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions.

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, white and black pepper, basil, Tabasco sauce and garlic salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and heat through. Serve with garnishes.