Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I think I like this better than pumpkin pie!  The crust has so much more flavor then anything store bought and it is so good.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes

Crust

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 egg

1 stick salted butter, melted

Filling

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

16 oz powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a medium bowl blend cake mix, egg, and butter with an electric mixer

Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish

For the filling in a large bowl beat together cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth

Add and mix together eggs, vanilla, and butter

Lastly add powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat until combined

Spread pumpkin mixture over crust

Bake for 40-50 minutes until center is still slightly gooey

Serve with whipped cream

Key Lime Pie

Absolutely one of my favorite desserts!  I love the sweet and tart combination.

Key Lime Pie

2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs, beaten
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbl lime zest
2/3 cup key lime juice

Crust
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbl butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F
In a medium bowl mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt together.
Pour into a greased spring form pan
Shake to cover bottom of pan evenly
Using a glass, press graham mixture down and up the sides of the pan
Bake the crust for about 5-6 minutes and allow to cool completely

In a stand mixer beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy
Gradually beat in eggs and milk
Add lime zest and juice and combine completely
Spread over crust
Bake 30-40 minutes until center is almost set
Carefully run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen
Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate

Heath Brownies

I love that by using a few short cuts these brownies are easy to make but amazingly decadent.

Heath Brownies

1 box fudge brownie mix

eggs and oil according to package directions

3 giant heath symphony candy bars

1 cup heath pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F

Grease a 9x13 pan

In a large bowl combine ingredients for brownies according to package directions

Pour half of the brownie batter in the 9x13 pan and spread to cover

Place candy bars on top of batter

Sprinkle with health pieces

Spread remaining batter over candy

Bake for 35-45 minutes until brownies are set

Allow to cool completely

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This may seem like a basic recipe to post, but I have been making tons of chocolate chip cookie recipes and adjusting them to find a cookie recipe I REALLY liked...and I finally found one.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp molasses
2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 to 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°
In a large bowl cream together butter and both sugars
Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula
Blend in egg, vanilla, and molasses until combined
In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt
Add a third of flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture
Blend until just combined and repeat once with another third of flour mixture
Pour in chocolate chips and stir until incorporated throughout dough
Add remaining flour mixture and combine completely
Place parchment on a cookie sheet
Scoop cookies about 2 Tbl in size
Place cookies on parchment about 2 inches apart
Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned
(For a smaller cookie, only bake 10-12 minutes)
Allow to cool slightly and then transfer to a cooling rack

Coconut Poke Cake

I'm not sure why coconut reminds me of spring.  But this is my new favorite cake right now, and I keep looking for excuses to make it.  It is that good!

Coconut Poke Cake

1 box white cake mix (and ingredients listed on mix)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1  (15 oz) can cream of coconut
1 (8 oz) ctn whip topping
1 (7 oz) bag sweetened coconut flakes

Directions
Bake the white cake in a 9x13 pan according to package directions
Cool cake completely
Poke holes in cake using the handle of a wooden spoon
In a separate bowl mix condensed milk and cream of coconut
Pour mixture over the top of the cake
Place in the refrigerator and let soak overnight
Remove cake from fridge and spread whip topping over cake
Place coconut on an ungreased baking sheet in an even layer
Bake coconut at 350° for about 5-10 minutes until coconut begins to lightly brown
Cool coconut and sprinkle over whip topping

Bunny Buns

This recipe was first featured in the 1980 Friend Magazine.  My mother would make them every year for us around Easter.  The Friend Magazine republished the recipe in 2011 and I decided to restore the tradition.  It is something we look forward to every year!

Bunny Buns

1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 orange, zest and juice
5 1/2 cups flour

Glaze
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
dash of salt

Directions
In a small bowl lightly mix yeast and warm water and set aside
In a large mixing bowl add in milk, sugar, butter, and salt and allow to slightly cool
Then add in eggs, water with yeast, orange zest, and orange juice
Stir in flour 1 cup at a time until mixture forms a soft dough and allow to rest 10 minutes
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic
Grease your large mixing bowl and replace dough in it turning once to grease the top
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 2 hours until it is double in size
Punch down dough and allow to rest for 10 minutes
Place dough on a lightly floured surface
Roll dough out until it is about 2 inches thick
With a pizza cutter slice dough in half horizontally
Then continue by cutting dough vertically into 1 inch strips
Roll each piece in between your hands to make a rope shape
Cut two strips into 1/2 inch pieces and roll into balls
On a greased cookie sheet lay one long piece of dough
Place one end of the strip over the other to make a loop
Then bring the end that is underneath up and cross it over the other end
Place a ball of dough in the loop and continue with remaining pieces of dough
Cover the bunnies with kitchen towels and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour
Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes until golden brown

For the glaze add milk and butter in a small microwave safe bowl

Microwave about 1 minute until butter is melted

Whisk in vanilla, sugar and salt

Drizzle glaze over bunny buns while warm

Cranberry Orange Sauce

I am definitely am one of those that loves the sweet tart taste of cranberry sauce with my turkey on Thanksgiving or on a sandwich of leftovers.  But making it at home takes it to a whole new level of good.

Cranberry Orange Sauce

1 (12 oz) bag Ocean Spray cranberries

1/2 cup water

zest of 1 orange

juice of 1 orange

2 cups sugar (or more to taste)

Directions

In a medium saucepan bring ingredients to a boil

Cook on medium low for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature

Serve warm or cold

Craisin Quinoa Salad

I love quinoa and everything about this salad!  It is a perfect mix of fall flavors with craisins, pecans, feta, and a bright orange citrus dressing.  You could even add some chunks of turkey to it for an amazing main dish as well.

Craisin Quinoa Salad

2 cups chicken stock
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup pecans, chopped & toasted
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup reduced sugar craisins

Dressing
zest of one orange
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbl olive oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp coarse grained mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions
Cook quinoa in chicken stock according to package directions
Cool quinoa completely
In a medium bowl fold together quinoa, cheese, pecans, onion, and craisins
In a small bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients
Pour dressing over quinoa mixture and toss to coat evenly

Crockpot Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

So I happened across this post on Everyday Good Thinking about how you can cook pasta in the crockpot and I was like...What?  Why have I not heard about this before?  You are probably thinking, Duh!  But I was excited.  So I rounded up my own recipe for Three Cheese Stuffed Shells and added some spinach.  I even thought they were easier to stuff dry...and to my delight...IT WORKED!!  This opens up a whole world of possibilities.  Now, to be fair you do have to be careful.  Your pasta can go from perfect to over cooked and mushy in a heart beat.  So you do have to keep an eye on it at the end for sure.

Crockpot Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

1 (45 oz) jar pasta sauce

1 box jumbo shells

1 (15 oz) ricotta cheese

3 cups mozzarella, shredded & divided

1/4 cup parmesan, shredded

1 (9 oz) box frozen spinach, thawed & drained

2 tsp garlic, minced

2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1 egg, beaten

Directions
Pour a third of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the crockpot
In a medium size bowl combine ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, and parmesan
Fold in spinach, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
Stir in beaten egg until combined
Fill dry shells with cheese filling and layer in crockpot until filling is gone
Cover filled shells with remaining sauce
Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Place crockpot on high and cook for 3 hours.

Corn Chowder with Bacon

It's finally here!!  This week is the first day of fall and I am so ready.  What better way to celebrate than with a warm and delicious chowder?  The weather man is promising it will feel like fall by the end of the week even though it's been 90° for the last couple of days.  But hey, that's how we roll here in Utah!

This soup is thick and creamy with a very fresh flavor of corn, potatoes, onions, and of course bacon!  It makes a lot which is great to freeze for another meal.  My only suggestion is if you don't like soggy bacon don't throw it all in.  I add a little of the bacon for flavor, but keep the rest for garnish because the bacon will get soggy sitting in the soup for too long.  If you don't care about that though, be my guest and toss all that bacon goodness in there.

Corn Chowder with Bacon

8 slices of bacon, chopped

1 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream or half and half

2 cans (14.75 oz) cream style corn

2 cans (15 oz) white corn, drained

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced new potatoes, drained

1-2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)

chives for garnish

Directions

In a large pot on medium-high heat, place chopped bacon and cook until crisp

Remove bacon from pot and drain on a plate lined with paper towels

Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon grease from the pot

Place diced onion in tablespoon of bacon grease and saute until translucent and soft

Add butter and allow to melt

Sprinkle in flour and stir until flour, butter, and onions are combined

Pour in chicken stock and stir until thickened

Add remainder of ingredients to the pot and simmer on low for 20 minutes

Serve with reserved bacon and chives on top