Pumpkin Bread

Lots of cooking and baking has been going on in my household! Lots of that has been done not only with love but beside my love! It's been fun baking with and for Craig. His number one request for Fall.... PUMPKIN BREAD!!

He doesn't enjoy all the icing or cream cheese on everything pumpkin so I searched out and found a great pumpkin bread recipe that doesn't need the sweet stuff to make it fantastic! 

This recipe makes a TON OF BREAD!! It would be perfect for Fall gifts, wrapped up and delivered. OR in my case, we just froze the loafs we didn't need right away! It will make 3 average size loafs but if you don't have 3 loaf pans, I had one small loaf pan and one large (deep) one that I used. 

I hope you are all enjoying the change of colors and the start of Fall! ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree

4 Eggs

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

2/3 Cup of Water

3 Cups of White Sugar

3 1/2 Cups of All-Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons of Baking Soda

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cloves

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Grease and flour bread pans with non-stick cooking spray

In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, oil, water, pumpkin and sugar until well blended.

Step Two:

In another large mixing bowl, mix together remaining ingredients; flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.

Step Three:

Slowing add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, while mixing with a mixer. 

Step Four:

Pour into pans and bake. The baking time will differ depending on the size of your loaf pan. My regular size loaf pan took 50 mins. My big loaf pan took 80 mins. (I did cover my larger loaf at about 50 mins so that the top wouldn't burn.)

Step Five:

Let cool, serve and ENJOY!!

Original Recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/

Sharp Cheddar with Broccoli and Ham Quiche

I have been wanting to make a quiche for some time but always thought they would be difficult. Can you tell I'm an amateur!? Talk about EASY!! Well at least this recipe is!

Prep time is no more than 10 mins with pre-heating of the oven. Not to mention, the smell of this recipe is mouth watering. Perfect amount of food for 3-4 people and could be made morning of! ENJOY!


Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1 Cup of Half and Half
1 Cup of thawed frozen hash browns
1 Cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Chopped green onion
1/2 Cup of chopped ham
1/2 Cup of broccoli
3 Eggs

Step One:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray pie pan with non-stick spray. Melt stick of butter and mix with hash browns. Press into pie pan to form a crust. Cook for 20-25 mins.

Step Two:
Lower oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk eggs and 1/2 and 1/2 in a mixing bowl. Chop onion and broccoli and dice the ham. Add to eggs along with the cheese. Mix. Spread onto of cooked crust and place back into oven for 30-40 mins.

Step Three:
Allow the quiche to cool and serve with sour cream (optional). Lastly, ENJOY!

Original Recipe: Paul Deen (Food Network)

Baked Spaghetti

Sorry for the pathetic run at blogging lately! I am trying to get motivated to start cooking/baking again. Working 50hrs a week and living in a beautiful state, I tend to spend my days off in the mountains or trying to find new restaurants! :)

I am a major sucker for Italian food.... well maybe I should just say pasta and needed a dish that would be quick, easy and not overly expensive! I have tried two other baked spaghetti recipes and both of them failed, miserably! PROUD TO SAY.... this one was a success!!

The key to a good Baked Spaghetti is keeping your noodles soft and moist, not hard and dry. A wise guy told me that the more soft cheese you use the better because it won't dry out your noodles. He was right!

So here you have it, a great family recipe or just a great dish for leftovers the next day! Have fun and bon appiete! 

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20

Ingredients: 

24 oz of Ricotta Cheese

8 oz of Mozzarella Cheese

1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 lb of Ground Beef

1 Jar of Marinara (your choice!)

1 Package of Spaghetti Noodles

Tinfoil 

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9x13 pan with tinfoil. 

Step Two:

Cook noodles until soft. Brown meat and drain.

Step Three:

Lay noodles on the bottom of pan. Spread Ricotta cheese over top of noodles to form a nice layer.

Step Four:

Mix marinara sauce with meat. Spread on top of Ricotta cheese.

Step Five:

Top meat sauce with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Step Six:

Place into oven (uncovered) for about 20-25 mins. Let cool for about 10 mins. Serve and as always, ENJOY!

Red Velvet MilkyWay Cookies

It's a big birthday month at my store!! I have 4 birthdays that I need to find desserts for and zero time to bake and blog! On that note, anything that is quick, easy and takes 20 minutes or less...COUNT ME IN!!

One of my favorite blogs is picky-palate! She has tons of awesome, out of this world recipes and most of the time they are easy and quick! From start to finish this only took me about 20 minutes and everyone LOVED them!!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 box of red velvet cake mix
1 egg
2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil
1 stick of soften butter
1 cup of mini chocolate chips
4 regular size MilkyWay bars or Dark MilkyWay Bars

Step One:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix, egg, oil and butter. I recommend doing this with a hand mixer or stand alone mixer to make sure the butter is well combined.

Step Two:

Cut up MilkyWays into small chunks.

Step Three:

Add MilkWays and Chocolate chips to batter and mix together.

Step Four:
Place onto cookie sheet and bake for 11-13 mins. Cool and ENJOY!!

http://picky-palate.com/2013/02/04/red-velvet-milky-way-cake-cookies/

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Need a twist on a classic recipe? Look no further. Still all the same goodness as the cake but in bite size. There is one thing that makes the cupcakes better, you are guaranteed pineapple in every bite!

If I changed anything from the recipe I would try to make them with liners. It was a huge mess to clean up!! Also, the recipe called for one can of pineapple so you will notice some of mine only have one slice..buy TWO cans! :)

Have fun and enjoy!!

Ingredients:
1 box of yellow cake mix
2 18 oz cans of pineapple slices
18 oz of left over pineapple juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of melted butter
2/3 cup of packed brown sugar
marchino cherries

Step One:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cupcake pans with cooking spray or line with cupcake liners. (Note: you will not be able to "flip" the cupcakes if you line them. You will be creating an inside upside down cupcake :) )
Also, cut pineapple slices into 4's and if you are using cherries, cut them in 1/2.

Step Two:
In a large bowl or stand alone mixer; mix together cake mix, eggs, oil and pineapple juice for 30 seconds on low. Beat for 2 minutes on medium.

Step Three:
Melt butter. Combine melted butter and brown sugar together. Pour 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar/butter into the bottom of each cupcake pan. Place two pineapple slices in each cupcake pan and a 1/2 of a cherry.

Step Four:
Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each of the cupcake pans. Bake for 20-25 mins.

Step Five:
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for about 10-15 mins. Cut along the edges of the cupcakes to loosen them from the pan. Flip onto a cooling rack or parchment paper and ENJOY!!

Fruit Salsa

I am madly in love with this recipe. It combines all things in my food life that I think are wonderful... strawberries, sugar, apples, sugar, kiwi, sugar and pita chips (with sugar!). It is a super simple recipe and looks absolutely beautiful when plated and served.

It is the best in the summer but when I can find good fruit (out of season) it is a must to make!!

Ingredients:
Carton of Strawberries
2 Apples
2 Kiwi
2 tablespoons of apply jelly
2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Step One:
Cut up all fruit into small pieces. Keep in mind you will be serving this with pita chips so the smaller the fruit chunks, the better.

Step Two:
Melt apply jelly in the microwave. Mix with brown sugar.

Step Three:
Pour jelly/sugar mixture over fruit. Toss together and serve with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips.