Pumpkin Bread

The best way to go into a sugar coma (other than downing pure sugar) is eating a slice of pumpkin bread at Starbucks. I love it. I hate it. It’s so good. It’s so bad.

Bottom line. It tastes like a little piece of goodness on my tongue, but it has a whole lotta sugar.

Naturally I wanted to recreate the recipe to punish myself or rather my hips. The Starbucks Pumpkin bread recipe has a whole slew of other spices/ingredients none of which I had in my cabinet so I turned my focus to this recipe which turned out just as well with minimal ingredients.

Happy Thanksgiving! I’ll be posting one of my favorite dressing recipes some time later this week!

PS – I still don’t know what my main dish will be tomorrow. Turkey or Ham? What does your family do?

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1 can of solid pack pumpkin (approx. 15 oz.)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix egg, pumpkin, butter, sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until well corporated. Cook 35-50 minutes or bread is set in the middle.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I haven't cooked in forever! This week is looking like another busy one too, so I guess I'll be eating more frozen meals:). I did get a quick chance to make this delicious soup. I feel like I'm in college again. This big pot of soup will last me all week long especially since Ben won't eat it:).

The original recipe uses ground beef or deer meat, but I substituted chicken and it worked just fine. Great for a cold day when you need something warm and spicy!

Ingredients
1 cup shredded or diced chicken
3 cans chili beans
1 can while kernel corn
1 15 oz tomato sauce
1 can diced Rotel
1 can diced tomatoes
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cup water (about)

Directions
Mix all ingredients and heat over medium for 10-15 minutes. Serve with cheese, sour cream, or avocado slices.

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

I had some leftover shrimp and wanted to make something delish for my family tonight.  I think it would have been tastier if I would have actually followed the recipe and added the Old Bay.  I didn't have any so I left it out.  It was OK.  It is a perfect dish for my dad because it was very bland and will probably not hurt his post-cancer mouth.  I found this recipe on Pinterest via here.


Creamy Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients
1 16 oz box of pasta (I used bow ties)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp butter
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 Tbsp Old Bay, divided (low sodium kind if you can find it)
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 green onions, sliced thinly

Directions Cook pasta according to directions on package. During the last minute of cooking add the peas. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon of Old Bay. Cook for 3 minutes or until they start to turn pink. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Stir in the half-and-half, reserved cooking liquid, Parmesan cheese and the rest of the Old Bay. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add the pasta, peas and green onion. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving (this gives the sauce a few more minutes to thicken)

Serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese. 

Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats

I found this fancy rice krispy treat recipe on Pinterest.  It came from Cookie and Cups.  I don't think I let my butter brown long enough so they might just be Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats.  I totally forgot to take a picture before they were all eaten at Bennett's school picnic today.

Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats

1/4 cup salted butter

1 (10.5) oz bag mini marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Spray 9×9 pan with non-stick spray.

Over med-low heat melt your butter.

Once your butter is melted, continue to cook until butter starts to brown.

It will turn a golden brown color and develop a nutty aroma.

Be careful not to burn.  Once the butter begins to brown it can burn quickly.

Stir up any brown bits.

Add the marshmallows and pumpkin pie spice.

Stir until marshmallows are melted.

Remove from heat and stir in rice krispies.

When mixed spread the krispie mixture in your prepared pan.

Spray a sheet of wax paper or parchment with non-stick spray and gently press the krispies down evenly.

Let cool for 30 minutes and then cut into squares.

Snickers Fudge

My boys and I made Snickers Fudge on Friday.  Bennett was such a big helper!  Part of the recipe requires you to unwrap an entire package of caramels.  Bennett unwrapped a few for me, but then he ATE them.  I had to take them away and unwrap them one handed while holding the pacifier in Henry's mouth.  Talk about multi-tasking!

Big helper eating the left-overs

Snickers Fudge

For the first layer

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

For the second layer

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts (I left the peanuts out)
For the third layer

14 ounce package caramel cubes
1/4 cup heavy cream

For the fourth layer

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

To make the first layer

In a small saucepan over low heat, add milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Stir often until completely melted and smooth. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking pan lightly coated with nonstick spray. Using an off-set spatula, spread the mixture to an even layer and place in the refrigerator until set.

To make the second layer

In a medium heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Mix in sugar and evaporated milk. Once it comes to a boil, let cook 5 minutes while stirring. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in marshmallow creme, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir in peanuts. Pour over the set chocolate layer and use an off-set spatula to gently spread mixture in an even layer. Place in the refrigerator until set.

To make the third layer
Place the unwrapped caramel cubes and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the mixture has completely melted and is smooth. Pour in the pan and quickly spread to an even layer with an off-set spatula. Place in the refrigerator until set.

To make the fourth layer

In a small saucepan over low heat, add milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Stir often until completely melted and smooth. Pour over the third layer and use an off-set spatula to spread to an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Scarecrow Crunch

Thanks to Pinterest I found this really fun snack mix.  I love fall so much!

I just bagged it up and put a little tag on each one to give to friends.  It was a cinch and so tasty!

Banana Oatmeal Bars

This recipe is a variation from Money Saving Mom. I eat oatmeal just about every single day so I'm always looking for new combinations. This recipe is relatively healthy, tastes great, and makes your kitchen smell divine!

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
3/4 cup raw sugar (or brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
3 cups oats (regular or quick oats)
2 very ripe bananas (smashed)

Directions
Beat eggs, sugar and butter together. Mix in baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

Stir in milk, oats, and banana. Pour into a greased 9×13 foil pan or baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until set in the middle. Serve warm with milk or cut into bars.