Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Recipe by Paula Abbot

1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix altogether and pour into jelly roll pan.

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup softened butter
4 teaspoon milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix until creamy. Spread on top of cooled cake.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup Canola oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 cup semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine the oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add the vanilla and pumpkin puree and mix.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Beat at low speed until thoroughly combined. Finally, add the chocolate chips and pecans.

Butter and flour a Bundt cake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 60-70 minutes.  Insert a toothpick in the cake to see if it comes out clean.

Place cake pan on a wire rack. Let rest for 5 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and cool completely.

Serve slices of cake with scoops of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.  Butter pecan ice cream is a great choice, too.

Makes 12 slices

Chocolate Cream Cheese Stuffed Monkey Bread

Tasty. A wonderful Facebook page.

2 (16 oz) containers of biscuit dough (16 big biscuits total)
8-12 oz cream cheese
Chocolate chips (we use dark chocolate)


1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)

Cut biscuits in half and cube the cream cheese (32 pieces). Flatten each biscuit and place 1 cube of cream cheese and a few chocolate chips in the center of each. Fold the biscuit dough around the cream cheese and chocolate and form into a ball.

In 1 gallon plastic bag combine 1 cup white sugar and 2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add 6-8 dough balls to the bag; seal the bag and shake until well-coated. Repeat for the remainder of the  stuffed dough pieces. In a microwave-safe bowl, add 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Microwave on High for 70 seconds-stopping halfway to stir. Remove from microwave and stir until it has a caramel consistency. Repeat with remaining walnuts, dough and glaze.

Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn upside-down onto a plate to cool for 10 minutes before lifting off the pan (this way the warm glaze runs back through and fully coats all the bread). Lift off the Bundt pan, pull apart and enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Waffles

The Dinner Doctor Cookbook,  Anne Byrn.

Vegetable oil cooking spray for misting the waffle iron

1 3/4 cups biscuit mix such as Bisquick
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 cups milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat an electric waffle iron. Mist the top and bottom of the interior with vegetable oil cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 250 F (you will use it to keep the waffles warm until they are all ready to serve).

Place the biscuit mix, cocoa, milk, egg, oil and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine well. Fold in the chocolate chips and mix until they are just incorporated. Ladle about 1/3 of the batter onto the hot waffle iron, spreading it out so that it almost but not entirely covers the bottom. Close the lid and cook the waffle for 3-4 minutes or until the light comes on to indicate that the waffle is done. The waffle is fully cooked when it does not stick to the top or bottom of the iron. Using a fork, transfer the waffle to a heatproof plate and place it in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining waffle batter.

Makes 6 waffles (6 inches each)

Note: I added 2 tablespoons sugar to the batter before cooking and more cinnamon.

Simple Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

The Slow-Roasted Italian

www.theslowroasteditalian.com

1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
1 (29 oz) can sliced peaches in juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

350 F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2 or 2 8 x 9 baking pan (s). set aside.
melt butter in microwave. Add 1 cup sugar. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and whisk to combine. Add milk and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Pour batter into prepared dish. Spoon peaches over top of batter, even around the pan. Reserve the juice from the can.

Add 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Pour juice over peaches. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 servings

Molasses Bran Muffins

3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups Raisin Bran cereal
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cups raisins
1/2 cup chopped Granny Smith apple, optional

Soak the raisin bran in the milk and let it rest for 2 minutes.

Mix the egg, molasses, and vegetable oil. Add the raisin bran mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture and raisins to the egg mixture and combine just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Stir in the apples if desired.
Grease bottom of 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking pan. Divide batter among the muffin cups.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes or so until golden brown. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Immediately remove from pan.

Makes 1 dozen muffins

Beef and Tortellini Soup

1/2 lb ground beef
1  small onion, chopped finely
1 celery rib, chopped,
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chopped green beans (frozen works well, too)
2 cans ( 14 1/2 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water, divided
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen beef tortellini

Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven or regular saucepan. Drain off the fat. Add the onion and celery and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, 1 cup water, carrot and seasonings. Simmer covered 20 minutes. Add the frozen tortellini and green beans; cook for 5-10 minutes Combine flour and remaining water; add to the soup and cook for 2 minutes to thicken.

Makes 6 servings or 2 1/4 quarts

Pecan Pie Muffins

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Beat eggs until foamy. Stir together eggs and bitter; add to dry ingredients stirring until moistened.
Place foil baking cups in muffin pan. Spoon batter into cups 2/3 full.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20-25 minutes or until done. Remove from pans immediately. Cool on wire rack. Best served warm.

Makes 8 muffins

Monkey Bread

20-22 frozen Rhodes white dinner rolls (do not use Texas white dinner rolls)
1- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Butter to grease the pan

2 small packages Cook and Serve butterscotch pudding and pie filling (do not use instant pudding)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Sprinkle the pecans in a buttered Bundt cake pan.

Make one layer of dinner rolls. They do not have to touch each other. Then, on top of that layer, put another layer of rolls.

Sprinkle the pudding over the rolls. Then, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the pudding. Finally, drizzle with the melted butter.

Cover the pan with an oiled plastic film. Leave in the kitchen counter overnight. Do not place in the fridge.
The next day, remove the plastic film. Bake in a preheated 350 F for 28-35 minutes. If the top browns so quickly, cover with aluminum foil. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness.

Once it is ready, invert into a platter leaving the baking pan upside-down to let the syrup and pecans drizzle over the bread. Remove the baking pan; use a spatula to get some of the syrup and pecans stuck on the bottom of pan.