Good morning pumpkin!

After doing some fall baking, I always seem to end up with half a can of pumpkin puree in the fridge that ends up getting tossed. So this morning I thought I'd see what I could do to use it up. I dug deep into my pantry and found some Hungry Jack pancake mix, the "just add water" kind, since I rarely keep milk on hand. I added the pumpkin, and some spice and voila! tasty pumpkin pancakes!

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 Cups Hungry Jack "just add water" Pancake Mix

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Prepare as directed on box. Yum!

Thanksgiving Dessert Extravaganza

I'm going to give you some terrific recipes to turn your kitchen from this:

To this:


First up, is our Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Pie.

I found this irresistible recipe on a fellow food blogger's page. Priscilla's Baking Adventures always has some great looking recipes, so I had to pick one.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookie Pie

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup water
2 cups milk chocolate chips, melted

Heat oven to 350°F. In bottom of ungreased 10- or 9-inch springform pan, break up cookie dough. (I used a 9" pie pan) With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter and water until well blended. (If necessary, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time until mixture is smooth.) Drop spoonfuls of mixture over baked cookie crust; press evenly to cover crust. Spread melted chocolate chips over peanut butter mixture. If desired, carefully swirl chocolate with fork. Garnish with pecan halves. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

Next up is our pumpkin pie. We are going to two Thanksgiving Dinners, and both requested that I bring a pumpkin pie. Well of course I didn't want to just "bring a pumpkin pie." I had to spice it up a bit and make it something special. I found a recipe that incorporated a streusel topping with the pumpkin pie. So here we go with our second recipe:

Pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks. Stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour filling into pie shell.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. While the pie is baking, prepare the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Blend in the cold butter with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the chopped nuts. Sprinkle the topping over the pie.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake an additional 40 minutes, or until set.

Source: Allrecipes.com

I know that not everyone loves pumpkin. Some people are nutty, like myself. So for those who prefer a bit more sweet gooeyness, I chose a Chocolate Pecan Pie. I can't wait to cut into it!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
3 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup pecan halves
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Press pie shell into and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.
Beat eggs, sugar, salt, margarine, and syrup with hand mixer. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into pie shell.
Bake until set, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

Source: Allrecipes.com

And last but not least...

This recipe hails from our Thanksgiving Queen, Martha Stewart. What's not to love? Pumpkin, white chocolate, all with a brownie texture??? I saw it on Cate's Kitchen, and had to try it!

Pumpkin-White Chocolate Blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

Source: Martha Stewart

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

You-Won't-Even-Miss-the-Carbs Casserole

In my quest to cut back on carbs, I'm trying out some new dishes. This one caught my eye because I'm a big fan of cauliflower, so this sounded yummy to me.

Low Carb Sausage, Mushroom and Chicken Casserole

3-4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 lb pork sausage
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushroom, sliced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces frozen cauliflower, cooked well and drained
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
paprika (optional)

Brown the sausage with the celery, onion and mushrooms. Stir the softened cream cheese into the sausage mixture until well blended. Coarsely chop the cooked cauliflower. Mix all ingredients and spread in a greased 9"x13" baking dish. If desired, dust the top with paprika. Bake, covered with foil, at 350º for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until hot and bubbly and top is lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes

Source: not sure! Whoops!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

It was a cold and rainy day, perfect for some stew! I made a big pot of this stew to pack for lunch the rest of the week.

Beef & Vegetable Stew

1 lb lean beef for stew
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 (15 ounce) cans beef broth
8 ounces fresh green beans
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium zucchini, peeled and diced
1/4 cup frozen corn
bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste
Italian seasoning to taste
2 Tablespoons corn starch

In a medium to large pot, heat 1/2 tsp olive oil; brown beef, onion and garlic. Add broth, tomatoes, veggies and seasonings. Bring to a boil; simmer, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Mix corn starch with small amount of cold water and add to pot. Let boil for a few minutes until thickened. Discard bay leaf, serve.

Happy Halloween!

This week I've been keeping up the Halloween spirit with some festive recipes. Any little ghoul or goblin is sure to gobble these recipes right up!

Crescent Mummy Dogs

1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
2 1/2 slices American cheese slices, quartered 10 large hot dogs
Cooking spray
Mustard or ketchup, if desired

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Crescent Rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations creating 4 rectangles; press perforations to seal. Recipe Creations: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half). Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like "bandages," stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for "face." On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on 'face.'

Source: Allrecipes.com

Chicken Enchilada Mummies

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 lb), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
3 cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend (12 oz)
2 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce
12 flour tortillas (8 inch)

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) and 8x8-inch (2-quart) baking dishes with cooking spray.
In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onion; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in cumin, garlic salt and oregano. Cook 1 minute longer; drain if necessary. Pour chicken mixture into large bowl.
Reserve 2 tablespoons sour cream in small bowl; refrigerate. Into bowl of chicken mixture, stir remaining sour cream, roasted peppers, chiles and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese blend.
Spread heaping 3/4 cup chicken mixture in center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; arrange 8 seam-side down in 13x9-inch baking dish and 4 seam-side down in 8x8-inch baking dish.
Top each baking dish evenly with enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Spray 2 sheets of foil with cooking spray; cover each baking dish with foil, sprayed side down.

Bake about 50 minutes or until enchiladas are hot. Place reserved 2 tablespoons sour cream in Ziploc bag; cut off 1 corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe eyes and mouth on each mummy.

Source: Pillsbury Halloween Recipe Book

100 Things you may or may not know about me....

I'm stealing this from Sara's blog, because it looked like fun!



1. I was raised an only child with siblings.

2. I have a cat that is diabetic and needs two insulin shots a day.

3. One day I randomly bought a house, even though it was the only one I looked at.

4. I once traded in my car for an SUV so that I could drive home in a blizzard.

5. I have a gay ex-boyfriend...or two...

6. My favorite holiday is Halloween.

7. I was born on the Day of the Dead.

8. I've spent the night in a funeral home.

9. I wasn't scared.

10. I believe in ghosts.

11. but I never saw one.

12. I have a strange obsession with Coach purses.

13. I've kissed a lot of toads in search of my prince.

14. I love living in a city, even if it isn't a very big one.

15. When I was little, I lived next to a farm.

16. even though my parents are still in the same house today, there is no farm anymore.

17. I used to do pointe and my toes got all crooked.

18. they have straightened back out.

19. I could spend all day laying on a beach next to the ocean doing nothing and not get bored.

20. a psychic once told me that I need to be near water or I get stressed.

21. I have anxiety.

22. I started having panic attacks after 9-11.

23. I went to Nursing school for about 3 weeks.

24. I have a college degree in Applied Health Science - Secondary Health Education, but never used it.

25. it is harder than you think to come up with 100 things about yourself.

26. I name my vehicles.

27. I like wine, mainly reds.

28. I once successfully parallel parked a car with a large stuffed ape in my shirt.

29. I have become an aunt 12 times (through birth & marriage).

30. 9 nieces, 3 nephews

31. I am a consultant for a company called Thirty-One.

32. I played powder puff football.

33. I love my Keurig coffee maker.

34. I work for a company that sells joints.

35. I was born in the Orthopaedic capital of the world.

36. I lived with a family in France one summer.

37. I've been to Euro Disney.

38. My favorite movies include Clue, Poltergeist, & Halloween.

39. I love to burn candles.

40. My siblings and I all were given CMC as initials.

41. I love musicals.

42. I was once groped by an old man in China Town NYC and given a free Burberry knock off in return.

43. I had a beta fish named Rico that made it through most of college with me.

44. I'm an Alpha Delta Pi.

45. If you think that the greek system is a way of "buying your friends" then I say it is the best investment I ever made.

46. Oxi-clean really works like it says. Especially when a bottle of Big Red explodes all over your roommate and the carpet.

47. Phreakshow was my favorite cover band to see at the Bluebird on 15 cent beer night in college.

48. I miss college.

49. I am technically a minority by law.

50. I am a Potawatomi Indian.

51. My favorite teacher was my 6th grade teacher Mr. Hunter.

52. Since graduating from college, I've worked for 3 fortune 500 companies.

53. I am liberal.

54. I don't like when conservatives try to "convert" me.

55. I won't try to convert you if you are conservative, but I will hug you. Like a tree.

56. I ran into Carson Daly at a bar in Cancun.

57. I love to tailgate for the Hoosiers.

58. I miss Bobby Knight.

59. When I was 11 I sold enough girl scout cookies to earn a free week of camp.

60. My bestfriend Amy and I went to Camp Singing Hills that summer.

61. Amy has been one of my best friends for 23 years.

62. Penguin Point french fries are the best in the world.

63. We should have bought that bus.

64. My first concert was Vanilla Ice with my friend Jamie in 6th grade.

65. MC Hammer was sold out.

66. I loved Milli Vanilli. Still do.

67. The Rathskellar Bier Garden is one of my favorite places in the city.

68. One time a 90 ft. tree fell through my parents' house.

69. If I hadn't switched bedrooms, I wouldn't be writing this.

70. It happened the day after I wrecked my mom's Lincoln Continental. (which paled in comparison)

71. Your mother is a hamster, and your father smells of elderberries!

72. I buy DVDs and then never open and watch them.

73. I have a scar on my right leg from when I fell off the swing set.

74. It should have had stitches, but the babysitter didn't do anything about it

75. I never missed a day of school all through elementary.

76. I bit my orthodontist on purpose.

77. Going to the dentist has never bothered me.

78. My house was robbed a few years ago.

79. I still get pissed thinking about it.

80. My parents got hit by a train.

81. My parents almost died in a hotel fire when I was 5.

82. My parents are the luckiest unlucky people I know.

83. I don't like Starbuck's coffee.

84. My boyfriend makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches.

85. He also makes big messes.

86. I love him anyway.

87. I love 80's music and miss big bangs.

88. I wonder if big 80's hair will make a come back?

89. I wonder if you can still buy Aqua Net Hairspray?

90. I know you are, but what am I?

91. I love getting pedicures.

92. I've been a bridesmaid 7 times.

93. Dark Green, Champagne, Burgundy, Navy, Dark Purple, Butterscotch, & Red were the dress colors.

94. The next dress I wear to a wedding better be expensive and white.

95. I love children but can't imagine having one of my own right now.

96. Right now my sinuses are killing me.

97. I graduated from High School in 97.

98. My high school looks more like a federal prison than a high school.

99. I want to own a house with a pool someday.

100. I know all the words to the Madonna Like A Virgin CD.

Autumn Open House

For those of you who don't know, and if you read my blog you do... (shameless plug coming*)

my dear friend Beth and I have started a little business. We are carrying two product lines:

www.mythirtyone.com/crista

http://www.athome.com/

*Please let me know if you'd like to order something, host a party, or become a consultant!

So on Saturday we decided to hold a little open house to showcase our products and give us a chance to go over all of our consultant information, since we are both very new at this.

I began searching for some good fall recipes last week and I couldn't decide between two that I found on another favorite cooking blog "Good Thinks Catered" by Katie. So I tried both, and they were unbelievably yummy! Katie is now my dessert hero!

Spiced Pumpkin Pie-lettes

1/2 recipe basic pie dough (I used 2 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts to save time)
1/3 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
3/4 c. canned solid pack pumpkin
1 Tbsp molasses
1 large egg plus one egg yolk
1/2 c. cream

Place a heavy baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray mini muffin tin with baking spray. Roll out pie dough and using 2.5 - 3 inch circle biscuit cutter, cut dough into 24 circles. Press each circle into mini muffin tins, pressing dough up the sides. In small bowl, combine pumpkin, molasses, and eggs. Stir to combine uniformly and set aside. In large bowl (preferably with a spout), combine sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and whisk to combine thoroughly. Whisk pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients. Slowly mix in cream. Carefully pour pumpkin mixture into each of the muffin tins, leaving 1/8 inch at the top of each crust. Place mini muffin tin on top of preheated baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until filling puffs and center is fully set, about 10 additional minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before removing from tins to serve.

Source: Good Things Catered

Apple Spice Cookie Bars

2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
small pinch ground cloves
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. packed brown sugar 1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract 2 apples, cored and diced (a little less than 2 c.)
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9x13 pan with foil and baking spray. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Whisk to combine well and set aside. In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine. Add vanilla extract and beat to combine. Turn mixer on slow and fold in flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Fold in apples. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle top generously with cinnamon sugar. Place in oven and bake until cooked through, when top slightly bounces back to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan, cutting and serving. (bars will be very soft)

Source: Good Things Catered

Chloe is doing her part to get into the Autumn spirit by becoming part of the centerpiece on the dining room table.