Pumpkin Poppers

Without Glaze

With Glaze

The original recipe called for a glaze using a stick! of butter. UGH. I was only able to get 40 mini muffins out of the batter, and an entire stick of butter for a recipe with no pure sugar, and no butter seemed a bit ridiculous. So I made my own and they are still absolutely delicious! The best little treat for a cool fall day while sipping a hot tea and reading a good book wrapped up in your favorite blanket. I might actually miss these days once I move to the desert.(By the way, I still get to enjoy my baked treats and my warm tea) Enjoy!

Pumpkin Poppers

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c Flour

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

3/4 Tsp Cinnamon

3/4 Tsp Nutmeg

3/4 Tsp Ginger

3/4 Tsp Cloves

1/3 c Vegetable oil

1/2 c Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1 Tsp Vanilla

3/4 C Pumpkin

1/2 c Milk

Glaze

2-3 Tbs Confectioners Sugar

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

1 Tsp Sugar

Milk

Directions:

Oven: 350°F

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and brown sugar in a bowl. Make sure to get the clumps of brown sugar out.

Mix in pumpkin, vanilla, egg, oil, and milk. Mix until blended.

Using small muffin pan, grease and fill each half full with batter.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Remember the more milk the thinner it is. Taste to make sure it's how you would like it. 

Dip the top of the muffins in the glaze and let them dry on a cooling rack.

These are really great without glaze as well!

Serve them warmed with some tea...mmmm =)

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 c Sugar

2 Tbs Corn Starch

3 c Milk

4 Eggs Yolks

Vanilla

1/2 Stick Butter

3 Medium Bananas

Directions:

In a double boiler mix the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick.

Spoon a little of the milk and sugar mixture into the yolks to temper before adding to the custard pot.

Once the yolk is added mix for another 2 minutes.

Take off the double boiler and add the butter and vanilla.

Once the butter has melted and mixed well allow the pudding to cool.

Fill a 9x9, first half of the pudding on the bottom, layer the bananas, then top with pudding. 

(Some people like using wafers, add them before the final layer of pudding.)

Let cool in the fridge before serving.

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

4 Apples

Cinnamon

Sugar

Brown Sugar

2 1/4 Sticks Soft Butter

(18 Tbs)

3 c Sugar

6 Eggs

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 c Milk

3 3/4 c Flour

2 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder

3 c Flour

1 c Sugar

Cinnamon

1/2 c Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Oven 350°F

Chop apples into cube pieces.

Mix in a bowl with cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl blend the butter and sugar until fluffy. 

Mix in eggs, milk and vanilla. 

Once smooth add flour and baking powder. 

Mix well until smooth. 

To add a little flavor sprinkle some cinnamon and swirl into the batter. 

Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Then add oil and stir until a crumb mixture.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan. 

1st layer a little less than half the batter on the bottom. 

2nd layer of apples spread evenly. leave a slight gap from the edge so the batter layers will bake together and not fall apart.

3rd layer of batter

4th layer, finish with the crumbs on top. 

Bake for 45 minutes or until fully baked.

Pernil

Pernil

Ingredients:

Oregano

Garlic

Adobo

Pepper

Olive Oil

Directions:

Oven: 350°

Combine the oregano, garlic, adobo, and pepper in a pilon. Crush until it forms a paste. Mix in the olive oil.

Poke some holes in the pernil where your fingers can fit in to stuff the seasonings. The holes should be about an inch apart from each other.(Be generous, but don't murder the pig again.)

Line a deep pan with foil. Place the pernil in the foil and close.

Bake for about 4 hours with the foil sealed.

Pump up the oven to 450°F and cook for about 30 minutes until the skin is crispy.

Served with arroz con gandules

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

Ingredients:

5 Large Baking Potatoes Cubed

1/2 Onion chopped

3 stalks of celery chopped

4 1/2 c Milk

3 c Chicken Broth

(3 c water and 3 bouillon)

Salt

Pepper

Parsley

Shredded Cheese

Bacon

Directions:

Cook bacon in pan until crispy. Remove the bacon from the grease and allow to drain on a plate with paper towels. Once cooled crumble the bacon.

Drain the bacon grease from the pan leaving a small amount to saute the onions.

Once the onions are done add 3 c of chicken broth, celery, potatoes, and milk to the pot. Season with salt pepper and parsley.

Boil the mix until potatoes are fully cooked. Spoon out half of the potatoes using a slotted spoon to a separate bowl. Mash these potatoes and place them back into the pot. I like leaving some potatoes still in chunks.

Boil the mixture until to the thickness you would like. If too thick, add some broth and milk.

Serve with a garnish of bacon and shredded cheese.

Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes

I did some experimenting with my vanilla cake recipe. We had a bunch of lemons left over so I thought I'd see how successful it would be to use them to flavor my cake. 

Worked pretty well, I used the zest and juice from 1 large lemon and got a very nice light lemon flavor to my cupcakes.