Apple Pudding Cake

Pictures coming! I did also see this recipe on another blog but I got the recipe from a family cook book.
Apple Pudding Cake
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups shredded raw apples (I used my food storage by using the dried apples from the cannery..I just rehydrated them and they worked great!)
Mix all together, adding apples last, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve with butter sauce.
Butter Sauce
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup canned evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Heat over low heat for 10-12 minutes (do not boil)
My notes:
This was a really yummy treat but it definately needs the butter sauce. Without it the cake was pretty plain.

Strawberry Brunch Bread

I have a picture of this coming when I get my new camera battery. It is super yummy and has a great presentation.
Brunch Bread
1/2 of this bread recipe (use the other half for a regular loaf or breadsticks or cinnamon rolls)
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup strawberry jam, or your favorite flavor
Mix up your bread dough and let it rise 1 time. While dough is rising, mix together your cream cheese and powdered sugar. Roll dough out into a large rectangle (you could do this on your greased cookie sheet) and spread the cream cheese mixture down the center (going the long way) and top with jam. Cut strips on either side about 1/2-1 inch apart. Fold the top and bottom strip over and then start to braid, using one strip from the left, followed by one strip from the right, until you reach the end. If you didn't roll it out on a cookie sheet, carefully transfer to greased baking sheet and place in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes (until golden brown). Remove from oven and coat top with a little melted butter. Let cool completely, slice on an angle and serve.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

1 cup butter flavored crisco

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Additional sugar for rolling

Cream crisco, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs beating after each. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Add gradually to egg mixture. Scoop dough into small balls (I used a medium sized cookie scoop and cut the ball in half) and roll into sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake in 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Do not over bake, you want them to be soft. Let cool on cookie sheet 2-3 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and cool completely. Place generous amount of frosting on half of the cookies and top with the other half to make a sandwich. Store in air tight container.

Frosting:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup real butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tablespoons milk

Beat peanut butter and butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, alternating with milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Use to fill peanut butter cookies.

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies

Recipe source: adapted from Our Best Bites

Gingerbread Rice Krispies

This recipe is really a no-brainer. A normal rice krispie treat that used gingerbread marshmallows instead of regular. My husband is a rice krispie purist and hates it when I add things to his treats. He did like this version though, I think because it really didn't have anything added. A fun way to do rice krispies for the holidays.

Gingerbread Rice Krispies

1 bag gingerbread marshmallows, divided

1/4 cup butter

5 cups rice krispies

Cinnamon chips

White chocolate chips

Melt butter in large pan. Add marshmallows, reserving about 10. When melted and smooth, remove from heat and add rice krispies. When combined well, pour into 9x13 pan. Combine some white chocolate chips and some cinnamon chips in microwavable bowl. Heat until melted. Drizzle over treats and top with some gingerbread marshmallow men.

Recipe Source: adapted from Our Best Bites

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 3/4 cups crushed gingersnaps (I made my favorite molasses cookies and they were great)

6 T butter, melted

3/4 cup pecans

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan.

Filling:

3 (8oz) blocks of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup white chocolate chips, melted

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Topping:

Sweetened whipped cream

Caramelized pecans

Caramel sauce

Preheat your oven to 350. Wrap your sprinform pan with two pieces of foil. Combine crust ingredients and press into pan. In mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in the sugar. When well combined, add the eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and spices. Melt chocolate in microwave. With the mixer running pour or spoon melted chocolate in a steady stream into cream cheese mixture. Pour on top of crust. Place the springform pan into a larger pan (I used my roasting pan. I also placed my pan into an oven bag with the side pulled up about half way up the springform pan.) Fill the larger pan to middle of your springform pan with hot water. (Am I making any sense? We are doing a water bath here. If you don't know what I am talking about see the pictures and suggestions here) Bake 60-75 minutes. The center should be set: still jiggly, think firm jello. Remove from oven and water bath to cooling rack and let cool completely. Put in fridge for at least 12 hours. When ready to serve, remove outside of pan, top with whipped cream, caramelized pecans and caramel sauce.

Recipe source:

Our Best Bites

My Notes:

This was my first ever baked cheesecake and it turned out great. I lined my pan with foil and the oven bag because I was afraid it would leak and I didn't want a soggy crust. I thought it better to be safe than sorry. A note about mixing the filling: you do NOT want to overmix cheesecake filling. Having too much air in the mixture causes it to rise during baking and fall during cooling, leaving a monster sized crack in the middle. You want to mix it well, just not beat it too much. Also, if you are not a white chocolate lover, that is not the dominant taste in this cheesecake. The white chocolate just adds richness and depth. Try it! It is yummy!!

Pumpkin Brownies

The next few posts are some of my favorite fall recipes. Don't forget about my all-time favorite pumpkin cake though! I think it is still the best.

Pumpkin Brownie Sundaes

1/2 cup butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup flour

Ice cream

Butterscotch sauce

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in spices. Mix in egg and pumpkin and stir well. Add flour and stir just until combined. Line and 8x8 pan with enough foil to hang over the edges and lightly spray with cooking spray. Pour pumpkin mixture into pan and spread into an even layer. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. They will still look moist but won't be sticky to the touch. Let cool in pan. To serve, remove foil from pan and cut into bars. Top with ice cream and butterscotch sauce.

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll

Cake:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2/3 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Get jelly roll pan ready by greasing, flouring, and then cover with waxed paper. Beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while still mixing. Add pumpkin and lemon juice. Mix dry ingredients together and fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool until warm. While cooling, get a clean dish cloth and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. When pan is warm turn cake onto towl and roll up from the short end. Let cool completely. Unroll, fill with cream cheese filling (follows) and re-roll. Chill before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 oz cream cheese, softened

4 teaspoons butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until smooth. Spread over pumpkin cake.

My notes:

This cake is also really good filled with ice cream! Just let the ice cream thaw until soft then spoon over cake. Re-roll, wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until serving.