Caramel Glazed Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

All five of my kids (ages 2-10) seriously devoured these muffins this morning. I was really glad I had made 24! My 2 year old finished her first one (without the caramel) and was on to a second one before I finished putting the caramel on the tops.
Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups or brush tins with this easy release. Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Filling:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ c brown sugar
¼ c powdered sugar
1 egg
2 t vanilla bean paste (or regular vanilla)

Combine all of the ingredients and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Pumpkin Muffin Batter:
2 2/3 c flour
1 ¼ c brown sugar
1 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 t pumpkin pie spice (You can also use a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in place of this if you don’t have it)
½ t. ginger
3 eggs
1 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c veg. oil
2 t vanilla bean paste (regular vanilla is fine, too)

Mix together flour, both sugars, baking powder, salt, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice. Add eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Scoop 1-2 T. of this batter into each muffin cup. Next, place 1 T. of the vanilla cream cheese mixture into each of the muffin cups. Top each one with another T. of the muffin batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes (adjust cooking time as needed). While muffins are baking make the caramel topping.

Vanilla Bean Caramel Topping:(optional)
1 c. cream
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla bean paste (You can use regular vanilla instead, this is just what I had)

Pour the cream or milk into a small saucepan and place on a low to medium heat. Add the salt and vanilla to the saucepan and stir to dissolve. Bring to a steady simmer, and then add the brown sugar. Stir to dissolve. Bring the mixture to a steady, low boil, and stir frequently. It takes about 5-10 minutes to get to the desired consistency.

When the muffins are done you can either dip the tops of each one into the caramel or drizzle the caramel over the tops of each muffin.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Variation:
Skip the filling and the topping. Add chocolate chips to the batter.

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

I was in the mood for really soft caramel popcorn so I decided to try something. I made up a batch of caramel sauce and melted marshmallows into it. It was fabulous!

1 cup cream
1 t salt
1 c brown sugar
1 bag large marshmallows
1 large bowl of popped corn, kernels removed

Pop enough popcorn to fill a large mixing bowl.  Set aside. In a large sauce pan combine cream and salt over medium-high heat and bring almost to a boil. Stir in brown sugar and stir frequently for 10-12 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add a bag of large marshamllows. Stir until all have melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat evenly.

Amazingly (EASY) Chicken Taquitos

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (about 4 cups)
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup pace restaurant style salsa
2 t cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t garlic salt
10-20 sprigs of cilantro, chopped fine
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced fine
1 1/2 t minced garlic
1 T jalapeno hot sauce
2 T diced jalaepeno (I used canned)
1/2 cup Hispanic cheese blend, finely shredded (I used kroger brand which was asadero, queso quesadilla, queso enchilada and queso cotija)
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c queso quesadilla cheese, shredded
corn and/or flour tortillas

Put cream cheese in kitchenaid with paddle attachment and beat. Add shredded chicken and mix well. Add in the rest of the ingredients, minus the cheese and tortillas and beat well. Add in the cheeses and mix. Place a spoonful in the center of the tortillas one by one and roll up. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes until edges start to crisp up. Serve with salad and queso dip. 

Peanut Butter-Banana-Oatmeal Squares

I've been staring my overly ripe bananas in the face for several days now. Do bananas have a face? Never mind. Today as I wasted valuable time on Pinterest, as I try to do at least a few times a week, I found this recipe. That is how I justify it. By saying things to myself like, "I had to find a way to use those bananas". Gingerbread Bagels posted this recipe and I had to try it out. Well, not me really. I hate cooked bananas! Bananas belong only in fruit dip! My family loves all things banana so I make all kinds of things with bananas, anyhow. After I pulled these babies out of the oven and gave them a few minutes to cool off I cut them up so I could take a picture. The worst thing ever happened. A piece fell off of the knife onto the counter. Without thinking, I picked it up and popped it into my mouth. I instantly realized what I had done and made a terrible face because I just KNEW I was going to hate it. I DON'T hate it! I actually liked it. WHAT? I guess I know what I will be making from over ripe bananas from here on out.

Ingredients:
3 c quick cooking oats
1 c brown sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 t vanilla
1 c milk
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 c peanut butter

In a large mixing bowl (or your kitchenaid) combine the first 5 ingredients and mix well. Add in the vanilla, milk and the eggs. You guessed it. More mixing. Next add the bananas and the peanut butter and mix one time. Spread the gooey mess into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Cut into squares (or bars if you hate squares).

Alicia's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cube butter, softened
1 cube margarine, softened
2 c. Brown Sugar
1 c. White Sugar
3 eggs
1/2 T. vanilla
1 t. Almond extract
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
4 c. flour
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
2 Hershey's Bliss Chocolate Meltaway Center Candy Bars, chopped small
Whip butter and margarine until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar and white sugar. Mix until fluffy. Add vanilla and almond extracts and eggs. Mix well. Add baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add flour and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and candy bar chunks. Drop by cookie dough scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350* 8-10 minutes.

*This recipe makes about 75-80 cookies.

Onion Bagels

This is just the few changes made to make the cinnamon bagels into onion bagels.

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1-2 Tablespoons dehydrated onions
  
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white

1. Place water, salt, sugar, cinnamon sugar, honey, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting.
2. When cycle is complete, (or after all ingredients are kneaded together) let dough rest on a lightly floured surface (I let it sit about an hour because I didn't do a full cycle). Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar.
3. Cut dough into 7 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with more dehydrated onions.
5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.

Cinnamon Bagels

I have been wanting to try and make bagels for a few weeks and yesterday I was on a bread kick so I took the plunge. They really weren't nearly as intimidating as I had made them out to be in my head. I found a recipe on AllRecipes that I could throw into the bread machine for the dough process. I actually only put them into my bread machine for ten minutes. Just long enough to knead it all together. I wanted to make cinnamon bagels AND onion bagels so I needed the machine. You say I'm impatient? Okay, maybe I am. BUT.... It worked!

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cranberry honey (You could use plain honey as well. This is just what I had)
• 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar
  
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white

1. Place water, salt, sugar, cinnamon sugar, honey, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting.
2. When cycle is complete, (or after all ingredients are kneaded together) let dough rest on a lightly floured surface (I let it sit about an hour because I didn't do a full cycle). Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar.
3. Cut dough into 7 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.
5. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.

Cheesy Ham Roll Ups

This is just my own quick snack idea with things I had in the fridge. These are a ridiculously easy after school snack for the kids.

1 Pillsbury dough sheet
6 slices Ham
6 cheese sticks - I used the swirled kind

(You can do these with anything really. ie. Turkey & Swiss, roast beef & Swiss, ham, eggs and cheese for breakfast, long long list of options)

Roll the dough sheet out on a cookie sheet and cut into 6 sections. Place one slice of ham on each section. Place a cheese stick on each section and roll up. Bake at 350* for 15-17 minutes.

Garlic Herb & Cheese Pull Apart Bread

I was trying to come up with a good after school snack for the kids today and I was wanting Texas Roadhouse Rolls. This is what happened. :)

I made one recipe Texas Roadhouse Roll Dough and divided it in half after the first rise session. I then shaped half of the dough into rolls and the other half became Garlic Herb & Cheese pull apart bread.

What You'll Need:
1/2 recipe Texas Roadhouse Roll Dough
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1/4 t. rosemary
1/4 t. sea salt, ground fine
1-2 T garlic, minced (I use the bottled kind)
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded

Cut dough into 12-13 pieces. Roll out into circles. In a small bowl combine oregano, basil, rosemary, sea salt and garlic. Spread a small amount of the mixture onto each dough circle. Sprinkle cheese over half of each circle. Fold dough in half and press around the edges to seal each circle. Grease a loaf pan. place each pocket, rounded side up in the loaf pan, squeezing together to form a loaf. Let rise about 30 minutes. Bake at 350* 25-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Cheesey Corn Dog Cakes

I have seen pictures of this floating around the web and thought I'd give it a go for the kids lunches today.

1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
2-4 T. Sugar
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. oil
1-2 c. shredded cheese
6 hot dogs, sliced into small rounds

Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add egg, milk and oil. Mix until all blended. Add cheese and mix well. Grease a muffin tin. Use a cookie scoop and place one scoop of batter in each muffin cup. Place 10 hot dog pieces in each muffin tin. Top with another scoop of batter. Bake at 425* for 15-18 minutes. Top with ketchup, mustard, relish, chili, etc. Yield 12.

Note: I only used 3 hotdogs and 1 cup cheese. I will definitely double this next time which is why the recipe is written that way.

Peanut Butter Honey Nut Cheerio Clusters

These are SUPER quick and easy. I love how they turned out!

1 c. Sugar
1 c. Karo syrup
1 c. Peanut Butter
1 t. vanilla
5 c. Honey Nut Cheerios

Combine sugar, karo and peanut butter in a medium sauce pan. Heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Be careful not to scorch. Add vanilla and mix well. Stir in cheerios and drop by spoonful (I used a cookie scoop) on to wax paper.