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.

Caramel Coconut Creme Pie

I came across this recipe for Freezer Caramel Drizzle Pie a few days ago and just knew I had to make it! You know, my way, like I make everything else. No one knows what my problem is. I just can't seem to bring to myself to follow a recipe exactly. It's ridiculous really, but I've just accepted it.

You'll Need:
2 - 9 inch graham cracker crusts
1 package cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
coconut extract
1/2 c powdered sugar
vanilla extract
1 c coconut
4 T butter
1 quart heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1 c packed brown sugar


I made homemade caramel first.
1 cup cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 c packed brown sugar

Heat cream and salt in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add brown sugar and boil 7-10 minutes until it reaches desired consistency (remember it is still going to thicken up quite a bit after you remove it from the heat).  Set aside to cool.

In another sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat and add coconut. Stir frequently for 5-8 minutes until coconut is nicely toasted. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. beat on medium-high speed until smooth.  Add coconut extract to taste. (I used about 1-2 t.)

In another bowl, whip the remaining cream, powdered sugar (to taste) and vanilla extract (to taste). Fold HALF of this into the cream cheese mixture. Save remaining half for topping pies.

Pour cream cheese mixture evenly between pie crusts. Next pour caramel evenly over both pies. Top with remaining whipped cream and toasted coconut. Freeze for 1 hour or overnight. It tasted divine either way.

Caramel Fluff with Oreo Crust

I was in a create your own dessert mood tonight. This is what I came up with.

1 package Oreos, crushed fine
1/4 c butter, melted
1 quart cream, whipped and separated equally into 2 dishes
1 package cream cheese softened
1 recipe caramel sauce** see below
1 package chocolate pudding, prepared as directed
3 hershey bars

Combine oreos and melted butter and press into a 9x13 pan. In stand mixer combine half of the whipped cream and the package of cream cheese. (you can mix the caramel straight into this if you choose) Mix well before spreading over the oreo crust. Pour the caramel sauce over the cream cheese layer and slightly mix in to the top of the layer. (if you didn't already mix it in) Spread chocolate pudding over the caramel layer. Top with remaining whipped cream and decorate the top with hershey bits.

Caramel Sauce**
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 t sea salt

Place cream and sea salt in a sauce pan over medium high heat until it is near boiling. Add brown sugar and stir well. Stir frequently for 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and plunge into an ice bath. Let cool to room temp.

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Yep! You read that right. Beets made into dessert. You say you have a friend/neighbor/family member who grew beets in his/her garden and didn't know what to do with them so he/she handed them over the fence and challenged you to turn them into something delicious? Me too! So you have come to the right place! (Don't tell me that I'm the only one that has things like this happen to them.) Anyways, I did some searching and found a beet cake recipe at Taste of Home. This is like a carrot spice cake only not. :) It was a huge hit with all NINE kids. (My five plus the friends' who gave me the beets) Come to find out, (AS I WAS BAKING!) the men were discussing baking a cobbler because they were worried that my "beet dessert" would be nasty. They were amazed! These are moist and so yummy. And I can justify it by saying they are a vegetable. (Just play along!)

1 cup uncooked, peeled and shredded beets
2 t lemon juice
4 eggs
1 1/4 c melted butter
1/2 c milk
2 T honey
2 t vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
2 t baking soda
1 t salt

In a small bowl, toss beets with lemon juice; set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs, butter, milk, honey and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in beet mixture. Scoop batter into lined cupcake pans (makes 24+ cupcakes) and bake at 325* 22-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

 1 cube butter, softened
1 package cream cheese*
3-4 cups powdered sugar (you can use more if you want)
maraschino cherry juice (or milk)
1-2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract (optional)
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

Cream butter and cream cheese together and whip until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and extracts**. Add maraschino cherry juice (1-2 T.) for desired consistency. You can add more powdered sugar if you get it too thin. Add in whipped cream.

*If you want a stronger cream cheese flavor use 2 packages of cream cheese. You will probably want to up the amount of powdered sugar.

**Always add extracts before the milk because they will thin out your frosting somewhat.

White Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

Tortillas (I had 6 huge tortillas from Bountiful Baskets)
2-3 cups Monterrey Jack Cheese 
Cilantro

Filling
3 Chicken Breast pieces, cooked and shredded (I cooked mine in the crockpot sprinkled with cumin)
2 7oz cans diced green chilies
1 package cream cheese
1 can rotel
2 t Franks Red Hot Sauce (more if you want it spicy)
1 can beans, any kind you like (optional)

Sauce:
3 T butter
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
3 T flour
2/3 cup water
1 T chicken base
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
15 oz green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 cup sour cream

Place chicken in Kitchenaid bowl with paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl). Beat on speed 2 to shred. Add cream cheese, green chilies and rotel. Mix well. Add franks and mix to incorporate. Place filling in tortillas, roll up and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan melt butter and add onions. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir. Mix water, milk and heavy cream in a 2 cup measuring cup. Slowly stir mixture into onions. Add chicken base, salt and pepper. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add enchilada sauce and sour cream. Pour about 1 cup into a 9x13 pan. Place rolled enchiladas on top of the mixture. Sprinkle cheese over the enchiladas.

Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas. Bake at 375* about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cube butter, softened
1 package cream cheese*
3-4 cups powdered sugar (you can use more if you want)
maraschino cherry juice (or milk)
1-2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract (optional)
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

Cream butter and cream cheese together and whip until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and extracts**. Add maraschino cherry juice (1-2 T.) for desired consistency. You can add more powdered sugar if you get it too thin. Add in whipped cream.

*If you want a stronger cream cheese flavor use 2 packages of cream cheese. You will probably want to up the amount of powdered sugar.

**Always add extracts before the milk because they will thin out your frosting somewhat.