Pumpkin Bars w/ Brown Butter Maple Frosting

Pumpkin bars-

4 eggs
1 2/3 c sugar
1 c coconut oil, melted
1/3 c applesauce
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
2 c flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce & pumpkin. Combine flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, & salt and them gradually add to pumpkin mixture.
Lightly coat jelly roll pan with cooking spray and pour mixture in. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes.
Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting -
1/2 c butter, browned and cooled to room temp
1 package of cream cheese, a bit colder than room temp
2 TBSP Maple syrup
1 T vanilla
Powdered Sugar (several cups)

Mix browned butter, vanilla, maple syrup and cream cheese until smooth. Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach desired consistency. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Maple Syrup

Who knew that maple syrup was so incredibly fast and easy to make. Not to mention that it is delicious!! 

What you'll need:

1 cup hot hot water

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 T Maple flavoring

In a medium saucepan, combine water and both sugars. Stir constantly over high heat until boiling. Be VERY careful as this will boil over really easily at this point!

Reduce heat to medium-high and continue to stir constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved. Continue stirring mixture over medium to medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until mixture begins to thicken to a syrup consistency. Keep in mind that this mixture will further thicken when cool. *I tested mine by scooping a small amount into a glass dish and setting it in the freezer for 1-2 minutes* Remove from heat and stir in maple flavoring.Set pan in an ice bath and continue to stir mixture for 3-5 minutes to cool.

 

Serve over something yummy and enjoy!

Thanksgiving Veggie Tray

We have all made that plain old, boring veggie tray. Spice up your table this year with this super cute Turkey Tray! He was so easy to make. 

 

You'll Need:

Lettuce

Pea Pods

Olives

Carrots

Broccoli

Peppers

Cucumbers

Anything else you'd like to add. 

Zuppa Toscana Soup - Olive Garden CopyCat

2 lbs sausage (Pork Shop!! or if you aren't lucky enough to live near the pork shop, make sure you buy the best quality you can find)
4 large potatoes (if you live in Idaho) or 8-12 regular potatoes if you don't, sliced very thin
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups kale or 2 cups swiss chard, chopped (If you can't find this, it's not a big deal. You can leave this out.)
16 cups water
4-5 T chicken bullion
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Place water, potato slices, onion, and chicken bullion in a soup pot and cook over high heat until potatoes are soft. Cook on medium high heat until potatoes are done. Brown your amazing pork shop sausage while the potatoes cook. (It is really important to buy very high quality sausage. You'll be sorry if you don't.) Add sausage to soup and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off heat and add kale and cream. Stir and serve.

Don't forget to check out my fabulous makeup from Younique and don't forget to frost your lashes with 3d fiber lash mascara!

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.

Pumpkin Pancakes

What you'll need:
2 c. flour
3 T. Brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. allspice
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1 1/2 c. milk
1 egg
1 c. pumpkin
2 T. applesauce
2 T. vinegar

Mix all wet ingredients in large bowl. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix. Cook on hot griddle in desired sizes. Serve with Apple Syrup.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

What you'll need:
2 cans white beans
1 can butter beans
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
3 c. half & half
1 t. Tabasco
2 cans green diced chilies
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 - 1 1/2 t. chili powder
1 - 1 1/2 t. cumin
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1-2 t. Accent

Place chicken in crockpot and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high 2 hours. Shred chicken and add all other ingredients. Cook on low 3-4 hours longer. Thicken with flour/water mixture. Serve with sour cream and cheese.