A Thanksgiving tradition is pumpkin pie – problem is, I am not a fan. I like the pumpkin flavor reasonably well, however I find the pumpkin pie to be too dense in pure pumpkin. I am a heavy carb kind of a girl – a real white flour and butter kind of a gal, if you catch my drift.
My mom, being the traditionalist that she is believes that you had to have pumpkin pie with Thanksgiving dinner so for years growing up I just passed on turkey day dessert. All this changed several years ago when a dear neighbor told me about Pumpkin Crisp. A buttery crust houses a delicious pumpkin filling and a crispy, buttery, sugary crust tops that. The crumb crust gets crisp, yummy and melts deliciously into the decadent pumpkin filling. I love the dish and so does everyone that tries it.
I should also add, that it is simple. No crust to roll out and nothing fancy. I hope you try it and like it as much as my family does.
Pumpkin Crisp
Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set aside 1 cup cake mix for the topping. Combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg, and melted butter or margarine. Pat into a 9×13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, 2 eggs, spices, 1/2 cup sugar, and milk. Pour pumpkin mixture over the cake mix crust.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup cake mix and 3/4 cup sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup softened butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle mixture on top of pumpkin mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 minutes.
I like to cut this into 12 servings, but you could make the squares smaller or larger depening on how “stuffed” you are after Thanksgiving dinner. 🙂
I can’t believe the holidays are here. Every year, post-holiday, I say the same thing – next year will be different, I will be better prepared and enjoy the holiday season. I need to give it up and just embrace my crazy life.
The crazy life I lead exists of my 24 hour job as mommy and wife, my job on the side which is marketing for a large website and well, this blog, which is just fun. 🙂 I was recently contacted by Kathy Raffles of Raffles Toffee asking if I would like to try some of her toffee. I agreed, with alterior motives of taste testing some treats that I could potentially send some relatives that live in California. (BTW – I must add that I never send my relatives in California anything, because I never know what to send them and I just forget. I know, I am a crappy niece.) Nonetheless, this offer brought this top of mind and I would be able to see what the packaging was like and the quality of the product to potentially send my relatives.
Several days later this is what I received:
Beautiful – yes! Delicious – Oh my gosh, yes! Easy gift – yes!
OK, so let me start with the packaging. They come in these reusable metal tins with a satin ribbon, providing a beautiful presentation when gift giving as well as a easy way to serve the toffee. Inside is one pound of toffee (I was sent both dark and milk chocolate) and both were delicious. I am partial to milk chocolate, but both were amazing.
Upon opening the toffee you will find it sealed, to keep it fresh and mine was in large pieces. I especially likes this because I was able to break off pieces that were as big or little as I wanted.
To try this delicious toffee, go to www.etoffee.com . The cost per tin, which includes one pound of toffee is $18, which is consistent with other high-end toffees out there.
Chilly fall mornings – I hate them. I really should move to Arizona where the heat is too much so I could appreciate the Seattle mornings I have lived with my entire life. Alas, that will have to wait another ten years until my little tykes have left home and I am free to do whatever I please.
In the meantime, this Double Chocolate Banana Bread will act as a “hug” for your tummy. Moist and delicious, this is the perfect treat to enjoy with your morning or afternoon cup of coffee.
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch processed or regular)
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dark or milk chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large food processor, combine the bananas, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Process until smooth. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes.
Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be covered and stored for a few days, or frozen for longer storage.
Makes 1 – 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.
I love the pitter patter of little feet. As my boys have gotten older (they are now nine and eight), the tiny pitter patter has become louder stomps, but I still love hearing it. We live in a neighborhood with lots of kids. There are times when I will have 6-10 little boys running around and I just love it. Given that there are so many of them, they are not always at my home, but it makes me appreciate them so much when they are here. They are sweet, endearing, thoughtful, smart and say the funniest things I have ever heard.
Sometimes I have nothing yummy to feed them and these brownies have become my fool-proof recipe for simple, delicious, decadent and fudgy brownies. My favorite thing about these brownies is that I don’t have to whip out my mixer and I always have all the ingredients on hand.
Easiest Brownies Ever
adapted from Ghiradelli
Ingredients
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 c. firmly packed lighted brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
3/4 c. + 2 T all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan. In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate chips and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir the brown sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs and mix well. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, mixing well until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into 2-inch squares. Makes approximately 16 squares – depending on how much batter you eat. 🙂
Homemade Irish Cream
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon strong coffee
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a blender, combine milk, sweetened condensed milk, Irish whiskey, coffee, chocolate syrup, and vanilla extract. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Shake well before serving.
