The Best Pumpkin Muffins. Ever.

Even though it isn't any where near close to feeling like fall, or even Indian Summer here in TX, the years I've spent away have started a new internal clock for fall and fall related items, and anything pumpkin.  I love my family pumpkin bread recipe.  I love pumpkin spice lattes.  Pumpkin cheesecake at Olive Garden. So I wanted to make a pumpkin muffin.  And I also wanted to incorporate sugared pecans.  So this is what I came up with - a cream cheese filled pumpkin muffin topped with struesel and sugared pecans.  It is about as close to heaven as you can get (if that you believe in that kinda thing) I think.


For the sugared pecans I made them in advance, cooked the full time, and added in to the top of the muffins about 10 min in to cooking.  I would really recommend cooking the pecans (for this recipe only!) about 10-15 minutes and then adding in with the struesel topping and cooking the full length of muffins.


You will also want to prep your cream cheese filling and throw it in to the freezer in advance... works much better that way.


Sugared Pecans
(this will make a lot of pecans, if you want to keep them around and snack - I recommend chopped for the muffins, halve for snacking.)


Ingredients:
2 cups pecans
1 egg white
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla 
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar


Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 
Combine all dry ingredients, mix well set aside. 
Combine all wet ingredients, mix until egg white is slightly foamy.  Add pecans.  Stir to mix well, making sure all pecans are completely coated.  Slowly stir in the dry mixture and coat pecans well.
Place pecans on a greased sheet of aluminum foil.  Cook for 15 minutes, stir.  Cook another 15 min if not adding to muffins.


Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese filling
Make about 24


Cream Cheese filling (make first!!)
Ingredients
8 oz packaged cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar - sifted


Directions
Combine cream cheese in a med-large bowl and blend with an electric mixer until smooth.
Place in foil or plastic wrap and put in freezer for about an hour (or for the time you are prepping the rest of the muffins - it needs to be semi soft)




Struesel Topping 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter (cubbed then slightly softened)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon


Directions
Combine all ingredients together and mix with forks until cumbly.


Pumpkin Muffins
Preheat oven to 350


Ingredients
3 cups flour, sifted 3 times
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves 
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
2 cups sugar
1 can pumpkin puree (I use Liby's, 15 oz can)


Directions
Combine the flour (make sure to sift it!), spices, salt, and baking soda and mix with an electric mixer - set aside.
In a new bowl for add sugar and oil.  Mix well on low until well blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.
Add pumpkin and mix well.
Slowly add the dry mixture and mix on med until well blended.


Line the muffin pan.  Remove cream cheese mix from freezer.  Make 24 equal portions of the cream cheese mix.  Fill the cups about half full with the muffin mix, then add the cream cheese and fill the cup with muffin mix on top.  Add the struesel mix and pecans to the top of muffins.  
Bake for 20-25 min.

Muffins with filling in half the cup

Finished muffins

Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Honey Frosting

I made these for my awesome friend Lara's birthday, as she LOOOVES Earl Grey tea.  I basically shopped around recipes and voila, custom creation.  Same for the frosting.  With both I will actually be reworking using a chiffon cake recipe (testing it next with a spice chai cupcake!).  The combination was tasty, and everyone liked them, but being me, it wasn't exactly what I was going for, and not as fluffy as I wanted.  So watch for the new version coming soon.   This works as a good test drive also since Mike and I are wanting to do multiple cupcake flavors for the wedding.  Nice way to work it out waaay in advance!


Earl Grey Cupcakes


Makes about 12 regular sized cupcakes


Ingredients 

1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, at room temperature

4 Earl Grey teabags* Honestly, I would double this!  

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

2 large eggs, free-range or organic

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from the heat and add the teabags. Cover and leave to infuse for about 30 minutes, then discard the teabags.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. Add the almond extract, if using, and the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.

Sift the two flours together into a separate bowl. Add one-third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one-third of the infused milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added. * Sift 3x!!

Carefully spoon the mixture into the cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown. To check they are cooked, insert a wooden skewer in the center of one of the cupcakes - it should come out clean. 

Remove from the oven and leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they are completely cool, you could frost the cupcakes.

Lemon Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

4 ounces or 1/2 package of Philly cream cheese

2 tablespoons butter

2-3 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons thick honey

1/2 large lemon, juiced

zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Bring butter to room temperature by letting it sit out for 1 or 2 hours.
Sift powdered sugar into a bowl or onto parchment.
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and the honey. Beat until combined.

Add the juice of lemon and zest.

Add more sugar and honey until you get to the consistency and sweetness you like.

Note: The honey I used was very thick, meaning it was not pourable unless I warmed it in a water bath first. This works great for the frosting as it keeps it thick. Note that if you use pourable honey the texture of both recipes may change slightly!

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat

I looooove the Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup.  I don't like the price for the itty bitty cup - or having to get it within a certain time (seriously been there right as they were throwing it out...no soup for me).  So I made it a mission to find a copycat.  I did, but I had to tweak it a bit.  I read the actual ingredients on the Panera site - which were not included.  Of course I had to add them. I also tweaked the ingredient prep.  It called for julienned carrots, I shredded them just on a large cheese grater.  Pulsed in my food processor.  For the broccoli, just chop finely.  I didn't remove and blend in a blender (which I need).  You could use an immersion blender easily, if you have one.  If your ingredients are chopped finely enough, you can get away with skipping that part.
 It turned out great and Mike loved it.


Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat
Serves 4 | Difficulty 3 | 60 min total time (prep - finished)


Ingrediets
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded (then pulsed with food processor)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz (or more if desired) sharp cheddar, grated
Dash of hot sauce (Tabasco or Lousiana) to taste
Dijon mustard to taste




Directions
Suate onion in 1 tbsp melted butter.  Set aside.  Cook 1/4 c melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.  Stir constantly and slowly add the half and half (this is called making a roux).  Add the chicken stock, whisking all the time.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions.  Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  The soup should be thickened by now.  *Pour in to blender in batches and puree.  Return to pot over low heat.  Add the grated cheese, Dijon mustard,  hot sauce, nutmeg and paprika.  Stir until well blended.  Serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I've always liked this dish, but thought that it would a pain to make.  Quite the opposite.  It was fast (except for pounding the chicken breasts) and easy.

The recipe calls for less cheese than I normally prefer.  I would recommend throwing an extra slice of Swiss cheese on there.

 This is a great dish; easy, fast, and delicious.  

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 thin slices of ham

4 oz of Swiss or Bleu Cheese (or more if you prefer)

1 tablespoon of melted butter

1 large egg, beaten

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Mix the melted butter and egg together in a medium bowl - set aside.

Pound the chicken to about 1/3" thick.  Place the ham on the breast followed by the cheese.  Roll up the chicken breast, secure with a toothpick.  Dip the chicken breast in the mix of egg and melted butter mix.   Make sure that breast is thoroughly coated.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on a separate plate, the roll the chicken breasts in the cheese.  Roll around so that the breasts have a nice layer of cheese.  Place in to a buttered (I use olive oil) baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until browned and tender. 

Serve with your favorite vegetable side dish.

 

Low Carb Texas Chili

Yes, I've joined the masses doing low carb. But I'm eating healthy and I love it. And in my search for low carb food, I wanted chili. And on a Chili Database site (which I HIGHLY recommend checking out!) I found a low carb version. And it is gooood. Like really good. My one complaint - it's not as thick as I normally like (need to order Thick and Thin/Not Starch).  Oh, and I added a little bit of chopped stewed tomatoes. So add starch or a thickener of your choice. But this stuff is great, little bit of sour cream and cheddar, and you're set.

Low Carb Texas Chili

Serving Size : 6

http://www.massrecipes.com/recipes/03/08/texaschililowcarb259118.html

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

3 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (or use an

additional teaspoon regular chile powder)

3 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons salt

1 (8 ounce) can no-sugar added tomato sauce

4 tomato sauce cans water

Brown the meat, onion and garlic in a large pot; drain grease well.

Add all remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low;

cover and simmer 1- 1 1/2 hours.

283 Calories; 18g Fat; 25g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;

4g Net Carbs

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

I can make no claim to this recipe, but someone at McCormick did a damn good job and I <3 them for it.  And sadly I went in really hoping I would not be left with junky bbq on the 4th of July.  It was stupid easy.  Really.  You could have a 10 year old make this.  :)  And it was beyond amazing.  I have grown up on thicker bbq sauces so I thew several tablespoons of cornstarch in.  Voila!  I did mine on kaiser rolls with sliced cheddar cheese.  And some grilled corn on the cob (roll the uncooked [washed] corn in olive oil and fresh ground sea salt.  Mmmmm.).  Makes a great easy meal.  

Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Chicken

Makes 8 servings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours on LOW or 2 1/2 hours on HIGH

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Seasoning
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.
 2. Mix Seasoning, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and water until blended. Pour over chicken. Cover.
 3. Cook 5 hours on LOW or 2 1/2 hours on HIGH. Remove chicken from slow cooker.
 4. Shred chicken using 2 forks. Return chicken to slow cooker; mix and heat with sauce before serving. Serve on sandwich rolls, if desired.
Test Kitchen Tip: Substitute 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs for chicken breasts. Cook 4 hours on HIGH.

NUTRITION INFORMATION - per serving

Calories: 236 - Fat: 4 g - Carbohydrates: 21 g - Cholesterol: 78 mg - Sodium: 780 mg - Fiber: 1 g - Protein: 29 g

Summer Time is Spy Pie Time

I actually just pulled this recipe back out now that even Hell is trying to stay cool from the searing heat.  It's a family classic, my Pepa loves it, and damnit, it's just great in summer.  Since I grew up with it, it's one of those things I can't imagine summer without it!

Spy Pie

Ingredients

1 package of partially thawed berries (any flavor or mix), about 16oz

****KEEP THEM PARTIALLY THAWED****

1 cup sugar

2 egg whites

2 tbsp lemon juice 

1/2 - 3/4 of large tub of Cool Whip (do not get the Extra Creamy kind!)

2 graham cracker pie crusts (if you can find the extra serving ones, those work great!)

Directions

Mix the first four ingredients together in a LARGE bowl on high speed with a hand mixer (I haven't tried my Kitchen Aid with this yet, but I can attest that it gets messy and you need a large bowl) for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.

Then mix in Cool Whip until light and fluffy.  Pour in to pie crusts.  Mound it up!  Left overs are great for custard cups

Freeze for at least 3 hours, until very firm.  Top with more Cool Whip, shaved chocolate, berries, etc.