Pumpkin Pie Tart Slices

We've been enjoying the best temperatures right now, lower 60's is just heaven for us poor folks stuck in the hot Arizona sun.

With that, comes the yearning for Fall, for the changing of leaves, for soups and stews and for pumpkin, or in my case.....Pumpkin Pie.

The difference with this recipe is that you make it in a cookie sheet instead of a pie dish and you can cut it into small or big rectangles....it's more of a tart, thinner, flakier, but still the same ol' taste.

Pumpkin Pie Tart Slices

Adapted from: Picky Palate

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 box puff pastry, thawed
3 Tablespoons melted butter
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon


1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl mix the pumpkin, sugar, heavy cream, egg, cinnamon and nutmeg until creamy and well combined.

2.  Place puff pastry onto a lightly floured countertop and cut out 4 pumpkins per sheet of pastry.  Place pumpkin cut outs onto silpat or parchment lined baking sheets.  Brush each pumpkin lightly with butter then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.  Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of pumpkin pie filling around center of pumpkins leaving 1/4 inch border around edges.

3.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown on the edges and pumpkin pie is cooked through.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack. 

Serve room temperature or chilled.  Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired before serving.

Cornucopias - Cream Horns

Here's another one that takes me back to my childhood.

This dessert was made by my great grandmother, and it wasn't that often so when it showed up on the dinner table it was devoured.

Things were done different back then, there was no puff pastry or pudding for the filling, everything was made from absolute scratch, from the pastry to the egg custard.

Thankfully nowadays with the hectic schedules we have, it's great to have shortcuts which allow us to present an amazing dessert that takes little to no time to throw together but looks like a million bucks.

Cornucopias - Cream Horns

1 package puff pastry
1 box of pudding for filling (I used cheesecake flavored)



Prepare pudding according to package directions. (follow the directions for pie filling). Set aside to thicken.

Cut each pastry sheet into 6 strips.

Now you need Cream Horn molds and they are really inexpensive and you can actually get them on amazon. Just follow this link.

Take each mold and one strip of the pastry and begin wrapping around the mold.

Set on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the molds.

Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Remove from oven, carefully remove the mold. You'll actually find that the mold slides right out, it doesn't stick at all.

Place the horns on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling.

Once they're cooled, fill each horn with the pudding.

Set on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Tea Rolls!

Another great recipe from Taste of Home. With everyone sick in the house, breakfasts have been pretty quick and easy consisting of cereal or toast, but I wanted to make something a little nicer today without having to spend too much time in the kitchen.

 

These were super easy and quick to make and they're really good. BTW, you may want to double the recipe.

 

CINNAMON TEA ROLLS 

 

 

1 tube (4 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls 

1 tablespoon sugar 

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar 1-1/4 teaspoons orange juice 

 

 Unroll crescent dough into one rectangle; seal perforations. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. 

 

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seam to seal. Using a serrated knife, cut into four slices. 

 

Place rolls, pinched side down, in ungreased muffin cups. As you can see I just put mine on a cookie sheet. 

 

Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and orange juice; drizzle over rolls. 

Bolo Marmore - Marble Cake

If there's one single cake that brings back childhood memories, it's this one. I remember sitting around the kitchen table with my brothers as we waited for my stepmom to cut us a slice, then taking the biggest bite ever and ooohhh ahhhhing for a while. 

 

Tonight is like being back home, it's like reverting back to when I was 5 or 6 years old and enjoying a home cooked meal after a day of playing outside until dark....I can see my greatgrandmother with a smile on her face as she dished out the dinner she had made for our family, Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie whichever you prefer and Marble Cake for dessert. 

 

My husband is working a new shift which means he will only see the kids on the weekends and they're missing him already, so tonight is all about comfort food and giving my children the same wonderful memories that I hope one day will remind them of home. 

 

BOLO MARMORE - MARBLE CAKE

 

1 1/2 cups of sugar 

2 sticks of butter, softened 

6 eggs, separated 

3/4 cup cornstarch 

1 cup flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 capful vanilla extract (just use the bottle cap to measure) 

2 tablespoons cocoa powder 

 

 

Beat sugar with softened butter....add egg yolks one at a time and vanilla extract

Beat egg whites until stiff 

 

Mix flour, cornstarch and baking powder, then alternate incorporating the egg whites and the flour into the egg mixture.

Divide the batter in half, add 2 tablespoons of chocolate to one of the them. Then by the spoonsful, add the mixture to the cake pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Since the kids were helping me with the cake, I gave them measuring cups to add the cake batter into the pan. 

 

 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350º. Bake the cake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. While the cake is baking, give the kids the mixing bowls and cups and let them go to town........aahhhh the best part of making a cake isn't it?

Cookie Caramel Pudding!

One of the most common portuguese desserts is Pudim de Caramelo and I can tell you right now that every portuguese housewive has at least one or two versions of this recipe. This is a different take on the pudding, it's perfect for those days when you need a great dessert but don't want something elaborate. 

 

COOKIE CARAMEL PUDDING 

 

10 Maria cookies or you could use Vanilla Wafers too 

2 cups of milk 

4 eggs 

10 teaspoons sugar 

 

For the caramel: 

1 cup of sugar 

 

Place the sugar in a small pot on medium heat and cook until you get a brown colored syrup. Pour into a fluted pan and set aside. Mix the remaining ingredients in a blender and pour over the caramel in the fluted pan. Bake at 350º in a water bath for about 40 minutes. 

 

Let cool down completely and then unmold onto a serving dish. Place in refrigerator and serve cold.

Easy Chocolate Mousse!

EASY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

I've been making this since forever, I can't remember a time when I haven't whipped up a batch of this chocolate mousse for the kids.....and for us big kids too *wink*

It's SO SO easy and I bet you have all the ingredients sitting in your pantry, so what do you say? You in the mood for some???




In a pan over low heat, melt together 2/3 cup of milk and 3 cups miniature marshmallows, stir continually until melted.

If your arm gets tired grab an unsuspecting husband for the job *wink*Remove from heat.

Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer until stiff. Set aside.

Here's a neat trick I use, you know how when you're using the mixer everything starts flying all over and you tend to end up with splatters of cream or soup or whatever on your appliances, curtains and counters?

Well I set my bowl in the sink and do it in there, any splatters just say inside the walls of the sink and it's SO much easier to clean.

Next add 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips into the marshmallow mixture. Set on low and stir continually until the chocolate is melted.

Remove from heat and let it sit at room temperature until cooled.

Fold in the whipped cream and then spoon into 4 dessert or parfait glasses.

I like taking the canned whipped cream and topping each bowl with some. Pop it into the refrigerator until serving time and VOILA.........Yummy chocolate mousse!

Triple Chocolate Mess!

I'm a mom and usually when the word mess comes up, I cringe, because I know there's something gross that I need to clean.

But THIS is one mess I would not mind dealing with daily, the Triple Chocolate Mess that gets dumped into your slow cooker and 8 hours later has you literally licking the plate. (shhhhh don't tell anyone I said that)
So let's make a mess, come on don't be shy, moms never get to play dirty so now it's our turn.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MESS

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 pint sour cream
1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 6oz. bag chocolate chips
1 6 oz bag peanut butter chips
3/4 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. water

Spray crock pot with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours Try not to lift the lid. Serve with ice cream. Keeps in fridge for a while. Just heat and serve.


Here's the MAIN culprits to this mess....yes I know there's eggs and oil and water but really they are nowhere near as dangerous as these guys above.

In a bowl add the chocolate cake mix and the pudding mix

Now add the chocolate chips and the peanut butter chips........steal a few and pop them into your mouth quickly before the little 4 year old sees you, otherwise you have to share *tee hee*

Look at the chips some more and realize they look so COOL that you need a close up.

Realize that you really don't need pictures of every single egg and oil cup going in, so dump in the rest of the ingredients, mix it all up nice and well.


Grease the slow cooker pan with non stick spray and dump your mess in there. One thing I have to give props for, at least the mess is contained in ONE area....right???

Turn it on low for 8 hours and walk away, remind yourself every 2 minutes that you are NOT to lift the lid no matter how much your hips scream for it.

No Bake Twinkie Cake!!!

I came across this recipe in a magazine a while ago, I planned on making it last summer and completely forgot about it, but while organizing my recipe collection today I found it again.

Instead of just putting it aside, I decided to get right in there and make it. It's a HIT and it's soooooo good, you have GOT to try it.

BANANA-CARAMEL CAKE

Here's my finished cake

1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant butterscotch pudding mix
Milk
1 bananas, chopped
2 pkgs (15. oz) Twinkies
4 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
Caramel Sundae Topping
Toasted coconut (To toast flaked coconut, in nonstick skilledt, over medium heat, cook coconut, stirring until browned, 3-4 minutes)


Prepare pudding mix with milk according to package directions for pie filling consistency. Let prepared pudding stand 5 minutes. Fold in bananas. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Arrange 10 Twinkies in bottom of 9" springform pan, cutting to fit. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining Twinkies.

Spread with 1 cup topping. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Uncover. Remove side of pan. Spread top and side of cake with remaining topping.
Press 1 2/3 cups toasted coconut onto side of frosted cake. Drizzle with 2 Tbs. Caramel sundae topping.


Enjoy!

MUSHROOM -BEEF STEW!!!

Right now my house is filled with the wonderful aroma of this Stew cooking in the Crockpot. I can't wait for dinner.

1 pound beef stew meat
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 envelope (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
2 cans (4 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained

Slow Cooker Directions:

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles and garnish as desired.

*******************************************

Dessert

For dessert, I'm making Carrot Cake with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting. I think it's all in keeping with this Autumn meal :)

1 package (2 layer size) carrot cake mix
1 package (8 ounces) *PHILADELPHIA*Cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated or powdered sugar
1/4 cup cold milk
1 tub (8 ounces) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Prepare cake mix as directed on package for 13x9-in pan. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread over top of cake.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish as desired.