For Days Like Today

Need a little pick-me-up? Besides being completely delicious, this recipe for cinnamon pull-apart bread looks delicious. For a step-by-step, click HERE.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

...I dare you to say that five times fast (: I found this fantastic recipe from Megan, and it looks delicious. Every kid loves cookie dough, and when you combine it with cupcakes, it's sure to be a hit! Here's the break down:

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker Golden Vanilla Cake Mix

1/2  package Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

1/3 cup Canola Oil

3 Eggs

1 1/4 cup Water

1 cup crushed Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 container Whipped Vanilla Frosting

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare cupcake tins.

2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.

3. Cut refrigerated cookie dough into small chunks and fold into cake mix.

4. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full and bake for 12-15 minutes.

5. Let cool and top with frosting and cookie crumbs.

6. ENJOY!

Pumpkin Cake

Lately I've been craving anything and everything pumpkin. This recipe looks delicious! I found the tutorial here.

PUMPKIN CAKE
NOTE: This recipe is for an 8x8 square dish. Most recipes similar to this are for 9x13, so some of the measurements have been halved, from the original recipe.

Cake bottom:
1 cup of yellow cake mix (you'll also need 3/4 cup of the cake mix for the topping and can save the rest for making this dessert again)
2 Tbls melted butter
1/2 of an egg (more info below)

Pumpkin filling:
1 15 oz can of pumpkin (or 2 cups of fresh puree)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 can evaporated milk

Topping: 
3/4 cup yellow cake mix
2 Tbls sugar
2 Tbls butter

First prepare the bottom cake layer.
Melt the butter in the microwave or stove and let it cool slightly (so you the eggs don't curdle when added to the mix). Then pour the butter and 1/2 of an egg into the 1 cup of cake mix and stir. (Since this recipe has been halved from the original, it calls for 1/2 of an egg. Whenever I need 1/2 eggs for a recipe, I crack and whisk up one egg in a small bowl and then just pour about 1/2 of the mixture into the recipe. I don't measure exactly since eggs vary in size anyway. (It usually works pretty well).

Press the cake mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 Square dish (which has been sprayed with cooking spray). The mixture will be very sticky, so use a plastic bag over your hand to evenly press it around.

Next, prepare the topping. Mix 3/4 cup of yellow cake mix with 2 Tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in 2 Tablespoons, till well blended. Set this aside.

Now the Filling.

You're going to make this exactly like you would a pumpkin pie. If you have a small can of Libby's canned pumpkin, you can follow that recipe exactly or use the ingredients listed above (which are from the Libby's can!). Mix everything together with a wire wisk.

And pour it over the bottom cake layer.

Finally, sprinkle the topping evenly over the top.

Stick it in a 350 degree oven and bake for 45 min to an hour.

Now because I doubled the amount of pumpkin filling in this recipe, it takes much longer for the pumpkin to set in the middle. Of course you don't want the top of your dessert to get overly brown in the process. So, I haven't perfected this part yet, but I recommend covering the top with foil for the first 15 minutes or so of cooking (doesn't have to be tight on the pan, just sitting on top of the dish). Remove it during the cooking and let it cook the rest of the time, uncovered.

When you're done, you have this:

Let it cool for a bit, serve with cool whip, whipping cream, or vanilla ice cream, and serve!

An Easy Lunch With Kids

This looks like such a fun idea to do with kids. It inspires creativity, and I guess it doesn't hurt that they taste good, too (:

What you need:

• English muffins
• Spaghetti sauce
• Toppings (cheese, pepperoni, canadian bacon, pineapple, mushrooms, etc.)

Step One - Get everything set up. Split the muffins and put the toppings in separate bowls.

Step Two - Let the kids come in and put together their favorite kind of pizza.

Step Three - Place under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes. They should cook pretty quickly, so keep an eye on them.

Step Four - Try to remember whose pizza was whose and enjoy!

Pictures and steps courtesy of eighteen25.blogspot.com.

Blackberry Cobbler

We just moved back to California. Now I know this state has it problems, i.e. it's bankrupt, the traffic is horrific, and the unemplyment rate is high. But we just moved to the cutest little town called Murphys. It's an old gold mining town that has never lost it original look. Truly it's charming. In the upcoming weeks, I'll take you to some of its darling boutiques, wineries, and restaraunts. But today I have to tell you about these beautiful blackberries in our backyard. What a wonderful surprise these were! The first day we moved in, my husband came into the kitchen with a bowl full of berries. Too tired to make pie, I found an old cobbler recipe in my recipe file. WOW!! it is so good I have to share it with you. You may be wondering why the picture is of red berries, that's because I've made so many cobblers that all the ripe berries are gone. Now all we can do is wait for these to turn ripe, and I guarantee my husband will be out there again picking a bowl full.

Blackberry Cobbler
1c sugar 1t baking powder
3 tablespoons flour 1/4 c shortening
1 c water 1/2 c milk
3 to 4 c blackberries dash of salt
1 c flour
Mix the sugar, 3 T of four and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for one minute. Add the berries and gently mix. Pour this into a 9x9 pan. Dot with a few teaspoons of butter and sprinkle a little cinnamon over the top. Now mix the flour, salt and the baking powder. Cut in the shortening, then add the milk and mix. Spoon this over the berries. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Serve with ice cream if you want. Enjoy.