Paula Deen's Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

OMGosh! Doesn't that look GOOD?!

It is. It really is. When I was browsing the Food Network site, I couldn't pass this picture up and I tried the recipe the following week. Whip up your own whip topping and it will look like Paula Deen's. I just bought some Light Whip Cream in a can.

I used fresh pumpkin, store-bought frozen crust, and fat free evaporated milk... and it was amazing.

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Ingredients:

• 1 c. apple butter
• 1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 c. evaporated milk
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (use deep dish!)
• Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine apple butter, pumpkin, salt and spices in a bowl.
3. Stir in eggs.
4. Gradually add milk and mix well. Pour into pie shell.
5. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set.

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Notes:

If crust begins to burn, place tin foil around the crust and lower the temperature of the oven.

A tasty topping for this pie is praline pecans.

Gift Giving Carrot Cake

This is a recipe meant to be shared! Not only to share the recipe, but the share the other loaves that this recipe makes.

I have no idea how my mom came across this recipe. But I remember for Christmas one year giving little loaves as presents to everyone...teachers, Sunday school teachers, babysitter... We wrapped them up in pretty green saran wrap, ribbon, and a tag. I was probably only in 2nd grade, but I truly remember giving that gift.

The recipe made it into the Family Cookbook, hiding somewhere under my mom's name. With the fall weather and the baby coming in a week, I decided that I had to share this recipe.

I hope you enjoy!

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Ingredients:

3 c. unsifted flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. mayonnaise

20 oz. canned crushed pineapple (well drained--reserve 1/2 c. juice)

3 c. coarsely shredded carrots

1 c. raisins

1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

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Directions:

1. Grease and flour 6 (5 1/2" x 3" x 2 1/2") loaf pans OR
   2 (9" x 5" x 3") loaf pans OR
   1 (9" x 13") baking pan
2. Mix first 5 ingredients, set aside.
3. In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat eggs, sugar, mayonnaise, crushed pineapple, and 1/2 c. juice until well blended.
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well blended.
5. Stir in remaining ingredients.
6. Turn into prepared pan(s).
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove.

Death By Chocolate

Ok, I had a lot of people asking for this recipe. Kudos to the Shumway family; I believe that is where I got this recipe originally and then it made it into the family cookbook.

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

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INGREDIENTS:

Favorite Brownie mix, prepared

1/4 cup Kahlua

2 packages of Chocolate Mousse or 2 (3 oz) packages of Chocolate Pudding, prepared

12 oz Cool Whip

1/4 cup chopped pecans

6-8 crushed Heath Bars

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DIRECTIONS:

Prepare 9x13 pan of favorite brownies.

Immediately out of the oven, poke holes into hot brownies and pour Kahlua over the top. Let cool.

Layer in a glass bowl: 1/2 of crumbled brownies,  1/2 of mousse, 1/2 of cool whip, 1/2 of pecans, 1/2 of Heath Bars. Repeat.

Chill 3 hours or more before serving. Makes 12 servings.

I know... it's so simple, but sooo good. Enjoy!

Chocolate Blackout Cake

(Soon I'll add a picture of a slice of this cake... It's soooo yummy)

I got this recipe from Cook's Country TV on PBS. We don't get TV, except for 3 channels, which really don't have anything on. But one night, out of sheer boredom, I was watching and saw this recipe for a cake. OMGosh, I had to go online, get the recipe and make it.

It's rich. It's decadent.

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INGREDIENTS 

Pudding:

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. half & half

1 c. whole milk

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake:

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pans

1 1/2 c. flour, plus extra for dusting pans

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 c. strong black coffee

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

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DIRECTIONS:

1. For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk in a large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.

2. For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.

3. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.

4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.

5. To assemble cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Lemon Bars

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

5 tbsp packed light brown sugar

8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided

3/4 cups fresh lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

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DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make crust, mix flour and light brown sugar using a food processor until fully incorporated. Toss butter into flour mixture and pulse to combine using short bursts of power until butter is cut into tiny pea-sized pieces and dough appears lumpy. Sprinkle crust mixture onto an ungreased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan as evenly as possible; press down with a spatula to create a packed surface. Place crust in middle of oven and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make lemon topping, beat eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla extract and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar; mix well. Add lemon juice and remaining powdered sugar; mix until powdered sugar is completely dissolved and then add zest.

As soon as crust is finished, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Immediately pour lemon mixture over hot crust. Bake completely, about 30 minutes; cool, and cut into 24 bars. Yields 1 bar per serving.

NOTES

The crust must be HOT when you pour on the lemon mixture.

You’ll need approximately three lemons to yield the amount of juice and zest in this recipe.

*****Yes, this is totally a WW recipe.

BBQ Black Bean Pizza

This is a favorite for the quick night or the no brainer meal. Everything is simple and there's no way to screw it up. It was originally a WW recipe, but I made some changes. 

FRESH CILANTRO makes all the difference. It still tastes good without it, but the real depth of flavor comes with fresh cilantro. (I started to just keep it on hand, because it's like 70 cents. So, it's okay if it rots in the fridge.)

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1/2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

        (Or I use canned)

7 1/2 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed (half a 15 oz can)

1 Mama Mary's Thin & Crispy Pre-made pizza crust 

        (The cheap premade crust at Wal-Mart)

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup red onion, red, finely chopped

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese, divided (or whatever you have on hand)

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DIRECTIONS:

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat to 450ºF.

Spray a nonstick skillet and stir-fry chicken over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to medium-size bowl and toss with half barbecue sauce.

OR

Open can of chicken, drain, and mix in bowl of half of barbecue sauce.

Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Arrange chicken and black beans over crust; sprinkle with onion and cilantro. Drizzle with remaining barbecue sauce; add remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake 10 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Cut into 8 slices and serve immediately.

Serve with salad and light dressing.

Beyond Hamburger Helper

Lately, I have had people asking me for some recipes. How flattering! Thank you anyone that has asked me for a recipe. Of course you can make it for yourself.

First off, my dad is so surprised that I even cook. Or clean. Or whatever. When in junior high and high school, I strictly refused to do anything like that. I cleaned because it was a chore and I didn't want my butt chewed. I cooked because I was hungry, and I remember distinctly that it was always Hamburger Helper. I had hamburger, I needed a meal, and dangit, I NEED HELP!

When I got married, I learned to cook. Then, I had more confidence in cooking from the fine Food Network. I don't know what I'd do with out you Alton Brown, Rachel Ray, and Giada Di Laurentis!  They didn't use fire, weird utensils, and words I couldn't understand. I left feeling like a master... "I can make supper!" Therefore, I was a hero (at least, to my husband).

But, then, I started having kids. Food wasn't in question until Grace was eating table food. Oh my gosh?! What are omega 3, MSG, how many calories are good?, processed cheese..... How do I know if I am sending my child down the wide and easy road of gluttony and malnutrition?!

I joined Weight Watchers. I didn't need pre-fab meals coming to my door, (goodness knows I couldn't afford it anyway!). I wanted to know what to cook, how much to eat, and heck, loose some weight while I'm learning!

The first night my husband and I signed up for Weight Watchers, we had just finished eating a meal of Cheesy Hamburger Helper (see my confidence or preparation time still wasn't there). I am happy to say, February of 2008 was the LAST time I put Hamburger Helper in my mouth. Not that I am against HH, it's just that I couldn't believe that I ate that many POINTS in ONE sitting! AghhhHH!!!!

Anyway, so that I don't continue to bore you with this monologue... Since February 2008 I have lost 45 pounds, and my husband has lost 70. YAY! And I still eat icecream, chocolate (at least once a day) and drink Caribou Coffee whenever I can get close to one. I like to splurge at Buca di Beppo's and eat decadent Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream (just probably not on the same night!). 

So..... linking to my other blog site. I figured I'd post our families favorite meals, starting with BBQ Black Bean Pizza. 

Whenever we have something new, we rate it. Was it, "Never Again." "Interesting...." "Oh, I'd like to have that again." or "Let's make that a regular."

This one, somehow, makes it on the menu almost every two weeks!