Pumpkin Flans!

Pumpkin Flans!
Tastes like a rich, custardy version of pumpkin pie
From BiggestLoserClub.com

If you have leftover pumpkin, try making a pumpkin smoothie with yogurt, milk, a few sweet spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and a drizzle of sweetener.

Makes 8 flans

3 large eggs, preferably omega-3-enriched
1 1/4 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups 1% milk, heated until very hot
Ground nutmeg, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°F with an oven rack in the center position. Coat eight 6-ounce custard cups with canola cooking oil spray and set them in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs slightly with a small whisk. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, canola oil, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt and beat until blended thoroughly. Mix in the hot milk until blended. There will be 4 cups of liquid. Pour 1/2 cup of the flan mixture into each of the custard cups.

Bring about 3 cups of water to a light simmer on top of the stove (you can use a teakettle for this). Place the baking pan on the pulled-out oven rack and carefully pour the hot water into the baking pan until it comes up to the level of the custard inside the cups.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set around the edges but still a little loose in the center; the center will jiggle a little when shaken.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Remove the cups from the water bath with tongs and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours, until chilled.

Serve cold, garnished with ground nutmeg.

Per flan: 175 calories, 5 g total fat (1.5 g saturated), 110 mg cholesterol, 220 mg sodium, 24 g total carbohydrates (18 g sugars) , 2 g fiber,6 g protein

Apricot Brie Cups

Apricot Brie Cups
From the Kitchen of Kristi Cox


You buy the Athens Phyllo Dough Shells (mini) (I have only found them at Super Walmart They sell out really fast around the holidays).


Then I go to Trader Joe's and get
-Apricot Preserves
-Brie (or gorgonzola is tasty too)
-Sliced Almonds

Put the brie at the bottom of each phyllo shell and then fill with the apricot preserves. Top each one with one sliced almond (It makes it look extra special). I just bake them for a little bit until they bubble (I can't remember if there are heating instructions on the phyllo shell box but if there is, then just follow that)

ENJOY!

Sweet Heart Cake

Sweet Heart Cake
from Betty Crocker

(This pretty heart-shaped cake is the perfect way to say "I love you!")

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hour 58 min
Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box

1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
Red food color


1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease or lightly spray bottoms only of one 8-inch round and one 8-inch square pan.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Batter will be lumpy. Divide batter evenly between pans.
3. Bake 23 to 31 minutes (26 to 34 minutes for dark or nonstick pans) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. Cut round cake in half. Put square cake on tray with one point toward you. Place cut side of each half against one of the top sides of square cake to make a heart as shown in diagram.
5. Tint frosting with a few drops food color. Frost cake with frosting. Store loosely covered.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box for 8-inch pans.


Special Touch
Gently press miniature chocolate chips into the sides of this frosted cake for that extra-special touch.
Success
Freeze the baked and cooled cakes about an hour for easier cutting and frosting.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 360 (Calories from Fat 140); Total Fat 16g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 3g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 330mg; Total Carbohydrate 51g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 33g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3 1/2

Valentine Cutouts

Valentine Cutouts
from: Taste of Home

SERVINGS: 8-10
TIME: Prep: 45 min. + chilling

Ingredients:
2 packages (6 ounces each) cherry or raspberry gelatin
2-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions:
In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in water; set aside for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Quickly pour into gelatin; whisk until well blended. Pour into an oiled 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Chill until set. Cut into cubes or use a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving:(1 each)
Calories: 113
Fat:1 g
Saturated Fat:1 g
Cholesterol:3 mg
Sodium:187 mg
Carbohydrate:25 g
Fiber:0 g
Protein:2 g

Chai Candied Almonds

Chai Candied Almonds
From the Kitchen of Kristin Sumption

1 large egg white
1 teaspoon water
2 1/2 cups whole roasted almonds (unsalted)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chai tea mix

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Spray rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lightly beat egg white and water. Pour almonds and egg white mixture into a large zip lock bag. Close and shake vigorously until almonds are coated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and spices and then pour into bag. Shake vigorously until coated again. Spread nuts onto cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, tossing and flipping every 15 minutes until coating is crunchy and no longer sticky. Let cool completely and serve in a cute bowl or bag them up for gifts. My hubby loves to sprinkle them over vanilla ice cream with a hint of carmel sauce :) PS. You have to cook them the ENTIRE time or they will be a bit chewy in the center, using pre-roasted almonds helps this but I still do the whole hour to insure a nice crunch!

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
from Everyday Food, November 2010, Adapted by Kristin Sumption

Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins

For the Batter:
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/3 cup buttermilk (regular milk, with a few good squeezes of lemon juice, let stand for 5 min.)
1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree ( I still can only find this at Whole Foods)
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
For the Sugar Coating:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Make batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes (15 minutes if using mini cups). Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

Pecan Cheese Ball

Pecan Cheese Ball
From: Souther Living Christmas Cookbook via Susan Reid

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese...softened
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 TBSP finely chopped onion
2 tsp seasoned salt
2 cups Chopped pecans, toasted and divided

Combine first 5 ingredients; stir in one cup pecans. Cover and chill until firm.

Shape mixture into ball; roll in remaining 1 cup of pecans. Place cheese ball on a serving platter; serve with crackers and strips of bell pepper (red and green recommended). Cheese ball will be about 5 inches in diameter.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes
From the Kitchen of Heather Thomas

1 1/3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup pumpkin
4 eggs (seperated)
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 stick of butter (melted)
1 1/3 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

On low speed mix egg yolks, milk, pumpkin,sugar, and vanilla. wisk in butter. wisk in dry ingredients. In seperate bowl beat egg whites. Fold egg whites into batter.

* I think the recipe is from a Bon Appetit magaine a few years ago if you wanted to try to look it up. They are delicious and sooo fluffy:) Hope you like them!

Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread Cake
From the kitchen of Amy Day


My FAVORITE fall recipe just hit me like a bolt of lightning. Look up a gingerbread cake recipe and make it according to directions, except replace the water with the juice from canned or jarred pears. At the bottom of a bundt pan (which will become the top when the cake is inverted), place a small amout of butter (too much will make the cake fall apart), sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon, and line the entire top with a thin layer of canned/jarred pears. Pour in the gingerbread cake and bake. Serve with fresh whipped cream, not too sweet. It's amazing!!

Apple Spice Muffins

Apple Spice Muffins
From the Kitchen of Kim Taylor

1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
2 cups peeled, diced apples
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts

beat oil, eggs, and sugar until smooth. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl and gradually add to sugar mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in apples, raisins, and walnuts.

Spoon batter into greased muffin pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Pumpkin Dip

Pumpkin Dip
From the Kitchen of Tiffani Hampton

1 15oz can pumpkin
1 8oz container whipped cream cheese
Sugar to taste (a fair amount)
Cinnamon to taste
Nutmeg to taste
A tiny pinch of ground cloves
Optional: a splash of orange extract or orange zest

Blend together and serve cold with Ginger snaps for dipping.

Carrot soup w/ginger

Carrot soup w/ginger
From the kitchen of Katie Springer


saute ginger in oil until brown. remove, set aside. add 2 tbps minced shallots and saute until translucent. stir in 1 lb cut up carrots and add 2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 tsp salt. bring to boil and then simmer 20-25 minutes. remove and Blend the concoction until smooth and add a little seasoning to taste. Return to saucepan.

Garnish with a teeny-weeny bit o'ginger or sour cream. Enjoy

Gooey and Sweet Baked Apple Treat

Gooey and Sweet Baked Apple Treat
From Sparkpeople.com/recipes

2 Cups sliced apple (peeled and cored)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
3 tsp Brown Sugar
1/4 cup water
1 pkg Quaker Instant Oatmeal 33% less sugar (Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavor) Not Prepared


Directions

Core and slice apples and place in baking dish. Combine brown sugar and water and pour over apple slices. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with cinnamon and Instant Oatmeal. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes at 425F. Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately or allow to cool before serving. Makes four servings.

Number of Servings: 4


Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 90.6
Total Fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 43.8 mg
Total Carbs: 21.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.6 g
Protein: 1.0 g

Candy Corn Martinis

Candy Corn Martinis
From the Kitchen of Carolyn Schroder

candy corns in the bottom of martini glass

3/4 OJ (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 vodka (more or less)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cocoa powder

shake above in a shaker thing- with ice. pour over candy corns.... it tasted like orange sherbert. made about 3 martinis

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
from Taste of Home

24 ServingsPrep: 15 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min. + cooling

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding mix
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Combine the flour, pudding mixes, ginger, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate as desired.
Yield: about 2 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 194 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 144 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars
from the kitchen of Cassie Carpenter

PREP: 15 min
COOK: 30 min
YIELD: 1 1/2 dozen bars

2 cups finely crushed oreo cookies (the mint ones are yummy too)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 Tbs. peppermint extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening
14 creme de menthe thin candies, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325. In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 9-inch baking pan. Bake 6 minutes. Cool.
2. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, eggs and peppermint extract until smooth. Pour over cooled cookie base and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; chill.
3. Just before serving, in heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over top of chilled cheesecake bars. Sprinkle chopped chocolate mint candies over the top. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers

Almond Crescents

Almond Crescents
from the kitchen of Oriana Montani

There are always a big hit when I make them. Don't forget to really pile the powered sugar on at the end while they're still a little warm.


1 1/4 cups almonds unblanched
1 cup butter (2 sticks) - room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted flour
powder sugar for dusting

Grind almonds fine (but not to a paste) in processor
Cream butter and sugar together
Stir in ground almonds, vanilla, salt and flour
Chill dough until firm

Set oven at 350 degrees.
Lightly grease baking sheets.
Break off walnut size pieces of dough. roll pieces into sticks 1/2 inch thick.
Bend stick into crescent shapes.
Place on prepared baking sheets leaving space between crescents

Bake 15 minutes until crescents are dry but not brown.
Cool slightly. Roll each cookie in powder sugar.
Makes 36 cookies

Christmas Ice-Cream Cake

Christmas Ice-Cream Cake
from Patty Santos

2 boxes of vanilla ice cream sandwiches
1 1/2 tubs cool whip
5-6 crushed heath bars
green sprinkles
red sprinkles
carmel syrup

layer bottom of a 9 X13 baking pan with ice cream sandwiches
spread ample amounts of cool whip, crushed heath bar and carmel syrup
repeat for another layer.
finish with red and green sprinkles

Potatoes Gratin

Potatoes Gratin
From the kitchen of Sherry Watkins

3 cups diced cooked potatoes
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 cup soft bread crumbs

Place potatoes in a shallow, broilerproof baking dish. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Remove 3 tablespoons of butter to a cup or bowl; set aside. To the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the saucepan, add flour. Stir to blend well; gradually stir in milk. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and smooth. Add cheese and continue stirring until cheese is melted. Pour sauce over potatoes in baking dish; mix gently. Place bread crumbs in a bowl; drizzle with remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter; toss to coat. Sprinkle buttered bread crumbs evenly over potatoes. Bake potatoes au gratin at 400° for about 15 minutes to heat through, then broil until golden brown.
Recipe for potatoes au gratin serves 4

Grandma’s Thanksgiving Gravy

Grandma’s Thanksgiving Gravy
From the kitchen of Stephanie Douvas

Turkey Drippings (usually 3-5 cups, depending on the size of turkey)
Wondra
 Milk
2 pkts Lawry’s Turkey Gravy
1jar of Turkey Gravy (just as a starter)
salt and pepper to taste (but I use a lot of pepper)

1. Start with premade gravy and thin with milk.
2. Add turkey drippings and pepper to mix
3. Sprinkle in turkey gravy pkt and wondra to bring to desired thickness
4. Continue this process until you have enough gravy for the amount of people eating

**this gravy is all about tasting and improvising as you go**