Happy Halloween - Mummy Cupcakes

Halloween is so much fun.  Spooky decorations, scary movies, ghosts and goblins, plus you get to be anything you want on Halloween.  You want to be a super hero?  Of course you’re a super hero!  Princess?  That tiara has never looked better.  It’s also the one day of the year you knock on doors and get candy (endless supply of candy) for saying “Trick-or-Treat.”   Seriously, when else are you that lucky?  And it gets better, when you hit that stage when you are too old to go knocking on doors asking for free chocolate, your friends will throw a fabulous party!  Now this is when Halloween reaches its peak. 

Cocktails that flow from a pumpkin punch bowl, bat and pumpkin themed cookies, witches fingers for appetizers, brains for dinner - the clever food ideas never stop.  Obviously I didn't go empty handed to the Halloween party.  This year in honor of Jerry’s classic Halloween costume theme, mummy cupcakes!  I’m using a traditional chocolate cupcake with white piped frosting to mimic the mummy costume.  A little colored frosting to make the eyes and we’re all set.  Super cute (or super scary!) and delicious.  

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder
2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F  Mix all ingredients with the paddle attachment on medium speed until blended.  Pour into cupcake tins (pour batter 3/4 high).  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Test with a cake tester. 

For a 9x13 in cake - bake for one hour.

Let cool on wire racks.  Frost and decorate.

My Vanilla Buttercream:
2 pounds confectioner's sugar (1 package)
2 sticks butter (European style preferred), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk, as needed for consistency 

Pumpkin Butter Bars – It doesn’t get better than this.

There is a theme happening here – pumpkin everything.  It is fall, so I suppose there is no better time than to experiment with pumpkin.  Meredith said “You’re knocking it out of the park with these pumpkin desserts.”  (I’m blushing)  This one happens to be a happy accident.  I ended up with leftover filling from thePumpkin Pie Bites and did not want it to go to waste.  I didn’t want to make a pie since I had just made the pie bites.  Insert thought bubble….  What about that butter crust I used in the caramel bars.  I might just be on to something here.

Pumpkin Butter Bars

Makes 48 small bars

For the Crust

1 pound (16 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

For the Crust

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325° F. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined.  Add the flour and beat on low speed until a smooth, soft dough forms.  Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Pat the remaining dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.  Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the Filling

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.  Spoon over the bottom crust and spread the filling evenly. Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the pumpkin filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Using a sharp knife, cut the bars into small squares. The bars will keep in an airtight container for 1 week in the refrigerator. Individually wrap each bar into a sheet of plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container, then freeze for up to 1 month.

Addicted to Pinterest - Pumpkin Pie Bites

Beautiful photos, creative ideas I would never think of, amazing DIY projects, endless amounts of recipes, the list goes on and on.  I wonder how many other people are addicted to Pinterest?  You’re either on it every chance you get, or you don’t know it exists. 

I have a board for every aspect of my life – that includes building my dream home.  I’m currently renting – and probably will never be able to afford my dream home, but that’s why it’s a dream home.  I get to pretend that money is flowing freely and I’m going to build an amazing home with walk in showers, tree houses for the kids I don’t have yet, relaxing lounge areas for movies and of course the dream kitchen and overly organized pantry that lends itself to endless amounts of cooking and baking.  Don’t forget this kitchen is open and flows right into the rest of the house so I can always be entertaining.  Oh to dream…

Well, for now, I can at least make one aspect of that come true – cook and bake for friends and family in an apartment I don’t deserve that has an amazing open layout – yes I can entertain!

I may as well put all of those wonderful recipes I’ve been pinning to good use!  I’ll start with the Pumpkin Pie Bites.  Who doesn’t like pumpkin pie?  And when it comes in a pop in your mouth, eat as many as you want because they are so small, bite size who can resist?  I’ll take five, or six, or….

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Ingredients

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out dough and cut into squares (some will have rounded edges).

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture into each cut square of pie dough – fold edges to meet in the middle.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust.  Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.

Makes 24 pies.  Keep refrigerated.

Fall Is In The Air - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The air is crisp when I wake up in the morning.  My nose runs when I am outside for more than a few minutes.  Fall is in the air.  This can only mean one thing - pumpkins.  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin soup, stuffed pumpkin - you name it, I want to make and eat it!  This is one reason fall is my favorite season - I cannot get enough pumpkin in my life.  

With a chill in the air and my brain thinking fall is right around the corner (or here!) I couldn't help but think about making a dessert with a pumpkin flavor.  I recently made a batch of chocolate chip cookies - melt in your mouth, delicious butter flavor, warm, gooey chocolate chips.  Since these were still on my mind, I decided to combine two of my favorites.  Alas, the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 cup European style butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large brown egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 4 dozen.