Pumpkin Potato Corn Chowder

November 7, 2012 23 Comments

Pumpkin Potato Corn Chowder

 I have been wanting to recreate this Pumpkin soup since last November.  Last year my husband and I went on a mission trip to Haiti with a group from our church.  You can read about it HERE and HERE if you want:-)  It was such an awesome and eye opening experience for me.  It is one thing to see the poverty from pictures and TV, but to experience it first hand breaks your heart.  One thing that I came back thinking was how I need to be so much more thankful for the things and people that God has put in my life.  I also realized how much I really can do without.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

October 18, 2012 46 Comments

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Dear News Crew,

Thank you so much for deciding to visit my house for an interview on neighborhood crime today.  I am so glad that I did not shower, was sporting a pony tail and decided to wear barely any makeup.  That should be a pretty sight on the evening news tonight.  At least I wasn’t in pajamas or sweats:-)
Love,
The Vain Lady Who Hopes No One Recognizes Her

Dear Ankle,
It’s time you suck it up and stop hurting.  I have given you 4 weeks of rest.  In return, you have allowed the brownies and cupcakes to take up residence in places I don’t like.  I have decided to make you go back to the gym, so don’t even try to start hurting again because I’m not listening.

Love,
The Exercise Deprived Lady with Cupcake Buns

Dear Elliptical,
Why do you always cause me to think about cookies and cupcakes when I visit you?  Next time I am there, please make sure to fill my head with visions of salad instead. Thank you for helping me out with this weakness of mine.

Love,
The Lady with Cupcake Visions

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Pie

October 12, 2012 64 Comments
Why is it that you get so nervous when you realize a police car is right behind you?
The other day I was driving along and I happened to look in my rear view mirror,
and there was a police car following right behind me.

Every single time that happens, my heart drops into my stomach,
and I instantly look at my speedometer to make sure I’m not speeding.

I hadn’t gone through a red light…that day,
and I wasn’t trying to text and drive.
So why do I get so jumpy?

I did the same thing another day when we went past the park,
and sure enough in the turn around was a cop car.
My eyes dropped right to my speed.
This time I was going about 10 over…
I thought for sure I was going to be busted.
My stomach was full of butterflies and I felt all jittery!
And of course the kids were in the van with me.

Thank goodness, no red lights and sirens came after me.

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Pumpkin Nutella Muffins and a Welcome Home Brands Giveaway

October 8, 2012 42 Comments
There are certain days that I just want to forget…

…last week I had a few of those.
It seemed like everything that I baked just didn’t go right.
One cookie recipe I tried twice, and both times it flopped.
I’m really bummed because it sounds good, but I haven’t gotten the consistency right yet.

Then on Wednesday morning I was driving the kids to school,
and apparently I was in my own little world.
I looked ahead, saw that the light was green and no one was coming either direction.
Then I was distracted by the red flashing lights at the new gas station.
I even pointed it out to the kids and said something
about someone must have been speeding and got pulled over bright and early.

All of a sudden my son asked me why I wasn’t stopping.
The green light that I had seen, turned yellow, and then red,
all while I was gawking at the flashing lights.

At that point it was slam on the brakes and slide through the intersection…
or just keep on going and blow through the red light.
No one was coming, so I opted for the second choice.
The first thing my son said was, “I’m going to tell Dad.”
He couldn’t believe I ran a red light.
Not the thing I want him to see when he is just a few years away from a license himself!!!

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Scones

October 4, 2012 32 Comments
Every couple of months my husband asks for scones.
Now usually he is very specific and wants “non candy” scones.
Apparently I can’t bake with out adding cookies or candies to things…
it’s kind of an obsession of mine.

And he know’s that if he doesn’t specify how he wants them…
there will be crunchy things or chocolatey things added.

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Chocolate Pumpkin Spider Donuts

September 30, 2012 73 Comments
 A couple years ago I decided that I was going to boycott dusting.

I was putting out my Halloween decorations…things like skeleton bones, spiders, and gravestones.
They kind of looked out of place on nice bright clean shelves.
Last year I added some rats.

Let’s face it…bones and rats look much better with a layer of dust surrounding them.

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M&M Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

September 26, 2012 39 Comments
Well, it was bound to happen again…
Chocolate Chip cookies made with a pudding mix
I had to make more pudding cookies.

Especially after I made the peanut butter pudding ones,
and after I have seen so many yummy combinations online lately.
Seriously…Maria, Nikki, and Ashton made me do it:-)

I have had pudding on the brain dreaming up combinations for a while now.

chocolate chip cookies made with instant pudding

What was I supposed to do when I saw the box of pumpkin pudding at Meijer?
Make pudding and eat it?

Of course not…my first thought was to make it into yummy cookies:-)
Because if you have not tried pudding cookies, then you are missing out.
They are soft and chewy and basically addicting, no matter what the flavor.
It is my favorite way to make cookies right now, along with the cake mix cookies.

Yes, I may have bought a few different pudding flavors,
and yes, I may have made 3-4 different kinds in the last 2 months.

I’m just warning you there is a pudding obsession happening here, so be prepared.
I promise to spread them out though…
so the obsession isn’t quite so recognizable!!!

chocolate chip cookies made with instant pudding

Lucky for me, my son needed a dessert kind of a snack this week…
for get this…National Punctuation Day!
Apparently this was a “real” holiday on Monday…I don’t know…
Yeah, I had never heard of it either…but I’m all for celebrating any day with cookies.
Especially soft, chewy pudding cookies made with Fall colored M&M’s!!!
You need to try these for sure:-)
chocolate chip cookies made with pumpkin pudding

Check out more Pudding Cookies:

Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies from Two Peas and their Pod
PB & Chocolate Chip Banana Cream Pudding Cookies from Chef in Training
Biscoff Cheesecake Pudding Cookies from Something Swanky
Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies from BruCrew Life

Print
M&M Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Yield: 48 cookies

M&M Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies made with a box of instant pumpkin pudding and MM candies

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 box instant pumpkin spice pudding (3.4 oz.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. M&M's
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, pudding mix and salt. Slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in the M&M's and chocolate chips by hand.
  2. Use a teaspoon to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet. Bake at 375* for 8-9 minutes. They will appear undone, but they will set up while cooling. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. Store in a sealed container. Makes about 48 cookies.
http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2012/09/mm-pumpkin-pudding-cookies/
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Filed Under: cookies, Cookies & Whoopie Pies Tagged With: , , , ,

Pumpkin Raisinets Muffin Tops

September 14, 2012 36 Comments
I think it is safe to say that I like to bake…
One of the things that I enjoy baking the most are different breakfast items.
Lots of muffins, donuts, and scones get cranked out pretty regularly here.
My kids love to have this kind of breakfast instead of eating dry cereal,
and I am happy to make them these yummy baked goods.
Have you seen the 2 ingredient muffins?

The ones with a cake mix and a can of pumpkin???

I have to say how much I love these muffins…so fast and easy to whip up.
The last time I made them they were just a little to heavy for m,
so this time I added a little water and some spices.
And then drizzled 2 kinds of chocolate on top…because I happen to like chocolate on everything.Oh, and I baked them in a whoopie pie pan
and I added some dark chocolate Raisinets…it was one of my better ideas:-)

Raisinets just launched their Enlightened Enjoyment Sweepstakes and
I started to think about all the things I do with my family that gives me JOY.

Now of course baking makes me really happy, and I love that my kids
have been asking to help out in the kitchen A LOT lately.
I really think they like to “clean” out the bowls and spatulas more than help me:-)

Other things that we do as a family that brings me joy is playing games, pizza & movie night,

taking walks, reading books, playing video games, and “date” days.

Just the other day my girl and I had one of these fun “dates”.
We think it is important for some one on one quality time for each of our kids.
Coffee is always a must on these days.
Then on to the mall for some fun finds like spikey earrings and candles.

Now something that brings me even more JOY is to tell you about the
Raisinets Enlightened Enjoyment Pin & Win Sweepstakes.

Raisinets is giving away $1,000 in prizes.
To enter all you have to do is follow Raisinets on Pinterest and pin some images.
Here is my pin board for inspiration.

Easy enough right?

Follow these Links:

Raisinets Pin & Win Sweepstakes: http://bit.ly/RAISINETS9

Raisinets on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raisinets

Raisinets on Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/raisinets/

Want to know another thing that brings me JOY?

Raisinets is letting me make one BruCrew reader a big winner.

How does a
$50 VISA giftcard and coupons for free product 
sound to you???  (the official rules are HERE)

Are you super excited yet??  You can enter here…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway ends next Thursday night at 11:59 PM. The winner will be emailed the following day and must claim their prize within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. I was compensated by Raisinets for this post, all recipes and opinions are my own. No purchase is necessary. Open to US Residents Only. Winner must be over 18.
Be sure to enter the Raisinets Enlightened Enjoyment Sweepstakes HERE.
Now while you are waiting to find out who won, go bake some Raisinets muffin tops!

They are really tasty…full of lots of JOY;-)

Pumpkin Raisinets Muffin Tops

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
6032551
Ingredients
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/4 c. dark chocolate Raisinets
  • 1/4 c. chocolate chips
  • 1/4 c. white chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp. shortening, divided
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, stir together the cake mix, water, spice and pumpkin until blended. Stir in the Raisinets. Spoon a tablespoon of batter into a muffin top pan and bake at 350* for 17 minutes. Let cool 2-3 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl with 1/2 tsp. shortening. Heat for 20 seconds and stir. Repeat until melted and smooth. Spoon into a plastic bag and cut a corner off. Drizzle over the muffin tops. Repeat with the white chips and remaining shortening. Store in a loose fitting container.
Note: A whoopie pie pan can be used in place of a muffin top pan. You can also spoon it out on a baking sheet like cookies, if you don’t have either pan.
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Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Latte – SRC

August 27, 2012 57 Comments
It’s Monday.
It’s the fourth Monday of the month.

That only means something to you if you are in the Secret Recipe Club.
The club where you are assigned a random blog to read…or stalk in my case.
My blog assignment this month was Farmgirl Gourmet.
A true farm girl at heart, Heather shares fun and easy recipe from her kitchen.
She also is a big fan of buying local and grows many things in her own garden.
Those are two things that I would like to do more of here.
She was a true inspiration to me as I read through many of her great recipes.

I always have the hardest time narrowing down my SRC choice,
and again this month I had a list to choose from.
A few of my favorites that I wanted to try were Mexican Lasagna,
Cinnamon Yogurt Scones, and Pumpkin Challah Pudding.

But then I saw her most viewed recipe from her blog was the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Just the other day, I opened my first can of pumpkin to make these donuts,
and I had the leftover pumpkin in my fridge just waiting for the right recipe.
Since I am now on a true pumpkin kick,
and I love to have a good cup of coffee by my side in the morning when I do some reading,
I knew this would be the recipe for my reveal.

It was so easy to throw everything into a pan and bring it to a slight boil.
I like that you can use whatever milk you normally drink in this.
We drink fat free, so this is even a slightly skinny drink…
well, it was until I substituted caramel ice cream topping for the sugar:-)
At least I tried to get rid of some calories for you, right?
That has to count somehow!

To froth the milk mixture, you use your blender.  That just made frothing so much easier.
Even fat free milk can get a good froth going on that way.
I divided the mixture into two cups, just like Heather said, and poured the coffee right on top.
(One other thing I slightly changed was how much coffee I added.
I wanted a slightly stronger coffee taste, so I double the amount.)

Since I was putting cool whip and extra caramel on top, I didn’t worry about
messing up my cool frothed milk look by pouring the coffee in.
(yes, I know…I completely destroyed the so called skinny factor of this drink now)

Then I sat outside with my new favorite drink and a few books.
Pumpkin Latte, quiet time, good books to study…
now if only the weather would cooperate and get cool!

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Latte

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
6031489
Ingredients
  • 2 c. fat free milk
  • 4 Tbsp. canned pumpkin
  • 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
  • 2 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 c. strong coffee
  • 1/2 c. cool whip
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, pumpkin, caramel, vanilla, and spice. Stir until the mixture comes to a very small boil. Remove from the heat immediately and place into a blender. Pulse for about 2 minutes or until very frothy. Divide the milk into 2 large mugs. Pour 1/2 c. coffee into each mug. Top with cool whip, caramel drizzle, and sea salt if you desire.
(recipe slightly adapted from Farmgirl Gourmet)

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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Pumpkin Oreo Donuts

August 26, 2012 50 Comments

I did it!

Pumpkin Oreo Donuts

I broke out the pumpkin.

Yes, I know it is still August and it has been in the 90′s again this week.

Does that mean I am rushing Fall to get here?
Kind of…you see Fall is my absolute favorite season of all.
The cooler weather, the smells, the bonfires, the jeans, the hoodies,
the leaves…should I keep going???

pumpkin oreo donuts

Plus, once the kids go back to school,
it signals the end of summer in my brain.
They are in school, so no more summer sun and fun.
Might as well bring on the best season of all.

I know that there are some who hate to see summer go…
don’t get me wrong.  I love summer too!
But I happen to LOVE Fall quite a bit more:-)

pumpkin oreo donuts

When we were on vacation a few weeks ago, we had donuts for breakfast.
Dunkin Donuts to be exact.
Oh, how I love their chocolate cream filled powdered donut!
It has been my favorite for many, many years.

Did you know they now have an Oreo donut with cream filling?
Let’s just say it gave the chocolate cream filled one a run for its money.

Yes, I ate two cream filled donuts for breakfast in one day morning…fine about 5 minutes.
I’m thinking the beach running that I did while I was there was a very good thing.

So, as soon as we got home I bought some Oreos and was all set to make a home version…
but then I saw the can of pumpkin in the cupboard just staring at me all sad like,
and the wheels just started spinning!!!

These Pumpkin Oreo Donuts are one of my favorites…right now anyway:-)
Pumpkin goodness mixed with Oreo goodness…match made in heaven!!!!

pumpkin oreo donuts

Want more Pumpkin-y goodness?
Try one of these recipes:
Print
Pumpkin Oreo Donuts

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 26 mini donuts

Pumpkin Oreo Donuts

Pumpkin Donuts with Oreo crumbs and white chocolate topping

Ingredients

For the Donuts
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. applesauce
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/3 c. vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1/4 c. chocolate cookie crumbs
For the Topping
4 oz. white chocolate candy coating (CandiQuik)
1 tsp. shortening
1/2 c. chocolate cookie crumbs

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the applesauce, pumpkin, vanilla, and yogurt and mix until creamy. In a bowl, sift together the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, flour, and cookie crumbs. Stir into the creamed mixture gently.
  2. Place the donut batter in a ziplock bag and cut the tip off. Spray the mini donut pan with non stick spray and fill each cavity at least 3/4 full. Bake at 325* for 10 minutes. Let cool in pan for a few minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
  3. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the white chocolate coating with the shortening for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat again for 20 seconds and stir. Dip the tops of the donuts into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Makes 26 mini donuts.

Notes

Only dip a few donuts at a time before sprinkling. The chocolate will set up and the crumbs won’t stick if you wait too long.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2012/08/pumpkin-oreo-donuts/
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Nutella Marshmallow Pumpkin Bread

November 8, 2011 30 Comments

It is great to be back from Haiti. Our team had an amazing time serving there. It was fun and sad all in one. Fun because we were able to work together and meet some needs…but very sad because there were so many needs that we just could not feasibly meet. Thank you so much for all of you that prayed for our safety as we traveled and ministered for the past week. I will try to get some other pics and things from the trip up later this week.   [Read more...]

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Butterscotch Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

October 7, 2011 14 Comments
I am questioning my pumpkin sanity right about now.
 

I know you are probably done and over the orange stuff…
but I’m not and I just can’t stop baking with it!

The recipe for these cookies came from a book I found at the library
called Big Fat Cookies!
So many yummy cookies in there,
but this one had my number!

I mean pumpkin and butterscotch…
it was pointless to resist!

 I baked them up and realized that they would be
the perfect base for the salted caramel butter cream
that I made a few weeks ago.
(I had been looking for a reason to make more anyway:-)

Why can’t I get over the pumpkin treats?
I am thinking it is the warm spicy smell that comes from the oven
while the pumpkin treats bake.

The perfect fall smell in my home makes me feel relaxed and at peace…
at least until I step on a lego piece buried in the carpet:-)

Print
Butterscotch Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Butterscotch Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Pumpkin whoopie pies with butterscotch chips and filled with salted caramel butter cream

Ingredients

For the Whoopie Pies
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. butterscotch chips
For the Salted Caramel Buttercream
1/2 c. butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1-2 tsp. milk

Instructions

    For the Whoopie Pies
  1. Preheat oven to 350* Stir the first 5 ingredients together and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until it becomes smooth and lighter in color. Mix in the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla. On low speed slowly start adding the flour mixture to the pumpkin batter. Stir in the butterscotch chips by hand.
  3. Scoop spoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet. Space the batter mounds at least 2 inches apart. Bake about 10-12 minutes or until the tops are firm. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Fill 2 cookies with butter cream.
    4. For the Salted Caramel Buttercream
  4. Stir the sea salt into the caramel topping and set aside. Cream the butter and vanilla for 3-4 minutes. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. It will be very thick. Pour in the caramel and beat again. Beat in 1-2 tsp. of milk to thin out the frosting if you like.

Notes

(adapted from Big Fat Cookies book)

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2011/10/butterscotch-pumpkin-whoopie-pies/
Linked to:

Jane Deere, Fat Camp, Answer is Chocolate, Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweet as Sugar, Tatertots and Jello, Strut Your Stuff
Crumbs and Chaos, Be Different Act Normal, Sundae Scoop
Create Live
Newlyweds Pumpkin Linkup

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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