{Recipes} Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Here's one of my new fall favorites...Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. I found this recipe on Katie Grace Designs blog a while ago and loved the sounds of it. I just finally had the chance to get reacquainted with my kitchen this morning while Dean was napping and whipped these up! Mmmmm....LOVE!

Ingredients:
~ 1 cup all-purpose flour
~ 3/4 cup whole wheat flour ****I did not have whole wheat flour on hand so I substituted with all-purpose flour****
~ 1 tsp baking powder
~ 1 tsp baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp salt
~ 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
~ 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
~ 2 eggs, lightly beaten
~ 1 cup canned pumpkin
~ 1/2 cup vegetable oil
~ 1/2 cup honey
~ 1/3 cup water
~ 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
~ 1 bag miniature chocolate chips

FROSTING:
~ 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
~ 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
~ 1 tsp vanilla extract
~ 2 cups confectioners' sugar
****I used Betty Crocker's cream cheese frosting instead of making my own. Because time is not a friend of mine these days, this was much easier and saved me loads of time.****


Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.
2. Combine the eggs, pumpkin, oil, honey and water in a seperate bowl; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined; fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
3. Fill greased or foil-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.

ENJOY!

I'm off to enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend, and for the first time since school started in September, I have absolutely NO PLANS. I'm loving it!

{Recipes} Pumpkin Apple Muffins

I made some of these yummy pumpkin apple muffins last night to bring into school today for my teammates. A little Friday pick-me-up if you will :-} This is a great fall recipe passed down to me from my fav cook of all time, my very own MAMA! If it weren't for her, my recipe box would be empty :-}


Ingredients:
~ 2 1/2 cups flour
~ 2 cups sugar
~ 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice {I did not have any of this on hand so I used a combo of cinnamon & nutmeg}
~ 1 tsp baking soda
~ 1/2 tsp salt
~ 2 eggs, lightly beaten
~ 1 1/2 cups pumpkin
~ 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
~ 2 cups finely chopped apples

Directions:
~ Combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda & salt in one bowl
~ In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin & oil. Then add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients until moist.
~ Stir in apples
~ Spoon into greased muffin cups
~ Bake on 350 degrees for approximately 35-40 minutes
~ Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar once out of oven
~ ENJOY!


As you can see, I piped cream cheese frosting onto some of my muffins. I also found these cute school themed buttons at JoAnn's the other day and stuck one on the top of each frosted muffin. I thought they'd be a cute back-to-school treat for my teacher friends :-}


TGIF!!! Have a FAB weekend!!!

{Recipes} Homemade Tomato Soup

All of this gorgeous fall-like weather has put me in soup-mode. My favorite meal ever in the fall and winter is a big bowl of soup with some good crusty bread. My mom started a tradition when I was in highschool that made me the soup lover I am today. Every Friday night she made a big pot of a different kind of homemade soup all through the fall and winter. It was the absolute best...I remember really looking forward to those soup Fridays. I hope to start the same tradition for my family as well, but while my babies are young and can't eat soup, my hubby and I enjoy wine and pizza Fridays for now!

Ingredients:
~ 2 46 oz cans of tomato juice
~ 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
~ 3 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes
~ 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
~ 1 onion, diced
~ 1 1/2 cups milk
~ 1 1/2 cups half & half
~ 1/2 cup beef broth
~ 4 tablespoons butter
~ 3 tablespoons brown sugar
~ 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
~ 1 8 oz bag of sharp cheddar cheese
~ 1 can of white beans, rinsed
~ 1 box Ditalini pasta
~ garlic salt, parsley, black pepper & dried basil

Directions:
~ In a big soup pot saute the diced onion on medium heat in butter until tender.
~ Add tomato juice, crushed, diced and fresh tomatoes.
~ Add milk, half & half and broth and stir
~ Add brown sugar and stir
~ Add baking soda {will cause to foam...continue stirring until foam has decreased}
~ Add spices to taste
~ Bring this mixture up to high heat {until hot and bubbly}. Then turn down and add cheese, beans and pasta for the last 15 minutes. ***Do not leave beans and pasta in for too long or they will turn mushy***
~ Serve with crusty bread

{My pic doesn't even show the best part....the white beans and pasta....they must have been at the bottom!}

{Recipes} Not Your Average Cheese Steak Sandwich!

I made these yummy cheese steak sammies tonight for me and my hubby. We took a break from our usual wine & pizza Fridays to try something a little different. My sister shared this recipe with me a while ago, and I'd forgotten how good it is! Here's what you need:

Ingredients:
~ Steak of your liking
~ Baguette
~ 1/2 tub crumbled blue cheese
~ mayo {to taste}
~ 1 red onion
~ EVOO & balsalmic vinegar

Directions:
~ Season your steak with S&P and grill or broil {I marinate mine in a little Caesar dressing too for some added flavor}
~ Slice steak in thin strips once finished grilling or broiling
~ Slice red onion and saute in a little EVOO and balsalmic vinegar
~ Cut your baguette in half and toast in oven for approximately 5 minutes
~ Combine your blue cheese with a little mayo {for creaminess}. Mix together - will have lumps because of the blue cheese
~ Spread blue cheese/mayo mixture on toasted baguette
~ Top with the steak and then red onion
~ Dip in ketchup if desired
~ YUM!


{Red onion & blue cheese/mayo mixture ~ both of these totally make the sandwich!}


I served my sammies with some fresh asparagus drizzled with EVOO and seasoned with S&P {then bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes}. Homemade sweet potato wedges would be really good with this meal too.

My husband LOVED this meal! If your guy loves steak like mine does, I'm thinking this meal will be total hit!

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND! {Normally I love a holiday weekend, but this one is tough as I am leaving my boy on Tuesday to return to work after a 7 month maternity leave. So thankful for the wonderful amount of time I've had at home with him to nurture and nurse and love him but still...I'M SO SADDDDDDD...gonna be a rough week. Make that month!}

{Recipes} Stuffed Mushrooms

I made these yummy little stuffed mushrooms tonight for a Girls' Night with some of my high school friends that I still keep in touch with. My mother-in-law makes these all of time and I LOVE them. They are easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
~ 2 packages baby bella mushrooms
~ 1/2 onion - diced
~ 1/4 stick butter
~ breadcrumbs
~ parmasean cheese {shaker cheese}
~ parsley
~ S & P

Directions:
~ Tear off stems of mushrooms and place in food processor {I put mine in my chopper so they are finely chopped}
~ Place remaining mushrooms tops on a greased cookie sheet {use spoon to push out sides so you have a nice area to place filling}
~ Melt butter in skillet
~ Add diced onions {they should be translucent}
~ Add finely chopped mushrooms stems
~ Sprinkle a little parm cheese and add small amounts of breadcrumbs at a time, stopping to stir in between to get the right consistency {mixture should be a nice consistency to spoon into mushroom tops}
~ Add a little parsley for color and S & P for taste
~ Spoon warm mixture into mushroom tops
~ Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes
~ Add toothpicks for easy grabbing!


I just happened to find these adorable pinwheel picks in my cabinet tonight. I bought them at Pier One Imports years ago and had completely forgotten about them! Cute, right!?!

{Cooking} Mexican Lasagna

Tonight was a perfect night for a cozy little meal like Mexican Lasagna {originally shared with me by my sister, who is an excellent cook!} since it was kind of rainy and blah outside.


Ingredients:
~ diced onion & green pepper
~ 1 can of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
~ 1 can of black beans {drained}
~ 1 can of diced tomatoes {chili style or regular}
~ 1 bag frozen white corn
~ 1 lb. ground turkey or beef
~ 2-3 whole wheat flour tortillas
~ 1 bag of taco cheese
~ cumin, chili powder, oregano, S & P

Directions:
~ Brown ground turkey or beef in skillet and drain the fat/grease
~ Add onions, green pepper, black beans, & corn to the turkey/beef
~ In a separate bowl, combine the soup & diced tomatoes
~ Combine the two together and add seasonings {a little sprinkle of cumin, chili powder, oregano, S & P}
~ In a lasagna pan, spread 1/2 the mix, then layer the tortillas on top, and then add the other 1/2 of mix
~ Sprinkle the top with taco cheese
~ Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes
~ Serve with sour cream {and tostitos are yummy too!}
~ ENJOY!


A salad makes a tasty and healthy side dish for this little casserole!


Baby boy would have had some too if I had let him! Haha...he LOVES to eat!

{Baking ~ Sorta} Ice Cream Pies!

I think I've established that 1.) I like to entertain AND 2.) In a not-spend-hours-prepping-in-the-kitchen kind of way. Right? So, here's another EASY dessert idea that I just whipped up for my dad's birthday dinner on Sunday. My dad is an ice cream fanatic. And if you know him, you know he's pretty much a bottom-less pit. A lean bottom-less pit. It's not fair. But he is a bit of an exercise fanatic, which probably explains the lean part.

You'll need:

~ 1 chocolate graham cracker pie crust {I made two of these}
~ 1 1/2 gallon of your favorite ice cream {I found Grasshopper Pie Limited Edition...Mmmm!}
~ Any toppings you might want to add {I like Hershey's syrup}


Just allow ice cream to soften up a bit so it's easy to spoon into the pie crust and smooth with a spoon. Then add your toppings. Put in freezer until ice cream hardens back up. Slice and serve. Done!

{Drinks} My Mom's Iced Tea

I love iced tea and always have. And let me clarify....I love homemade iced....none of that in-a-can stuff for me. My mom's has always been my favorite. When I tell you it's the best iced tea I've ever tasted, I'm not kidding. It's THE BEST....no joke. She uses a secret ingredient. Are you curious?!? Okay, okay! Here's what you'll need:

~ a pitcher
~ 6 black currant tea bags {the secret ingredient!}
~ 1 cup sugar
~ fresh mint


Boil your water in a teapot on the stove. Put your 6 black currant tea bags in your pitcher. Pour boiling water over the teabags and let it steep for approximately 20 minutes. If you leave the teabags in for too long, your tea will taste bitter. Add 1 cup sugar while tea is still hot so it dissolves easily. I have a mint plant in my backyard, so I add a sprig of fresh mint to my iced tea.

ENJOY! You won't be disappointed!

{Entertaining} Easy & Fun!

My FIL's birthday was yesterday and my husband literally decided this morning that he wanted to invite his family over tonight, yes tonight, for dinner, cake, and ice cream to celebrate. Well, as most of you moms know, life with a little baby doesn't exactly allow you tons of free time to cook fancy meals and entertain like Martha. So....we thought of something that would be quick and easy. My husband suggested hotdogs, sauerkraut, baked beans, chips, and a summer veggie like corn on the cob or asparagus. Perfect. Easy, inexpensive, minimal prep. Exactly what I wanted except it was kinda....well....blah. I needed to threw a little spin on it to jazz it up, so I decided to make a hotdog bar.


I love easy, quick entertaining and sticking to a budget ***BUT*** I'm ALL ABOUT presentation. That's where the hotdog bar came in. By the way, how cute are "bars" of any type?!?! Candy, cookies, ice cream, popcorn, hotdogs, tacos, and the list goes on and on.


That summer veggie I spoke of earlier? It turned into the spectacular little number above. {Bo made them...isn't he something?!}. These little TOMATO STACKS are super easy to make...all you do is:

~Slice Jersey tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, onion, and eggplant.
~ Drizzle the eggplant with a little EVOO and bake in oven for about a half hour {make sure they are soft when you take them out}
~Create your stacks by layering a slice of tomato with onion, then eggplant, then mozzarella, then another tomato slice. Top with a fresh basil leaf and drizzle with balsamic vinegarette.

These look so pretty on a serving platter and are a great summer side dish! Yummy too!


And that, my friends, is entertaining at it's easiest!

{Recipes} Fruit Thing

The other day my sister-in-law and her mom stopped over for a visit. They brought me a ton of yummy peaches, which has inspired this post. I knew I could never eat them all before they rotted, so I decided to bake something with them! Originally this recipe was called "Apple Thing" and made with apples; however, I swapped out the apples for peaches and blueberries since it's the summer and these fruits are plentiful. I'm sure plenty of other fruits would work too.


Ingredients:

~ 6-8 apples {I used 6 peaches and 2 pints of blueberries}
~ sugar and cinnamon {for sprinkling}
~ 1 cup sugar
~ 1 cup flour
~ 1 egg
~ 3/4 cup melted butter
~ 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

~ Cut fruit and sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar in one bowl
~ Mix the sugar, flour, butter, egg, and vanilla with beaters in another bowl


~ Dump the fruit in a greased pie pan
~ Next, scoop the mixture on top {it doesn't have to be spread evenly across the top}


~ Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes {or until top is golden brown}


***I serve mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Such an easy and delicious summer dessert!***

{Recipes} Homemade Pizza Twist

There's nothing like a homemade pizza twist! And there's nothing to it really. All you need are some ingredients and maybe a little assistant {kids would be great helpers for this kitchen endeavor...I know my nephew would LOVE it!}

Ingredients:
~ Pizza dough {I like to use wheat dough - you can find it by the homemade pizzas in Shoprite (near the checkout)}
~ Don Pepino's Pizza Sauce {or you can use homemade spaghetti/meat sauce}
~ 1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese {I use part-skim to cut down some of those calories}
~ Ricotta cheese {again, part-skim}
~ Parmesean shaker cheese {just to sprinkle}
~ Any kind of veggie you like {I like to add baby spinach, zucchini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, onion, etc. The more veggies the better for me.}
~ EVOO
~ Garlic salt


{I wash and cut all of my veggies prior to assembly. You especially want to do this if kiddies are helping you build the pizza twist.}

Directions:
~ First roll out your dough {I strongly recommend using flour. It'll stick to the rolling pin like crazy without it....I made that mistake for you :}
~ Layer all the ingredients. Start with the sauce, then sprinkle garlic salt and shaker cheese, add a few scoops of ricotta, then top with veggies and lastly mozzarella cheese {there is no exact science here....whatever goes.}


~ Next fold dough over to form the twist. Pinch the top and ends shut {make sure it's pretty tight or the sauce will seep out while baking.}
~ Brush twist with EVOO and make three small slits across the top.
~ Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.


I serve mine with a green salad and a side of DP's pizza sauce for dipping. YUM!
ENJOY!

{Cooking} Awesome App!

Bo and I hosted a little dinner party for his new boss and some of his new co-workers this evening. It was casual....steaks on the grill, baked potatoes, asparagus, and salad. I also made a great little appetizer for our guests to munch on before dinner with a glass of wine. My friend Alyssa gave me this recipe, and I make it all the time!


Basil Crisps (not their official name, but my name for them)

Ingredients:
~ baguette
~ EVOO
~ spreadable gorgonzola cheese
~ fresh basil
~ honey

Directions:
Slice baguette and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and bake on 350 degrees for approximately 5-10 minutes (or until golden brown). Let baguette cool for a few minutes and then spread each slice with the gorgonzola cheese. Top each with a basil leaf. Lastly, arrange on a plate and drizzle each crisp with honey.

Everyone always raves about these, and they are incredibly easy to make; however, I recommend serving them warm. If they sit for too long, the baguette will get hard and cold. BUT, the combo of the honey with the gorgonzola and the basil....YUMMMM....it's such a refreshing appetizer (and not too heavy either). Try it at your next dinner party and ENJOY!

{Cooking} Easy Pasta Dish

Have I got a recipe for you! I just made this tonight for dinner; it's one of my go-to meals! If you work full time, you'll especially like this recipe. Why? Because it's super simple to make, and this is definitely a 30 minute meal (at the most) - BONUS!

First, you'll need some ingredients:
~ EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
~ garlic (minced)
~ 1 bag baby spinach
~ 2 cans diced tomatoes
~ 1 box Perdue chicken shortcuts
~ 1 tub feta cheese
~ 1 box bowtie pasta

Now for the instructions:
{Note: I don't use exact measurements when I make this meal. Adjust to your liking.}
~ Coat the bottom of a frying pan with some EVOO.
~ Saute about a tablespoon of minced garlic (maybe a teaspoon if you're not a garlic fan) in the olive oil.
~ Add bag of baby spinach and let it cook down.
~ Add chicken shortcuts (they are already cooked) and the two cans of diced tomatoes (I use one can of regular and one can of garlic and oregano). Bring mixture up to a higher temperature (until bubbly) and then down again.
~Add entire tub of feta and fold into mixture.

~ Cook pasta according to directions on box.
~ Drain pasta and dump into a large bowl.
~ Pour entire mixture over pasta.
~ ENJOY!
This meal is yummy with crusty Italian bread and a little parmesan cheese sprinkled on top!

Dean helped me cook tonight! He is finally starting to like his Bjorn....

{Spring/Summer} One of my Favorite Things about the Season....

are all the delicious fresh fruits and vegetables! I love the farm markets we have here in NJ and how almost any kind of fruit or vege is available for purchase all summer long. Two of my girlfriends from work who are also on maternity leave (we all had little boys within two weeks of one another) came over to my house for lunch this afternoon. I cut up some fresh berries and grapes to go with lunch and the colors were so vibrant and bold against the white bowl, I had to take a picture!

{Dessert Idea} Happy Valentine's Day!

My hubby and I are staying in our little warm and cozy home for Valentine's Day this year and making our own dinner/dessert! We're actually celebrating tonight instead of tomorrow. Bo is making me dinner (my guy is an amazing cook - filet and crab cakes and asparagus - Mmmmm!). I'm in charge of dessert, so fondue it is! I'll admit it's not my most creative idea by any stretch, but it's fun and romantic and most importantly, delicious! Besides, at just a little over 38 weeks pregnant, I'm all about easy at this point!

I'm using a mini C & B fondue pot that a friend from work gave me for Christmas with dark chocolate fondue. And, I'm using strawberries, bananas, pound cake, marshmallows, pretzels, and chocolate glazed donut holes for dipping purposes - gotta try to balance the healthly and completely unhealthy!

Gifts? I got to pick out a new Vera! I have a ton of purses already, so I opted for a new lunch tote instead (the old one was on it's last leg). It's a pretty mossy green with splashes of lime green, turquoise blue, and white. And a beautiful bouquet of flowers now decorates my home....flowers make me happy! My poor husband, on the other hand, didn't receive one fun V-Day gift this year. In total nesting mode, I purchased him a shoe rack for his closet, a 5-tiered hanger to create more space in his closet, and an organizer for his ties. Ahhh...my attempt to get this man organized - it's not an easy feat! Sorry babe - love you!

HAPPY HEARTS DAY!

Cupcake Toppers!

Tonight was Girls' Night at my house! It was such a beautiful fall day, so I decided to put together a fall meal consisting of pumpkin dip with ginger snap cookies and apples, chicken chili with the fixins', spinach/apple/cashew salad, and the dessert seen in the pictures above featuring my new cupcake toppers! The girls at my home tonight raved about these delicious, fallish brownies so I've included the recipe below! All I'm going to say is caramel ice cream topping, Recees Peanut Butter Cups, peanuts, apples, brownies....mmmmm....a perfect combo of sweet and salty!

I figured tonight was great time to try out my new cupcake toppers. I have been seeing these on all my favorite blogs, and I just love them! They can be used in a variety of ways: toppers on your favorite dessert (cupcakes, brownies, etc), tags on party favor bags, and many more! See below how I used them to decorate a glass jar filled with candy corn.

The toppers are super simple to make - I created them on my laptop and then used a 2" scallop punch (AC Moore), to create the fun, scalloped border around each. I plan on using these a lot! The colors can be customized to match the decor of any event, as well as what you see in the middle of the circle. How adorable would these be for a child's birthday party or a baby shower?!?

CANDY APPLE DESSERT SQUARES:
Ingredients:

~ 1 pkg brownie mix

~ 8 oz cream cheese, softened

~ 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping, divided

~ 2 firm apples

~ 6 peanut butter cup candies, chopped

~ 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degreens. Spray pan. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Remove from oven and cool completely.

2. Place cream cheese and 1/4 cup of caramel ice cream topping in bowl; whisk or beat until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over brownies.

3. Core and slice apples into small pieces and spinkle evenly over cream cheese mixture. Coarsely chop peanut butter cup candies and peanuts. Sprinkle candies and peanuts over apples; drizzle with remaining ice cream topping.

4. Cut into squares and serve.

5. Enjoy this YUMMY fall dessert!

Here's another idea for how to use the cupcake toppers! I bought fallish looking ribbon from Michaels and using my hot glue gun, attached it to the glass jar. Then, I glued one of the cupcake toppers, minus the lollipop stick, in the center and VOILA! A cute jar to fill with your favorite Halloween candy!

Calling All Cooks to the Kitchen: Easiest Banana Cream Pie Recipe EVER

Ingredients - I bought a vanilla graham cracker pie crust accidentally and it made no difference. Both are yummy.

I use my handy Tupperware chopping machine when chopping my candy into small pieces. I've done it other ways before and this is the easiest and least messy - trust me!

FYI - I don't cover and chill the pudding/coolwhip mixture and then add the remaining coolwhip later like the recipe calls. I put the whole thing together and then chill for an hour or two. I don't have time for all those steps when I've found it doesn't make much difference anyway.

The finished product! You can see the yummy layers of bananas, pudding, coolwhip, and chocolate!

I'm finding that my blog is becoming a conglomeration of all my favorite hobbies (making invitations, crafting, decorating, entertaining, and now cooking) and I kinda like it! So.....here's a banana cream pie recipe that is not only super simple to make but also to-die-for! My husband loves banana cream pie, and I made this for him today because he had a bad day at work. This should cheer him up!

Ingredients:

~ 1 package (3.4 oz) vanilla flavored instant pudding mix

~ 1 cup milk

~ 1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

~ 2 bananas, sliced

~ 1 (6 oz) chocolate graham cracker pie crust

~ 3 (1.4 oz) toffee candy bars, chopped (I use a large Hershey's Symphony Bar)

Directions:

~ Combine pudding mix and milk in a medium bowl, stiring with a wire whisk until smooth.

~ Gently fold 1 cup whipped topping into pudding mixture.

~ Toss banana slices over crust. Sprinkle with half of chopped candy.

~ Spoon pudding/coolwhip mix over bananas and candy. Cover and chill 1 and 1/2 hours or until set.

~ Spoon remaining whipped topping on top of pie just before serving. Sprinkly with remaining chopped candy.

ENJOY!!!