Secret Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 can pumpkin
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 chopped pecans (opt.)

Directions:

Reserve..........1 cup cake mix.

Mix................ remaining cake mix with 1 beaten egg and 1/2 c. butter

Press............. into 9 x 13 pan

Mix................ pumpkin, 3 eggs, brown sugar, 1/4 c. sugar, milk and cinnamon in bowl

Pour.............. over cake mixture.

Combine......... reserved cake mix, pecans, 1/4 c. butter and 1/4 c. sugar in bowl, mixing until crumbly.

Spread .......... crumb topping over cake.

Bake............... according to cake box directions Cake is done when tooth pick comes out clean.

Recipe from Fort New Salem, Shelba Zirkle, picture from my kitchen

Laura’s Blue Ribbon Caramel Apple Pie

Ingredients:
2 prepared pie crusts
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. all spice
12 Kraft® caramel squares
1 tsp. Milk
½ c. chopped pecans
2 cans of 21 oz. LUCKY LEAF ® Apple Pie Filling

Directions:

Place one pie crust in a baking dish. Combine spices with LUCKY LEAF Apple Pie Filling. Pour apple mixture into crust. Melt caramels and milk in microwave-safe bowl for about a minute, stirring twice. Pour melted caramels over the LUCKY LEAF Apple Pie Filling. Place pecans on top and cover with the second crust. Vent crust for baking. Brush top of pie crust with the beaten egg wash and sprinkle with 1 tsp. sugar. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes.

Recipe from LuckyLeaf and picture from my kitchen.

Baking Gals

I participated in September 2009 Baking Gals. I send Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Dark Chocolate Brownies and Rice Krispies Cookies....

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Here is most of the stuff in the box...almost ready to ship. I forgot to take a picture of the final product. I hope that the Soldier enjoys his packages!!!

Rice Krispies Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unslated butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cups Butterscotch chips (I used 1/2 cup butterscotch chips and 1/2 peanut butter)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each. Mix in hot water and vanilla. Add flour mixture, in two batches, beating just until combined – be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a wooden spoon, fold in butterscotch chips and Rice Krispies. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min. or longer.

Preheat oven to 375. Scoop out tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Place all balls on one baking sheet, and chill at least 30 min. Remove from fridge and place 12 balls on cookie sheet at a time. Bake until the middle looks just set and the edges begin to turn a light golden – about 8-12 minutes. Remove and let sit on the sheet for a minute. Move cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Recipe from Baking Blonde's Webblog

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

The last of the Zucchini Bread that I will be making for awhile. This used up all the zucchini that I had. It was very yummy.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• Whipped cream, for serving
• Zucchini ribbons, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Chill before slicing. Serve with whipped cream and ribbons of zucchini.

Recipe from Food Network and picture from my kitchen.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Here is some more Zucchini Bread made from the Zucchini that was left at church. It was so delicious, it almost tasted like eating a brownie.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.

Recipe from Allrecipes and picture from my kitchen.

Pear Honey

I am lucky enough to have two pear trees in the yard in my new house. The one pear tree we have know about since we bought the house, but Lenny just found the second pear tree while I was away at the State Fair of West Virginia. The first pear tree has very little pears, but the second pear tree has pears like you would buy at the grocery store. The only problem is that we found this tree after most of the pears had fallen off and gone bad. I cannot wait till next year because hopefully we will be able to get a lot more pears from this tree.

Anyways ever since we found out about the pear tree my dad has talked about Pear Honey that his mother used to make. Therefore when I got back home from the fair and discovered that the pears were ripe I called my dad to get the recipe. I think that the pear honey is really good. I was a little skeptical about it when he first mentioned it, but it actually has a honey taste to it.


Ingredients:
5 pounds of pears
10 cups of sugar
2 cups of crushed pineapple
11 1/2 pint jars

Directions:
Peel, core, and slice the pears.
Grind the pears up in a food processor.
Mix pears, sugar, and pineapple in a large pan.
Cook until the pears are clear.
Pour into 11 1/2 pint jars and place in a hot water bath the seal.