Butterfinger Eyeballs

 

 Creepy (yet delicious) Butterfinger Eyeballs

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/8 ounces Butterfinger bar, finely chopped
• 12 ounces white chocolate or 12 ounces vanilla candy coating
• 40 M&M's plain chocolate candy
• red food coloring or decorating gel
• black food coloring or decorating gel

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl stir together peanut butter and butter until creamy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until combined.
3. Stir in Butterfinger candy.
4. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper.
5. Freeze about 45 minutes.
6. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or get a med sauce pan filled 1/4 of the way with water and heat until simmering and place a large glass or stainless steel bowl over top and turn heat off -if water is boiling it will scorch chocolate.
7. Add chocolate to bowl, stir constantly until melted and smooth, if you want the coating thinner add a Tbs shortening until desired thickness is reached.
8. Dip balls, one at a time, into coating. Let excess coating drip off

Pumpkin Cornbread-Pumpkin Week Day #4

Mmmmm...I love pumpkin goodies! I know fall is the time for pumpkin goodness, but I vote we make it year round.  I could totally go for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in April.  Who's with me on this one?  Anyways tonight I didn't have time to plan dinner so when I got home I had to quickly throw something together. The end result chili and pumpkin cornbread. :) I was a little nervous about the pumpkin cornbread but I tasted the better and it actually tasted really good.  I could hardly wait for the timer to ring!!!

Pumpkin Cornbread

 Ingredients:

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 C cornmeal
• 2 large eggs
• 1 C unsweetened pumpkin puree (canned or freshly cooked and processed)
• 2/3 C light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 C canola oil
• 1 tbsp molasses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spice into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in cornmeal.
3. In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly. Whisk in pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and molasses.
4. Make a well in the dry mixture. Add pumpkin mixture and blend batter with a few quick strokes (just until blended- don't over-mix).
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until cornbread is browned and the surface has a slightly springy feel.

Enjoy :)
~Bobbi

Pumpkin Ravioli w/Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce- Halloween Week Day #3

I wasn't sure if I could top yesterday's Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls post, but boy was I wrong.  Tonight I wanted to try to make pumpkin ravioli.  I stopped by the store on my way home and bought all of the supplies.  I couldn't find ravioli wrappers or pasta sheets, so I decided to try wonton wrappers (I can't remember who told me they'd work-but I figured it was worth the try).  I wish I had the time and motivation to make my own pasta sheets, but I'm not sure how anyone who works can.  Anyways so I came home and I couldn't find a single recipe I liked so I mixed a few here's how it ended up looking!  Hope you enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Ravioli w/ Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

• 1 1/2 C Canned Pumpkin (if you're Martha Stewart you can make your own:))
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 C Ricotta Cheese
• 2 Tbs Cream Cheese
• 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 pkg round wonton wrappers 
• 1 egg white
• Pinch Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 C butter (1 stick)
• 1 tbs freshly chopped sage leaves
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• Parmesan Cheese if desired

Directions
Mix the first 9 ingredients (canned pumpkin to pumpkin pie spice) together in a medium sized bowl.  Stir until completely combined.  Place wonton wrappers on a clean surface and add 1 tbs of pumpkin mixture to the center of the wrapper.  Place an egg white in a separate bowl.  Dip your fingers in the egg white and wipe around the edge of the wonton wrapper.  Place another wrapper on top of the first (wrapper with the pumpkin mixture) and press the edges together to seal.  Repeat with the rest of the wontons.  Boil water in a large pan and add 10 ravioli at a time.  Ravioli should take about 4-5 minutes.  While the ravioli are cooking melt butter in saucepan on high heat.  Once butter is melted add sage leaves and let cook for about 1 minute or until butter starts to brown.  Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar.  Drain Ravioli and top with the sauce.  Serve immediately. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese if desired.

**ravioli can be frozen for later use**

~Bobbi

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls-Pumpkin Week Day #2

I've been dying to try these babies-but I didn't want to mess up my diet (a.k.a. trying to eat healthy). Since this is pumpkin week I decided to make a huge exception to my 'diet'. They were well worth it, plus I calculated the calories and with the frosting they only end up being 250 calories each :)  30 extra minutes on the elliptical took care of that.  Hope you all enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

found on The Girl who ate Everything

 

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast

2 cups bread flour (you can use regular all purpose flour but bread flour makes them lighter)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons melted butter

CARAMEL FROSTING

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (I ran out of brown sugar and thanks to google I substituted 1/2 C white Sugar and 1/2 tbs molasses)

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 dash salt

3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.

2. Add half of the flour to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.

3. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Spray a surface with cooking spray or turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy enough to handle. Roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.

4. In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into twelve 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 11X17 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.

Caramel Frosting:

In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.

Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.

Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.

Pumpkin Week ~ Pumpkin Soup w/Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Fall is here! It's getting dark earlier, the air is crisp and cool.  Pumpkins are the perfect symbol of fall and this week I'm challenging myself to make a different pumpkin recipe everynight.  Tonight I made a pumpkin soup recipe from Rachel Ray.  The soup was good, but the relish was AMAZING! Try it out for a great, easy weeknight meal!

Pumpkin Soup W/Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks, this makes chopping fast work)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can cooked pumpkin puree
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Relish:

• 1 crisp apple, such as McIntosh or Granny Smith, finely chopped
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, and onion. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste, then cook flour a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

While soup cooks, assemble the relish: combine apple, onion, lemon juice, cranberries, chili powder, honey and cinnamon.

Adjust seasonings in soup and relish and serve soup in shallow bowls with a few spoonfuls of relish.

Crazy Life

Wow life sure can get crazy sometimes.  Between cleaning up from a quick vacation, work,  losing our internet for a few days and several other silly little things-this week has been one of those weeks.  So I'm sorry for the lack of posts.  I haven't had two seconds to plan meals or be creative.  It's now been 2 weeks since I have actually cooked a real meal for my husband!  Luckily I do have a few quickies so we don't starve.  My husband had a late meeting and they served pizza so he didn't need dinner tonight, and I was tired of having cereal so I turned to a childhood favorite.

Macaroni and Tomato Soup  

2 C cooked pasta (I used egg noodles tonight because they cook quick but I usually like shells or macaroni)

1 can Campbells Tomato Soup

1/4 C desired cheese (mozzarella was tonights pick)

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain water and put pack in pan.  Add tomato soup and cheese.  Cook until hot and cheese is melted.  Sit back and enjoy a bowl of comfort food!

Mmmm...life is good!

We made it a year

Tomorrow is my first anniversary- I can't believe it has been a full year!!! It has seriously been the best year of my life and I'm looking forward to spending the rest of eternity together.

We are spending our first anniversary in So. California, so that is why I don't have a new craft or recipe post today.  I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I'll be back next week!

~Bobbi