November 1st Celebrate the Fall with Pumpkin Spice Fudge #PumpkinSpice

 

Happy November 1st! My favorite time of year is October and November. It rained today in California and it's kind of a big deal! To celebrate I made Pumpkin Spice Fudge. I love the scent that fills the house when I make it. Smells like Fall!

For my fudge there are specific brands I love to use for the ingredients. For the sugar, C&H is one of my favorites. When we drive into San Francisco we drive past the factory and the jingle from the commercials always plays in my head. Jet-Puffed is a must for the marshmallow creme. I have tried other brands and it is not the same. McCormick is a great brand for spices. They make a great pumpkin pie spice mix. I am trying to find a really good organic one, let me know if you have any recommendations. This year I am trying the Target brand Good & Gather for the pumpkin and maple syrup. My butter, not pictured, is always Land O' Lakes.

RECIPE:

3 Cups of Sugar

1 Tablespoon of pure Maple Syrup

3/4 Cup of Butter (1 1/2 Sticks)

2/3 Cup of Evaporated Milk 

1/2 Cup of Pumpkin Puree

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 Cups of White Chocolate Chips 

1 jar (7 oz.) Marshmallow Creme

I always use a deep pot for candy making to prevent the hot ingredients from splashing me.

Instructions

1. Grease a pan with butter to make the fudge easier to cut out to serve. I used a 10x14 pan since I was looking for smaller pieces of fudge, if you want it thicker pour into a smaller pan.

2. Put sugar, maple syrup, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and pumpkin pie spice in a pot. Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Stir constantly!!! (You will burn the sugar in the fudge if you let it sit and reach a boil) When it reaches a boil, keep stirring for 5 minutes or until your candy thermometer reaches 230 degrees.

3. Take the mixture off the heat and immediately add the white chocolate chips and marshmallow creme. Stir until all the chocolate chips are melted and the marshmallow creme is incorporated. 

4. Pour the mixture into your greased pan and let cool for about 2 hours. Cut into 1 inch pieces and serve. Store in covered container in the fridge. 

After pouring the fudge into the greased pan I always scrap the inside of the pot for a warm delicious, sweet treat of the leftover fudge.

I happily bring my fudge to work for my coworkers. I love sharing my favorite fudge recipe with them. I put them into individual clear bags to make them easier to hand out to my favorite employees. They always rave about how delicious the fudge is and I love making it.

Halloween Cake Pops: Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting #Halloween #Cake

I have always wanted to make Cake Pops. For as long as I have been baking and making candy, I oddly have not attempted cake pops. I say attempted because these were a bit harder to do than I had expected! A big round of applause from me for the bakers that have perfected these. 

I started out with the idea of making some ghost cake pops for my family and coworkers. (My photo above, we call him the Forkey Cake Pop) My coworkers have been my taste testers for years and always give me good honest feedback. I thought mine turned out too moist, but they all agreed that the cake pops were delicious and better a moist cake than the cake pops being dry. 

I started with a basic box cake mix. I selected Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix; I bought the super moist one that had pudding in the mix. Now I think it might be why the consistency was off. Next time I will buy a different one for cake pops. It was a delicious cake and the house smelled amazing like pumpkin pie. Follow directions on your cake mix. Mine required eggs, oil and water to be added to the box cake mix. Allow the cake to cool for 30 min to an hour after baking.

When cake is cooled you can begin the process of crumbling the cake. I started with a small container and quickly realized I needed a bigger container. (I yelled "We're gonna need a bigger boat!" my husband rolled his eyes at my ever-present movie references to all life situations LOL) Let me know if you know the movie.

After crumbling the cake into tiny pieces, I added 3 heaping dollops of cream cheese frosting to the cake crumbles. Stir in the frosting to make an even mixture of cake and frosting with a wet sand like consistency. Roll cake into 1 inch size balls. Set in fridge for 4 hours or freezer for 30 minutes. 

I opted to freeze mine for 30 min to get the Cake Pops set for dipping. I prefer to use melting wafers when dipping items for treats since it is easier to use than other chocolates. I purchased a cake pop kit from Amazon for the sticks, bags and twist ties. I also bought Candy eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles at Walmart.

I did say I like to use melting wafers since it is easier BUT that is not to say you still can't ruin them! HA! I accidently burnt the chocolate in the bowl on the right and wanted to share how it can be burned in the difference of a few seconds in the microwave. Follow the instructions for melting on the bag you purchase. Mine did not look melted but if I had stirred them while in wafer form after the set time for melting, I would have realized they were ready. Trial and error are expected when learning to make something new.

I poured out my toppings of eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles onto a plate to be ready to place on the cake pops once dipped in chocolate.

Dip the tip of your cake pop stick into your melted chocolate and insert it about halfway into the cake ball. Dip the cake ball into the chocolate. Remove and gently tap on the side of the bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. I did have some cake balls fall off into the chocolate, but I spooned them out and put them back on the stick.

So, I am going to definitely point out that I forgot a crucial item in my Cake Pop adventure. A cake pop stand to allow the chocolate coating to dry! I improvised with an oatmeal box that I poked holes in with a pencil. If using this method, I suggest removing the oatmeal packets from the box before poking holes with a pencil. How I know this, well again trial and error. HA!!

My first handsome Halloween Cake Pop made with Spice Cake and Cream Cheese frosting. Delicious!

None of my cake pops look the same but I think it made them each more special.

Easy Appetizers: Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto Recipes Hummus Dip and Mini Pizzas

 *Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

With the holidays coming and people staring to have small gatherings new recipes have been on my mind. I wanted to take my normal recipes and add some new flavor profiles. When I had the opportunity to try Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto I knew exactly which recipes I would add it to.

I have always been a fan of Pesto. The flavor is unique and delicious. The Barilla brand is one of my favorites with the rich creamy savory flavor. When you open a jar of it the aroma is amazing. I also like the brand because they are a family company that has been making products since 1877.

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is a flavor-packed, versatile, and convenient pantry staple that is a must have for Italian food fans. Imported from Parma, Italy, it’s made with fragrant Italian basil and freshly grated Italian cheese. To preserve the natural color of basil and the fresh aroma of Italian Cheese, Barilla minimizes the handling of ingredients and rapidly prepares their recipe in as little as three hours from the start of ingredient preparation to the tightening of the lid. With Creamy Genovese Pesto, a little goes a long way; one 6.2-ounce jar of pesto mixes well with 16 ounces of pasta. 

I decided to make two different recipes to show the diversity of the Creamy Genovese Pesto. I started with a simple stir in recipe to make Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip. I love hummus and adding the pesto elevated the flavor into a creamy, cheesy, basil infused flavor that is so delicious. I will continue to make for not just gatherings but a go to snack.

Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip

-Use your favorite brand of classic plain hummus 10 oz.

-Stir into the hummus 2 oz. of Creamy Genovese Pesto

-Add more Pesto as needed for desired flavor

-Served with baby carrots and sliced sweet peppers

-Add pita chips or other vegetables as needed

Pesto Mini Pizza was also another easy appetizer I decided to make. I purchased ready to cook individual pizza doughs, fresh tomatoes and finely shredded mozzarella. 

Creamy Genovese Pesto Mini Pizza

-Follow the directions for temperature and cook time for the premade dough. 

-Add a spoonful of Creamy Genovese Pesto to the center of the pizza dough and spread evenly.

-Top with finely shredded mozzarella cheese

-Add sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese (you can add olives, onions or meat if preferred)

-Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown dough and melted cheese 

My son was excited to try the pizza. He loved the flavor of the Pesto Pizza. The aroma of pesto filled the house as it cooked and wow it smelled amazing! My son told me it tasted like pizza you would find in a fancy New York restaurant. A very sweet comment coming from my biggest critic. 

These two recipes are easy peasy to make and are delicious. Definitely a good option to make for an appetizer for dinner or even an after school snack. My son has requested the Pesto Pizza to be made again soon. As a Mom that is a win for me!

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is available to purchase at Target (SuperTarget), Publix, Stop & Shop (Super Stop & Shop), Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and more. To find a store near you, visit momsmeet.link/barillalocate.

Pumpkin Spice Fudge Recipe #PumpkinSpice

 

I LOVE the Fall! Like seriously love it!! The weather, the food the clothing, the holidays, ALL of it! To celebrate the 1st day of October I made Pumpkin Spice Fudge. I use a simple recipe that I have adapted over the years of making fudge. Fudge making is a family tradition that my Mom has inspired me to share with my family. My fudge is a marshmallow creme based recipe. I love the smooth rich texture that using the Jet-Puffed gives to a recipe.

RECIPE:

3 Cups of Sugar

1 Tablespoon of pure Maple Syrup

3/4 Cup of Butter (1 1/2 Sticks)

2/3 Cup of Evaporated Milk 

1/2 Cup of Pumpkin Puree

1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 Cups of White Chocolate Chips 

1 jar (7 oz.) Marshmallow Creme

Instructions

1. Grease a pan with butter to make the fudge easier to cut out to serve. I used a 10x14 pan since I was looking for smaller pieces of fudge, if you want it thicker use a smaller pan.

2. Put sugar, maple syrup, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and pumpkin pie spice in a saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Stir constantly!!! (You will burn the sugar in the fudge if you let it sit and reach a boil) When it reaches a boil, keep stirring for 5 minutes or until your candy thermometer reaches 230 degrees.

3. Take the mixture off the heat and immediately add the white chocolate chips and marshmallow creme. Stir until all the chocolate chips are melted and the marshmallow creme is incorporated. 

4. Pour the mixture into your greased pan and let cool for about 2 hours. Cut into 1 inch pieces and serve. Store in covered container in the fridge. 

TIPS: I slice up the butter and chop up the white chocolate chips to make them easier to melt.

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Recipe

I am not a vegan but I do enjoy trying different styles of cooking and trying new ways to eat delicious food. Last month my son and I had a "lets eat cake" kinda day to celebrate it just being a generally awesome day of life. We looked at our ingredients and realized we did not have any eggs or butter on hand. We did have olive oil and coco powder. I went on a Google mission to see what recipes I could come up with to make my own spin on Vegan Chocolate Cake.

I found a great recipe on Veg Recipes of India and gave it my own flare adding the peanut butter powder and using olive oil. Dassana explains the key to the eggless cake is the way the acidity of lemon juice interacts with the baking soda. I used white vinegar because I did not have lemon juice, her recipe is very adaptable.

Stir all dry ingredients together in one bowl.

In a separate bowl from dry ingredients dissolve the sugar in cold water before adding the olive oil, vinegar and vanilla. It is important to the finished cake that you dissolve the sugar completely.

Mix your favorite brand of powdered peanut butter with water for 1/4 cup of peanut butter.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together excluding the peanut butter. I decided to make one cake just chocolate and the other with the peanut butter. I added the peanut butter to only one pan by putting it on top of the batter and swirling with a spoon.

Drizzle with chocolate sauce on top and enjoy!

This cake was a huge hit for my co-workers and family. It is moist and delicious! 

You can find the complete recipe with ingredient list and instructions at Eggless Chocolate Cake by Dassana

Valentine's Day Treats: Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting #valentinesday #cupcakes #recipes

~Post by Patricia

One of my very favorite food combinations is chocolate and peanut butter. I love it so much but wanted something more that just my favorite candy to enjoy.

Cupcakes are always welcomed by friends and family, so these were the perfect answer to a quick dessert, and also satisfied my chocolate and peanut butter craving.

The peanut butter frosting on these cupcakes is made with cream cheese, a frosting that I enjoy making and my family really loves.

The chocolate cupcakes is an easy recipe, and I always think homemade tastes so much better than boxed mix.

And if you keep the baking essentials well stocked in your pantry, you can be ready to bake so many yummy treats as a moments notice.

I made these cupcakes just for fun to have for dessert. My family loved them, and this recipe is definitely a keeper.


Recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients for cupcakes:

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Directions for cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:

1/2 cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions for frosting:

With an electric mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes.
With a small spatula, frost cupcakes and sprinkle with peanuts.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

German Apple Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting #Recipe #ThrowbackThursday

#Repost of a recipe from 2016 of one of our favorite #cake recipes #ThrowbackThursday

I don't know about you, but Halloween sort of exhausted me this year. Between cooking and baking, and parties and trick-or-treating, I needed a rest. Of course, these are all things I love doing and love spending time with my family, but it's a nice lull right now before the Thanksgiving madness starts.

I've been wanting to make this German Apple Cake for awhile now, ever since I saw the recipe in one of my Taste Of Home magazines. The combination of apples and walnuts are one of my favorites, especially during this time of year. The recipe actually calls for pecans, but since I had just bought a giant 5 pound bag of shelled walnuts, I used them instead and it worked out great.

I like this cake as one you can take on a fall picnic, or tailgating at the game, or to someone's house. It's sturdy and smells and tastes just like fall. The cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites, and absolutely worth the effort to make it. I really don't like the taste of already-made frosting anymore even though it's convenient in a pinch. But honestly, there's nothing like homemade.

Recipe for German Apple Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups chopped and peeled apples

3/4 cup pecans (or walnuts)

For frosting:

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Fold in apples and nuts.

Pour into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Makes 12 servings.



Holiday Favorite Recipes: M&M's® Hot Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipe #repost #throwback #recipe

***This is a REPOST from November 2015 #throwback 
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias

The holiday season is here and I'm very excited that I've already started my holiday baking. It's my favorite time of the year to share desserts and treats with family and friends. I have the most wonderful memories of my mother being busy in the kitchen, baking delicious pies, cakes, and cookies.

My mom would save her change in a jar all year round so that she would be sure to have enough money when Christmas came so that she could buy the ingredients she needed for her baking and candy making.

I like to think about her when I'm baking for my children and grandchildren, and they seem to love my baking, just like I loved hers.

I've mentioned before how much I enjoy the seasonal M&M's® I always find at Walmart, and sure enough, the other day I found M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavor. So, so good!! And I also bought the Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix and Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting to make a yummy cake for my family.

It's so easy to whip up a cake with this cake mix and frosting, and I simply added hot chocolate mix and chopped M&M's® Hot Chocolate candies to the cake batter for a great hot chocolate flavor.

I also bought some M&M's® Holiday Peanut because peanut is my absolute favorite kind of M&M's®, though I have to say that all the other flavors are a close second.

When my four year old granddaughter saw this cake she said it was beautiful, and that is one of the reasons I bake, for love, for family.

I want her to remember her and I baking together, which we frequently do, and remember how much fun we had in the kitchen.

Simply add chopped candies and hot chocolate mix to the batter to give it that great hot chocolate flavor. I always make sure to use parchment paper and vegetable oil so that my cake doesn't stick to the pan, it works every time.

Put together and frost both layers of the cake, then the real fun begins! Decorate your cake with the sprinkles that come with the Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting, and the M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavored candies.

This is really such an easy way to make a fun and festive cake that you can enjoy at home, or bring to a holiday gathering.

Recipe For M&M's® Hot Chocolate Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup hot chocolate powder
3/4 cup M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavored candies, roughly chopped

For frosting cake:

1 container Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting
additional M&M's®

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and place parchment papers (if using) into 2 8-inch round cake pans.
Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add in chopped candies and hot chocolate mix, stirring well.
Divide evenly into the prepared pans. Bake 20-24 minutes until done, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans, put on a wire rack and let cool completely before assembling and frosting.
Decorate with sprinkles and candies.

My family and I drink a lot of milk, we can go through quite a few gallons in a week. I always appreciate the low prices on Great Value Milk at Walmart.

Having a glass of milk with dinner and dessert is something that many people take for granted. But many families with children aren't that lucky, and go without milk and it's essential nutrients because it's not typically donated to food banks, even though it is in high demand.

More than 46.5 million Americans – including one in every six children – rely on Feeding America food banks each year. And one of the most requested food items is milk. But sadly, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year.

But we can help out by making a small donation at pourmilklove.com. The Great American Milk Drive will deliver a gallon of milk – and all of the essential nutrients, including protein, that it provides – to a family in need in YOUR local community.

When you purchase two bags of M&M's® at Walmart ( 9.4 oz. bags or larger) up to a gallon of milk will be donated to the drive. What a great way to help get milk to children who need it. And you can also make a donation to the Great American Milk Drive here.

You can find all these products, and additional flavors of M&M's®, at your local Walmart. Check out the baking aisle for all kinds of great dessert and baking ideas.

Use this coupon to save $1.00 on any two (2) bags of M&M's® Chocolate Candies 8 oz. or larger.

Be sure to check out more delicious holiday baking recipes here. And tell me what your favorite holiday recipe, I'd really love to know.