Anything & Everything Pumpkin Cake

Any time I make a dessert for something or someone else besides my family they just act like it's so horrible that it's not for them and they always want some really bad.  So after making the Pumpkin Pound Cake last week for a dinner at our church I knew I would have to make something for my family over the weekend.  I had so many recipes pinned containing pumpkin I couldn't believe it.  I ended up going with this recipe from Clever Housewife and the whole family loved it!  The only thing I did different was add chocolate chips to mine and use a whole bag of Heath bits on top of cake.  I personally did not care for chocolate chips being added but my husband seemed to really like them in the cake.  Next time I make this I think I will mix some heath in the cake mix and add more heath to the top of cake.

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
1 – 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chocolate chips if desired
1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 – 8 oz. tub cool whip
1 bag Heath Bits
Caramel Sundae Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, spice and pumpkin puree until a smooth batter forms. Pour batter into a greased 9×13 baking dish, and bake according to the directions on the cake mix box (approx 23-28 mins).
-Remove cake from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes after baking.
-Using the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
-Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake. This should fill in the holes and soak into the cake.
-Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
-Remove cake from refrigerator and spread cool whip over top of cake. Sprinkle on the heath bits, and -drizzle caramel over top. (I didn’t think the cake needed a lot of caramel at this point so I only used about ¼ of the jar. I thinned it out first by heating it in the microwave.)
-Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight (best).

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Here lately I have pinned so many recipes that contain pumpkin.  I love fall, love baking, and love pumpkin desserts!  Our church was serving a dinner last week and I usually make some type of pound cake for these because they tend to be super easy.  Wanting to make something new I was so excited when I realized I had pinned a Pumpkin Pound Cake by Whipperberry.  I followed her recipe exactly as is and it turned out yummy!  It was moist and of course had good flavor.

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together your sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into your pan and bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.  I baked 55 minutes as I am just always just over cautious of not wanting things to be dry, but this could have baked at least 3 more minutes and been just fine.

Jalapeno Bacon Mac N' Cheese

My husband and I went to Kirby's Steakhouse for our anniversary and had some of the best Mac N' Cheese with jalapenos and bacon in it.  So I found a recipe to try for something similar to what we had.  As usual I did not follow the recipe exactly and did some of my own things.  The kids didn't care for this but it really is good.  I hope to get it  a little more creamy next time I make it and add more jalapenos for flavor.  All in all a good side dish though!

Ingredients
12 oz large elbow pasta
4 Tbsp salted butter
4 jalapenos, seedless & diced
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz cream cheese softened
Paula Dean Seasonings
Panko Bread Crumbs
Olive Oil

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Boil elbow pasta as directed, rinse and drain.  In same saucepan melt butter on medium heat.  Add diced jalapenos and cook 2-4 minutes.  Add crumbled bacon stirring in about 1 minute.  Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute.  Add milk, pepper jack cheese, and cream cheese cooking and stirring until melted and blended.  Mix in Paula Dean Seasonings and stir well.  Stir in pasta and mix all together.  Pour pasta in 2qt baking dish.  Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs on top and lightly drizzle olive oil over them.  Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees, and then turn broiler on and broil about 3 minutes or until top is browned.

Honey Butter Grilled Pork Chops

Every time I buy groceries I pick up the normal chicken and ground beef, and then always pick up one other meat for something different.  I decided to go with pork chops for grilling after seeing a recipe for a pork tenderloin.  I'm not really a fan of pork meat but don't mind eating occasionally.  My husband grilled these and the whole family really liked them, especially the kids!

Seasoning
4 Tbsp honey
4 Tbsp butter
Cajun Seasoing
Black Pepper

Heat honey and butter on medium heat until blended.  Brush sauce on both sides of pork chops and season to your desire.  Let marinate 30 minutes or longer.   Set grill to high heat and cook each side for 1 minute.  Turn heat to low to finish cooking pork chops.

Pecan Lemon Loaf

I had intentions to make some Banana Bread the other day but happened to look through the Taste of Home 2009 recipe book on my cookbook stand first and found this I wanted to try.  I'm not super crazy about lemon things but I like them for having something different and love the light fresh taste they give.  At first I wasn't sure how this would taste lemony since there is no lemon juice added to the dough as it all gets poured over the top.  However, to my surprise the bread soaks it all up even through the middle and you have moist lemon bread.  I can't say this is my favorite bread, but it's definitely good and I will make again when I want that light fresh taste!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large mixing bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in eggs.  In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.  Fold in Pecans and lemon peel.  Transfer to a greased 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice and remaining sugar.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour over the warm  bread. Cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I have been making these enchiladas for about 12 years now and it's a family favorite in our house.  These are also known as Stinachiladas in our family because my nephews call me Aunt Stina, and they started calling these Stinachiladas when they were little and would ask there mom to make them.  Over the years I've come across a couple things that no doubt make this recipe better and that is freshly grated cheese and fresh green chilies or at least a good jar from New Mexico.  If I buy shredded cheese I always go with Sargento.  Something I'd like to try is making my own cream of chicken sauce for these, but I have yet to do that!

Ingredients
12 to 15 frozen chicken tenders
2 Tbsp full of chicken bullion or 2 cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz diced green chilies
16 oz shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 large flour tortillas
Seasonings pictured below

 

Place frozen tenders in pot with water, add lots of all the seasonings and chicken bullion.  Boil chicken about 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and tender.  Remove tenders from pot, place in 8x8 pan and shred to pieces with two forks.   Allow broth to settle while doing this.  Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Place chicken and cheeses in center of tortilla then slide towards edge and roll up tight. Place in baking dish after rolling each one.  You should be able to fit 10 if you roll them tightly.  Preaheat over to 350 degrees.  Pour off some broth from pot into bowl or large cup leaving the bottom 2 cups in saucepan.  This is important because most of the seasoning settles to bottom and you want this in your sauce.  Add cream of chicken, sour cream, and green chilies to broth and stir over medium heat continuously until blended well.  Add more of the reserved broth as necessary to the sauce mixture to ensure it's not too thick, but be careful not to add too much making it runny.  Pour sauce over enchiladas.  Using a spatula place between each tortilla allowing some of sauce to run in between them all.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake 25-35 minutes until edges begin to lightly brown. 

 

Make Ahead Spicy Omelets

My husband has never been one to have to eat breakfast before heading off to work because he is in a hurry.  I usually keep breakfast bars on hand but those get old fast!  With this being said I try to come up with something different for his breakfast every so often.  So a few months ago I decided to try making omelets and freezing them.  Well it worked out great and he loves them when he remembers to put them in the oven before getting ready, lol!  This recipe is my husbands favorite but you could use just about anything. 

Ingredients
1 pkg bacon
1 dozen eggs
1 quart bag mixed sweet peppers & jalapeno's with seeds
16 oz fresh grated pepper jack cheese
1 stick of butter
Paula Dean Seasoning

Cook bacon as directed  and crumble.  Chop sweet peppers and jalapenos to fill quart size bag. Grate fresh pepper jack cheese.  I usually prepare the bacon, peppers, and cheese the day before.  Have 3 eggs mixed in small bowl.  Melt butter in small nonstick pan on medium heat.  Add a handful of peppers and season with Paula Dean Season.  Stir consistently about 2 minutes, then add crumbled bacon and stir together another minute or so.  Pour in eggs and cook until top begins to puff up or have bubbles.  Place cheese on one half of omelet and fold opposite side over to close omelet.  Let cook about 1 minute then flip to opposite side cooking another minute.  Remove from pan, place on plate, and put plate in freezer.  Begin cooking another omelet!  As you are making omelets you'll need to cut previously made ones in half before frozen, but you want them to be cooled and firm before cutting.  Place them in freezer gallon bag once cut in half. 

If preparing all ingredients in one day this usually takes about 2 to 3 hours.  I usually end up with 8 sometimes 10 half omelets, lasting 2 to 3 weeks for my husbands breakfast.  To reheat these for breakfast you should take one from freezer, wrap in foil and place in fridge the night before to allow some thawing.  In the morning preheat over to 375 or 400, depending on how fast you want ready.  Heat omelet for 10 to 15 minutes.  If frozen you will have to heat for 20-30 minutes.