It's Halloween

It's Halloween

It's Halloween! It's Halloween

The moon is full and bright

And we shall see what can't be seen

On any other night:

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,

Grinning goblins fighting duels,

Werewolves rising from their tombs,

Witches on their magic brooms

In masks and gowns

we haunt the street

And knock on doors

for trick or treat

Tonight we are the king and queen,

For oh tonight

it's Halloween

By Jack Prelutsky

"Happy Halloween To All"

***These cupcakes are Pumpkin with Cinnamon Whipped Cream. The recipe comes from Crazy about Cupcakes by Krystina Castella

And "Yes I did crave this pumpkin, is she not Great!!"

Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cake

I have had so much fun this week, decorating and getting ready for Halloween..........I am getting very much into it this year.........."I am loving it..........It also happens to be one of my most favorite holidays.
Even our cat Shelby loves Halloween, he is out there every year just sitting on the front porch watching and waiting for all the little goblins and ghosts to come to his house. I believe Shelby just loves all the attention he gets but he always has been very social and loves children.

In my continued quest for the ultimate pumpkin recipe, I made a Pumpkin Spice Cake...............The batter tasted just like pumpkin pie filling........It really is quite good but still not the ultimate.......I am still looking.

Try it for yourself...............Here's the recipe

Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cake

Ingredients

1 pkg. Spice or carrot cake mix

1 cup pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/3 Cup water

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

6 oz cream cheese softened

2 Tablespoons butter softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 Cups powdered sugar

Halloween candy corn and other decorations are optional

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350 Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans

Combine:

Cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin spice n large mixer bowl until moistened............Beat 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake:

For 30 10 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat Cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar Spread between layers and on top and side of cake.

To Garnish:

Optional

Form licorice strings into ghost shapes, (I used black icing I felt is was easier to use) Arrange candy corn around the top of frosted cake.

A great way to get kids involved in the festivities

*This recipe is from Nestle's Very best of Baking

Polka Dot Pumpkin Cupcakes

This cupcake is extremely rich and bursting with Pumpkin flavor. It is also a self frosting cupcake which makes it even more attractive to those who do not have a lot of time for baking.

I must admit thou I did have a little trouble with this recipe, when I put the topping on the cupcake, during baking it went to the middle of the cupcake.......O.K. That wasn't so bad........It actually added to the richness of the cupcake but then I still needed to frost them..........I am not sure what I did wrong but they really were quite flavorful...........

Polka Dot Puumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4-oz) cream cheese, softened

1 large egg

2 Tablespoon granulated sugar

2/3 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate mini morsels

1 pkg. (16 oz) pound cake

1 cup pumpkin

1/3 cup water

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 Grease or paper line 18 muffin cups

Beat cream cheese, egg and granulated sugar in small mixer bowl until smooth. Stir in morsels. Set aside.

Combine

Cake mix, pumpkin, water, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda in large mixer bowl, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon topping over batter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center come out clean. Cool in pan on wire racks for 10 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe can be found on VeryBestBaking.com

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Mix

While surfing the internet for pumpkin recipes, I came across the Nestles' Very Best Baking website, here I found recipes that are easy and yet, also found some that are challenging . It also has some really fun gift ideas, which I am planning on using during the Holiday season.

The first recipe I tried was the Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. I made several loaves and sent them to friends to see what their reactions would be..............Everyone loved it............My husband has a friend named Greg, who NEVER eats sweets, he tried it and loved it.

The blend of Pumpkin with the tangy tartness of the cranberries is fantastic.

Send a special gift to a friend or loved one...........Here's how

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Mix

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup Ocean Spray Craisins Sweetened Cranberries

1 can ( 15-oz) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except pumpkin, in large bowl. Pour into 1 quart resealable plastic bag. Place in fabric bag. Place bread mix and can of pumpkin in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan

Recipe to Attach

Beat together 3/4 cup Pumpkin, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs and 1/4 cup orange juice or water in large mixer bowl until blended. Add contents of bag. Stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf

Congratulation to Joe and Kelly

We have the most wonderful friends, their names are Joe and Kelly, they are just so perfect for each other...........On Kelly's Birthday, Joe surprised her with an Engagement ring..........We could not be more excited for them......Best Wishes you two.........We love you.

To Celebrate this wonderful occasion, I needed something really special

Nutty Toffee Ice Cream Cake

This is a chocolate cake with a layer of French Vanilla Ice Cream in the center, sprinkled with Toffee baking bits

Frosted with both Ice Cream as well as a French Vanilla Frosting and surrounded by cream filled pirouette cookies.......Then topped off with French Vanilla non dairy whipping cream and peanuts and more Toffee bits.

For the final finish wrapped with a Ribbon to give it a really celebration look.

For a Holiday look, you could substitute candy canes for cookies and crushed peppermint candies for nuts and toffee bits

and a beautiful Red bow

"Congratulation to such a wonderful Couple"

**This recipe can be found in Cake Mix Magic.........Awesome

BEWARE!!!!!

Today is Friday the 13th...........Some consider this to be their Lucky Day......Yet others find them selves looking over there shoulder most the day........Which are you?!!!!!

"BEWARE!!"

"Don't We all Love Comfort Food??"

The weather this last week has really started to change.......Every morning you can really feel the chill in the air. I am starting each morning off with making a fire in the fireplace and getting my morning coffee brewing............ It is even raining at the moment.

This time of year always seems to draw me to wanting to snuggle up with some REAL comfort food..........."Don't we all need a little comfort in our lives" "Don't we all want to feel warm and fuzzy..........?"

Time to bring out those comforters and blankets.........And whether you are snuggling up with a good book as it rains or snows outside or watching T.V here is a great bit of comfort for your taste buds.

These are Oatmeal Banana cupcakes, they actually are a really good breakfast cupcake for on the run as well.........But for me........they spell C-O-M-F-O-R-T

I found this recipe in a new book I recently acquired.......Crazy about Cupcakes written by Krystina Castella.........This was the first recipe I tried so far I believe I am off to a good relationship with this cookbook

****"Please take a moment and recommend a good book you've read recently to enjoy with these cupcakes"

Mini Black Forest Cake

Oh Yum!!!! This is so light and yet not to sweet.........It was the perfect end of last nights meal...........A nice quiet candlelight dinner for two.
Using the recipe from Cake Mix Magic, for these mini Black Forest Cakes I was able to make one for last night and freeze the rest for another time or for unexpected guest...........I think this would also be fun to have for dessert when you are having a dinner party with other couples and let the other couples share there own.

It is simple, it is easy, it is delish.............!!!

Makes 5 cakes

Black Forest Mini cakes

1 package chocolate cake mix. Plus ingredient to prepare mix as directed

2 cans (20 oz) cherry pie filling

Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 17x11 inch jelly roll pan; set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour into prepared pan.

2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, drain cherries. Prepare frosting, reserve 1 1/2 cups.

4. Using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut 15 circles from cake. Place cake scraps in food processor, pluse until cake is breadcrumb texture. Set aside.

5. Place 1 cake circle on plate. Top with cherries. Repeat two more times to form a three layer cake. Repeat with remaining circles. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorating tip. Pipe around edge of cakes. Spoon remaining cherries on top.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Beat together 3 cups cold whipping cream and 1/3 cup powdered sugar in chilled deep medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form.

"Yes, I am a romantic at heart"