Pumpkin Crunch Cake

 Yummy dessert perfect for the fall and holiday season.  Can be eaten warm or cold, with a scoop of ice cream or without.  Also, as noted in the list of ingredients, the caramel sauce is optional.  I added some on my serving the first day, but I thought it was already plenty sweet, so I don't think it's necessary.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

12 oz evaporated milk

4 eggs

1 1/2  c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

pinch of ground cloves

1 tsp salt

1 box yellow cake mix

1 c chopped pecans

1 c melted butter

Optional:  caramel sauce for topping

DIRECTIONS: 

In a bowl beat together pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and spices.  Pour into lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

Sprinkle top with yellow cake mix, followed by the chopped pecans.

Pour melted butter evenly on top of cake.

Bake 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees farenheit, or until top is lightly browned and custard is set.

Serve warm or cold.  Enjoy!

Mint Hot Chocolate

Whenever I mention making hot chocolate the immediate response is "please, please, make the mint kind"  This mint hot chocolate has become my family's favorite! I'm sure it will become yours as soon as you give it a try.

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups milk

6 oz white chocolate chips (1/2 bag)

1 tsp peppermint extract

Green food coloring

crushed Andes mint chocolates

Whipped cream

Pour milk in a large pot and warm it on medium heat.  As soon as the milk starts warming up, add your chocolate chips and stir until they are melted.  Add peppermint extract and a few drops of green food coloring (I usually do between 5 and 6), stir well and remove from heat.  Serve warm and garnish with whipped cream and crushed Andes mint chocolates.  Enjoy!

The Best Rolls!!!

Thank goodness for Pinterest right!

I came across this recipe on Pinterest a few years back and had to try it.  Since then, this recipe has become my go-to recipe for rolls.  They taste AMAZING and are fast and easy to make.  There's only one problem though, they are soooo good that it is hard to stop eating them!

This recipe can be used for a lot of other recipes as I'll mention in the bottom of this post, and a few others later on. 

Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.  

Recipe from:  How does she?

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp yeast

2 cup warm water

9-10 cups flour

butter

In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water along with 1 tablespoon of sugar, set aside.

In a microwavable bowl add milk, 3/4 sugar and one stick of butter (1/2 cup).  Microwave for  2 minutes.

Transfer the milk, sugar and butter mixture into a big bowl and add one to two cups of flour to cool it down a bit.  Then add egg, salt, and yeast mixture.  Mix well.

Incorporate flour, 2 cups at a time.  Mix well, cover, and let rise.

Divide dough in 4 balls.  Take each ball and roll it in a circle.  About 1/4 inch thick.   Smear some butter on top of each rolled circle.  Using a pizza cutter cut the circle in quarters, then do two more cuts in each quarter in order to end up with 12 triangles per circle.

Roll triangles beginning with bigger side first and finishing up with the tip.  Place rolls in a greased cookie sheet and let rise until double their size.  I usually let them rise for about 20-30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes.

Run a stick of butter on top of baked rolls for an extra buttery taste. Enjoy!

 

Did you make a lot of dough?  Don't want to make all the rolls?  

Well how about a dessert!

Just add a little bit of melted butter to the top of one of your rolled circles.  Sprinkle some cinnamon and sugar, then roll it (like making cinnamon rolls).

Using a knife, cut rolled dough in half, just don't go all the way so that the two pieces are still connected.

Grab both pieces of dough and twist together.  Form a ring and pinch ends together.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  

Frost with cream cheese frosting or your favorite glaze.  Enjoy!

Caramels-Pretzel Rods

This recipe was given to a group of us at a church activity along with a baggie with a few of these delicious treats.  They are amazing, and the perfect treat to give out to your friends and family!

Also, if you'd rather not make the pretzel rods, you can just make caramels.  They are oh so good!

Notes:  This recipe made about 60 rods and still had a little caramel left over for a tiny batch of caramels.

You will need a candy thermometer.

I used about 3 lbs of candy melts for as many pretzel rods as I made.

INGREDIENTS AND PROCEDURE:

Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 10-15 minutes:

2 C sugar

2 C light Karo Syrup

dash of salt

Meanwhile scald together:

1/2 can of evaporated milk

3 C whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Slowly (very slowly) stir the milk mixture into the sugar mixture while it is cooking.  Watch closely so it doesn't boil over.  Continue to stir and cook to 232 degree for soft caramels.  Pour into greased 9x13 glass dish.  Cool slightly- cut into squares.

 FOR PRETZEL RODS:
Dip rods in caramel.  Lay out on parchment paper.  Let cool.  Dip in chocolate or vanilla (white) candy melts.  Lay back on parchment paper.  Dip fork in melted chocolate or vanilla candy melts (opposite to the main flavor used) and flip back and forth on top.

Apple Crumb Pie

Oh so good!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)

6 cups chopped peeled tart apples (about 6 medium)

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp sour cream

4 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

TOPPING:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine

Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry; flute edges. In a bowl, combine the apples, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into pastry shell. For topping, combine flour and sugar in a bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack.