Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

These delectable little beauties taste just like fall. Perfectly spiced, crunchy on top and soft in the middle, they taste especially good while wrapped in a big red blanket on a crisp October Sunday morning after you've slept in late. (I would know, that's how I'm enjoying them this very second!) They're amazing, give them a try.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1¼ cups vegetable oil

For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.

To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons). Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces. Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving. (It may be hard to resist immediate consumption, but the cream cheese filling gets very hot!)

Recipe from Annie's Eats.

Crepes + Mixed Berry Compote

I just realized I don't have a crepe recipe on the blog! I love making crepes - it's fun, easy and makes breakfast feel a little more special. Here is my go-to crepe recipe.

Crepes

1 cup flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth (I hear you can also use a blender for this, but I'd rather not fuss with washing my blender). Heat a frying pan over medium high heat and coat with cooking spray. Pick up the pan in one hand. Use your other hand to pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the middle of the pan, then tilt the pan in a circular motion to get the batter to spread in an even circle (you'll mess up the first one, but then they'll all turn out perfect after that. It's a learning process). Cook until the top is set and looks dry - watch it and you'll see the shine on the surface disappear - about 2 minutes. Turn out onto a plate, then repeat with remaining batter.

I like to fill my crepes with a variety of different things, but almost always include fresh whipped cream, and always with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. A few ideas:

Nutella and banana
Apple cinnamon and whipped cream
Berries and whipped cream
Cottage cheese, fruit and whipped cream
Peaches and whipped cream

These were berry and peach crepes. I used this mixed berry compote:


Mixed Berry Compote

2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice plus 2 teaspoons
3 tablespoons honey
3 cups frozen mixed berries
1 tsp vanilla

Dissolve the cornstarch in the 2 teaspoons orange juice. Set aside. Combine the 1 1/2 cups orange juice and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, let cook for 1 minute or until the honey has completely dissolved. Add the berries and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm over pancakes, french toast, oatmeal, ice cream or crepes.

Doughnut Muffins

Raise your hand if you love doughnuts! Raise your hand if you wish you could make them at home! Raise your hand if you hate frying with oil in your kitchen! Wow, you too?!

Well, I have just the solution for you. These muffins taste uncannily close to a sugared cake doughnut. They are totally awesome. Now, don't be thinking that by baking instead of frying you're skipping out on calories here. Don't you worry, each one is submerged in melted butter before rolling in cinnamon sugar. This is not health food. But I do like that they are not actually fried. No oily smelling house, no burned arms, no stress (I stress out when I get around hot oil). I made these for a baby shower and everyone loved them!

Doughnut Muffins

1-¾ cup Flour

1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoons Salt

½ teaspoons Nutmeg

½ teaspoons Cinnamon

⅓ cups Oil

¾ cups White Sugar

1 whole Egg

¾ cups Milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 stick butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.

Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen and Pioneer Woman.

Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

Let's be honest here, I did not take this picture. I was so excited about eating this delicious pasta dish that I didn't think to take a picture of my own. Oops. So the photo credit for this one definitely goes to Angela.

BUT - original photo or not, you NEED TO KNOW about this recipe. It was so delicious. And healthy! I made it in my new Blendtec blender (which I LOVE, by the way) when I was so excited about it and just looking for ways to use it. I will definitely be making this again. The roasted tomatoes add such a depth of flavor to the pesto sauce - sweet and smoky and just amazing! We loved this and felt all fancy eating it.

Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto


9 large roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
2 garlic cloves
1 cup tightly packed basil + more for garnish
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on tomatoes
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Your desired amount of cooked pasta


Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place sliced tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour and 10 mins at 400F. Watch closely during the last 15 minutes of roasting.

Reduce oven heat to 325F and toast almonds for 8-10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup into food processor and process until finely chopped. I left mine a bit chunky for texture. Remove and set aside.

With processor turned on, add 2 garlic cloves and let it whirl around until finely chopped. Now add in the basil and process until finely chopped.

Add in the oil, optional nutritional yeast, and 1.5 cups of roasted tomatoes (you will have tomatoes left over). Process until smooth. Pulse in 1/3 cup toasted almonds. Season generously with salt and pepper. I think I used about 1/2 tsp salt or a bit more.

Pour your desired amount of pesto over the cooked pasta and mix well. Chop the remaining roasted tomatoes and stir into pasta. Chop remaining almonds and Chiffonade the basil



Recipe from Oh She Glows.

Tortellini with Snap Peas, Lemon and Dill

This was the most delicious dinner! I was expecting it to be good (Kelsey's recipes always are), but it exceeded my expectations. The flavors were so fresh and well balanced. I can't wait to make it again! 

A couple notes: I substituted half a red onion for the shallot with great results. Also, pancetta is like a fancy, salty bacon. I used pancetta and I am really glad I did, but if you can't find it, I bet thick cut bacon would do in a pinch. But you wouldn't get that perfect salty flavor out of it, so I'd definitely recommend using pancetta if you can! And lastly, when lacking fresh herbs (dill), I use dry at about 1/3 the amount. So, 3 Tbs fresh dill becomes 3 tsp dried dill.


Tortellini with Snap Peas in Lemon Dill Cream Sauce

1 lb. refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 lb. sugar snap peas (4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1/2 
cup)
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped & chopped fine, plus more for garnish
1/3 Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook tortellini according to package 
directions; adding the sugar snap peas during the last 2 minutes. Drain. 

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 
pancetta and cook until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 
pancetta to a small bowl and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat 
from the pan. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and 
golden brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, heavy 
cream, lemon zest, and dill. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until 
sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. 

Remove from heat and add tortellini, snap peas, and pancetta and toss 
gently to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with additional 
dill before serving. 

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Kelsey Nixon.

S'mores Brownies

Summertime in a brownie. Amazing gooey deliciousness, best served warm.

S'mores Brownies
Crust:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt


Brownie:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour


Topping:
4 cups large marshmallows, cut in half
Milk chocolate chips
broken graham cracker pieces



Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top, sprinkle with chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from Food Network.