Pumpkin Crumble Bars

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites.

1 boxed yellow or white cake mix
1-2 sticks butter (see notes in instructions)
1 16 oz can pumpkin*
2 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t ginger
1/8 t cloves
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/3 C chopped pecans
1/2 t additional cinnamon for topping

*This makes a dessert about an inch thick or less. That’s because I like a high topping-to-pumpkin ratio. If you’d like it thicker, use a large can of pumpkin and double the rest of the filling ingredients (Eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices). Leave the rest of the recipe the same.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 2 C of the cake mix in a bowl. Cut in 3 T chilled butter. Just use your fingers to crumble the butter until it’s in small crumbly pieces. Place mixture in a 9×13 baking dish and press flat with your fingers.

Mix pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and spices until smooth. Pour on top of the cake mixture in the pan.

Now take the rest of the dry cake mix and mix in 1/2 t cinnamon. Sprinkle it all over the top of the pumpkin mixture. Use a measuring cup so you have a rough measurement of how much you’re putting on. Here’s why:

Here’s a little something I learned after making the dump cake a gazillion times. Cake mixes all have different amounts in them! Different brands, different flavors, etc. Each one is slightly different in volume. I found one mix to have almost double the normal amount. Measuring the amount of cake mix you’re sprinkling on top will help you get the perfect topping ratio in the last step.

Next sprinkle on the chopped pecans. You’ll have 3 distinct layers now:

Here’s the trick: For every 1 C of cake mix you sprinkled on top, you’ll need 3 T of melted butter. Drizzle it right on top.

That butter is going to combine with the cake mix and make magic in the oven. Pop it in your 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or so. A knife should come out without globs of pumpkin on it and the topping should be nice and golden.

You can eat it warm, at room temp, or chilled! My favorite is actually at room temp. Put a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on top. It’s also great with vanilla ice cream.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c very warm water (should feel about as warm as a hot shower)
1 1/2 Tbs yeast
1/4 c sugar

1 whole egg plus 1 yolk
1/2 Tbs salt
1/4 c oil
4-5 c flour

1/4 c butter, melted
1 c brown sugar
2 Tbs cinnamon
1/2 c cinnamon chips (optional)

4 oz Cream Cheese (low fat is ok)
1/4 c butter, softened
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-3 Tbs milk, to desired consistency

Directions:

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and allow the yeast to proof for 5-10 minutes until it looks foamy (if you have a kitchenaid, use that bowl)

2. Add the eggs, salt, and oil to the yeast mixture. Slowly add the flour. The dough should be soft, but pulling away from the edge of the bowl.

3. Beat or knead the dough for 10 minutes.

4. Allow dough to rise for 40 minutes in a draft-free place.

5. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. Cover the dough evenly in melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and cinnamon chips.

6. Roll the dough into a long log shape (rolling it hot dog way rather than hamburger way)

7. Slice into 1-2 inch thick discs and place in a greased pan (round cake or square pans work great).

8. Allow rolls to sit for 15-20 minutes

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Watch them close! You want them light golden brown but done in the middle (I definitely over-cooked them a little last night because...I wasn't watching them)

10. While the rolls are baking, combine the frosting ingredients. Smother on top shortly after pulling the rolls out of the oven.

Note: This dough makes REALLY good dinner rolls. After step 4, roll the dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or cup. Then dip the dough in butter. Fold the circles in half and pinch them ( half moon shape) and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise for 15-20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

2012/2013 Bunco Schedule

Every month but October and January we will meet on the first Thursday of every month.

October 11*  (Sally)
November 1  (Heather)
December 6  (Amy) 
January 10* (some of you may be out of town for this one.  If our numbers are small we'll just make it a girls night out)  (Mary)
February 7  (Jena)
March 7   (Rhonda)
April 4  (Tammy)
May 2  (Ann)
We will regroup at the start of the summer and make plans according to how many we have around.
 

Lemon Drop Cookies

Hey, guys here's the Lemon Drop cookies recipe I brought last night.  This is the original post I made for my other blog.

Remember my favorite Lemon Tree?

Well, I finally picked my last two lemons and I just knew what I wanted to make with them.

Curious about the difference between meyer lemons and store bought lemons?

Well, they look a little different.  My meyer lemons are very round.  They are also very soft and smooth.  But as far as taste goes, they taste just like a normal lemon.

So, once I "harvested" my bounty of two lemons I was trying to decide the best way to eat up these lemons.

Immediately I thought of the Best Cookie Shop in the World (I'm probably not exaggerating).

I went online and I googled, "Recipe for Ruby Snap Lemon Cookies".

Unfortunately Ruby Snap has not released any of their recipies.  

What??  I know, I was as surprised as I'm sure you are right now.

So I went on to plan B.-- which was googling, "Lemon Drop Cookie Recipes".

I searched through a couple recipes before deciding this one from Make It Do looked the best.

Here's her Recipe:

LEMON DROP COOKIES

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 – 1/3 cup sugar
• Zest of one lemon – reserve juice for glaze
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 – 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 4 ounces lemon drop candies, crushed

For the glaze:

• 1 – 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, soda, and salt until well blended, set aside.   In a separate bowl add sugar and lemon zest.  Using your fingers, rub together until well blended and fragrant.  Add softened butter and cream together.  Blend in eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract.  Mix in crushed lemon drop candies.  Add flour mixture in batches until mixed in.  Do not overmix.

Using a cookie scoop or a spoon drop 1 inch balls onto a greased cookie sheet.  Flatten balls slightly with your hand.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes until slightly browned.

Cool and spoon glaze on top.  Allow glaze to set up before serving.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

The one thing I thought that was kind of weird was when it tells you to add sugar and lemon zest together and then rubbing it with your fingers to blend.

I thought it was sort of strange.  But then I did it and it smelled So yummy.  Then I licked my fingers when I was done.  Yum-- lemon sugar.

Another step tells you to mash up the lemon drops.  I got out my lemon drops, put them in a ziplock bag, then did one hammer with my mallet.  Immediately my husband was at my side, eagar to mash up some lemon drops.  He thought that was quite fun.

I decided to leave my lemon drops a little chunky, because I was thinking bigger chucks would be fun.  Next time I make this (probably this afternoon) I'll probably smash them up smaller.

Also, I will mention these cookies grow a lot during their baking time in the oven.  Be warned.

After they're cooled, you add a lemon glaze.  So good!  My husband said they were even good enough to replace chocolate chip cookies.  And we're pretty serious about chocolate in this home.  So that's very high marks indeed. 

Oh, and in case you're wondering, my lemon tree is growing two new baby lemons.

Feta Dip

(from cookingoncloverlane.blogspot.com)

olive oil
1 block (1#) of feta cheese  (I bought the pre-crumbled kind)
tomatoes (any kind)
1 bunch of green onions
1 baguette
Greek Seasoning

Pour olive oil onto platter
Dice tomatoes and green onions and sprinkle them on top of the oil
Sprinkle feta cheese on top
Sprinkle Greek seasoning on top
gently mix together

Serve with thinly sliced french baguette 

Chicken Enchilada Dip

This is one of those dishes I just throw together without a recipe but I'll do my best to write it up in a way you can follow.

2 large cans canned chicken
1 bar cream cheese
1 C sour cream
1 C mayo
2 small cans green chiles
2 cups pepperjack, grated

Mix all ingredients together and spread into a greased 9x13 pan.  Top with more cheese (I used colby jack last night but it really doesn't matter what kind you use.  It's all good!)

Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Pumpkin Cake w/ Whipped Topping

Pumpkin cake w/ whipped topping

CAKE
1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 C water
2 eggs
2 t. cinnamon
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 T apple or pumpkin pie spice
1 15 oz can pumpkin.

Mix all ingredients and spread the thick better into a greased cake pan.  Bake @ 350 for 25 minute (this last time I made it I checked it at 25 minutes and the middle was still gooey so I had to bake longer.  Just make sure you check it).  The cake will be moist but it shouldn't be gooey.

TOPPING
2 C heavy cream, whipped
1/3 C brown sugar
2 T sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Mix everything into the whipped cream.  Spread on cooled cake.