Upside-Down Pumpkin Filled Chocolate Cupcakes 

Courtesy of Paula Deen:

Submitted: Lindsay Rincon

·  1 (18.25-ounce) box dark chocolate cake mix

·  4 ounces cream cheese, softened

·  1 cup canned pumpkin

·  1 cup confectioners' sugar

·  8 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

·  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

·  Candy corn, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Do not use paper liners.

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes and bake. 
Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans, and arrange them, rounded side down, on wire racks to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the pumpkin and confectioners' sugar, and beat until smooth.
Cut each cupcake in half horizontally. Spread about 2 tablespoons the pumpkin mixture evenly over cut side of rounded cupcake halves. Top with the cut side of the flat cupcake halves.

Using a double boiler, melt the semisweet chocolate. Add the whipping cream and mix until well combined. Spoon the desired amount of chocolate over each cupcake and garnish with candy corn. Cover, and chill, or serve immediately.


Cook's Note: Cupcakes can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 

Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin Blondies
Source:  adapted from Martha Stewart
Submitted: Summer Thatcher
2 c. flour
1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
1 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips
1/2 c. chopped, toasted nuts (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.  Stir together and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.  Mix in the pumpkin puree.  With the mixer on low speed add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Fold in the white chocolate and butterscotch chips (and nuts, if using) with a rubber spatula.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

To serve, lift the cake from the pan using the foil and transfer to a cutting board.  Peel off the foil and using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
submitted by: Lindsay Rincon

1 c butter 
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c canned pumpkin pie mix
3 c flour
2 c chocolate chips (one bag)
 
Preheat oven to 350*.
 
Beat butter, sugars and eggs together. Then, add pumpkin and vanilla and mix together. 
 
Add all dry ingredients and mix. Then, add chocolate chips and stir. 
 
Bake for 15 minutes.
 

Jean Pocket Bean Bags

Liz submitted this really cute craft!  Bean Bags made out of pockets from your old jeans!  I love them!  Thanks for sharing Liz!

I found this easy bean bag pattern in an old craft book of my moms.  Basically you cut out the butt pocket of your blue jeans (no holes in front or back) around the sewn edges, fill with rice or beans and sew two seams along the open edge.  Watch for fraying edges.  I used pockets from women's & men's jeans and added 3/4- 1 cup of rice.  I made 14 bags and used about 2/3 of my 10 lb bag of rice.

Double Chocolate Cookie Bars

Double Chocolate Cookie Bars
submitted: Summer Thatcher
From: Heidi Bakes Blog

24 OREO cookies
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Set aside 6 cookies and grind the rest in a food processor or blender.  IN a small bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and butter until well blended.  Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Over a double broiler or in the microwave (for 1 minute), melt 1 cup of chocolate chips together with the condensed milk.  Stir and add the vanilla.  Stir frequently until smooth.  Spread evenly over the crumb crust.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of chocolate chips over the top.  Break remaining cookies into pieces by hand and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven.  Cool completely before cutting into the bars.

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

Creamy Bacon Carbonara
Submitted: Summer Thatcher
From: Just Get off Your Butt and Bake

2 eggs
1/4 c. Heavy Cream
1/3 c. Parmesan
Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes (Basil would be good also)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes
(I doubled the sauce recipe, and it was perfect)

1/2 lb. bacon
1 small onion, chopped (opt.)
3 mushrooms sliced (opt.)
1/2 lb. pasta

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, parsley, salt and red pepper together in a bowl.  I just used a fork.  Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside.  With 1-2 TBS bacon grease, saute the onion and mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden.  Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms.  Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes.  (**I doubled the sauce recipe and I saved a bit of the pasta water, just in case my sauce got thicker than I liked, add a bit if you need it).  Don't do this on high heat or you will make scrambled eggs.  Serve with additional Parmesan, and a loaf of Crusty French Bread and a salad!  You will love it!

Peaches and Cream Tart

Peaches and Cream Tart

submitted: Summer Thatcher

Crust:
2 c. Macaroon Cookie crumbs (almost 1 pkg. cookies)
1/4 c. butter, melted

Combine crumbs and butter. Put in spring form pan or mini cheesecake pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling:
1 c. heavy cream
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2/3 c. sugar
4 TBS orange juice concentrate
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

Whip whipping cream till stiff, set aside. Beat cream cheese, sugar, OJ, vanilla and almond. Stir in whipping cream. Spread over crust. Refrigerate 2-4 hours or freeze 1 hour. Peel and slice peaches (or strawberries, raspberries, blueberries...) and sprinkle with sugar. Put fruit on top of filling before serving.

If you want you can make some homemade whipped cream (1 c. heavy cream, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 tsp. almond) and put on top before the fruit...so good:)