3,4,5 snowmen!

Cheers to an upcoming holiday season celebrating the Savior's birth!

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake



Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/3 C pumpkin, canned or homemade1/4 – 1/2 C milk
1/4 t vanilla
1/2 t cinnamon
1/16 t cloves (just use a 1/8 t measure and fill it half way, or do a pinch)
1/16 t nutmeg
2 T brown sugar
2 C vanilla ice cream
1-2 graham crackers

Pop everything but graham crackers in a blender. Start with 1/4 C milk and then slowly add more if needed to make the blender process it all. I used somewhere between 1/4-1/2 C.  Sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs before serving.



Apple Cider Floats

Apple Pie Floats
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup ginger ale
1-2 scoops vanilla ice cream, or any seasonal flavor such as cinnamon or apple pie
ground cinnamon and nutmeg for sprinkling
1-2 tablespoons jarred caramel sauce

Pour apple cider and ginger ale into a glass.  Add vanilla ice cream.  Sprinkle on nutmeg and cinnamon to taste and drizzle caramel sauce on top.  Serve immediately with a straw and a spoon.

Yield: one serving

Caramel Apple Cider

Hot Caramel Apple Cider
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 gallon apple cider (64 oz or 8 C)
1/2 C orange juice, fresh squeezed or good quality bottled like Simply Orange
1 orange
8 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks (if yours are more than a year old- buy new ones!!)
1/4 t ground allspice
1/3 C jarred caramel sauce* more to taste if needed
optional: caramel flavored syrup
sweetened whipped cream (or from a can is fine!)
*For a delicious twist, substitute maple syrup for the caramel sauce in this recipe.

Pour 8 cups of apple cider into a large stock pot on the stove pot. Set heat to medium-high. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and allspice.

Thoroughly wash your orange and then gently stab the whole cloves into it. If you find it hard to do that without destroying the cloves, use a toothpick to poke little hole first and then insert the cloves.  (If you are doubling the recipe, you can still just use one orange, just double the number of cloves you poke into it).

Gently drop the whole orange into the pot. Bring cider to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer on low for 60 minutes and longer if you wish. If you’re keeping the pot on the stove for an extended period, keep an eye on the orange. If at any time it splits open, remove it from the pot. If the white pith is exposed it will add a bitter taste to your cider. If you’re going to have the pot warming for hours on end, take out the orange. After you’ve simmered for an hour, add caramel sauce and stir to combine and dissolve. Add more caramel to taste if needed.

#2 Turtle Doves!

TWO layered Pie

Layered Pumpkin Pie Toffee Cheesecake



Toffee-Pumpkin Cheesecake
Slightly adapted from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (just short of 2 sleeves)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 bag toffee bits
1 15-oz can pumpkin (or use homemade, it’s 1 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup whipping cream
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning
1/8 teaspoons salt
Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream for topping

Instructions:
Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Spray a 9 or 10″ springform pan with cooking spray.  In a small bowl, mix crumbs and butter.  Press in bottom of pan.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in 2 of the eggs.  Stir in 1 cup of the toffee bits.  Spread over crust.  Clean out your bowl (or by all means grab another one.)

Mix pumpkin, whipping cream, 2/3 cup sugar, the cinnamon, pumpkin pie seasoning, salt and remaining 3 eggs just until blended.   Slowly and carefully spoon over cheesecake layer.

Bake for 2 hours or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center still jiggles slightly when moved.  Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches.  Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes.  Run spatula around edge of pan.  Cool 30 minutes.  Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.  Run spatula around edge of pan; remove side of pan.  Pipe whipped topping or whipped cream around edges of cheesecake; sprinkle with remaining toffee bits.

No lie, I WILL make this. Hopefully this weekend! 

Fa la la #1

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Let me start by saying WOW. What a great recipe to start off the 25 days of yumminess. 

Makes 12 cupcakes | Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line wells of cupcake pan with paper liners. 

Gingerbread Cupcake

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 1/2 cup strong, very hot coffee
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced crystallized ginger

Cupcakes Recipe:

1. Add flour, the ground ginger, the cinnamon, the cloves, the allspice, and the salt in a bowl and sift.
2. Add 1/2 stick of the butter and granulated sugar in bowl and beat until mixture is pale and fluffy. Add molasses and egg beat until the mixture is smooth. In a measuring cup combine the baking soda with 1/2 cup very hot strong coffee water and stir until baking soda is dissolved. Stir the baking soda mixture into the molasses mixture (the mixture will appear curdled) and the combined molasses and baking soda mixture into the flour mixture, stir until ingredients are well combined.
3. Fill cupcake liners halfway. Bake the cupcakes on the middle rack of a 350 degree °F. oven for about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. (Cupcakes will be flat on top.) Transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

Add cream cheese, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla into a bowl and beat until fluffy and smooth. Add in the zest and lemon juice and beat to combine. Chill frosting for 30 minutes before using.

For some reason the song "Oh Heaven is a place on Earth" just popped in my head : )

Enjoy! Fa La La #1

Sweets Galore Coming Soon!

Finally!! The spatula and mixer made it's re-appearance this month...and I didn't go easy on them either!

My next post will be a doozie as it will include several delish SWEETS :)

The holiday season is arriving and I think I'm going to try to update my blog with a 25 days of Sweets.

First and Foremost, The Official Scott Rules:

1. I'm not actually going to make all the sweets because I do not need myself or my husband to despise me for us gaining too much weight over the holidays (the aftermath effect, woof.)

2. I may include multiple treats on some days

3. They may or may not have anything to do with actual christmas (example: don't hate me for making a tropicalish fruity dessert and it might be fun to use show something not actually food related but absolutely awesome anyways)

Ok, the truth is out!! :)

Another truth, 2011 is close to an end and 2012 right around the corner.

Ignite Fitness powered by CrossFit owner, Shane, recently said a person typically gains an average of 10lbs each holiday season. Ouch. Well.... I'm in one of my best friend's wedding in January and the fact is I will have to fit in my dress but enjoy my cake too!

I haven't been able to start up on the Paleo diet BUT a few things happened over Thanksgiving that made me seriously think about this diet.

First, my sweet friend, Margot, told me about another friend who does this diet and she looks AMAZINGLY amazing!

Second, processed foods' ingredients are really starting to gross me out.

Third, I got a bad case of food poisoning over the holiday from NOT eating so paleo and this definitely opened my eyes.

Here's a picture of me in hospital. I look semi-decent but the only reason why is because after the 50th plus time I've thrown up, I finally have fluids pumping in me via IV and happy meds = )

So I think I'm going to try my own 20-30ish day Paleo Challenge (after christmas.... I'm not missing out on ALL the fun!) This may end up being more of trying to do it during the week and then eat cupcake(s) on weekends...

I think Todd and I are actually going to do this together so stay tuned!!

It will be interesting... promise.

Next up- Sweets Galore!

Chocolate Soup? Yesssss

So as you know I have been trying to curb my cupcake obsession, dependency, infatuation.....however I think it's time for a reward as I have had to encounter being sore 24/7, can hardly lift my arms to brush my hair, wanted to throw up 9/10 times during work out, annndddd cannot sit up without pulling my legs, chair, bed, whatever is really in the way to get up... as a result of Crossfit. This.Is.No.Joke. The Hubby is out of town this week for work so time to pull out the butter, spatula, and sugar!

Cannot wait. for real! I will update my blog later with a deliciously delicious true SWEET recipe.

Since I have not been able to bake as much as I have wanted with sugar...and spice... I have found an excellent recipe to hold me over. It actually has NOTHING to do with dessert. Crazy, right??

It's called Chipotle Chocolate Chili... Yep, double chocolate in soup and honestly one of my new favorite soups! Fairly healthy, so the owner of crossfit might be somewhat happy... even though he is a true paleo eater!

Anyways, check this recipe out. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. It has a taste of mole sauce...if you've ever had that at a mexican restaurant.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/10/chipotle-chocolate-chili/

Addicted... for real

I am an addict. Seriously.

I think about it every day and night.

I can't stop giving in to it.

I pin annoyingly too much.

That's right... I'm addicted to Pinterest.

I feel sorry for the folks who follow me because my pins must pop up obnoxiously and over bearing.

I'm sorry. really really sorry!!

I never knew how cool this site is!! sigh....

Ok, now that I've admitted my addiction I will let you know I have halted a little on the sweets (partially due to the fact I just started crossfit and have had my booty served to me. How can you possibly be so sore every day that it hurts to lift your hand to brush your hair?!! The owner said I need to eat a little better...I blamed it ALL on the cupcakes. He didn't laugh... oops.

Ok so instead of baking up a storm in my kitchen, I've decided to focus my attention elsewhere. CRAFTY DIY! boom! I saw an idea on pinterest and put it into action!

Todd and I are still working on making our house a home and the master bedroom is ZERO percent done.

My solution (instead of spending thousands of dollars on furniture)

I took my old chest that I had since I was a baby and sanded, painted, and replaced the hardware.

Final Product:

Can't stop there... Next I did the same to my grandfather's TV Stand

Really, really excited to put this in our room!!! Well now that I've been to home depot about EVERY day the past week and I've figured out I can spend like 30 bones instead of $1000 on each piece I'm looking for more! I realized I have so many old pieces of furniture that just needs a little face lift or refresher course!

This was really not that hard and EVERYONE can do it! Promise :) Just some time, a face mask, sweat, and your decision making skills are needed!

So long until my next pinterest project....    = ) 



Another Winner!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Please check out this recipe for a delicious fall dessert

If you love pumpkin, cookies, cinnamon, and sugar....this recipe is for you!!

I tried it this past Sunday before Todd headed out to LA for the week (work). I wanted to pack up my sweet, sweet hubby with a sweet treat = )

http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/09/22/pumpkin-snickerdoodles/

Simple and glorious!!