Pumpkin...pumpkin...pumpkins!

"Delicious Autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird

I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."

George Eliot

 I have been having such a good time in the kitchen lately! Infact I have just  been having a good time. I am in love with this weather and want to breathe in every bit of fire red leaves, cool crisp mornings, and delighted little faces as they discover the world of pumpkins. 

I want to share a Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe with you! The pumpkin and the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg are just too much! But then the cinnamon cream cheese spread is the 'it' of the recipe!

For the muffins:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl; set aside

In a separate bowl combine pumpkin, melted butter and eggs in a small bowl; stir until well mixed. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until just combined... 

remember we love texture

Put batter into muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 22-23 minutes (My oven has been cooking hot, I ended up only cooking mine for about 18 minutes... don't let them overbake)

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup melted butter

Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Melt the butter in a separate bowl. Dip tops of warm muffins in butter and then in cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Don't you love the pumpkiny robe in all of my morning pictures!

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread

1 3oz pkg cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp butter, softened

1 Tbsp (or so) brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Blend all ingredients until creamy and smooth.

Then... if this wasn't pumpkiny fun enough! The very next morning I used the remaining cinnamon cream mixture. I got a delicious loaf of chunky cinnamon bread from Kneaders. Spread the creamy mixture on one slice and topped with another slice of bread. Dipped them in a mixture of eggs and half-n-half, cooked until all gooey and brown. Of course I topped it with my buttermilk syrup! 

Try it... you'll like it!

Magleby's Breadsticks

These really and truly are as yummy if not more yummy than the breadsticks at Magleby's! They are also simple, simple, simple...

Start with a bag of frozen Rhodes Rolls

Spray Pam on a cookie sheet

Place frozen rolls on pan

Allow to sit out until soft but don't let them rise very much

In two separate dishes:

One, melt one cube of butter

Second, combine Parmesan cheese, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder

Roll each individual roll into a oval shape

Then roll in butter

Next cover in cheese mixture

Put all the rolls on cookie sheet

Allow to rise for a couple of hours

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes

You want them to be golden brown

Chicken Pasta Salad or Banaberry Muffins

I have been contemplating which recipe to share today... a breakfast dish or chicken salad???

I am thinking I should do the muffins first, because if there are any muffins left from breakfast they are delicious served with the pasta salad for dinner.

With our wild windy weather with rain splashing here and there - every day, I am also wondering if I should be cooking something warm and comforting. But no, I am not giving in to the weather. I am going to live like it is just a regular warm, summer day that lends to swimming pools, park playing and runs along the canal trail. So for today....

Bananaberry Muffins

2 cups flour

2 Tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter (room temperature)

2 eggs

1 cup ripe mashed bananas (or 2 medium sized bananas)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup fresh blueberries (rinse and pat dry)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line tray with muffin cup papers

This is one of the secret key ingredients - cake flour!!! It is a must

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together with a wire whisk

This is a great way to use your bananas that are getting too ripe to eat but not brown enough to throw out

Fresh blueberries are the greatest, yummiest, anti-oxidant tasting fruit ever!

And butter - do you know anything that butter doesn't make taste better!

So begin with mashing bananas and placing in a mixing bowl

Next add the butter, eggs and vanilla

Mix on low until just combined

Slowly add the dry ingredients to this.

Mix until all ingredients are combined but don't be afraid to leave some texture!

Fold the blueberries into this delightful batter

Spoon into muffin tins and place in preheated oven

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

They don't get golden brown so keep your eye on them

Sprinkle with sugar upon completion

Serve warm with butter...

I'm just sayin'

Zucchini Bread

This bread is my favorite! It is best warm, right out of the oven, moist inside and a little baby bit of a crunchy top layer. A sliced piece of warm bread is a must... you don't need anything on it, just you, your bread and of course a glass of milk. But then really, the next morning, after resting in a ziploc baggie, another slice of bread with maybe a little fruit - makes the perfect breakfast, or snack...

In a mixer, beat eggs until foamy

Add to eggs: sugar, oil and vanilla

Continue to combine mixture

Grate zucchini and add to the wet mixture

Add flour one cup at a time, keep the mixer going

Add salt, baking soda, baking powder and lemon peel

Now for the flavor!

Add cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves

You can either bake in two large loaf pans, tonight I used 4 small pans

Spray in the bottom of each loaf pan

Put a little flour in each pan and kind of slide it around the bottom

Pour the bread mixture evenly into your loaf pans

Bake at 325 for 50 minutes (could be a little less with smaller pans)

Test with a toothpick, and don't overbake!

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes

Turn out on a bread board

Slice and enjoy! mmmmmm

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 cups white sugar

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup oil

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves