Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients

1 Can Pumpkin

1 Box Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 Container of Cool Whip

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg or Cinnamon

Directions

1.)  Mix together Pumpkin, Vanilla Pudding, Cool Whip, and Pumpkin Pie Spice with a mixer

2.)  Place in fridge for at least 1 hour to chill

3.)  Sprinkle ground Nutmeg or Cinnamon on top

4.)  Serve with Nilla Wafers, Graham Crackers, or Apple Slices

Pumpkin Cheeseball

Ingredients

2 Packages of Cream Cheese

3 Slices of Cooked Bacon, Crumbled

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 TBSP. Worcestershire Sauce

2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Bunch of Parsley

Crackers of Choice

Directions

1.)  Cook Bacon, I like to place on baking sheet and cook in oven for 20 minutes at 350 Degrees.  Let cool and crumble

2.)  Mix together Cream Cheese, Crumbled Bacon, Garlic Powder, Salt, Worcestershire Sauce, and half of the Cheddar Cheese

3.)  Form Cheeseball into Carrot and place on serving platter.  Cover with remaining Cheddar Cheese

4.)  Place Parsley in the top of the carrot cheese ball

5.)  Refrigerate until ready to serve

6.)  Serve with crackers of choice

Dutch Apple Pie with Caramel Drizzle and Graham Cracker Crust

Pie Filling Ingredients

1 Store Bought Graham Cracker Pie Crust

5 Medium Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Sliced (I used Jonagold)

2 TBSP Unsalted Butter, Melted

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup of Sugar

3 TBSP Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon

Pie Topping Ingredients

1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup of Flour

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

6 TBSP Butter, Melted

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Jar of Caramel Sauce to drizzle on top (Optional)

Directions

1.) Slice Apples and place in mixing bowl. Pour in Melted Butter, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Flour and Cinnamon. Stir until all ingredients are mixed and apples are evenly coated

2.) Pour apple mixture in graham cracker crust

3.) Using another bowl mix brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, melted butter, and vanilla together until a crumb mixture forms

4.) Sprinkle crumb topping over pie filling

5.) Bake at 350 Degrees for 40 minutes

6.) Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve warm with ice cream

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

Ingredients

1 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese, softened

1 15 oz. can of Pumpkin

1 package of Cheesecake Instant Pudding

1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 container of Cool Whip

3 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Cup of Graham Cracker Crumbs (you can buy the pre-crushed or crush your own with food processor)

4 Tablespoons Butter, melted

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Directions

1.)  Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar together.  Place in the bottom of individual cups

2.)  Using a hand mixer beat cream cheese until creamy.  Add pumpkin, pudding, pumpkin pie spice, and sweetened condensed milk.  Beat with mixer until all ingredients are combined

3.)  Gently fold Cool Whip into pumpkin mixture with spatula.  Mix by hand until combined

4.)  Spoon pumpkin mixture into cups.  Set in refrigerator for at least an hour to set

5.)  Garnish top with additional Cool Whip and pumpkin pie spice.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve

Fall Cocktails

Prosecco Pink Lemonade Punch

Ingredients

1 Can of Frozen Pink Lemonade

1  2 Liter Bottle of Sprite Zero

1-2 Bottles of Champagne (I used 2 Bottles of Prosecco)

1 Bag of Frozen Strawberries (they add flavor and act as ice)

**To make an individual glass of this punch follow this recipe

1/2 Can of Sprite

1/2 Cup of Pink Lemonade (Ready to serve juice)

1 Cup of Prosecco

Handful of strawberries

Apple Cider Sangria

Ingredients

1 Bottle of One Hope Pinot Grigio

1 Can of Sprite

4 Cups Apple Cider

1 Apple, diced

1 cup Cranberries

1.) Mix Wine, Sprite, and Apple Cider together and then add diced Apples and Cranberries

2.)  Chill until ready to serve

Dutch Apple Pie with Caramel Drizzle and Graham Cracker Crust 

Pie Filling Ingredients

1 Store Bought Graham Cracker Pie Crust

5 Medium Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Sliced (I used Jonagold)

2 TBSP Unsalted Butter, Melted

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup of Sugar

3 TBSP Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon

Pie Topping Ingredients

1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup of Flour

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

6 TBSP Butter, Melted

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Jar of Caramel Sauce to drizzle on top (Optional)

Directions 

1.)  Slice Apples and place in mixing bowl.  Pour in Melted Butter, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Flour and Cinnamon.  Stir until all ingredients are mixed and apples are evenly coated

2.)  Pour apple mixture in graham cracker crust

3.)  Using another bowl mix brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, melted butter, and vanilla together until a crumb mixture forms

4.)  Sprinkle crumb topping over pie filling

5.)  Bake at 350 Degrees for 40 minutes

6.)  Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve warm with ice cream

Pumpkin season is here!  My favorite time of year!  Stay tuned all season for new recipes added to the blog!  First up is my pumpkin pie dip recipe that is great to bring to a party!

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

Ingredients

2 Packages of Cream Cheese

3 Slices of Cooked Bacon, Crumbled

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 TBSP. Worcestershire Sauce

2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Bunch of Rosemary

Crackers of Choice

Directions

1.)  Cook Bacon, I like to place on baking sheet and cook in oven for 20 minutes at 350 Degrees.  Let cool and crumble

2.)  Mix together Cream Cheese, Crumbled Bacon, Garlic Powder, Salt, Worcestershire Sauce, and half of the Cheddar Cheese

3.)  Form Cheeseball into a Pumpkin and place on serving platter.  Cover with remaining Cheddar Cheese

4.)  Place Rosemary in the top of the Pumpkin cheese ball

5.)  Refrigerate until ready to serve

6.)  Serve with crackers of choice

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 15 oz. can of Pumpkin

1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. ground Cloves

1 tsp. ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 pre made Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Directions

1.)  Whisk all ingredients together until smooth

2.)  Pour mixture into pie crust

3.)  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes

Homemade Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 cup of Whipping Cream

1 TBSP Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions

**Use a metal mixing bowl and metal beaters and place in freezer for 10 minutes to get cold

1.)  Once bowl and beaters are cold add Whipping Cream, Sugar, and Vanilla to bowl

2.)  Using a hand mixer beat ingredients until soft peaks form

3.)  Place in fridge until ready to serve

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Ingredients

1 Can Pumpkin

1 Box Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 Container of Cool Whip

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg or Cinnamon

Directions

1.)  Mix together Pumpkin, Vanilla Pudding, Cool Whip, and Pumpkin Pie Spice with a mixer

2.)  Place in fridge for at least 1 hour to chill

3.)  Sprinkle ground Nutmeg or Cinnamon on top

4.)  Serve with Nilla Wafers, Graham Crackers, or Apple Slices

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups

Ingredients

1 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese, softened

1 15 oz. can of Pumpkin

1 package of Cheesecake Instant Pudding

1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 container of Cool Whip

3 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Cup of Graham Cracker Crumbs (you can buy the pre-crushed or crush your own with food processor)

4 Tablespoons Butter, melted

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Directions

1.)  Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and brown sugar together.  Place in the bottom of individual cups

2.)  Using a hand mixer beat cream cheese until creamy.  Add pumpkin, pudding, pumpkin pie spice, and sweetened condensed milk.  Beat with mixer until all ingredients are combined

3.)  Gently fold Cool Whip into pumpkin mixture with spatula.  Mix by hand until combined

4.)  Spoon pumpkin mixture into cups.  Set in refrigerator for at least an hour to set

5.)  Garnish top with additional Cool Whip and pumpkin pie spice.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp Recipe Courtesy of:  If You Give a Blonde a Kitchen

As you know by know my Mom was a great cook and growing up she  was always sharing her recipes with family and friends.  I still have people telling me a certain recipe of my Mom’s is one of their favorites and when they make her famous dish it reminds them of her.  Her Peach Pie was always one I remember growing up and now it is a favorite of my sisters to make for the family.

Recently I found her Chicken Marsala recipe which is in her handwriting which brought a smile to my face but it also reminded me of the first meal I ever made for Nick back in high school.  On Valentine’s Day with my Mom’s help I made Nick Chicken Marsala and Fettuccine Alfredo.  This meal has become a meal we make together on special occasions.  We open a bottle of wine and enjoy a night together of cooking one of our favorite meals.

Enjoy these three recipes that bring many memories to our family.

Peaches and Cream Pie

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 Box of Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Can Peach Slices

1 8 oz. Cream Cheese

1/2 Cup Sugar

3 TBSP. Peach Juice

For Topping

1 TBSP. Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Directions

1.)  Mix Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Vanilla Pudding Mix, Egg, and Milk together using hand mixer

2.)  Pour into a greased pie pan

3.)  Drain Peaches (reserving 3 TBSP Peach Juice) and place in single layer in pie dish

4.) Using hand mixer mix Cream Cheese, Sugar, and Peach Juice until creamy

5.)  Spread over peaches leaving a 1 inch edge around pie dish

6.)  Mix Sugar and Cinnamon together and sprinkle on top of Cream Cheese Mixture

7.)  Bake at 350 Degrees for 30-35 minutes

Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Ingredients

1 Box of Fettuccine Noodles

1 Stick of Butter

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

2 Cups Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1.)  Cook Pasta according to package

2.)  In saucepan over medium heat melt Butter and add Heavy Cream

3.)  Bring to simmer and add in Parmesan Cheese, stir until melted, remove from heat

4.)  Add cooked Fettuccine Noodles and Salt and Pepper

5.)  Mix together and top with Parmesan Cheese

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

1 Package of Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts

3 Eggs, beaten

1/4 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Flour

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

3 TBSP Olive Oil

3 TBSP Butter

1 small Onion, Diced

1 Package of Mushrooms, Diced

1 Clove of Garlic, Mashed

1 Cup Marsala Wine

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, Grated

Directions

1.)  Flatten Chicken Breasts between two sheets of wax paper using meat tenderizer

2.)  Combine Egg and Milk in Shallow Dish.  In separate dish combine Flour, Salt, and Pepper

3.)  Dip Chicken in Egg Mixture then Flour

4.)  Heat Olive Oil and Butter in skillet.  Brown Chicken pieces on both sides and remove to single layer in baking dish

5.)  Saute Onion, Mushrooms, and Garlic in pan drippings

6.)  Add Marsala Wine and Chicken Broth.  Bring to a boil to reduce liquid

7.)  Pour onion, mushrooms, and wine mixture over chicken

8.)  Top with Mozzarella Cheese and Bake at 350 Degrees for 20-25 minutes

9.)  Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo