Pumpkin Spice Latte

You may remember from my post about how to make Pumpkin Puree from fresh pumpkins, that I had plenty of homemade pumpkin puree and would be making lots of pumpkin recipes!  So, I hope no one is tired of pumpkin recipes yet! I've heard that it's okay to share pumpkin recipes until Christmas day! Then after that everyone is done with pumpkin! Sort of like 'don't wear white after Labor Day'! Well, this is the first recipe I've tried so far and it was VERY good! So stay tuned for e few more pumpkin recipes on this blog in the coming weeks!

This Pumpkin Spice Latte is suppose to be a perfect copycat for the Starbuck's version. Since I've never had the Starbuck's version I can't compare! To me this tastes like drinking a pumpkin pie mixed in with your coffee...yum!

Pumpkin vs. Apple

This time of year I see TONS of recipes using apples and pumpkins! I love both, so it's a pleasure to see! I'm always amazed that so many cooks can come up with so many creative ways to use these items in recipes! Every year a new apple or pumpkin recipe emerges that I've never seen before and sweeps across the Internet becoming very popular, very quickly! But I'm old fashioned sometimes and I gravitate towards the basics when it comes to apples and pumpkins! I'll take a simple apple or pumpkin pie any day!

These next 2 recipes were just what I wanted...simple and basic but so very delicious! Both recipes are sweetened with SPLENDA® helping to keep them lower in calories.




Mini Apple Muffins
Click **Here** for recipe

These are very tasty little muffins! I simplified the direction and also made some adjustments. I added a splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of ground cloves. I used SPLENDA® brown sugar blend instead of the plain granulated sweetener. And to make the directions easier I just mixed all the dry ingredients together in one bowl. Then in a separate bowl I mixed together all the wet ingredients. Then I added the wet to the dry and mixed until well combined. I used mini cupcake liners and scooped the batter to the top of each with a melon baller. Then baked as stated. These had a nice fresh apple taste but I would decrease the amount of lemon zest next time to half. And eat these after they've cooled completely so that all the flavors have a chance to meld together.

These mini muffins were perfect paired with a nice cup of this Gingerbread Coffee sweetened with SPLENDA®!



Gingerbread Coffee
Click **Here** for Recipe



Harvest Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Click **Here** for Recipe

 I love that these cookies are so light and soft. And I love the bright pumpkin color and flavor! I made them as written except I didn't use the walnuts or raisins because I wanted the pumpkin to shine through and it did! I also decreased the sugar slightly by only using 1/4 cup of the SPLENDA® white sugar blend. But I used the full amount of the SPLENDA® brown sugar blend. I added 1/2 tsp. allspice and I'm glad I did because it was perfect in this! A very good cookie that tastes great warm or cold.

I enjoyed these cookies with a cup of Whisky Tea sweetened with SPLENDA®

 Share the love of all things sweet with SPLENDA® and check out their website for more recipes using SPLENDA®
Also visit SPLENDA® on Facebook to share you're love with them!



Click  for **Here** coupon

Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder

With the fall chill in the air this is the perfect time for a nice hearty bowl of this chowder! I loved the slight smokiness from the bacon along with the bite sized chunks of sautéed chicken. The creamy corn and cheddar cheese aren't too shabby either!

Pumpkin Puree

If you have some pumpkins lying around from leftover Halloween decorations, why not use them to make pumpkin puree? I'm not talking about the pumpkins that you carved faces into and lit with a candle! I mean whole, untampered, pumpkins.

S'mores Dip

When summer is over you can still have S'mores if you make it this way! Easy to make and less messy to eat than the traditional way! We loved this!

Tamale Pie

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Mexican food! I've posted many Mexican recipes that I've tried in the past 5 years on this blog. I'm always willing to try one more so when I spotted this next recipe I quickly put it on my list!

Creamy Italian Crockpot Chicken

This is an extremely easy, hearty, creamy, chicken recipe that my whole family loves! I was making this every week for a very long time! Now I make it a few times a year per family requests. I always serve it with egg noodles but it can be served with rice instead. 

Soft Spice Cookies - Only 2 Ingredients!

 

This is one of those rare magical recipes that is just so easy and delicious! And the best part is that it's low fat and contains fiber! The magical part is that these cookies are made from a box of dry cake mix and a can of cannellini beans...that's it! Oh, and a little water! I know, it's crazy but true!

Vegetarian Bolognese

This was surprisingly delicious! I mean, I thought it would be good, but this is REALLY good! It never occurred to me to make a veggie version of this classic recipe!

Mummy Dogs and Monster Eyes

Just a few more examples of fun Halloween food! This is an easy main dish and dessert! Creepy kid cuisine! I meant the food is creepy not the kids! I'm sure your kids are not the least bit creepy! Well anyway...

Kielbasa Sausage Used 2 Delicious Ways!

There is nothing better than easy, creamy, cheesy, smoked sausage recipes! Thankfully I found 2 new mouthwatering recipes that fit that description perfectly!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasting fresh pumpkin seeds in the oven is so easy and tastes better than any pumpkin seeds you can buy in the store! You can customize the seasoning to suit your own taste.

Mexican Posole with Chicken and Pork

This is a hearty and authentic Mexican style soup made with hominy, green chilies, onions, garlic, enchilada sauce, oregano, cumin, cilantro, and cubed chicken and pork. All these delicious ingredients are prepared in the slow cooker then topped with refried beans, cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives!

Halloween Food!

 

Now that Halloween is almost here I wanted to show you some of the food I've made throughout the years! My kids are in their twenties now, but they still get a kick out of these recipes! You're never too old to have fun on Halloween!

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!

Chick in a Biscuit

Credit for this recipe goes to my hubby! He totally came up with the idea of baking a hard boiled egg into a savory breakfast biscuit! What my hubby didn't know was that a handful of other cooks came up with the same idea! But it was a very small handful! This was absolutely delicious no matter who invented it first! The biscuit has the perfect texture of moist and crumbly but not too much of each! And the flavor of the biscuit is also perfect...savory with a slight hint of cheddar cheese, green onion and bacon. The hard boiled egg inside is such a nice surprise to anyone who doesn't know that it's in there!

Pasta with Creamy Truffle Sauce

Did I ever tell you that I have a soft spot for creamy pasta recipes! I actually have a soft spot for any creamy recipes, whether it's pasta, chicken, pork...well, you get the idea! What caught my eye about this next recipe was not only the luscious photo of the pasta bathed in all that creamy mouthwatering sauce, but also the word 'Truffle'. You see, I also have a soft spot for all things that contain truffles! I can't afford to spend thousands of dollars on whole truffles, so I just use truffle oil instead.

Grilled Asian Burgers

If you're a regular reader of my blog you know that I love recipes that have an Asian flair! I have a very long list of 'tried and true' Asian style recipes that I've tested since being an Internet recipe stalker! This next recipe is on the list of 'The Best Asian Recipes I've Ever Tried'!
Well, I don't actually have a list, but if I did this would be at the top!

New Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole

That's right! There's a new recipe in town, so say good-bye to that tired old recipe! Was that statement too cheesy? Well, so is this hash brown casserole.

Worms on a Bun

Looks gross but tastes so very good! This is a hot dog cut into thin strips then boiled in a pot of water. Then I top the hot dog strips with my hot dog onions and serve on a burger bun. Perfect Halloween food!

Crunchy Chocolate Monsters

This treat is not only delicious but it's kind of healthy too because it's made with fiber cereal, semi sweet chocolate and a touch of peanut butter. These cute little chocolate monsters are very easy to make. If you can melt chocolate you can make this snack!  My kids loved these! Perfect for Halloween!

3 Ingredient Soft Pretzel Bites



 

I never knew that you could make soft pretzels just by taking some Pillsbury refrigerated French bread dough, cut into small pieces and dipped into boiling water with some baking soda. Then all you have to do is sprinkle the tops with coarse salt and bake until very brown! These were perfect! What a cool recipe! So much quicker and easier than making the dough from scratch!

Vertically Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

I have always wanted to try baking my chicken vertically! It seems the best way to do it because then you have more room in your oven for other things like side dishes!

San Francisco Pork Chops

I'm not sure why this recipe is called 'San Francisco Pork Chops', but one thing I know is how totally delicious they are! The slow and low cooking creates such tender pork chops!  You won't even need a knife! And the sauce becomes a lusciously rich tangy/sweet gravy that goes well with so many side dishes. I chose buttered orzo with parmesan cheese and sweet peas. A green veggie such as broccoli or green beans would be perfect also! You could even just pour the gravy over mashed potatoes...yum! Okay, I'm hungry for these pork chops again!

3 Cheese Noodle Pudding

Sometimes I just get tired of the same old vegetable side dishes. I usually always serve peas, green beans or potatoes as a side to meat or fish. But that just gets so boring! So that's when I go looking for something that I can serve with meat but that does not contain veggies. This next recipe was just what I needed! This could also easily be served as a main dish! And I love the fact that this side dish tastes just as good cold as it does warm!

Almond Joy Cake Bars!

This is an absolutely heavenly treat! And it's made so simply by using an un-prepared box of chocolate cake mix! Easier is always better, right?

Mexican Pork Chops

Just when I think I've seen every possible way of cooking pork chops, another unique recipe catches my eye! I loved how simple this recipe was, not only in ingredients, but also in the preparation! This is my favorite kind of recipe...minimal ingredients with big flavors!

G.H. Cretors Popped Corn

The first commercial popcorn machine invented by Cretors in 1885

Photo from G.H. Cretors website



The interesting fact about this popcorn is not only that it's all natural and completely free of GMO's, artificial coloring, flavoring and preservatives, but also that it's made by the ancestor of the inventor of the first commercial popcorn machine! Great Grandpa Cretors of Chicago invented the popcorn machine in 1885 and now his great granddaughter Claire is starting her own legacy by making high quality popping corn.

I've eaten lots of average popcorn in my time. You know the kind that is small and dense and not fully popped, with lots of hard kernels and no real corn flavor. That's why I really appreciate this popcorn from G.H. Cretors! I love great popcorn and that's exactly what this is! The cheese popcorn is not too salty, like most cheese popcorn, because it's made with real cheddar cheese melted onto popped corn! It's not a powdered imitation cheese mixture! And you won't find any unpopped kernels! G.H. Cretors popcorn is so addictively delicious because their popcorn tastes like is was popped just before you opened the bag!

My favorite G.H. Cretors variety is the 'Chicago Mix' because it's a blend of their caramel corn and cheese corn in the same bag! It is pure sweet & savory perfection in every handful! Check out their website for more interesting facts and find where G.H. Cretors popped corn is sold near you, by using their store locator. You can also order their popcorn online.

 In This Photo  Chicago Mix

And take a look at their Facebook page...they have a fun photo contest going on! Join and you could win some G.H. Cretors popcorn for yourself! G.H. Cretors can also be found on Twitter and Pinterest They even have an Instagram page with lots of photos from other happy customers just like me!

I'm thinking about making Popcorn Cookies using their caramel popcorn! I think that would be a very cool cookie! Or maybe I can create a savory/sweet cookie using their cheese popcorn...yum! Stay tuned for those results!

So next time you're in the grocery store look for G.H. Cretors Popped Corn. Or maybe order some for yourself online! You won't be disappointed!

Disclosure: I was not paid for this blog post about G.H. Cretors  popped corn. I was given samples of their product and after tasting their product I wanted to share those results with my readers.

Vampire Cookies!

A very cool Halloween cookie that will get the kids attention! This is a butter cookie filled with your choice of any red jam. My kids loved these!

Inside-Out Omelets

 

If you're a regular reader of my blog you know that I love to try unique and interesting recipes that I find on the Internet! Well, this next recipe is just my speed!

BBQ Bison Phyllo Bites

Did you know that you can purchase bison in so many different forms such as hot dogs, bacon, pepperoni, short ribs and ground meat, along with the other usual cuts such as steaks and roasts? And did you know that bison has half the calories of beef? Bison is also lower in fat and cholesterol than beef! Bison also beats chicken in those areas! I didn't know all of that until this month when Allrecipes.com and their brand ambassadors teamed up with The Bison Council to bring awareness of the benefits of eating bison.  Go to their website and read all about bison. And while you're there check out all the delicious recipes for bison such as, bison goulash, bison meatballs, bison ribs, bison Asian noodle bowl and so much more! You can also find where to purchase bison, near you, by entering your zip code on their website.

4 Ingredient Snickers Cookies

One of my favorite candy bars is Snickers! I just can't resist chocolate covered peanuts with caramel! I also love to make easy candy recipes at home! Sometimes I get a craving for a candy bar but I don't feel like going to the store to buy one. And why buy candy bars when I have all the ingredients to make a copycat version?

Portobello Stuffed with Creamy Scrambled Eggs

I love it when I can make breakfast that feeds 6 people, all at the same time! Then everyone gets to eat a hot breakfast all together, including me! This is also a 'make ahead' meal that comes together quickly once the mushrooms are cooked!

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

This is one of the best chocolate cakes I ever tasted! I found the recipe on Allrecipes.com. It is a very popular recipe with great reviews! What was unique to me about this recipe wasn't the fact that it's made in 'one bowl' because aren't all cakes made in one bowl? What I found to be different about this recipe is that hot water is added to the batter before it is baked! I'm not sure what purpose the hot water serves, but I always make it that way because the taste and texture are so perfect! Why mess with a good thing?

Singapore Noodles with Shrimp

I love Asian noodle recipes! I've tried many in my blogging days! This one is a little different because it's a fusion of Chinese and Indian flavors! The curry powder gives it some heat. Most Singapore Noodle recipes are on the bland side, in my opinion!

Grilled Potatoes

Potatoes on the grill are so easy and so very good! I love the smoky flavor and it's so much quicker than baking them in the oven! Plus, who wants to turn on the oven for an hour and heat up the kitchen on hot summer days!

Cinnamon Rolls Grilled in Orange Peels!

 Sounds crazy, right? Well, that's just my kind of recipe! If you're a regular reader of my blog you know this is a recipe I just had to try! Within days of spotting this on the Internet it was on my plate...and it was soooo VERY yummy!

Cream Cheese Plum Crumble - From Boxed Cake Mix

You know, I never realized how very versatile boxed cake mix can be! I always thought that the only way to use boxed cake mix was to prepare it according to the directions on the box! I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are so many ways to use it straight from the box, without preparing it! So much easier that way!

Adobo Roast Pork Loin

 

I have many pork 'chop' recipes but not many pork 'roast' recipes! I don't think I'll ever need to look for another pork roast recipe after trying this one because it was the best pork roast I've ever tasted! And I love how easy it was to make! Only 6 ingredients in this perfectly delicious recipe! Just mix together the simple spice ingredients, then rub it all over the pork loin and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice & Beans...Plus a Giveaway!

This was such a delicious meal! The perfect blend of spices really gives this dish it's authentic flavor! And I love that I don't need to go looking for each spice in the store or in my spice cabinet! No measuring either! Every ingredient comes in it's own separate plastic pouch!

Thai Satay Udon Noodles!

My blogger friend Judith from The Midnight Baker food blog, gave me a few packages of Udon noodles. Judith is always making such delicious Asian recipes! She makes me crave this stuff! I decided to go looking for a recipe that I know my hubby will love! He's a Thai food junkie so I figured that's a great place to start.

Sweet and Spicy Green Bean Bundles!

I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting veggie side dishes! This one caught my eye because of the presentation! But the original recipe kind of scared me because it contained a pound of bacon and a cup of butter! There was no way I was making the recipe that way!

Tikka Masala Oven Fries!

 coated and ready for the oven

I just LOVE Chicken Tikka Masala! So why not make an Oven Fries version! I'm always looking for new and unique potato recipes, so this was a no brainer!