Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Caramel Sauce

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What do you get when you combine oats, pumpkin, caramel, and walnuts along with some sweet spices? You get a nutritious and incredible breakfast with three, yes three Superfoods (some may say four if you count the cinnamon)! And the best part, it tastes like pie. I will admit there is quite a bit of sugar in this recipe but if it didn't have it just wouldn't be near as good. At least it has a lot less than the real thing =). 
Many of us are always labeling recipes with "Christmas morning breakfast," well what about Thanksgiving or even Halloween breakfast? The other holidays should have their own fancy breakfasts too, and I think this would make the perfect fit. 
Indulge a little and be sure to get a drizzling of the caramel sauce with every bite. In my opinion a pumpkin pie shouldn't be left without some kind of caramel sauce or dulce de leche, to me they are just meant to go together. That's why I would say don't omit the caramel sauce, it's a must. It's the highlight of this recipe. Enjoy and indulge in the flavors of fall!



 ...like I said, every bite needs a little bit of caramel sauce
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with Caramel Sauce
Yields 1 serving

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup buttermilk*
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp light-brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon 
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
1 dash salt
1 - 2 Tbsp caramel sauce or caramel ice cream topping
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Directions:
In a large microwave safe bowl, whisk together oats, milk, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, light-brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Microwave mixture on HIGH power for 3 1/2 minutes, then allow oatmeal to rest a few minutes (for a thinner consistency, if desired, pour in additional milk or you could use half and half). Drizzle oatmeal with caramel sauce and sprinkle with optional chopped nuts. Serve warm.

*or an additional 1/4 cup milk plus 3/4 tsp lemon juice

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Browned Butter Almond Pesto

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Is there anything like the delicious taste and incredible scent of fresh, homemade pesto? If you've got basil in the garden at its prime then I think you're going to want to try this recipe. This definitely isn't your ordinary pesto. The typical pesto uses all extra virgin olive oil (rather than half olive oil half butter), pine nuts, no lemon juice and one type of cheese, which is usually Parmesan. I wanted to change things up and make new and exciting pesto, so I chose to add none other than one of my favorite ingredients, browned butter. Then I wanted to switch out the typical nut and use my favorite nut which is almonds. I also decided rather than using whole almonds to use almond butter because of it's smooth texture and light sweetness. Then for a very slight fresh tang I added a little squeeze of lemon juice. 
Spread this pesto over some freshly boiled pasta along with a light sprinkling of cheese and you'll create a meal worth remembering. So simple yet so divine. It's amazing what fresh basil and browned butter can do especially when combine together. Enjoy!



Not your average deep, vibrant green but it's sooo good...
Browned Butter Almond Pesto
Yields about 1 cup

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely grated Romano cheese (1 oz)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tbsp almond butter*
1/4 cup butter, browned and cooled until just warm to the touch**
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 light squeeze lemon juice
3 - 4 Tbsp warm water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Add basil to a food processor and pulse a few times. Add garlic, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese and almond butter, then with motor running, stream in butter and olive oil and pulse until well blended. Pulse in lemon juice and enough warm water to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over your favorite pasta. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days.

*I used Maranatha brand, it has a little bit of added cane sugar in it which I thought complimented the natural sweetness of the basil, but you can use unsweetened almond butter instead. Alternately you could use whole roasted almonds, about 1/4 cup, just pulse them in the food processor several times before adding in the basil and other ingredients.
**After browning the butter, I poured it into a bowl and set the bowl over an ice bath and swirled the bowl and it cooled much quicker then just letting it rest at room temperature.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

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What do you get when you combine banana bread with cinnamon rolls? These incredible Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls! A cinnamon roll and banana bread in one, how could these not be good? Then when they are slathered generously with cream cheese frosting and finished off with toasted nuts, all I can say is wow yum! This is breakfast done right. Enjoy and be sure to eat them warm. 





Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Yields 1 dozen

Ingredients:

3 medium overripe bananas
1 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup milk (I used whole)
3 Tbsp butter, diced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg yolk
3 3/4 cups bread flour, divided 
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
6 Tbsp butter, melted

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Puree bananas in a food processor along with 1 tsp lemon juice until mixture is smooth and no chunks remain, set aside (you should have just over 1 1/3 cups pureed bananas). 
Heat milk and 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Cook stirring occasionally until butter has melted. Remove from heat and pour mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Whisk in vegetable oil and allow mixture to cool to 110 degrees. Whisk in yeast, stirring until dissolved and allow mixture to rest 5 minutes. With the paddle attachment, mix in granulated sugar, salt, egg yolk, 2 cups bread flour and pureed bananas. Switch mixer to a hook attachment, add 1 1/2 cups bread flour and sprinkle in cornstarch, then knead mixture on medium low speed until a smooth and elastic dough forms (dough will be sticky). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise to until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. 
In a small bowl whisk together light-brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, set aside. 
In a separate small bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup bread flour and baking powder. Return bowl with dough to electric stand mixer, pour in flour/baking powder mixture and knead dough with hook attachment until mixture is well blended and smooth. Roll dough out on a floured surface (dough should be slightly sticky so I floured the surface fairly generously) to a 16 x 20 inch rectangle. Using the back of a spoon, spread 6 Tbsp melted butter evenly over the top of the dough. Sprinkle top evenly with brown sugar mixture and spread into an even layer, coming within a 1/2 inch of all edges. Starting on the 16 inch side, snugly roll dough to opposite end. 
Cut rolled dough into 12 equal pieces (I cut it in half first, then halves into halves, then those halves into thirds). Arrange rolls in a buttered 13 x 9 inch baking dish (reshaping flat sides as needed). Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (I do this during the last 10 minutes of rising) and bake rolls in preheated oven for 22 - 26 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly then cut into rolls and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkle with optional chopped nuts.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 - 3 tsp milk

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric and mixer, whip together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Pour in milk and mix until well blended. 

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Campfire Tarts and My First Giveaway!

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I will just say it people, these Tarts On Fire sticks are the must have cookware of the year! They are the best thing since S'mores. Actually, I never thought I'd say this but S'mores are now a thing of the past, these are going to be my number one dessert choice at campfire cookouts. These Tarts On Fire sticks are a product that is well worth the money, and they are made of stainless steel so these things are built to last.
This is one of those genius inventions that's like, man why didn't I think of that =)? Nic (creator of Tarts On Fire) you have created something phenomenal! Every single person that tried these agreed that not only were they the new "it" thing but the end result of what they can cook is undeniably delicious (and I want to add, normally I'm all about made from scratch. I did not make one thing from scratch with these. I used store bought refrigerated biscuits, canned pie filling and canned whipped cream and these campfire cups left me speechless - for a moment, and then I couldn't stop talking about how awesome and delicious they were =). 
You get a perfectly toasted biscuit tart that's amazingly tender and fully cooked through (I questioned whether they might be soggy inside but they had no sogginess whatsoever), then you fill it with you favorite fruit pie filling and finish it off with sweetened whipped cream. Yes, they're melt-in-your-mouth fantastic! Their deliciousness also got me thinking of everything you could fill them with. You could do the traditional fruit pie filling or pudding, or you could change it up and fill them with sweetened fresh fruit (which I did with one), a cream pie filling, ice cream - with all the toppings of course, pastry cream, or make them S'mores tarts and fill them with toasted marshmallows and chocolate sauce. You could make a savory option and fill them with soup, chili, chicken pot pie filling, cheesy scrambled eggs, or you could make taco bowls and fill them with taco filling. Really the possibilities of what you can create with these are endless.
I wouldn't go on and on raving about a product I didn't absolutely love but I'm telling you I LOVE these Tarts On Fire sticks. And everyone is going to love me when I bring them to the campfire cookouts =). Adults and kids alike had so much fun preparing and enjoying the campfire tarts. I mean really, when was the last time your campfire cookware consisted of something other than a roasting stick, a pot or of roll of aluminum foil? These are new, they're fun, they're easy, and yes like I mentioned before I think these will be the new "it" cookware product. I hope they can keep up with the demand. These are not yet in stores so I'd recommend buying them before you have to pay the marked up store fees. 
As the holidays come near I'm always drawing blanks for an exciting gift to give to a friend or loved one. Well, not this year. These would make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift for men or women alike. 
Take these camping or out to the backyard fire pit and I can basically guarantee they will be a total hit, and like me you will instantly become a huge fan. Entertain in style with these new Tarts on Fire Sticks!


 ...they are like a piece of art.


Tarts On Fire is giving away FOUR Tarts On Fire Sticks to one lucky Cooking Classy reader!

Thanks to Tarts on Fire you don't have to be sad if you aren't the lucky winner of the giveaway because they are kindly giving all Cooking Classy readers a special discount!...

Buy 3 get 1 FREE!
Just head to www.tartsonfire.com and enter: { CKGCLSY12 } at checkout.

How to Enter the GIVEAWAY!!  Giveaway Closed
The winner chosen by Random.org is #63 Lisa, Congatulations!
{mandatory entry} Leave a comment below telling me what kind of filling you would put in these Campfire Cups.

Earn extra entries by completing the tasks listed below and leaving a separate comment below letting me know you did so for each...

1. Pin this post to Pinterest
2. Like Tarts On Fire on Facebook
3. Follow Tarts On Fire on Twitter
4. Share this giveaway on Facebook
5. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter

Details: This giveaway is open to everyone! Contest ends September 15, 2012 at 11:59 PST. A winner will be chosen at random by using random.org and the winner will be announced in this post. The winner will be notified via e-mail, so be sure to list a valid e-mail address when entering. If the winner does not respond withing 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck! 

disclaimer: Although Tarts On Fire graciously gave me a set of Tarts on Fire Sticks to try out and keep, I was not financially compensated for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All you need are 3 ingredients, and of course the Tarts On Fire sticks... 1.Wrap2. Toast 3. Fill and garnish
 4. Enjoy and share!
Campfire Tarts
Yields 10 cups

1 package refrigerated, small biscuits (I used Pillsburry Jr. Grands)
2 (21 oz) cans pie filling such as apple, blueberry, raspberry, cherry
canned whipped cream

Special equipment: Tarts On Fire Sticks

Directions:
Evenly wrap and mold 1 biscuit dough around the outside of the stainless steel cup of each Tarts On Fire Stick (no greasing necessary). Roast over an open flame, rotating frequently until golden brown (don't hold them over a smokey area or directly in the fire), about 1 - 2 minutes. Remove toasted biscuit from stainless steel cup (it should easily glide right off), fill with your favorite pie filling and top with whipped cream. Easy as that! Now devour =).

Banana Bread Whoopie Pies with Fluffy Vanilla Bean Frosting

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Have you ever tried banana bread in cookie form with a thick fluffy layer of frosting sandwiched between two of them? With these cookies now is your chance. They taste just like banana bread with an added bonus, a luscious layer of vanilla bean frosting. Lightly said, these cookies are amazing! I saw the Banana Whoopie Pies over at Martha Stewart and new I just had to try them. Lucky for me I keep a stock of overripe bananas in the freezer for emergencies such as this, where I need an overripe banana in it's prime but don't want to wait 7 more days for it to hit its peak ripeness. I used to question whether or not freezing bananas was a good idea until I tried if for myself a few months ago. It actually works great. You simply just leave them unpeeled and pop them into the freezer when they are nice and spotty. Then when you are ready to use them, thaw the frozen banana out (to room temperature, sometimes I cheat and even thaw them in the microwave) then peel and prepare them  as directed in your recipes. Their texture is different from that of an overripe banana that has not been frozen (I'm thinking of the word juicy, so be sure to add all those juices when prepping). They won't hold their shape well, but they are perfect for recipes that call for mashed bananas. Their color may not be the most pleasant, as the peel will blacken a bit when frozen, but this doesn't affect their flesh or taste so don't worry. I also wanted to mention to you that I finally found cheap vanilla beans! Where you are asking? My friend introduced me to this awesome website (indrivanilla.com) that sells them for 50 cents a piece! I seriously couldn't believe it! And they are pristine vanilla beans if you ask me. I was so excited when I got mine because they weren't completely dried, shriveled and lifeless. They just seemed so much fresher and even plumper than what I've gotten from the store (just FYI this isn't a sponsored statement of me trying to sell something for someone, I'm just so excited that I wanted so share the info about such a fabulous deal :). I made a few changes to the original cookie recipe. I didn't think 1/2 cup banana would give the cookies near enough banana flavor so I doubled it, then reduce the sour cream by half. I also decided to leave the vanilla out of the cookie portion because I wanted it all to come from the frosting so I could have an equal balance of banana and vanilla flavor. It is an entirely different frosting than what they had listed, but I think a cream cheese version would be delicious as well (although I'd use a lot more powdered sugar than they did, less cream cheese and add some butter of course =). Enjoy!


Banana Bread Whoopie Pies
Yields about 2 dozen 

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2 large)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened 
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 recipe Fluffy Vanilla Bean Frosting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together mashed banana and sour cream, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed, whip together butter, granulated sugar and light-brown sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Blend in egg. Add banana mixture and mix until combine. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until combine. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoon fulls (about 1 1/2 Tbsp) and drop onto Silpat or parchment lined baking sheets placing them about 1 1/2 inches apart, then smooth edges and flatten cookie as needed (diameter of cookie should be about 1 1/2 - 2 inches. Alternately you can fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4 inch plain tip with batter, then pipe dough into 1 1/2 inch rounds onto baking sheet - if you do this method you may get more than 2 dozen pies). Bake in preheated oven for 12 - 13 minutes until edges are golden. Allow to cool 2 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread and sandwich a layer of frosting between two cookies. Store in an airtight container.


Fluffy Vanilla Bean Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
seeds from two small vanilla beans 
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium high speed, whip butter and vanilla bean seeds until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and blend 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Recipe Source: cookie portion adapted slightly from Martha Stewart, frosting - Cooking Classy

My Favorite Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

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My sister came over a few days ago and wanted me to help her make a cake for her sons first birthday. Of course I love every opportunity I get to help someone bake and I feel pretty cool when they ask for my baking opinion =). She wanted to make a mini tiered cake (and I don't own the mini tiered cake pans so I had to get creative) and she wanted a delicious, white, fluffy frosting to cover it. She asked if we could get a really white frosting without the yellow tint. I told her the trick is in the technique. It's not just about the ingredients you put into the frosting, but also the method in which you prepare the frosting. In my opinion, these are the keys to a very light, fluffy, creamy, and amazingly delicious buttercream frosting:

1. Really whip the butter. I am talking until it's basically white. Really pay attention to the shade of the butter when whipping, making sure it becomes very very pale.
2. Use heavy cream. Cream makes everything better, and creamier of course.
3. Lots of butter. Yes there are days I try to be a little healthier and reduce the amount of butter I add to my buttercream frosting but those days I will admit, it's just not quite as good. This is an indulgent frosting and sometimes it's definitely worth it.
4. Ratio is important, don't add any more powdered sugar than listed or the proportions won't be right and your texture wont be what I call perfect.
5. Don't overdue it with the vanilla, add no more than 1 1/2 tsp. If anything reduce the amount. The beauty of the flavors of the buttercream comes from the butter. Basically it makes it taste like ice cream, it doesn't need to be enhanced, just lightly highlighted.
6. Whip it some more. Once you add the cream you still want more air and fluffiness in there. This isn't a one minute frosting recipe but I'm telling it's well worth the time and patience invested.

My sister and I both agree this is the best Buttercream Frosting, EVER! Don't forget the trick is in the technique. There are hundreds of buttercream frosting recipes out there, but the one that sets this apart from the others is preparation (and the use of salted butter). I hope you love this recipe! Now go make a batch of this luscious frosting and have cake today. Any day is a great day for cake =)! 






....And wait! Don't throw that frosting out! I frequently end up with a little frosting left over when I'm frosting cakes or cupcakes because I can't perfectly evenly divide it out. And no way am I going to throw good frosting down the drain! So, what to do with it (PS feel free to any additional ideas in a comment below)?

Ideas for leftover frosting:

• sandwich between Nilla Waffers and roll edges in sprinkles for an easy treat the kids will love
• spread over warm toast, add a pinch cinnamon if desired
• spread over graham crackers, optionally sprinkle with chocolate chips
• add a spoonful or two to your morning bowl of oatmeal (I tried a cream cheese in my banana oatmeal one morning, wow good)
• use it as a dip for pretzels 
• dunk teddy grahams or gingersnaps (its like homemade Dunkaroos)
• spread over fruit, such as bananas or strawberries
• melt chocolate frosting and pour over ice cream
• add chopped nuts to it, chill and cut in squares
• spread over warm pancakes or french toast
• fold in some whipped cream or cool whip and use it as a fruit dip
• add some caramel sauce and dip apple slices
• turn it into a simple craft with the kids, tint it with food coloring, get out all the different varieties of sprinkles, icings and little candies you have in the cupboard and let them spread it of graham crackers and decorate as desired.
• and of course last but not least simply place leftover frosting in an airtight container, store in refrigerator (up to 4 days) and enjoy throughout the next few days by the spoonful (if you don't want to temp yourself so much, freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator - never microwave to thaw).

Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)*
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use clear if desired)

Directions:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, using the paddle or whisk attachment whip butter on medium high speed until nearly white and very fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes, frequently scrapping down the sides of the bowl. Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until blended, then increase speed to medium and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes, frequently scraping down the sides of the bowl. Immediately spread over cooled cake or cupcakes. 

Note: if you want an alternate flavor of frosting, coconut or almond extract would be a great substitute for the vanilla extract, just add it to taste.

*I like to break the rules of baking =), I use salted butter. I like how the salt in the butter balances out the sweetness and I don't like to add in salt myself because I feel like it doesn't have a chance to dissolve well enough since it's not heated. If you prefer unsalted then feel free to use that instead, although I'd recommend adding at least one cube salted butter then two unsalted, try it out you may just love it.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy




Make A Mini Cake Using Glass Storage Containers

If you were wondering how to make the mini tiered birthday cake, this is how I did it:

1. Line each a 1 cup, 2 cup and 4 cup oven safe, round glass storage container with aluminum foil, pressing and molding the foil directly to the insides of each container and leaving an slight overhang of foil on the sides (to lift out the cake), then spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray (or use a baster and baste with vegetable oil or melted butter) then dust with flour and shake off excess.
2. Preheat oven according to directions listed on cake mix box and prepare cake according to directions listed on package.
3. Fill foil lined cups 2/3 full (you may have just a bit of excess batter). 
4. Bake in preheated oven*(baking time will vary based on what type of cake mix you use, so judge accordingly), I made the confetti cake and it took about 25 - 30 minutes for the one cup, then an additional 5 minutes for the 2 cup, then another 5 minutes for the 4 cup (so you should be removing the smallest first, letting the medium bake a little longer and the largest bake the longest), insert a toothpick into the center of cakes to check for doneness.
5. Allow cakes to cool in glass bowls several minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool run a knife evenly along the top (about 1/2 - 1 inch down) to make cake even and remove excess on top.
6. Turn cakes upside down and frost, frosting largest first, then medium and finishing with the smallest (note that frosting sets quickly so keep that in mind if adding sprinkles).
7. Celebrate and enjoy!

*I feel silly even putting this but don't cover cake with the plastic storage lid when baking (kind of a given but I just wanted to clarify, bake it uncovered you don't want that lid to melt =).

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes (A One Pot Hassle Free Meal)

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There's nothing like a fall apart tender roast that's cooked low and slow along with some fresh veggies and a seasonings to highlight all of it's delicious flavors. This meal is one of the easiest meals you'll ever make. Yes there are countless ways to prepare a pot roast. You can be professional and brown the roast in some olive oil prior to slow cooking, as well as sauteing some sliced onions and freshly minced garlic. To me though, a slow cook meal is a hassle free meal. One that you can toss in and go. A busy day one pot meal. So, I created this recipe to be just that, no browning or sauteing required. The hardest part of this meal is dicing the potatoes, yes that's just how easy it is. Anyone can make this and everyone will utterly and completely enjoy it! Flavorful, unbelievably simple and amazingly delicious.
If you want you can throw it all in from the beginning (roast first then veggies on top), I just prefer that my veggies don't turn to mush. That's why I prepared it as listed but just do what works for you. Also, if you'd like you can also use red potatoes in place of the Russet potatoes. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Yields about 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs chuck roast
1 1/4 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed then diced into chunks about 3/4" - 1"
12 oz. baby carrots

Directions:
Place chuck roast in a slow cooker. Pour beef broth over roast, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder then season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW heat 7 hours. 
Remove roast to a large plate or cutting board, reserving broth in slow cooker (it should be fall apart tender so it will likely break apart when you lift it out). Add diced potatoes and baby carrots to slow cooker in broth (the broth should cover the veggies), return roast to slow cooker placing on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Plate and ladle with broth in slow cooker.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Wahoo! Time for the holidays... er... I mean next month, time for the holidays! My favorite time of year is the holidays. Why? All the food of course =)! That's why I'm getting way ahead of myself. I can't help it though, I saw these little candy pumpkins at the store the other day and thought, Oh I've just got to bake something with these. I bought a big bag then hid some up in the cupboard but somehow my family managed to sniff them out. I guess the baking cupboard is a given, everyone knows I've got a huge stash of goodies up there =). Luckily there were just enough left to make the perfect cupcake toppers for these delicious, bite size, Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes. For this recipe, I basically combined my Pumpkin Bars recipe with the cupcake portion of my Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting (one of my favorite cupcakes). These cute mini cupcakes pack a lot of sweetness, moisture, flavor and pumpkin-y goodness into one little bite. They would be perfect for a Halloween party or for Thanksgiving of course. You can't have Thanksgiving without some kind of pumpkin dessert, right? Or you can make them and eat them for breakfast like my kids did, when they aren't frosted they are basically a fluffy pumpkin muffin so I figured why not =). Enjoy and share, because these are the perfect sharing size!



Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes
Yields about 3 1/2 dozen (I got 43) - recipe can easily be doubled

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted and whisked to cool slightly
1/3 cup applesauce, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree
2 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
44 pumpkin candies, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, using and electric hand mixer on low speed, blend together light-brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and applesauce until well combine and smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add pumpkin puree and buttermilk and mix until well blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until combine. Fill paper lined mini muffin cups 2/3 full (about 1 slightly heaping Tbsp in each) and bake in preheated oven 12 - 14 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center of cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and optionally top each cupcake with a pumpkin candy. Store in an airtight container.

Note: I would recommend serving these within an hour or two of topping them if you are adding the pumpkin candy because after that the frosting will begin to break the candy down. I would also recommend storing them in the refrigerator (if not enjoying within a few hours) in an airtight container and then let them rest at room temperature before serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese, softenend
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, blend together until light and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and blend on low speed until combine, then increase to medium and whip until smooth and fluffy.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy 

Pumpkin Pie Dip (A 5 Minute Recipe)

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Some of you may be thinking, what is with this girl? Does she only eat pumpkin? I know I've posted a lot of pumpkin recipes lately, but it's just that time of year =). Also the other reason, I always buy the huge can of pumpkin puree because I can get it for the price of what the small can costs. So why would I buy the small can? It just wouldn't make sense. I hate wasting though, so I buy the large can and then I can get two, sometimes even three different pumpkin recipes out of it (unless of course I'm making pumpkin pie). I saw this Pumpkin Pie Dip floating around Pinterest so I thought, ooh yes I must try that! I liked that this recipe didn't use cool whip as some of the pumpkin pie dips do. I changed a few things from the original recipe. I thought it needed a little more pumpkin flavor so I added an additional 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (to the 1 cup listed).  I omitted the pumpkin pie spice and rather just increased the cinnamon, added nutmeg and cloves then left the ginger as listed, then I added a little caramel sauce of course. I love pumpkin and caramel. I love anything with caramel. This simple 5 minute dip is has just the right amount of sweet and spice, it's fluffy, creamy and yes even dreamy. Basically it's pure goodness. It tastes so much like pumpkin pie (different texture obviously, but same amazing flavor). So when you want a quick dessert with all the flavors of pumpkin pie that everyone will love, then this is definitely what you'll want to make. You'll quickly lose track of just how much you've actually eaten. Enjoy and Happy Fall!



Pumpkin Pie Dip
Yields about 4 cups
Ingredients:8 oz cream cheese, softened2 cups powdered sugar1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin1/2 cup sour cream1 1/2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp nutmeg1/2 tsp ginger1/4 tsp cloves (optional)1/4 - 1/2 cup caramel sauce, store bought or homemade (optional, but highly recommended)graham crackers, chocolate crackers or gingersnap cookies for servings
Directions:In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on low speed, blend together cream cheese and powdered sugar until combine, then increase mixer to medium and beat for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy. Add in pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and mix until well blended and fluffy, about 1 - 2 minutes. Drizzle with optional caramel sauce (and marble if desired), serve with crackers. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Tip: for cleaner edges on your graham crackers, simply cut them along indentations with a sharp knife rather than breaking them into individual pieces.
Recipe Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Copycat Samoa Girl Scout Cookies

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Who doesn't love a Girl Scout Samoa Cookie? They are by far my favorite Girl Scout Cookie. This past spring I purchased eight cartons of the Dreyers Girl Scout Samoa Cookie Limited Edition Ice Cream and hoarded them away in my freezer. I thought they'd last much longer then they did. I can only wish I could buy the Samoas year round, but since I can't I've had to improvise. That is why I've come up with my own version of the Samoa Girl Scout Cookies. These things are amazing! Tender shortbread, sweet chewy caramel, perfectly toasted coconut and a nice chocolate coating to finish things off. YUM!
I won't lie to you, these cookies are quite a bit of work...but, they are well worth the effort. These cookies don't use real butter or fancy caramel, it's the cheap stuff just like what I'm quite certain they put in the real thing (it helps to read the ingredients list on the package when you are making up a copycat recipe =) . It's not often I use shortening and until now I've never used a cheap chocolate coating for anything, but for these I think it's a must.
I know some of you are going to ask, what is desiccated coconut and where do I get it? Desiccated coconut is shredded coconut that has been dried to remove as much moisture as possible. I used toasted desiccated coconut (I used this one here) in these because it looks exactly like whats in the Girl Scout ones. You can purchase it at a specialty kitchen needs stores or online.
I hope you love these cookies as much as I do! Enjoy!






Samoa Cookies
Yields just over 2 dozen (recipe can easily be doubled)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup all vegetable shortening
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp milk, as needed

3/4 cups toasted desiccated coconut, divided
22 caramels, unwrapped (such as Kraft)
2 1/2 Tbsp milk
1 pinch salt

1 recipe Chocolate Coating, recipe follows (or you could use melted chocolate chips, I'd recommend half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, blend together shortening, sugar and vanilla until combine (only about 30 seconds). Stir in dry ingredients. Add milk 1/2 Tbsp at a time as needed, until dough comes together. Roll dough out between two large sheets of parchment paper, to about 1/6" thickness. Using a 2" cookie cutter, cut dough into circles then using the end of a small pastry tip cut a hole in the center of each circle. Using a large sharp knife or pastry scraper (floured as needed), slide knife under entire cookie and lift the cookie off of the parchment paper and transfer to a Silpat lined cookie sheet. Re-roll dough as needed until you've used it all. Bake cookies in preheated oven for about 10 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Pour 1/2 cup desiccated coconut into a shallow bowl and set aside. Heat caramels, 2 1/2 Tbsp milk and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Reduce temperature to warm, add remaining 1/4 cup desiccated coconut to melted caramel and mix to combine. Leave caramel mixture over warm heat (as you coat cookies), stirring caramel occasionally. Working one cookie at a time, spread about 1 tsp caramel mixture around the top of cookie, then immediately dip caramel coated side of cookie into the bowl of desiccated coconut then set on parchment paper (or cooled cookie sheets) and allow caramel to set. 
Prepare chocolate coating according to directions listed then dip bottoms of cookies (none caramel coated side) in coating and run the bottom of the cookie along the inside edge of the bowl scrapping excess coating off (you just need a thin coating). Place dipped cookie upside down (so the chocolate coating should be facing upward). Repeat process with remaining cookies. Once coating on cookies has set, flip cookies to opposite side. Pour remaining chocolate coating (rewarm as needed first) into a Ziploc bag, seal bag and cut a very small tip off one edge of the bag then drizzle chocolate coating over cookies. Allow drizzled coating to set then store cookies in an airtight container.

Chocolate Coating

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp shortening
3 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
In a microwave safe bowl, using a fork, blend together shortening and cocoa powder. Microwave mixture in 15 second intervals on HIGH power, stirring after each interval until completely melted. Add powdered sugar and mix until well combine and smooth. Reheat as needed on 50% power for about 15 seconds, then stir.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Welcome to my Fabulous Midlife Crisis Birthday- Vegas Style

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Welcome to my fabulous MidLife Crisis Birthday Party... Vegas Style! I designed this party for my 32nd birthday {A couple friends and I joke we are having a pre midlife crisis lol}. All of the items are available in our NEW SHOP- WantsandWishesDesign.com. We also have a non Midlife Crisis option- Welcome to my fabulous Birthday Party.

We skirted all the tables with red table cloths and then placed bright green felt on top to get that playing table feel. The dessert table we placed all of the food on white platters at varying heights and also used a red platter I got at Target, during Valentine Season.

I found these fantastic suit boxes at Hobby Lobby on sale for $2. I took off the lids and used them as bases for the signs and also for decoration.


I had such a blast designing and crafting this Adult Casino Birthday Party.... everyone one had a great time! A Casino/ Vegas party allows people to mingle and get to know one another. We had several round tables out for gaming. Each table had a different game like in a real Casino and we had a few board games too. This party is actually very simple elements combined with our printable Vegas/ Casino birthday Collection.

I made it like a hotel and Casino- I had these custom notepads made for favors for each of the guest. We also, had a few at each table for keeping track of the score and the rules of the games were written on them also.


Dice boxes are part of our printable collection to fill with goodies.



5 drink wrapper designs.





I made these homemade dice marshmallows. I used this recipe, but instead of putting it in 9x12 I used a 8x8 pan and cut them so they were square.




For the cake I made Sprinkles Bakes Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake Cheesecake! It was sooo delicious! I think I need her cookbook now!


For the cake toppers I made chocolate "poker chips" and then used these king and Queen toppers I found at Williams Sonoma.


Suite cookies- clover, spade and diamonds. I bought the cookie cutters from Gygi.com



I made "Elvis" cupcakes. Banana cupcakes with bacon crumbs into the batter topped with peanut butter frosting. The frosting was to dye for. I used the same peanutbutter frosting from the cake. I could eat the frosting plain.... it's that good and really easy to follow recipe.





I had favor toppers with suite chocolate chip cookies.... these went very fast! Again I used the cookie cutters I got from Gygi.com. 6 designs come in our Vegas Birthday party collection.


My favorite dessert I created were these "olive" cake pops. I placed them in an oversized martini glass filled with red candy and then filled the martini glass with the "olives".
 



Also there were little "shot glasses" full of "bingo balls" {chicklets}

Red "Liquor-ish" with our go go dancer labels. Blank labels come in the party collection 
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Shots of jelly beans for Jelly Bean Roulette- we tried to guess what favor we ate.



I gave out these fun "What happens at Debbie's Birthday- stays at Debbie's Birthday" "Hotel & Casino" custom note pads for favors. I named my Hotel and Casino Lost Ages... playing on the lost wages but having it with a mid life crisis/ age theme.... so Lost Ages was created!



Here are 2 of the pattern papers that are included in the collection also.



Lost Ages Buffet


At the Lost Ages buffet we had:
sliced steak, chicken with a sweet pepper glaze, rice, corn, squash, rolls, olive dip with chips, fruit platter and veggies to help counteract all the sweets we had.



Fruit tray with strawberries, grapes, watermelon, pineapple and cantaloupe chunks


Veggie tray


My favorite dip- "Callies Olive dip" It is so good and really simple. Just combine all the ingredients and let it marinate.... I love recipes you can do ahead of time to help save time for those details you have to do at the last minute.