Overnight Pumpkin French Toast Bake!

Sandy is still coming - when I woke up this morning and looked outside I have to admit - this is it, this is just rain - my kids are missing school for rain??  However, Al Roker has promised that it is going to get worse as the day goes on! I also have to admit that I wish we were getting the blizzard that the mountain regions of NC are getting....I mean really, I can at least send the kid out in the snow when they start bouncing off the walls - which has started and it's only 10AM!  Looks like it is going to be a board game/card game/craft making kind of day!

There is something about being housebound that makes me want to cook and bake!  I mixed this up last night and thought how nice it would be to have a leisurely breakfast this morning - one that does not involve me repeating myself 25 times with, "Hurry up and eat your cereal the bus is coming down the road....". 

So, this morning at breakfast (the leisurely one I mentioned above) I was told, "Boy, Mom this is delish....".  Delish???  When did they pick up on cooking slang? 

Overnight French Toast Bake
(recipe from: Minimalist Baker)

1 Loaf Pepperidge Farms Brown Sugar Cinnamon Bread
7 Large Eggs
2 Cups Milk (any kind, I used 1%)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 C. Pumpkin Butter (or pumpkin puree*)
4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar (for topping)
Pecans (optional)
DIRECTIONS:  Cut bread into 1" cubes and spread into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk vanilla and pumpkin butter until well combined.  Pour over bread and bush down with a spoon until it is soaked into the bread.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Next morning - pull pan out of refigerator.  Preheat oven to 350.  While oven is preheating - sprinkle brown sugar over the top of dish and top with nuts.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Serve!

*  If using pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin) you may need to compensate the flavor by adding more puree and pumpkin pie spice.  (Pumpkin Butter is a lot more concentrated in flavor.  I found my pumpkin butter at Stauffers of Kissel Hill - Rohrerstown).

HAPPY EATING!

Pumpkin Pie Granola!

Why have I never made homemade granola before?  It sure is easy and a whole lot cheaper than the fancy schmancy stuff at the grocery stores!

I chose pumpkin pie granola because, well it is October - season of all things pumpkin!!  While this was baking the house smelled fabulous!   The smell alone brought the kids from all areas of the house.  This brings me to the point of loving and hating have non-picky eaters!  I made this granola thinking it would be a nice healthy treat for me to top my yogurt with or munch on......well, the kids immediately dove in and then proceeded to ask for yogurt with that "granola stuff" you made on top.  *Sigh* - at least someone is eating a healthy snack!! So, I love that they are healthy eaters - I hate that they eat my snacks...... :)

Here is what you need and how you make it!

Pumpkin Pie Granola

5 C. Rolled Oats
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Pumpkin
1/4 C. Applesauce
1/4 C. Syrup (like pancake syrup)
1 tsp. Vanilla
DIRECTIONS:  Heat oven to 325.  Line a tray with parchment paper - set aside.  Combine oats and spices.*  Whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, syrup and vanilla.  Pour over the oat and spice mixture.  Combine thoroughly.  Spread onto baking sheet.  Bake for 60 minutes - stirring every 20 minutes.  Turn oven off and allow to cool in the oven.  If you want a "chewier" granola - you can remove the tray and allow to cool on the counter.  I like crunchy granola......

*  If you don't have pumpkin pie spice you can mix your own by combining -
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ginger
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Allspice

HAPPY EATING!

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars!

I realize it has been two weeks since my last post! Sorry. I have started a new job at the hospital and have been orienting and training! Even though my menus have been planned and my family has been fed, I haven't had a lot of extra time for posting!

Anyhow, I have been researching some different dessert recipes for Thanksgiving. I would like to do a bite-size buffet of desserts because, well, I love desserts and honestly, I can never decided on just one thing to have and then that leads up to ALOT of dessert that I shouldn't really eat but do. So, I found this recipe on the internet and I made it this week to "try" and I am still on the fence about it, Jimmy likes it though. (I do love the gingersnap crust). Why don't you try it and leave me a comment on if you liked it or not.....

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars w/ Gingersnap Crust
Adapted from Kicked Up Cookie Recipes Makes about 24 bars

2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps (about 30 cookies)
1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
Directions: Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 13×9 inch pan. Combine crushed gingersnaps and melted butter in a small bowl. Press mixture into bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes or until crust is firm. Set aside to cool.
While the crust is cooling, stir together pumpkin, flour, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate completely after each addition. Stir 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour the remaining cream cheese batter over cooled crust. Spoon the pumpkin batter over top of cream cheese batter and using a butter knife, gently spread evenly over the cheesecake mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until center is set. Cool at room temperature for about an hour, then chill in the refrigerator before cutting into bars.

HAPPY EATING!

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

Today was corn day. Lori and I froze 20 dozen ears of corn....that equals roughly 37 quarts. In order to have the energy to husk all that corn, cook it, cut it off the cob, bag it and freeze it; we needed to start the morning with coffee and a treat!

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake
1/2 C. Butter, softened
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
15 oz. Can of Pumpkin
3 Large eggs
2 1/2 Cups flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 T. Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. Allspice

Streusel Topping
3/4 C. Flour
3/4 C. Sugar
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
4 Tbsp. Butter, melted

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking pans (I used 2 8" round pans) with nonstick spray; set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin and eggs, mixing well. Add flour, baking powder and spices. Add gradually to pumpkin mix. Beating well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pans. Prepare topping: In a small bowl combine topping ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over cakes. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

This was truly a treat!! One that I will definitely make again.

HAPPY EATING!