Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes:

1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree
1-1/4 cups milk
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3 TBS milk  (I use evaporated)
green or brown and orange food coloring if desired

1.  To make cupcakes: preheat oven to 325℉. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.  Set aside.   In the bowl of a stand mixer add cake mix, butter, eggs, milk, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix on medium speed for two minutes, scraping down sides as needed.

2.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Fill lined cupcake pans with batter (About 3 Tablespoons batter each).  Bake at 325℉ for about 20 minutes.  Let cool completely.

3.  To make frosting:  Beat cream cheese and butter together.  Add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and milk and mix until fluffy, smooth, and fully incorporated.

4.  If desired remove 4 Tablespoons of frosting and tint green or brown for pumpkin stem.  To remaining frosting tint orange if desired.

5.  If desired place the orange frosting in a piping bag with a 2D tip and pipe stripes on the cupcakes.  Start at top and pipe about four lines down each cupcake. (2 stripes around the edges and 2 in center).
Apply the stem with tip #66 if desired or just pipe a little stem at top.

From Created by Diane

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

1-1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 + 1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350℉.  In mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2.  In microwave safe bowl heat butter until half-way melted.  Stir until completely melted.  Pour bowl into bowl of stand mixer and add sugar and brown sugar.  Mix until well combined.  Add egg and vanilla.  Mix well.  Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Add chocolate chips.  Stir to incorporate.

3.  Take slightly heaping 1/2 tsp. of dough and form balls.  Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.  Place a couple of chocolate chips on top if desired.  Bake for about 5-6 minutes.  They should be soft and slightly under-baked.  Don't over bake.  Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.  

Makes about  12 dozen tiny cookies

From Cooking Classy

Biscoff Rolo Blondie Brownies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Biscoff Spread
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 cups flour
1 bag (12 oz) rolo candy

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.  Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper if desired or spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2.  In a bowl, cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs one at time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and Biscoff spread. Combine flour and baking powder and slowly add to Biscoff mixture. Stir in half of the Rolo candies. Spread batter into prepared pan. Chop remaining Rolo’s and press onto the top of blondie.
3. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (Mine took about 20 minutes so check often). Edges will set and blondies will be soft. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Blondies will stay very soft and moist.
4. Makes 24

From Lemons for LuLu

Raspberry Lemon Bread

3-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups lemon yogurt
1/2 cup canola oil
4 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 cups fresh raspberries

1.  Preheat oven to 350℉.  In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

2.  In another bowl whisk together the yogurt, eggs, oil, and lemon peel.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Gently fold in the raspberries.

3.  Bake in two 8 inch x 4 inch loaf pans that are sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake until toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean.  Mine took 45 minutes.  Original recipe said 60-65 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.

Yield 2 loaves (about 12 slices each)

From Taste of Home

Creamy Lemon Oat Bars

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
3 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1- 1/4 cups flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Heat oven to 375℉.  Coat 8x8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Mix sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest and lemon juice in medium bowl until thickened; set aside.

3.  Mix remaining ingredients in medium bowl until crumbly.

4.   Press half of the crumbly mixture in pan; bake about 10 minutes or until set.

5.   Spread lemon milk mixture over baked crust. Sprinkle remaining crumbly mixture over the lemon milk mixture, press down gently.

6. Bake about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center is set but soft. Cool completely. Cut 4 rows by 4 rows if desired. 

Beef with Broccoli

Prep Time: 10 minutes + 1 hour for marinade
Cook Time: 8 minutes

First, marinate the meat:
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 TBS water
2 TBS vegetable oil
1- 1/2 lbs flank steak, sliced into thin strips

1. Whisk together the baking soda, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, water, and vegetable oil in a large bowl.  Toss the steak with the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, then proceed below.

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (I used regular)
2 TBS brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS flour
1 TBS sherry (I used broth)
3 TBS vegetable oil
2 heads broccoli, crowns only

2.  In a small bowl stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, flour and broth until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large wok or saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer broccoli to a plate.

4. Reduce heat to medium-high. Carefully add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan.  Add the marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more. Serve.

 From Rainy Day Gal