Love, love, LOVE these!! BIG thanks to my good buddy, D, for sending me this recipe. As soon as I read it, I knew I’d be making them the next day. Quick, easy and so yummy! And the best part is, you don’t even need frosting… that pretty swirl acts as a perfect cream cheese frosting! Attention co-workers: get ready for a Tuesday morning treat!

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes

1 pkg spiced cake mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) jello vanilla instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar (or 2 tbsp Splenda for Baking)
1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; mix well. Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter. Swirl gently with small spoon.

Bake 18-21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool before serving.

I’m back, baby!! And boy, does it feel good.

I know what you’re thinking… bacon + chocolate?? And in brownie form, no less?? The salty & sweet is all the rage right now… or it was when I saved this recipe in my Google Reader, anyway. It could be that I’m just late to the game (seems to be the norm for me).

Bacon Brownies

2 sticks butter or margarine
1/2 c cocoa
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 c flour
1/4 c milk
4 strips of hickory smoked cinnamon bacon (or your favorite bacon), cooked crispy and finely chopped

Melt the butter and add the cocoa to it. Separately, in large bowl, cream the sugar and eggs well. Add the flour and mix well. Then add the cocoa/butter mix and milk and continue to mix well. Add the chopped bacon and stir well. Bake in a 9×14 inch pan for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

The first day of Fall has passed, and I’m so happy with the 60-degree weather it brought with it. This is my absolute favorite season and I couldn’t be more excited for the next few weeks ahead. I’ve even put up my Halloween decorations (yep, you read it right!). So, when my little sister asked me to make these Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip muffins, I gladly said yes. Fortunately, today’s her 24th birthday… so I made these muffins as a little treat for breakfast this morning. Perfect to go along with our 8:30am Starbucks!

Happy Birthday, R… I’m beyond blessed that you’re my sister, but I’m incredibly lucky to call you my best friend, as well. I love you, Toot!!

Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip Muffins

1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 c canned pure pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c skim milk
1/3 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c cinnamon chips
1 c mini chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and set aside.

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, milk, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir until just moistened. Then add in chips and pecans.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-23 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and cool an additional 5 minutes before serving.

Except to say, that I actually shrieked when I pulled up a block away and saw the grey brick… and to keep an eye open for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (coming soon)!

Since I’m in the middle of what I call “business trip-season”, I can’t make this week’s Sweet Melissa Sunday (yummy Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cake) or Tuesdays With Dorie (a Chocolate Souffle, imagine that!).

Instead, I offer you a little Fall treat… Pumpkin-Ginger-Pecan Waffles. See, starting in January, I weirdly count down the days until Fall begins. It’s my favorite season – I love the smells, the sights, the holidays, Horned Frog football and the cool weather. Ahhh yes… the weather.

And you can bet that when September 1st rolls around, I will have an Iced Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte (decaf, nonfat, no whip, please!) in my right hand. It’s a tiny addiction, but what can I say? It is what it is.

Altered photo by Cherry Street Photography.

So, with Fall on my mind, I arrived home from work and opened up this month’s Country Living to find this little gem… the Pumpkin-Ginger Waffle. Admittedly, I went straight to the kitchen and made these for dinner (who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner once in a while?). I also changed it up a bit and added pecans… which took them over the top. You know, I think I might even like these better than Chocolate Waffles (for shame!).

Pumpkin-Ginger-Pecan Waffles
Adapted from: Country Living, October 2009

1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 c skim milk
1/2 c canned pumpkin puree
1/2 c sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted & slightly cooled
1 c chopped pecans

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk eggs, milk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and butter together in a medium bowl. Stir in pecans, then combine with flour mixture. Do not overmix. Heat a waffle iron and make waffles, using about 1/2 cup batter per each one.

Good thing that the word ’swirled’ isn’t in the title of these brownies… it’s pretty apparent that mine didn’t “swirl”. Instead they “marbled”. Either way, they were pretty good. Probably not ones that I’d make again, though… I continue to have bad luck with Dorie’s brownie batter. I’m guessing it’s just me!

Thanks to Melissa of Life in a Peanut Shell for this week’s choice – you can find the recipe on her blog and don’t forget to check out the other TWD bakers here!

Espresso Cheesecake Brownies (pg. 104-105)
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

p.s. ‘Happy Birthday’ to my grandfather, Moe, who passed away in 2000… he would have been 92 this year! I miss you, Moe!!

I’ve been super-busy this past week with high school reunion plans… ordering favors, keeping up with ticket sales, writing announcements, straightening out reservations and answering hundreds of questions. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years! I’m also preparing for 4 business trips within the next month and a half… so, God knows that when it’s time to eat, I need easy and quick recipes to use! Fortunately, that’s just what JoVonn of The Givens Chronicles chose for this week’s SMS pick!

These were really yummy… especially after I doubled the cinnamon. Perfect for dessert and breakfast the next morning! Thanks JoVonn for such a great choice – click on her blog above for the recipe and don’t forget to check out the other SMS bakers here!

Fresh Peach Muffins (pg. 5-7)
Source: The Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy

Because I left Santa Fe with so many yummy recipes, I’ve decided to spread them out over the next few weeks. The class was titled “Southwest Barbeque”, but almost all of these dishes have a Fall-feel to them and most certainly shouldn’t be associated with only Summer and Barbeques!

Chile-Glazed Baby Back Pork Ribs
Source: Santa Fe School of Cooking
Serves 6

6.5-7 lbs baby back pork ribs
Marinade (recipe follows)
2 tbsp honey
Romaine lettuce
thinly sliced radishes
slivers of white onion
sprigs of fresh cilantro

Place the ribs in a long roasting pan and paint them with half of the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Add the honey to the remaining marinade, cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the ribs and all their marinade to a roasting pan or sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle water around them to a depth of about 1/4″ and bake, covered with foil for about 45 minutes. Uncover and return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Carefully remove the fat and any remaining juices.

To glaze, raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F or heat a grill. Brush the ribs heavily with the remaining marinade and bake the ribs until they are a deep cranberry color, about 15 minutes.

To serve, line a serving platter with the romaine leaves, pile on the ribs and sprinkle with sliced radishes, slivers or onion and sprigs of fresh cilantro.

To prepare under time constraints, try this method: cut the ribs apart and braise for 90 minutes with 1/2 a can of beer, salt, pepper, chipolte seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil. After braising, cover the ribs with marinade and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Chile Marinade

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 dried Ancho chiles (2 oz), stemmed and seeded
9 dried Guajillo chiles (2 oz), stemmed and seeded
3 dried Morita chiles, stemmed and seeded
1-1/4 tsp dried Mexican oregano (similar to Verbena)
3/4 tsp ground canela
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp freshly ground cumin
3 tbsp cider vinegar
3/4 c broth or water, plus more if needed
salt to taste
2 tsp sugar or honey

Heat a small heavy skillet over medium and roast the garlic, turning occasionally, until blackened and soft, about 10 minutes. Cool and peel. Toast the chiles on a hot surface (about 300 degrees F), pressing with a metal spatula until they start to crackle, then turn them and toast the other side. Be careful not to burn the chiles. Place the chiles in a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain the chiles and discard the water.

In a blender, whirl the peeled garlic, soaked chiles, oregano, canela, pepper, cloves, cumin, vinegar and broth or water to a smooth puree. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little more liquid. Press the puree through a strainer into a bowl. Add the salt and sugar or honey to taste.

With Chef Noe & Instructor Susan – we had so much fun!

What a great recipe to return home to! This week’s SMS was a yummy banana bread with a twist. ‘Mom’s Banana Apple Bread’ is perfect for welcoming Fall… even if it’s not official until next month! Once I started getting things together, I realized that I was out of cloves. Instead of trekking to the store for one spice, I doubled the cinnamon and nutmeg that was called for in both the apples and the dough. So glad I did, too, because the house smelled amazing!

I missed commenting on last week’s TWD, but rest assured that I’ll make it up this week! Many thanks to the sweet, sweet Joy of Hot Oven, Warm Heart. This recipe’s on her blog and don’t forget to check out the other SMS bakers here!

Mom’s Banana Apple Bread (pg. 14-15)
Source: The Sweet Melissa Baking Book by Melissa Murphy

This week I’m in Santa Fe, enjoying the annual antique show, eating chocolate molten cake at the Cowgirl and (after many, many years of traveling out here every August) taking classes at the Santa Fe School of Cooking. Today’s class is Southwestern BBQ and the menu looks fabulous… Chile-Glazed Baby Back Pork Ribs, Spicy Mexican Pinto Beans, Blue Cornbread, Orange Cilantro Salsa, Guacamole and Rum Raisin Pecan Cake. You can definitely count on some yummy posts when I return!

Before I left on Sunday, I made these amazing Applesauce Spice Bars… which instantly made me feel like it was late October. I’m so ready for Fall, it’s not funny. Like, ‘I’ve-been-craving-a-Pumpkin-Spice-Latte-for-the-past-month-and-a-half’ ready. So these were just the perfect little treat for bag-packing. I doubled the spice as a few of the girls suggested in last week’s P&Q and they couldn’t have tasted better!

Big thanks to Karen of Something Sweet by Karen for this week’s fab choice! Click her blog link for the recipe and don’t forget to check out the other TWD bakers here!

Applesauce Spice Bars (pg. 117-118)
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan