a new nothing with a speckled handle

pumpkin bars with cream cheese brown sugar frosting It's fall-ish here and cool enough for the pumpkin spice cravings to have begun! i searched far and wide for the best pumpkin bar recipe.  it had to be very tender so it would melt-in-your-mouth. but also rich and warm with creamy and sweet frosting that would perfectly offset the spices. i combined several recipes, and then changed them all to include melted butter for the added flavor and texture that butter allows. nothing ever goes wrong with butter. it's like the perfect food. ha! the addition of brown sugar gives the frosting an extra depth of sweetness and the combination will blow your socks off.  this recipe makes plenty to share.  make the batch and invite over the neighbors! or take a plate to friends. i shared mine with the ladies at the office and they were in heaven. definitely gonna keep this one bookmarked for when the pumpkin spice cravings hit again.  and they will.  ingredient li...

I was assigned to bring a trifle to a church function this week. I'm not a huge trifle person, mostly because I can't stand pudding. So I set out to create the perfect trifle recipe that would include some fall flavors without the pudding. After much thought, I came up with this recipe. I think it's the perfect combination of spices, carmel, and creaminess. And the pecans add that perfect crunch. Pumpkin Spice Cake (adapted from taste of home) 1 pkg spice cake mix 1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix (added dry...makes a very moist cake) 1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon rounded 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger Combine ingredients in a stand mixer and blend until lumps disappear. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Cool and cut into cubes. Whipped Cream 2 1/2 cups heavy cream - beat to stiff peaks 12 ounces (1 1/2 bars) softened cream cheese 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 -2 teaspoons vanil...

This is a recipe for a very light, yet flavorful pumpkin muffin. It was so easy to make and so satisfying to eat! It would be really good made into mini muffins for an after-school snack for the kids. From Gourmet November 2006 Makes 1 dozen INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice 1 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp cinnamon DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350. Put liners in 12 muffin cups or 6 jumbo cups. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about 3/4 full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. (I also finely chopped u...

This recipe comes from Everyday Food. It is now one of my favorite pumpkin recipes. It's almost like a pumpkin quickbread, but in a 9x13 form. They are very moist and full of fall flavors. * 2 cups flour * 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 3/4 teaspoon salt * 1 cup butter, room temperature * 1 1/4 cups sugar * 1 large egg * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract * 1 cup canned pumpkin puree * 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges ...