Pumpkin Empanadas (Empanadas De Calabaza)

Dough:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup water
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
3 TBL sugar

Pumpkin Filling:
4 cups pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger

In a pot combine filling ingredients and cook until caramelized. About 20 minutes. Set aside.

Combine flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add shortening and water. Cut shortening in with a fork until mixture becomes a dough.

Pinch off 1 inch sized balls and roll the dough out semi thin on a lightly floured board with a lightly floured rolling pin.

Fill center with about 1/2 TBL. of filling. You DO NOT want to over fill these or it will just be an awful mess and they will stick to the pan making it almost impossible to pull them off.

Fold over in 1/2 and seal edges by pressing with a fork.

Make 3 small air slits on top. Place on UN GREASED cookie sheet about an inch apart from one another.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

These are SUPER DUPER DELICIOUS!!!! Think of these as a mini pie. Meaning you can stuff them with ANY sort of filling you want! I'm going to make peach next time =)

If you have left over filling, it will freeze well =)

A Cantu family recipe =)

Pumpkin Cake

4 large eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 apple sauce
2 cups mashed pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
a couple shakes of all spice
a couple shakes of ground nutmeg

Icing
4 ounces cream cheese softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 TBL. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. milk

Pre heat oven to 350.

Beat together the sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin.

Sift dry ingredients and add slowly to pumpkin mixture. Mix well.

Pour into a 15x10x1 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. (If using a 9x13 bake for about 35 minutes. Check center to make sure it's done)

Cool completely.

Mix together icing ingredients using more milk if needed. Spread over cooled cake.

Ashlie's Notes: This was SO good, VERY yummy but next time I think I might just skip the icing and add 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips to the batter. This really doesn't need any icing. It would taste great just by itself. Sorry for the no picture, our camera was...still dead ;)

Strawberry Coffee Cake

Oh this is so heavenly =)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 TBL. butter, melted
2 slightly heaping cups of SLICED fresh strawberries

Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir to mix.

In a second bowl, add the egg, milk and butter; stir to mix; add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.

Pour mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Place strawberries evenly over the top of batter.

To make the topping: Combine the flour, oats and sugar in a bowl.

With a knife or fork, cut in the butter until consistency of coarse crumbs.

Stir in pecans. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the strawberries.

Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean.

Whatever the heck you want Brownies

1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt.

Whatever Floats Your Boat Ideas: 1 cup milk chocolate or semi-sweet chips, butterscotch, peanut butter chips, mini marshmallows, mini M&M's, nuts of your choice, frost them with icing of your choice. You name it, the possibilities are endless! (I have always used 1 cup chocolate chips, simple but I love it =)

Pre heat oven to 350.

Mix together melted butter and cocoa. Add sugar and mix well.

Grease a 9-inch square pan. I actually just foil the whole thing then spray the foil with non stick spray. It's nice and easy and I just lift out the brownies once they are cool.

Add eggs and mix in well. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt VERY well. Then stir in WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT ;)

Bake for 25 minutes and NO LONGER. DO NOT over bake or you will dry these out. I actually do about 21 minutes ;) If you do the knife test it should come out with moist CRUMBS NOT clean =)

**For a 9x13, double the recipe and add 5 minutes to the baking time.

Oreo Cream Cheese Balls

Very much a crowd pleaser!!! To let you know, for Halloween you can dip these in white chocolate and when cooled take red writing icing and make squiggly lines then place a dot in the middle and stick an M&M on it and it looks like a blood shot eyeball =) I could have made these look more presentable in the photo I took but we had company over so I quickly took a picture then transferred them to a serving dish =)

1 package oreos finely crushed (I used my blender, or you could use a food processor)
1 8 ox. package cream cheese
1 package of chocolate Almond Bark OR 2 cups melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
chocolate sprinkles

Take your finely crushed Oreos and with a hand mixer stir in softened cream cheese. Roll into walnut sized balls and place on a cookie sheet lined in foil or parchment paper. Continue until the mixture is gone. Freeze for 1 hour.

Melt your package of Almond bark or chocolate chips. (I used almond bark but I ended up having to add about 1/4-1/3 cup of milk to it to loosen up the mixture.)

Using a tooth pick stick it into the center of the ball and submerge the ball into the chocolate then shake off excess and place on cookie sheet. Then after each ball you dip sprinkle it with chocolate chips before the chocolate cools or the sprinkles wont stick. Repeat with remainder Oreo balls. Chill for one hour.

Cookie Salad

This is a very tasty dessert and a crowd pleaser! This bowl is actually much bigger than it looks in the picture I would say this made about 3 quarts.

18 oz container thawed whipped topping
1 package of fudge stripped cookies (about 32 cookies)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup of milk (DO NOT use fat free, use lite or whole)
1 small package of instant vanilla pudding
2 good sized bananas sliced up

In a good sized mixing bowl mix together pudding and milk. Stir in whipped topping and mix well.

Break cookies up into bite size pieces and throw in with coconut and sliced up bananas. Gently fold in together. Next time I think I might add a cup of mandarin oranges or some diced pineapple for a little citrus kick!

You can serve this immediately or you can chill. We chilled it for a couple hours before it was served and the cookies were slightly softened and it was really good! Was even good the next day!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (Bread Machine)

Bread Machine version and FOOL PROOF =)

ROLLS
3/4 cup water and 2 TBL.
2 TBL. butter, softened
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. bread machine yeast

Filling
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 TBL. butter, softened

Glaze
3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt


Put wet ingredients in first, then dry ingredients EXCEPT YEAST.

Form a well with your finger in the flour and pour your yeast into it.

Set your bread machine for the dough cycle.

When done take dough out and place on a lightly floured surface, roll out into a 9 inch square.

Mix your brown sugar and cinnamon. Rub the butter onto the dough surface then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.

Roll up tightly into a log and pinch the edges to form a closed seal (not the ends though)

Cut into 1 inch slices (making 9 rolls) and place in a greased 9x13 dish. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. I placed mine outside for best results =)

**You can also place these in the fridge overnight (after they rise) but you will need to let them rise again in the morning for about 30 minutes**

Bake at 375 for 16-17 minutes.

Frost or drizzle with glaze =)

This was my first time ever making cinnamon rolls from scratch and my what a great success!! It's fool proof I PROMISE!!

Homemade Snickers Candy Bar

I will say that these taste "similar" to Snickers but OH SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE REAL THING!!! Also to let you know that these take just a little bit of time to prepare but honestly it is soooo worth it.

Your picture will probably come out a little better than mine since we tore into ours a little bit early before it was ready to be cut =)

2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups salted peanuts, chopped
1 (14 oz) package caramels
1/4 cup whipping cream (if you do not have whipping cream on hand you can use evaporated milk and it will come out just as good =)
Parchment paper

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. In the end you can just lift this out and then cut into bars, a little bit easier =)

Melt together 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips, and 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter then spread on bottom of 9 X 13 cake pan- put in freezer to set up while next layer is prepared.

Boil 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup evaporated milk together for 5 minutes.

Take off stove and add 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme, 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups salted and chopped peanuts.

Pour over first layer that was chilling then place back in freezer.

Melt together 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips, and 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter then spread on the top of of third layer in the pan.

Store in refrigerator to keep from getting too soft and to aid in cutting and serving. Wait about 2 hours before cutting.

Chocolate Chip, Sour Cream, Banana Bread

Oh yes ladies, this is actually as good as it sounds. SUPER DUPER YUMMINESS!!! I'm always looking for new ideas when it comes to using up those bananas that are about to go bad and honestly, I get tired of doing banana bread but this is definitely the way to go!! My husband absolutely loved this!

1 cup butter (I did 1/2 butter and 1/2 applesauce. Next time I will do all applesauce)
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 ripe bananas, smashed
1 cup sour cream (I used Light)
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used the whole package)

Pre heat oven to 350.

Cream together, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream and bananas.

In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients then mix the wet and dry together.

Add chocolate chips and mix well.

So this will make 3 large loafs or it will make 12 mini loafs. I made 12 mini loafs and baked them for about 22-23 minutes. Stick a knife in the center to check BUT make sure you don't stick it into a chocolate chip and then think the bread still needs to cook when you look at the knife like I did!! =) If you do the 3 large loafs then bake at 350 for 1 hour OR until knife inserted comes out clean =)

Let cool before taking out of loaf pan.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I had actually never had this pie before and my husband has been asking me for the longest time to make one so I finally did, I tried this recipe from Worldwide WARD Cookbook Mom's Best Recipes. So darn YUMMY!!!!!!

2 Pillsbury roll out pie crusts (this is a double-crust pie)
3 cups of rhubarb diced up (I just used two large stalks and that worked well, they were each about a foot long)
2 cups of fresh sliced strawberries
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. orange zest/rind
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 TBL. flour
Butter

Pre heat oven to 375.

Grease your pie dish and line it with one pie crust, set aside.

Combine rhubarb and strawberries then pour into pie shell.

In a medium bowl mix sugar, nutmeg, flour, salt and orange zest. Sprinkle evenly over top of the fruit.

Take teaspoon sized dollops of butter and drop where desired on top of fruit.

Place your second pie crust on top (before doing so you can make a little design if you like with a peri knife. I cut out a heart but you should at least make lines in the top for ventilation.) Fold over the edge (towards the center of the pie) and crimp the edges of the two pie crusts together with your fingers.

Brush milk over top of pie with a pastry brush but do not let it pool in the edges. Then LIGHTLY sprinkle top with sugar.

Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Brownies

1 family size brownie mix of your choice

Topping:
1 8oz. package of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pre heat oven to 350 F.

Mix brownie mix according to package directions.

Pour into a GREASED 13x9 baking dish.

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Add sugar and mix. Add vanilla and egg; mix until well-blended.

Place cheese mixture in dollops over the whole pan.

Cut or swirl through batter several times with a knife or fork for a marbled effect.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool; cut into squares. (These will also freeze well).

Baked Devil's Float

3/4 cup sugar (divide into 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cup water
2 cup mini marshmallows
2 TBL. shortening
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 TBL. cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, combine 1/4 cup sugar and water; boil for 4-5 minutes.

Pour over mini marshmallows in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Combine all remaining ingredients including the 1/2 cup sugar, mix well.

Drop by dollops into marshmallow mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Serve hot with vanilla ice cream =)

Ashlie's Notes: I used nuts in this and I really liked it and I'm not a nut person, especially in soft textures like brownies, cakes or cookies but it was yummy =)

Pineapple Bars

Bars:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup; DO NOT drain
1tsp. vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts, crushed (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl stir flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Add pineapple with syrup, vanilla and eggs. Pour into a greased 11x17-inch cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

While bars are baking, prepare frosting by mixing all frosting ingredients. Spread over HOT cake.

Cut into bars once cool (about 30 minutes)

VERY YUMMY!!!

Easy CheeseCake

1 pre made graham cracker crust
1 8 oz. package cream cheese (room temp.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs.
1 jar pie filling of your choice (I used cherry)

Pre heat oven to 325

Mix cream cheese with sugar, eggs and vanilla and pour into pie crust.

Bake for 35-40 minutes OR until knife inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 20 minutes.

Spread filling evenly over top and chill for 2 hours.

Easiest yummy cheesecake you will make!!!

Baked Alaska Cake

My BF gave me this AMAZING cake recipe!! I have never eaten anything of hers that I did not love and we have had many dinners and parties together!! http://rachaelsfood4fun.blogspot.com/

1 box Devils food cake mix
1 cup powdered sugar
16 oz. of frozen cool whip
1 cup milk chocolate chips (chop up half of the cup)
1 8oz. package cream cheese

Make up the cake batter according to package directions. I used a greased 9-inch baking pan and poured half the batter in baking for 15 minutes at 355. Took out let cool. Flipped onto serving dish then poured the last half of cake batter in the 9-inch pan an baked the same as the first half. (I let the 2nd half cool in the baking dish when it was done until I was ready to use it.

Take room temperature cream cheese an mix until smooth. Stir in the powdered sugar and mix well.

Take the non chopped half cup of chocolate chips and melt in microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between until melted.

Mix in well with cream cheese mixture.

Add 2 cups of cool whip to mixture and 1/2 of the chopped chips to the mixture as well. You will use the rest of the chopped chocolate chips to decorate the top of the cake when finished.

Spread half the mixture on your first layer of cake. Be generous.

Lay the 2nd half of the cake on top of the mixture. top with remaining cream cheese mixture.

Cover cake in the remainder cool whip then sprinkle your 1/4 cup chopped chocolate chips on top.

Chill 30-60 minutes.

MMMMMMMMMMM GOOD!!!

Granny's Peach Crisp

10-12 medium peaches OR 2 large cans of peaches drained
3 Tbl. flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 Tbl. lemon juice

3 cups flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup butter, melted

Pre heat oven to 350.

Grease a 9x13 pan.

In a bowl mix together the first 6 ingredients and place in the baking dish.

In a bowl sift together the next 4 ingredients then add melted butter and mix together until crumbly.

Sprinkle crumbled mixture over top the peach mix in baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes OR until top is a light golden brown.

(The peaches in this recipe can also be replaced with apples =)

Oreo Ice Cream Fudge

3 cups crushed oreo cookies
3 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup cookies and cream ice cream

Take a 9 inch baking pan and spread enough of the crushed oreos to completely cover the bottom of the pan.

In a microwave safe bowl or on the stove melt the chocolate chips down, be careful not to burn chocolate do it on a low heat. If doing in the microwave take out every 15 seconds and stir.

Add the ice cream over low heat. The ice cream will melt down.

Pour the mixture over top the oreos in the pan and gently spread to to cover the bottom layer.

Take remainder of crushed oreos and completely cover the top of the mixture. If need more Oreos crush up more. Gently pat the top layer into the mixture so the Oreos aren't loose.

Cover and chill in fridge for 2 hours.

Cut up into bite size pieces when ready to serve.

Eggnog Pumpkin Pie

Since the Thanksgiving holiday is sort of around the corner I thought I would post a must have in our home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So if you're an EGGNOG LOVER like we are, trust me, this is PERFECT!

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

• 2 eggs
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups eggnog (do not used canned,it isn't thick enough,use the type in the carton,found in the dairy case)
• 1 unbaked DEEP DISH pie shell

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In medium bowl, beat pumpkin, eggs, sugar, spices, and salt until smooth.

Slowly stir in eggnog.

Pour into crust,bake 15 minutes. (I foiled the crust edges before pouring the filling in)

Reduce heat to 350 degrees.

Bake 45-50 minutes longer OR until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

CHILL for 2 hrs. then after chilling take off foil from edges.

Microwave Popcorn In a Brown Bag!

Believe it or not, you can make your own delicious, low-fat microwave popcorn using standard popping corn and a brown paper lunch bag. It works perfectly!


• 1/3 cup un popped popcorn
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the un popped popcorn and oil. Pour the coated corn into a brown paper lunch sack, and sprinkle in the salt. Fold the top of the bag over twice to seal in the ingredients.

2. Cook in the microwave at full power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops. Carefully open the bag to avoid steam, and pour into a serving bowl.

DIETERS: This is ok as an occasional snack TO BE SHARED, not eaten by yourself. Occasional meaning once a week AT VERY MOST =)

Sour Cream Lemon Cake

(Courtesy Of Rachael Coon-I totally hounded her for this recipe!)






This is SUPER DUPER yummy!! It's a heavy cake too, a small slice is pretty filling.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
grated zest of 1 large lemon
1 cup sour cream

Lemon Glaze:
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Generously butter and flour a 10-inch bundt pan (I used a 9X13 pan but for looks...next time will use a bundt)

Into a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl with hand-held electric mixer, cream 1 cup butter and granulated sugar; beat at high speed until mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl frequently. Blend in lemon zest. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, adding each in 3 additions. Scrape sides of bowl frequently. Pour batter into prepared cake pan; bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine lemon glaze ingredients in a bowl, blending until smooth. Carefully turn cake out onto a platter; drizzle evenly with glaze (I kept it in the pan so the juices would soak through and sit in it and used a fork to poke 20+ holes).

MUST CHILL; David and I tore into it a bit early and our pieces fell apart. After an hour in the fridge it was ready to munch down on!