Pumpkin Magic Bars

I made a fall bucket list a few weeks back and this was one of the recipes I said I wanted to bake. Magic Layer Bars are one of my favorite desserts and so addicting!  When I came across one recipe made with pumpkin, I had to give it a try!  I made a few changes to the recipe which I noted below. The bars were AH-MAZING. The middle pumpkin layer tasted like pumpkin pie & the rest of it was just icing on top.  Enjoy!    

Pumpkin 7-Layer Magic Bars

Recipe Courtesy of BakersRoyale

Makes one 8×8 pan | 

Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Create a foil sling with a 1 inch over hang.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 whole crackers)
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 11 oz. golden delicious apples, shredded (about 2 regular size apples) *OMITTED
• 11/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup salted almonds, coarsely chopped *USED PECANS
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Combine graham crackers and butter  and stir until well blended. Press mixture onto bottom of pan
2. Combine sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and stir until well combined. Pour mixture over graham cracker crust.
3. Peel and core apples. Use the large side of the  grating box to shred the apples. Layer shredded apples on the sweetened sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle on chocolate chips, followed by the almonds and then finish by sprinkling coconut on top.
4. Place assembled pan in the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes. Let cool in pan completely and then transfer finished pan to the refrigerator to chill before cutting. 
5.               *I KEPT THE DESSERT IN THE FRIDGE UNTIL IT WAS GONE*

Chocolate Caramel Candy Bars

Chocolate is my weakness.  I love it.  Eat it every. single. day.  Can't get enough of it.  Maybe that's way this baby weight is not coming off as quick as I want it to....

In the most recent issue of Kraft Food & Family, I found these gems.  

They're like a DIY Twix bar.  Sign me up! 

They were a little messy but totally worth it.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Caramel Candy Bars

Courtesy of Kraft

What You Need

35 LORNA DOONE Shortbread Cookies

1 pkg.  (11 oz.) KRAFT Caramel Bits

1 Tbsp.  milk

3 squares  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

3 squares  BAKER'S White Chocolate

Make It

LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Arrange cookies in single layer on bottom of prepared pan.

MICROWAVE caramel bits and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until bits are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Pour over cookies; spread to completely cover cookies.

MICROWAVE chocolates in microwaveable bowl 2 min. or until almost melted, stirring every 30 sec.; stir until chocolates are completely melted. Pour over caramel layer; spread to completely cover caramel layer.

LET stand 2 hours before cutting into bars.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

If you love chicken noodle soup, you will definitely enjoy this recipe.  Of course, like most recipes I find it's easy to make, has very few ingredients and takes little time.  With a newborn at home, I'm really glad I've focused on simple recipes over the years.  I rarely have more than a half hour of hands free time in the evenings to make a meal.  I pinned this recipe a few months ago and recently went to my Pinterest board when planning my weekly meals.  

This is hands down one of the best casseroles I've made. Ever.  I ate two servings for dinner and had it for lunch for the next two days.  I couldn't get enough.  This would be a fabulous meal to make for a friend in need.  Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Casserole 

Courtesy of BookCooking.net

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 ounces egg noodles
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled buttery round crackers1/2 cup butter

Directions
Poach chicken in a large pot of simmering water. Cook until no longer pink in center, about 12 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Bring chicken cooking water to a boil and cook pasta in it. Drain. Cut chicken into small pieces, and mix with noodles.
In a separate bowl, mix together mushroom soup, chicken soup, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir together cream soup mixture with the chicken mixture. Place in a 2 quart baking dish.
Melt butter in a small saucepan, and remove from heat. Stir in crumbled crackers. Top casserole with the buttery crackers.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 minutes, until heated through and browned on top.

Italian Tortellini Stew- Crock Pot

One of my monthly goals this month was to make some new crock pot meals.  I have been getting lots of emails from Kraft Foods, Betty Crocker & Cooking Light with new fall recipes.  This is the first one I picked out.  The prep time for this meal was a breeze.  I cooked the stew all day on low and added the tortellini as directed about 20 minutes before serving.  This is a perfect dinner for a cool winter night.

Italian Tortellini Stew

Courtesy of Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium zucchini, halved, cut into 1-inch slices
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans ready-to-serve vegetable or chicken broth
1 (28-oz.) can crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15.5-oz.) can great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
1(8-oz.) pkg. uncooked dry cheese-filled tortellini

Directions:
   1. In 4 to 6-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except basil and tortellini; mix well.
   2. Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.
   3. About 20 minutes before serving, stir basil and tortellini into stew. Increase heat setting to high;   cover and cook an additional 20 minutes or until tortellini are tender.

Makes 8 (1 1/4-cup) servings

Chicken and Green Bean Casserole

I'd give this recipe an 8 out of 10.  It took a little more prep time than I prefer but it was worth it.  I like how the recipe uses fresh mushrooms and green beans.  I followed some of the reviews and instead of using cream cheese I used the original Philadelphia cooking creme. This would be a great meal to take a new mom or make for friends coming over for dinner.  Enjoy! 

Chicken and Green Bean Casserole

Courtesy of Kraft Food

What You Need
1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 Tbsp.  butter
6 small  boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
1/2 tsp.  black pepper
1/2 lb.  fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 pkg.  (8 oz.) sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large  onion, chopped
1/4 cup  flour
1-3/4 cups  fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

Make It

PREPARE stuffing as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, melt butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with pepper. Cook 5 min. on each side or until chicken is done (165ºF); transfer to 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

COOK and stir beans, mushrooms and onions in same skillet 6 to 8 min. or until crisp-tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 min. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Add cream cheese; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until melted. Spoon over chicken; top with stuffing. Cover. Refrigerate up to 24 hours.

HEAT oven to 400ºF. Bake casserole, uncovered, 30 min. or until heated through.

10 Minute Halloween Charger

I had a few extra minutes after I cleaned the house last week before the baby woke up.  So, I decided I would cross one of my Halloween crafts off my list.  I picked up black chargers at Hobby Lobby a few months back with the intentions of doing this project.  I used my Cricut to cut the Trick or Treat letters and white polka dots.  Then, I used the back of a paintbrush and orange acrylic paint to do the polka dots.  That is it.  Simple, Quick and Cute if I say so myself! 

Cinnamon Bun Rice Krispie Treats

While on my weekly outing to Target this past week I stumbled upon cinnamon bun marshmallows. Have you heard of them before?  Tried them?  I surely hadn't.  But, I love rice krispie treats and love cinnamon.  So, I picked up a bag and decided try out cinnamon bun rice krispie treats.  I followed the same recipe that is on the box for original rice krispie treats.  Since the cinnamon bum marshmallows are only 8 oz, I used about 5 cups of rice krispies instead of the normal 6.   

These are now a favorite of mine.  They taste like cinnamon toast crunch cereal.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Toffee Chip and Rolo Chunk Cookies

Pumpkin + Chocolate Candy = Pure Bliss

After another blogger suggested this recipe to me, I knew I had to make it immediately.  And boy am I glad I did.  I will say that this is by far my favorite chocolate pumpkin recipe.  I plan on going to the store again this week to get more ingredients so I can make them to share with my neighbors. If you love pumpkin and chocolate, you'll be sorry if you don't give this recipe a try! 

Recipe Courtesy of Picky Palate 

Ingredients:

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

One 15 ounce can Pumpkin (I used Libby’s)

2 cups mini chocolate chips

1 cup toffee chips

1 1/2 cups chopped Rolo’s (I used the mini baking rolo's and cut them in half)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat liner.

2. Place cake mix and pumpkin into a large bowl, mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips, toffee chips and Rolo’s, mixing until combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve room temperature or chilled.

 *You'll notice the caramel from the rolo's seeped out, it was easy to break off after the cookies cooled.  BUT...I was glad I had used a baking mat!

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies

Chocolate Marshmallow Fluff Squares

This is a weight watchers recipe that I found while searching for yummy desserts that were low in points.  I always loved peanut butter, jelly & fluff sandwiches growing up, so I knew I would love this combination.  This recipe reminded me how much I love marshmallow fluff!  What I loved about this dessert is that you don't have to make too many, you can make one a night if you wish.  I didn't drizzle the chocolate over the top as the directions suggested, I just dipped the ends in the amount of chocolate called for.  The chocolate on the top made the dessert! Enjoy!

8 whole reduced-fat cinnamon graham crackers
3 Tbsp reduced-fat peanut butter, creamy style
3 serving(s) Culver's® Toppings Marshmallow Crème Topping, (tablespoons), or other brand
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chips variety, melted (1/4 cup)
3 Tbsp peanuts, oarsely chopped  

    * Break each graham cracker in half to make 16 squares. Spread each of 8 squares with 1 rounded teaspoon peanut butter. Spread each of the remaining 8 squares with 1 rounded teaspoon marshmallow crème. Press the peanut butter and marshmallow squares together to form sandwiches; place on a wax paper–lined baking sheet.

    * Drizzle the melted chocolate over each sandwich in a zigzag pattern and sprinkle with the peanuts. Freeze until the chocolate is partially set, about 10 minutes. Yields 1 sandwich per serving.


Each Square is 4 points

Grandma's Pumpkin Muffins

About a month after I had my baby I decided to join Weight Watchers.  I joined because I wanted to lose weight while being smarter with the food I was eating and maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially because I am nursing. Weight Watchers has a point allowance for nursing mothers, which is ultimately why I went with the program.  So far, I have lost 5 pounds in 3.5 weeks and feel more energized.  I love tracking points and am thankful that there are apps to track and scan the things I eat.  It's honestly much easier than I expected it to be.  

I chose this recipe because of my love of pumpkin.  I will say that this is not my favorite pumpkin recipe, it was just okay.  The muffins tasted low fat and weren't bad for being a healthier option.  A lot of the reviews said to use eggs instead of an egg substitute and add cranberries or chocolate chips to the recipes.  I laughed because that takes the healthy part of the recipe away.  I do agree that they would be better with all that added, but along with adding the ingredients you'll be adding points. I would probably add more pumpkin next time and less applesauce.  I'd also add some pumpkin pie spice.  Overall, I'd try these if you're looking for a healthy pumpkin muffin recipe. 

Ingredients:
1 spray(s) cooking spray
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
  2/3 cup(s) unsweetened applesauce
  1 cup(s) canned pumpkin
2/3 cup(s) sugar
  1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
  2/3 cup(s) fat-free skim milk


Instructions

    * Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray. Line with cupcake wrappers if desired.

    * Combine flour, baking powder, salt , baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.

    * Combine applesauce, pumpkin, sugar, egg substitute and milk in a medium bowl; mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

    * Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture and mix until completely incorporated.

    * Pour batter into muffin tins so each hole is about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

Notes

    * We use both cooking spray and muffin wrappers to prevent any batter from sticking to the top of the pan but you can use a nonstick pan instead, if you prefer.

Cheesy Turkey Stromboli

In our house we're always looking for quick, easy and TASTY dinner recipes.  One thing that always makes for an easy and quick dinner is using crescent rolls or pizza dough.  You can put almost anything in the center, roll it up and about 15 minutes later, you have a meal.  This recipe was on the cover on the most recent Food & Family magazine.  The picture had me sold.  I added it to the menu and we made it the following week.  I loved this meal & it was just as good the next day for leftovers.  Enjoy! 

what you need

1

can  (11 oz.) refrigerated pizza dough

6

 KRAFT Colby Jack Cheese Slices with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA

1

pkg.  (7.5 oz.) OSCAR MAYER CARVING BOARD Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast, coarsely chopped

1/2

cup  coarsely chopped roasted red peppers

1

tsp.  dried basil leaves

1

 egg

1

Tbsp.  water

make it

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

UNROLL dough on lightly floured surface. Roll out or pat into 12-inch square; top with cheese, turkey, peppers and basil, leaving 1/2-inch rim around all sides. Roll up; pinch seam and ends together to seal.

PLACE, seam-side down, on foil-covered baking sheet. Beat egg and water; brush onto dough.

BAKE 22 to 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. before slicing.

servings: 6

Pumpkin Bread

One of my favorite cooking magazines is Food & Family from Kraft.  I can always find good recipes in them and most of the recipes are super simple to make.  I was elated when the most recent one arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago and immediately went through it.  There were over 10 recipes I couldn't wait to try.  Of course, the first one on my list was this pumpkin bread. I've never made pumpkin bread with pudding mix before so I was excited to try something new, especially a new pumpkin recipe.  The bread turned out delicious.  It was perfectly moist and the nuts on top added the perfect crunch.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1-3/4

cups  flour

1

pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1

Tbsp.  CALUMET Baking Powder

2

tsp.  pumpkin pie spice

1

tsp.  baking soda

1/2

cup  butter, melted

1

cup  sugar

1

can  (15 oz.) pumpkin

2

 eggs

1/3

cup  chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

Directions:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

MIX flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder, spice and baking soda; set aside.

WHISK butter, sugar and pumpkin in large bowl. Blend in eggs. Add flour mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into 8x4-inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray; top with nuts.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, covering loosely with foil for the last 20 min. Cool bread in pan 10 min. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely

Parmesan Meatloaf

Meatloaf is always an easy weeknight meal.  It doesn't take a long time to prepare and always provided us with leftovers for lunch.  I've tried a lot of meatloaf recipes and decided on this one because of the pasta sauce.  I've made it with ketchup before and BBQ but never pasta sauce.  The original recipe (posted below) is gluten free.  Mine wasn't gluten free because I used italian breadcrumbs, I also didn't have any italian cheese so I used cheddar instead.  Nonetheless, it was one of the best meatloaf recipes I've tried.  Enjoy!

Parmesan Meatloaf {Gluten Free}

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup marinara pasta sauce 
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
minced parsley for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey and beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Try not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top the meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Pumpkin time is here and I couldn't be more thrilled. Expect to see lots of pumpkin posts around here in the coming months.  I started out the pumpkin making season with this recipe for Pumpkin Coffee Cake.  I've never made a coffee cake using a cake mix.  It was definitely easier to make but I could tell the difference in the taste and texture.  While this isn't my favorite pumpkin recipe, I still wanted to share it.  I was looking more for a breakfast item and to me it was more of a dessert.  If I make it again, I will add walnuts or pecans and more spices.  If you make it, let me know what you think!

Recipe Courtesy of Pretty Good Food 

Serves 18

Ingredients

⅓ cups Water
1 can Pureed Pumpkin (15 Oz)
2 whole Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 box Yellow Cake Mix (18 Ounce Box)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Brown Sugar, Divided
½ cups Flour
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
¼ cups Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2.In a large bowl mix together the water, pumpkin, eggs, 1 Tablespoon of vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Add the cake mix and baking soda and mix until just combined.

3. Grease a 9×13 pan with butter and pour batter into pan.

4. In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour and melted butter. Use your fingers to sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. For the glaze, combine the other 1/2 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir until all sugar is dissolved.

6. When cake is finished baking, poke holes in the top with a toothpick. Pour glaze over the cake, making sure to cover all surfaces. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.