Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mom and I recently went to an Open House at one of my favorite florist's showrooms (Samuel Franklin-if you haven't been to his shop...GO!) We found this sign and decided it was "so me." What do you think?

I made these Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip cookies for the Alabama vs. UT football game tailgate (along with my famous JellO shots of course), which I was at last minute able to attend! My best friend was in town from Texas so I was extra excited to get to spend time with my girlfriends that weekend! What a blessing!! Oh and... ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are super easy to throw together and the fluffy consistency is to die for!

 Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with a Silpat® mat or parchment paper.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; mix in pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice; whisk until incorporated.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined; fold in the white chocolate chips.
5. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop dough onto prepared cookie sheet; bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until edges are firm.

Mixing Seasons....Is It Okay?

     Am I the only one that is bothered by the fact that Valentines Day decorations are starting to pop up in stores? We haven't even had Halloween, Thanksgiving OR Christmas!
I like to enjoy each holiday as long as I can, but I do have a confession about my newest recipe...I combined fall with a tad bit of Christmas in this amazing Pumpkin Gingerbread! I am in no way trying to put up my Christmas wreath or Santa Claus decor but I couldn't resist this recipe! Even my 22 year old brother asked for more!
I made this bread into mini loaves so I could share with more people. Reduced cooking time is listed on recipe.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (200 g) all purpose flour*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup (240 ml) pumpkin purée**
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, or 112 g) butter, melted
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) molasses (I ran out of molasses and switched to maple syrup!)
• 1 Tbsp finely minced candied or fresh ginger (optional)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or butter to keep the pumpkin gingerbread from sticking to the pan. (or 4 mini loaf pans)

2 In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3 In another bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix together the pumpkin purée, melted butter, sugar, molasses, fresh or candied ginger, eggs, and water.

4 Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the raisins if using. Stir only until incorporated.

5 Place the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a bamboo skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then gently run a knife around the edge of the loaf and invert the loaf to remove it from the pan. Let it cool on a rack for 30 minutes or longer.

**If doing mini loafs, bake for 30-40 minutes. Check at 30 and increase by 5 minutes as needed. 

It's Football Time in TENNESSEE!

 

 Football season is by far one of the best times of the year. Not only because it happens to fall during fall (no pun intended), but we all know that feeling you get inside when you wake up and it's UT game day. The crisp fall air, ice cold beer (or in our case this weekend, 8am Mimosas and Bloody Mary's), tables full of chips and dip, the band playing Rocky Top around campus, and getting to cheer on the football team with 102, 454 of your best friends. There is nothing better.
 
Well, for me, being in the event/wedding industry, unfortunately we do not get to indulge in these festivities every weekend along with the rest of the city. We must truly love our jobs! But this week, my venue has the weekend off so I get to tailgate with all my friends and enjoy the game from the Skybox with my mom! Needless to say, I AM EXCITED! Since the game is at 12:00 noon, my friends and I will be doing a big breakfast tailgate! I am contributing by making my famous JellO shots (ask anyone-they're famous!), homemade pumpkin muffins with cinnamon sugar topping, and a french toast bake! Even though the french toast bake isn't pumpkin, I have listed the recipe below because it is a fabulous brunch item!
Hope everyone gets to enjoy the tailgating festivities this weekend and.... GO VOLS!

Homemade Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

Topping:

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon)

Optional Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Oven preheat: 400

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl: flour, baking powder, salt, spices

Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl: Pumpkin, oil, sugar, milk

Stir wet ingredients into dry, stir until just combined. Spray regular muffin tin with non-stick spray. Using a large ice cream scoop the batter generously into the tins (should be about 2/3 full.)  Sprinkle tops of muffins with chopped pecans (if using.) Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes. (I only baked mine for 16!)

Remove to a cooling rack.

Dip the top of each warm muffin into the melted butter and then into the cinnamon sugar for a delicious topping.

French Toast Bake

Ingredients

•  FOR THE FRENCH TOAST:
• 1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
• 8 whole Eggs
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
• 3/4 cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
•  FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pinch Nutmeg - Optional
• 1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
•  Fresh Fruit (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Next Blog Post... Fall with a hint of Christmas! Stay Tuned!

My Best Friend's Wedding...Oh and some pumpkins!

     The past week has been filled with many tears and laughs all combined into one. Last Saturday, my best friend got married and I was beyond blessed to stand by her side on her big day! What a fun weekend it was celebrating Andrea & Jaz with all of our closest friends! The next day she whipped off to Texas to start her new journey and needless to say I am having separation anxiety, so in honor of Andrea's one week wedding anniversary, I made a recipe that she gave me! Pumpkin Crunch Cake... the perfect fall dessert!
 But first, I have to show off some wedding pictures of course!

Isn't she the most beautiful bride you have ever seen? I'm still in awe! 

Now onto this yummy Pumpkin Crunch Cake! This recipe is so easy and full of flavor! (Recipe below)

Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream! 

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

1 15oz. can pumpkin puree

1 12oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup butter/margarine (melted)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. 

Layer dry cake mix evenly on top of pumpkin mixture.

Sprinkle pecans on top of cake mix.

Drizzle melted butter evenly over the top and bake for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown.

Good news! We can all officially start decorating for fall at 10:29pm tonight! Finally!

Pumpkin...It's What's For Breakfast

   

    

     

      This post contains two recipes and three of my favorite things in life...Breakfast, pumpkins, and the CrockPot. I am convinced, thanks to my mother, the CrockPot is the greatest invention to this day. And I have learned to appreciate much more the day I stepped into this thing called "adulthood."

     Onto one of my other favorites...breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day. I look forward to waking up (not so much the waking up part), drinking my coffee and having breakfast. I could eat breakfast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but for some reason my breakfast choices always resort to oatmeal. I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast every single day for a long time now and somehow have not gotten sick of it. Well to mix up my Kroger brand Low Sugar Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Oatmeal a little, what better way to combine my love of pumpkin and breakfast than Crockpot Pumpkin Oatmeal. Yummy in my tummy! And no, this isn't quite as low sugar as my regular oatmeal. 

     I threw this easy recipe together at night and the next morning, my house was filled with the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin spice. What a great way to wake up! 

Overnight Crockpot Pumpkin Oatmeal (recipe below)

The before product looked a whole lot like pumpkin soup

 

(I had to steal this picture from the blog I found the recipe on because I forgot to take a picture of my finished product! Whoops!)

     My second recipe this week was Pumpkin Pie French Toast. Now as I said, I usually don't take the time to cook a breakfast and stick to my microwave oatmeal, but this particular morning I had the day off, so I decided to cook a big breakfast! I made mine a tiny bit healthier using Organic Almond Milk & Ezekiel bread, but boy was it a treat! :) 

Pumpkin Pie French Toast (recipe below Oatmeal)

Overnight Pumpkin Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1 cup steel cut oats (you must use steel cut oats because they’re the only kind that will work)
2 cups apple juice (I actually would leave this out next time and substitute with water)
2 and 1/2 cups milk
2 15 oz cans pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup water
pinch of salt

Directions: Step 1:  Place all the above ingredients in a ceramic bowl that will fit inside your crock pot.  Stir all the ingredients until blended.

Step 2: Place the ceramic bowl inside your crockpot.  Slowly pour some water in the crockpot until it reaches the middle of the ceramic bowl.  This will create a ‘water bath’ for your oatmeal. This prevents the oatmeal from overcooking and sticking to the sides of the bowl. 

Step 3:  Cook on low for 8-9 hours. 

Quick tip: Pour a little french vanilla coffee creamer or milk on top of your oatmeal.  This adds a creamy flavor with a touch of sweetness & it’s simply divine!


Pumpkin Pie French Toast
Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup pumpkin

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

8 slices bread (I used a nice, hearty wheat bread)

Directions:

Beat eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, and spices until well combined. Make sure there are no clumps of pumpkin left. 

Spray griddle with non stick spray. Dip bread into egg mixture, turning to coat each side, and allowing excess to drip off back into bowl. Cook over medium-low heat, about 2 minutes for each side of bread. Serve with syrup.

Stay tuned for next week! 

Welcome to my Pumpkin Obsession

     As I sit here this morning drinking my Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice coffee, reading my devotion, and smelling my Tailgate candle from Bath & Body Works (If your football tailgate has a smell-this is it! A must have candle this year), I can't help but think of this picture that keeps popping up on social media. Most people have seen it on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook by now, but I am convinced it was designed for me.

    I know according to the calendar it isn't technically fall, but in my mind, September 1st means fall. Although I am waiting until "real fall" to put up my decorations, the long awaited time has come where I can drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fill my house with the smell of pumpkin scented candles and Glade Plug-in's, and bake everything on my "Pumpkin Obsession" Pinterest page. If you come to my house, in each room is a fall-scented candle and in each bathroom you wash your hands with pumpkin soap and moisturize with pumpkin lotion.

     I have always had a love for fall, pumpkins, hiking, football season, and cuddling up on the couch with apple cider, but over the past few years as the pumpkin industry has expanded, I have become more obsessed than the average white girl. (I have a feeling my friends would agree and are probably shaking their heads at the fact that I've even started a blog about this- but I bet they aren't surprised). 

    Over the course of this fall, I am going to make one (some weeks more than one) pumpkin inspired recipe per week. My KitchenAid (one of the best Christmas presents my adult self has ever received from mom and dad) is going to be put to serious use over the next few months! I will post the recipes on here for my fellow pumpkin lovers :) I am also in the beginning of training for my next half marathon, so I am going to need test dummies for these goodies! Now accepting applications.

Sooo... here goes my first recipe! 

Oatmeal Pumpkin Creme Pies (recipe below) 

 The final product. It made two platefuls! And yes, I saved one for myself! 

Ingredients:

OATMEAL SANDWICH COOKIES

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 and 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg(or 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice)- I used 3/4tsp pumpkin pie spice. 
• 2 – 2.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted- I used 2 cups and it was sweet enough! 
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (to thicken, as needed)
• salt, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Slowly stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, oats, and flour. Mix together until just combined. Do not overmix.
2. Chill the dough for at least one hour in the fridge. Cookies will be very flat if the dough is not cold.
3. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Roll 2 teaspoons of dough into a ball and place onto prepared sheet. Bake for 9 minutes and let cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack.
4. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the pumpkin frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin, and spices on medium speed until creamy. Add 2-2.5 cups of sifted powdered sugar depending how sweet you’d like it. If frosting is much too thin, add in the flour to thicken it. Add salt to cut the sweetness, if you prefer.
5. Spread a generous amount of frosting on the underside of a cooled cookie and sandwich another cookie on top. Cookies stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

ENJOY!! Next week.... A breakfast item!