Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Caramel Frosting

Last week four of my coworkers in our front office had birthdays in a two-day span. Naturally, this required a party.  We planned a potluck lunch for Friday with a traditional birthday cake, but I wanted to make sure the Thursday birthdays didn't feel completely ignored (Friday's festivities were a surprise).

This is the cake I made for Thursday.  It is amazing.  The cake itself is so moist and the frosting is to die for.  Many people told me they'd love to just eat it with a spoon.  I found the recipe on Chef-in-training, and hers was much prettier.  I think I let the frosting cool a bit too much before pouring it on the cake.  I plan to make this one again soon and I will do better. :)

Cake Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-15 oz. can of pumpkin
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (which I omitted, obviously)
1 teaspoon salt

Frosting Ingredients:
1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and sour cream.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices and stir to combine.  Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.
3.  Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Invert cake onto a cooling rack (I suggest waiting about 10 minutes first) and cool completely.

For frosting (or is it icing -- does anybody know the difference between the two or know which one this is?): heat milk and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.  Cool for five minutes and pour over cake.

As you can see, I waited too long to drizzle and had to spread it with a spatula.  Fortunately, what this cake lacked in the visually appealing category, it made up for in taste.  Oh. my. Wow.

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies

I made these on Saturday and served them to my best culinary critics -- my sisters -- on Sunday.  The recipe is from Averie Cooks Blog and is in her upcoming cookbook that includes only pumpkin recipes.

Recipe first -- then my thoughts.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

1 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I made my own sans nutmeg)

1-1/4 cup flour

3 Tablespoons sugar, for sprinking

2 Teaspoons cinnamon, for sprinking (I actually cheated her and used a cinnamon sugar blend that I keep on hand for toast)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Line an 8x8 pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray and set aside.

2.  In a large microwaveable bowl, melt the butter (about 1 minute) and set aside.

3.  Wait a little while for the butter to cool -- this is key, y'all.  You don't want scrambled eggs in your pastries!.  I actually whisked my egg before pouring into the mixture and stirred continuously while adding it.  It worked!  Then add brown sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and pie spice, and whisk until smooth.

4.  Add the flour and stir until just combined.

5.  Pour into prepared pan, smooth (I didn't do that very well because I didn't care) and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

6.  Bake 25-27 minutes or until done (toothpick comes out cleanish).

Overall, this makes a yummy dessert.  I must say, however, that I was slightly disappointed with the texture and I think the "Blondie" in the name was misleading.  I just didn't get that wonderful blondie taste and texture in this.  I'm not sure if it needed more butter, more flour or what.  Maybe it's just that the pumpkin makes it very moist and spongy/rubbery.  It just isn't what I expected but was still yummy.  I would just prefer that they'd been named "Pumpkin Snickerdoodle BARS" and there wouldn't have been such a let down for me personally.

They do, however, get the Mock girls' stamp of approval.

Divine Love

A friend shared this Spurgeon devotional below on Facebook a few days ago.  These words are such comfort, both to her, who is walking the road of a mother whose child is gravely ill, and to me.  While I face nothing so severe, I spend much time wishing my life was different.  Praying for dreams to finally come to fruition.  Wondering why, if He loves me, He has not given me the life I've hoped for since I was a small girl.

But this is the truth: if any other circumstance were better, I would be there.  I must trust that this is best.

Psalm 47:4 -- "He shall choose our inheritance for us."

Believer, if your inheritance be a lowly one you should be satisfied with your earthly portion; for you may rest assured that it is the fittest for you.  Unerring wisdom ordained your lot, and selected for you the safest and best condition.  A ship of large tonnage is to be brought up the river; now, in one part of the stream there is a sandbank; should some one ask, "Why does the captain steer through the deep part of the channel and deviate so much from a straight line?" His answer would be, "Because I should not get my vessel into harbour at all if I did not keep to the deep channel."  So, it may be, you would run into the depths of affliction where waves of trouble follow each other in quick succession.  Some plants die if they have too much sunshine.  It may be that you are planted where you get but little, you are put there by the loving Husbandman, because only in that situation you will bring forth fruit unto perfection.  Remember this, had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there.  You are placed by God in the most suitable circumstances, and if you had the choosing of your lot, you would soon cry, "Lord, choose my inheritance for me, for by my self-will I am pierced through with many sorrows."  Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good.  Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God.  Down busy self, and proud impatience, it is not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love!

"Trials must and will befall--

But with humble faith to see

Love inscribed upon them all; 

This is happiness to me."

**Copied from Spurgeon's Evening by Evening, November 11, emphasis mine**

Tasty Tuesday: Salsa Chicken

I actually don't really have a name for this, but it's good.  A friend served me this several years ago, and I've been making (and adapting it) ever since.

Here's the recipe, but understand that you can add whatever you want to this and it will be good.

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds frozen chicken breasts
1 24oz jar of Pace picante sauce (I use medium)
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of corn, drained
4-8 oz cream cheese

**The pictures here show that I also added a can of Pinto beans....like I said, do whatever you want.

Directions:
Add chicken, beans, corn, and Picante sauce to a slow cooker.  Cook on low for about 8 hours.  About 30 minutes before dinner, shred chicken and add cream cheese.  After half an hour, stir and serve.

This time I just ate it like soup, but you can do it however you want.  Add shredded cheddar, avocado, and sour cream...serve over rice....scoop up with tortilla chips.....easy and versatile! :)

Also, did anybody know that celery looks like this when you cut the stalks off the bunch? So cool!