PUMPKIN MUFFINS with CANDIED PECANS and WHITE ICING

These muffins are great with a cup of coffee in the morning, as a snack in the afternoon, or as a dessert after dinner. They're wonderful holiday snacks and desserts but are well served all year long, too.  Enjoy!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS with CANDIED PECANS and WHITE ICING

1- 29 oz. can of 100% pure pumpkin

2 cups candied pecans (optional - see below for recipe)

1-1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)

1-1/2 cups vanilla soy milk

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

4 eggs (mixed)

4 oz. vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup dark molasses

1/4 cup Kahlua

2 tablespoons baking powder

1-1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger (ground)

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Generously butter large muffin pans.

Put the flour and shopped pecans off to the side.

In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients with a wire whisk and mix well.

Add the flour to the mixed ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk.

Add the candied pecans (optional) to the batter and mix well.

Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup as your measure guidance, spoon the pumpkin batter into the greased muffin pans.

You should get about 15-16 muffins from this batch.

Bake in a hot 375 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes.

Insert a toothpick or knife into the center of the largest muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done. If not, return the muffins to the oven for another minute or so until an inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes before adding frosting for a thin icing. For a thick icing, let the muffins cool for 25 -30 minutes.

Of course, **frosting is optional as are the candied pecans.**

The muffins are fantastic on their own, unadorned.

CANDIED PECANS

2 cups of whole or chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup honey

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put butter off to the side.

In a 9" rectangular pan or a baking sheet, combine all the ingredients (except the butter) and mix well.

Break the butter into pieces and drop randomly over the pecan mixture.

Set in a hot 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Remove, mix well until the sugar and butter covers all the pecans, and return to the oven for another 4-5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and either put off to the side for 30-40 minutes or set in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

When cooled, spoon the pecans and sweet mixture onto a cutting board (if they're whole pecans)

and chop into pieces.

Add to the pumpkin batter and mix well.

Spoon into the muffin pans with a 1/2 cup measuring cup as your measuring guide.

WHITE ICING

1 box powdered sugar

Heavy cream (for desired consistency)

Pour the powdered sugar into a large bowl.

Slowly add the heavy cream to the powdered sugar and mix briskly with a wire whisk until you have the desired consistency (thick or thin) to your frosting. Mix long enough to rid the icing of the little lumps of powdered sugar.

Drizzle or spread over hot/warm pumpkins muffins for a thin icing.

Drizzle or spread over cooled pumpkin muffins for a thicker icing.

Serve warm or cool.

Blueberry Muffins and Banana Candied Pecan muffins

These muffins are so moist! I think you'll love them.

Divide the batter in half and use one half for Blueberry Muffins and the other half for the Banana Candied Pecan Muffins. You should get twelve medium to large sized muffins from each batch. Please read through entire recipe before beginning!

Before you begin, generously grease and flour 2 twelve-cup large muffin pans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

MUFFIN BATTER

5 cups flour

4 cups heavy cream

2 cups eggs

1/3 lb. butter (melted)

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

You'll also need:

2 1/2 cups of blueberries

2 cups of candied pecans (see recipe below)

2 bananas

In a large bowl combine the baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla yogurt. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes.

Add the heavy cream, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and powdered sugar to the  yogurt mixture. Mix very well with a wire whisk.

Add the flour and salt to the mixture. Mix well until the batter is smooth.

Put half of the batter into another medium or large sized bowl.

In one bowl of batter, add 2 1/2 cups of blueberries and mix well but gently.

In the other bowl add 2 bananas and 2 cups of chopped candied pecans (see below for candied pecan recipe).

Spoon the batters into the muffin cups to reach the top.

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a knife or toothpick slid into the middle of the largest muffin comes out clean. Ovens vary, so it could take as little as 20 minutes or as much as 30 to bake. Keep an eye alert around 20-25 minutes.

Allow the muffins to cool before removing them from the cups.

(If you desire frosting, drizzle a simple frosting of heavy cream mixed with powdered sugar (to your desired consistency) for extra sweetness, though they are delicious without the added sweetness.

Great with morning coffee, an afternoon snack, or dessert in the evening.

CANDIED PECANS

2 cups of pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup honey

4 tablespoons butter butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a deep but small baking dish or pan, combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Put in a hot 350 oven for approximately 5 minutes. Remove and stir. Put back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes. Remove, mix and let cool.

Chop and put into muffin batter along with the bananas.

Enjoy!

Peppermint Candy Cake with Peppermint Candy Frosting

Hi all!

Here is my fabulous Peppermint Candy Cake recipe. It is so good! Enjoy!

Peppermint Candy Cake

2 cups sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1 (16-ounce) container cream cheese, softened

4 large eggs

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 tablespoon peppermint extract

45 peppermint candies (approximately 1-1/2 cups -use peppermint candy sticks, if you prefer)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Peppermint Candy Frosting

1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese, cold

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cold

1 tablespoon peppermint extract (heated in microwave for 10 seconds)

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream (for thicker frosting, use 1/8-1/4 cup)

90 peppermint candies (approximately 3 cups -use peppermint candy sticks, if you prefer)

For the cake:

>Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and generously butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans.

>In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, whipping cream, softened cream cheese, eggs, butter, and peppermint extract. Mix well.

>In a food processor or osterizer, blend the peppermint candy on high until it's pulverized to powder. Don't be alarmed by the smoky effect. Stir the candy into the batter.

>In another bowl, combine the flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix well.

>Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The cakes will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.

>Let the cakes cool in the pans for several minutes. Then transfer them to the wire rack to completely cool.

For the frosting:

>In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, peppermint extract, and sugar with an electric mixer until very well blended.

>In another small bowl, beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer until stiff. Add the whipped cream to the frosting mixture. With the electric mixer mix the two only until smooth. do not overblend. Put the frosting in the refrigerator to chill.

>In a food processor or osterizer, blend the peppermint candy until it's pulverized to powder.

>Remove the frosting form the refrigerator and add the powdered peppermint candy. Mix well.

>Spread the frosting over the cake and top the cake with three whole peppermint candies per slice. Store any extra frosting in the refrigerator.

>Refrigerate cake when not being eaten.

Yields 16 servings.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Scones and Blueberry Scones

Hi! 

I've created great Pineapple Cream Cheese Scone and Blueberry Scone recipes I know you're going to love. 

Don't eat too many, no more than 2 a week; otherwise, you'll feel too loaded down and begin to put the pounds on. Typically, I save treats like this for Saturday and/or Sunday morning with a great cup of coffee. (ONE scone Saturday and/or Sunday.)

READ THROUGH RECIPE BEFORE BEGINNING: ALWAYS!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups vanilla yogurt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 lbs. of butter

7 cups all-purpose flour

1 fresh pineapple (peeled and cored)

1 lb. cream cheese

2-1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 350.

Latex Gloves are a good idea.

Generously butter 2 large baking sheets.

Take a fresh pineapple; peel and core it. Chop approximately 1/2 - 3/4 of the pineapple into bite size chunks and put into a large bowl. 

Take 1 pound of cream cheese and break it into bite-sized chunks and add it to the pineapple. Put the bowl aside.

In another large bowl, put 2-1/2 cups of blueberries. Put aside.

In a medium bowl mix well:

2 cups vanilla yogurt

2 teaspoons baking soda

In a large bowl mix well:

1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 cup powdered sugar

7 cups all-purpose flour

Once the flour mixture is well mixed add:

1-1/2 pounds of butter (cold or room temperature-but not melted)

Cut the butter into the flour mixture (with your hands is best-use gloves) until it's well kneaded into the size of peas or smaller

Now add:

3 eggs (beaten)

Mix well.

If you haven't already, you might want to put on a pair of latex gloves for this next part.

Now add the:

yogurt/baking soda mixture to the flour mixture.

With a spatula or spoon, mix very well.

Yes, it's a very sloppy, wet dough, isn't it, enough that you're probably saying "Yeuck!"

 That's how you want it. Mix it all very well.

Section the dough into two portions:

Add one portion of the dough to the pineapple/cream cheese and the other portion of dough to the blueberries. Mix the dough into the fruits very well and distribute the fruits evenly throughout the dough.

Let's begin with the pineapple/cream cheese scones.

On your board or counter, put a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of flour. Spread it out, but not too thin, just enough that you can plop the pineapple/cream cheese dough onto it and know the wet dough won't settle into the counter. Plop the dough onto the floured counter (or board). 

Now, add more flour (a few tablespoons)to the top; just enough that your hands don't stick to the dough as you GENTLY press it down. Press gently into a circle that stands about 1-1/2 inches high.

Yes, it's sticky, just add a light bit of flour to your hands to keep from sticking.

(Put a pile of flour on the side; you'll need it for dipping the knife into it because the center of the dough will still be wet.)

Now, slice as though you're slicing a pie - into pie slices - triangular shape. If the knife gets sticky and wet, slide it through the excess flour you have on the side-each time. You ought to get ten to twelve scones from this batch.

Slide a knife under each piece to transport it to the pan.

Place the scones on one of the buttered baking sheets( lying them opposite directions next to each other-about an inch apart-can offer more space).

Repeat this entire process with the Blueberry Scones.

Bake in a hot 350 oven for approximately 18-20 minutes.

Ovens REALLY do vary, so consider them finished when you put a toothpick in to test for doneness and it comes out clean.

FROSTING

For both batches of Scones (unless you like heavy frosting)

1 box of Powdered Sugar

Heavy Manufacturing Cream

Vanilla (optional)

In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar and slowly add the heavy cream and mix to the desired thickness of frosting. Add the vanilla for extra flavor, if you so desire.

Spread on hot scones and it will seep into the scone.

Delicious!

Let me know how they turned out! I hope very tasty, and I hope you enjoy them!