Pumpkin Carmel Poke Cake

This is quite the cake! Via...Mommy's Kitchen. 

I made this special for a sister in our church that I visit teach. She posted it on FB and I wanted to surprise her with it. The only thing different I did from Mommy's Kitchen recipe is I made the cake and pumpkin pudding from scratch. Not from a box.

I started off making the pumpkin pudding so it could cool long enough in the fridge...

Ingredients:

• 6 T sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 3/4 cups  milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation

1. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Combine milk and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add milk mixture to sugar mixture, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2. Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through ground nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring well. Slowly add pumpkin mixture to milk mixture, whisking constantly. Place pan over low heat, and cook for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly (do not boil). Put pudding in bowl and cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill.

Next, I started on this spice cake from All Recipes...

The spices are divine and smell so so good!!
*For pumpkin flavor add 1/2cup puree pumpkin.

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 ground all spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable
  2 cups brown sugar
  
  

  Directions

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
• Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
• Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.
•  Then poke holes in it with bottom of wooden spoon.  
   

• Mix 1 cup sweetened condensed milk together with the 1 cup caramel dip.
• Pour the caramel mixture all over the cake, aiming for each of the holes. 
• Using an offset spatula spread the mixture evenly making sure the mixture goes into the holes. 
• Refrigerate cake for one hour.

  

• For the whipped frosting mix the pumpkin pudding with 80z cool whip or coconut whip cream.
• Once the cake is cooled, spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake. 

•  Garnish with crushed gingersnaps or graham crackers and additional caramel topping drizzled over the entire cake.
• Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

 Here is Mommy's Kitchen Recipe...

Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake 
{mommyskitchen.net}

1 - 18 oz spice cake mix + (oil, water and eggs according to box directions)
1/2 - cup pumpkin puree
1 - cup sweetened condensed milk
1 - cup Marzetti Old Fashioned Caramel Dip, Light or Fat Free Caramel Dip

Whipped Frosting:
1 - 3.4 oz package pumpkin spice instant pudding mix 
1 - cup milk
1/4 - cup confectioners sugar
1 - 8 oz tub whipped topping (cool whip)

Garnish: 
10 -15 gingersnap cookies or 1 cup graham crackers, coarsely crushed
additional caramel dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake according to package directions adding the oil, eggs, water and pumpkin. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake. Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is still warm poke holes 1 - inch apart all over the cake using a wooden spoon handle or a straw. If a lot of cake comes out on the handle, wipe with a paper towel and continue poking the holes. You want the holes all over the cake.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and the caramel dip. Pour the caramel mixture over the cake, making sure to fill the holes. It's OK if the mixture puddles on the sides. 

Place cake in refrigerator and let cool for one hour. Once cake is cooled, spread the whipped topping frosting evenly over the top of the cake. 

To make the frosting in a large bowl add the dry pudding mix, confectioners sugar and milk. Using an electric mixer blend until the mixture starts to thicken. Fold in the whipped topping.

Sprinkle frosted cake with crushed ginger snaps or graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with additional caramel topping. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

Cook's Note:  If you cannot find pumpkin spice pudding you can substitute with butterscotch or vanilla pudding, and add a dash of pumpkin pie spice. To make the caramel dip easier to drizzle for the garnish first, place the caramel dip in a microwave safe dish and heat on the defrost setting for 20 - 30 seconds. Using a spoon drizzle caramel on frosted cake.

So, I hear this cake was delicious! It's a perfect fall dessert with the all the spices and pumpkin flavors. 

Enjoy:)

Flavorful Chicken Fajitas

These Chicken Fajitas were sure flavorful and tasty!

I love cooking with lots of spices.

I used this Flavorful Chicken Fajitas marinade recipe....

From Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2-3 T lemon juice (I did lime)
• 1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice and seasonings; add the chicken. Seal and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

In a large skillet, saute peppers and onions in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Remove and keep warm.

Discard marinade. In the same skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink. Return pepper mixture to pan; heat through.

Spoon filling down the center of tortillas; fold in half. Serve with cheese, taco sauce, salsa, guacamole and sour cream. Yield: 6 servings.

*I used avocado oil and didn't get to marinade the chicken, but just let it sit in the sauce before I stir-fried it for a little bit. I chopped up some green and red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. When I stir-fired the veggies I sprinkled with some salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. All we had in the fridge were some corn tortillas.

We topped the corn tortillas with...

 Rice
The veggies
Chicken
Salsa

And the boys devoured them!

Enjoy!

Spaghetti w/ a Chance of Meatballs

The Fish Fam loved these Turkey Meatballs.

As I was mixing everything together it smelled really good.
But, once they got cooking in the oven, wow, it smelled pretty awesome.

My little one exclaimed in excitement...

"Yay, spaghetti with a chance of meatballs!"

And during dinner, "Mom, I want more chance of meatballs!"

This recipe looked the best... Turkey-Spinach Meatballs.
But, I didn't have everything, so I did this...

Meatballs

• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• ¼ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1½ pound ground turkey, preferably 93% lean or less
• 3 oz chopped spinach
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan 
• ½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Few dashes of crushed red pepper 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil  

• 
  Preheat broiler. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray.
• Using your hands or a fork, gently mix egg, onion, garlic, turkey, spinach, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, fennel seeds, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl just until combined. Scoop out turkey mixture by the ¼-cupful and form into balls (you should have about 20). Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2” apart; brush with oil.
• Broil meatballs, turning often, until browned all over and cooked through, 15–18 minutes. Add to marinara sauce.
• DO AHEAD: Meatballs with marinara sauce can be made 2 weeks ahead. Let cool completely and freeze individual portions in resealable plastic bags. Run under tepid water to loosen from bag and gently reheat, covered, until meatballs are warmed through and sauce is bubbling, 15–20 minutes.
  
  
  They came out great! 
  Next time I'll just not put so close to the broiler.

Boil your spaghetti noodles.

Add your favorite marinara sauce or make your own.

Make some breadsticks (click for recipe).

Then sprinkled everything with fresh Parmesan cheese.

And walla dinner is served...

Mangia bene, vivi felice :)

National Lemon Meringue Pie Day....

Yes, it is!

Aug. 15th is the official Lemon Meringue Pie Day!

I made a couple for my husband to take to work to share with his office and one for later.

I promise if you ever come to visit I'll make one just for you!

I started off making this Paleo Pastry Crust from my Against All Grain Cookbook by Danielle Walker.

Her book here on amazon or here is another similar recipe of her's at her website, Honey Graham Cracker Pie Crust.

I have also made pie with this ah-maz-ing crust...

Flaky Butter Pie Crust 

by Amy Thielen of Heartland Table

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
9 ounces (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

For the flaky butter pie crust: Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry blender until the largest pieces are the size of small peas and the mixture begins to clump on the pastry blender. Shuffle through the mixture with your hands, pinching chunks of fat to flatten them.

Stir the vinegar and 5 tablespoons ice water together in a bowl. Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir with a fork. Pinch a clump of dough in your hands: If it feels moist and clumps together easily, it's probably hydrated enough. If it feels really crumbly, add another tablespoon or two of ice water until you can form a baseball-size clump of dough, packing it on as if you were making a snowball.

Divide the dough in half and form each half into a flat disk. Wrap both disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Thirty minutes before you're ready to roll out the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to soften.

* This recipe is for her blueberry pie, so it doesn't have separate directions for baking just the pie crust. I found other instructions from Martha Stewart...

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick the bottom of pastry all over with a fork. Line the pastry with parchment paper; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until pastry begins to color around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and weights, and continue to bake just until the pastry dries out and turns a light golden color for a partially baked shell, and a deeper amber for a fully baked shell, 5 to 20 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

For the filling I followed this Betty Crocker recipe...

Filling

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water 
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 
• 1/2 cup lemon juice 
• 2 drops yellow food color, if desired

Meringue

• 3 egg whites 
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 6 tablespoons sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla  

 Directions

• Oven temperature to 400°F. In small bowl, beat egg yolks with fork. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
• Immediately stir at least half of hot mixture into egg yolks; stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 2 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice and food color. Pour into pie crust.
• In medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Beat in vanilla. Spoon onto hot pie filling. Spread over filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.
• Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until meringue is light brown. Cool away from draft 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate cooled pie until serving. Store in refrigerator. 
•  

I've never done a meringue pie before and it's quite fun.

I have lots of perfection to make!

 
Maybe one of these days I'll be able to make a Lemon Meringue Pie like Julia Child, hopefully!

Which, Aug. 15th is also the amazing Julia Child's Birthday. Perfect.

Here's to pies and Julia!

Bon Appétit!

Udon Noodle Dish

My husband said this was one of the best noodle dishes he's ever had.

Ha, I'm not so sure about that. But, he definitely lets me know what is good, great, or awesome. Or what is just okay, mediocre, or maybe I shouldn't make that again. Luckily, "maybe you shouldn't make that again" has been rare.

I got the recipe here, but as usual changed it up a little bit.

All the sauce sunk to the bottom of the bowl, so it doesn't look as good as it really should. 

*Which I will eventually get a better picture up sometime.

Just make it and try for yourself....

Ingredients:

- 1 T Oil for frying

- 2-3 cloves of garlic

- Small Onion

- 7 oz Mushrooms

- 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger or to taste.

- Salt & White pepper to taste

- Tofu 1 pkg

- 1/2 Chicken stock

- 3 T Soy Sauce

- 1 tsp Sesame Oil

-18 oz Udon Noodles

- 1 head of Broccoli

Directions:

1.  Chop/mince garlic, onions, and mushrooms.

2.  Peel and grate ginger if you use fresh ginger. 

3.  Heat oil in pan. I used Avocado Oil.

4.  Add the garlic first and let it infuse in the oil 15-30 sec. don't let it burn.

5.  Add fresh ginger or sprinkle ground ginger all over.

6.  Add onions next and sprinkle salt over them while they saute.

7.  Add mushrooms. Stir-fry for a few minutes.

8.  Add the stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, tofu, and green onions, and simmer.

9.  Cook the udon noodles in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute. 

10.  Drain and add to the skillet. 

11.  Stir-fry over high heat until heated through. 

13. Steam broccoli florets and add to dish.

*The tofu and broccoli soaked up a lot of the sauce so I made more sauce, but the second time I added 1 tsp cornstarch to thicken it a little bit. If you use cornstarch to thicken just make sure you add it to the cold chicken stalk and mix, then add to pan, and stir it around.  

*Also, gauge your timing with boiling the udon noodles and steaming the broccoli. If you don't want to be waiting for them to cook and add to the dish.