Fall Time Pumpkin Cake

We have been making this recipe since 2006! I think it was originally from Kraft Food & Family Magazine, but you know how that goes. We have a few recipes that have been written down on so many cards. There's a reason they are called family favorites! After describing this dessert to our guests, they usually give us a questionable look. It's always a good sign when they end up taking seconds. ;)

Ingredients
1 (18.25 oz.) Betty Crocker yellow cake mix

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 tsp cinnamon

4 large eggs or 1 cup liquid egg substitute

1 Cool Whip for topping (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350° F
• Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x13" glass pan. A standard size Bundt pan, or two 9-inch cake pans could also be used.
• In a large bowl mix together the yellow cake mix, sugar, oil, pumpkin, water, cinnamon, and eggs. Beat until well blended.
• Transfer to the baking dish or cake pans.
• Bake at 350° F for 45 minutes, cool on wire rack.
• Serve and top with Cool Whip. 

Wishing a happy Autumn to all of my followers. Let me know if you try the cake!

Reasons to Smile: November 2012

Finding joy in the little things!

• Plush turkeys that I made for my cousins - these little guys are made out of children's gloves and scrap ribbon!
• Sunsets on the drive home from our Thanksgiving festivities
• Giving thanks unto the Lord, for He is good 
• Hershey Kiss Acorns were a big hit at church and at our family gathering. I'm glad I made a double batch!
• Visits from Guinness when I am working on something in my room
• Bright green grass at the end of November
• Watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade 
• Eating fruit pizza is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Somehow the baking of this yummy treat has gotten passed down to me over the years.

Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Today I'm going to show you how to make a batch of  24 mini cherry cheesecakes!

Ingredients

Vanilla wafers

2 - 8oz packages of softened cream cheese 

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla 

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 - 1 lb cans of cherry pie filling (I usually have some extra filling, but it's worth it to have a lot of cherries per cake!)

•  Line your muffin tins with paper cupcake liners. The original recipe has you place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup. I found out that it works out better if you blend them in a blender or food processor. The picture above should give you an idea of how much to fill each cupcake liner. 1/3 full is usually a good amount. Try to envision that a layer of cheesecake and pie filling will have to fit on top of the cracker mixture. Be careful not to add too much!

• Next, mix the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice together, Beat until smooth. Using a Kitchen-aid mixer works best.  

• Now you should have a mixture that looks like this! Don't forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. I used the basic Flat Beater attachment until the cream cheese was mixed well. Then, I switched to the Wire Whip attachment  to get a smoother consistency.

•  Spoon the mixture over the top of the vanilla wafer crust. The cupcake liners should be 2/3 full. Before I start filling the cups I preheat my oven to 375° F.

• Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes and cool slightly. This will be the hardest step. It can be difficult to tell when they are fully cooked, but you do not want the crust to burn. After about 15 minutes I usually check on them. This picture shows the golden color that they should acquire. Continue baking if they look pale or runny. You may need to pop them back into the oven for a few more minutes. Lightly use your finger as a test! They should feel slightly firm to the touch. Remember that as they cool they will continue to set - this is especially true when they hang out inside your refrigerator.  

• Spoon the pie filling on top of each cheesecake. I like to scoop out about five cherries per cake. Whatever filling comes along with each cherry stays on the cheese cake. Be sure to fish for those cherries! Let some of the filling run back into the can before adding it to the liner. Cover each cake completely.  

• Tada! Easy as cheesecake? You're all done! Refrigerate for at least a couple hours before serving. This is a great dessert to bring to potlucks and picnics. Traveling with them inside a 9x13 pan works well. You can add a dollop of cool whip on each cake. I usually leave them plain and nobody seems to mind. Happy baking!

Lessons From a Berry

I love making this Blueberry Pound Cake! It is quick, easy, and the whole family loves it. They practically devour the whole cake in one night.

As I stirred in the blueberries I couldn't help but notice how quickly the cream colored mixture turned purple. I learned something from my berries that day. Is that crazy?

Here is the thought that went through my mind. What if I was a blueberry, and the Gospel was my purple juice. Would it affect people everywhere I went? "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

When I work with blueberries I am always extra cautious. I know that if they leap off my spoon to an unwanted place, they will make a mess and stain things quite easily. It is always nice when my blueberries do their job (as delicious fruits) and stay where they are supposed to be.

Our lives are a testimony for Christ every day. Our actions will either point others to Christ or draw them away from Him. If we disobey God, our influence will actually have a negative affect on others. As my pastor always says, "The center of God's will is the best place for you to be." If our lives deny Jesus, then our words are irrelevant.

The world should see a discernible difference between us. When people ask us why we are so different, we should be able to tell them that the greatest thing in our lives is knowing, loving, and serving Jesus.

I hope that this post was somewhat coherent. The recipe for the Blueberry Pound Cake is listed below if anybody wants to try it!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups of frozen or fresh blueberries

• Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and mix them together.
• Mix the butter and sugar until evenly combined, then add eggs one at a time.
• In a measuring cup combine the milk and vanilla.
• Add a little of the milk/vanilla, mix, add a little flour, mix. Alternate them until both are out.
• Now is the time to add your blueberries into the mix! I add 2 cups but you can add them to your liking. Before this step take them out of the freezer to let them thaw, or microwave them and drain the juice.
•  I usually spray the sides of our bundt pan with a little cooking spray. 
• Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes or longer (our oven usually takes longer to fully bake it - I keep an eye on it until it is golden brown)