Pumpkin Muffins

Simply Sweet Sunday  We like pumpkin desserts at our house.  Then add chocolate chips you can't go wrong.  On top of that say it's for breakfast.  It's like getting dessert for breakfast!  What I really use this recipe for the most is to take a treat to someone.  Every one likes them and it easy to give away part of a batch and still keep some for my family.  This makes everyone happy!

1/2 cup melted butter
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup chocolate chips
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a large mixing bowl mix melted butter, eggs and pumpkin.  Stir in chocolate chips.  In a small mixing bowl combine dry ingredients together.  Mix dry ingredients into wet mixture.  Grease muffin tins.  Scoop into 18 muffin cups.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

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Tip- Freeze the remaining pumpkin in 1 cup containers, it keeps for three months.  Use 2 to make Pumpkin Bars or 1 to make more muffins

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Apple Galette

Simply Sweet Sunday

I so delight in a flaky crust, and an apple galette is just the way to show one off.  A flaky crust wrapped around sweet apples and cinnamon.  What more can your taste buds ask for?  With a galette you don't need a pie plate or fuss about how the edges look.

3-4 Golden Delicious apples peeled and sliced thinly (4 cups)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 tablespoon apricot preserves melted (optional)
1 uncooked pie crust (recipe and tips here)

Combine apples with lemon juice in medium sized bowl, toss to coat apples.  In small bowl combine 1/4 cup sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Stir sugar mixture into apples.  On a dampened counter lay 2 pieces of plastic wrap over lapping in the center.  Place dough in middle of plastic wrap, flatten slightly.  Place another sheet of plastic wrap over dough.  Roll crust into a 12 x 14 circle.  Use plastic wrap to gently fold crust in half, remove plastic wrap from top half.  Lift crust onto ungreased baking sheet, with uncovered dough side down.  Remove the other half of plastic wrap.  Gently unfold crust.  Remove second piece of plastic wrap.  For pictures that show these steps but with a pie plate look here.  Heat oven to 400 degrease.  Mound apple filling onto the center of the crust, leaving 2 1/2 inch edge empty.  Dot apples with butter.  Sprinkle with nuts if using.

Fold uncovered crust up onto the apples, working around galette.  Brush top of pastry with milk.  Sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar.  With paper towel wipe off the milk and sugar that gets on baking sheet, because it will burn. 

Bake for 40 minutes or till crust is golden.  Brush top with melted apricot preserves if using.  Serve warm, we like vanilla ice cream with apple desserts. 
Enjoy every bite.

      
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Apple Dumplings

Simply Sweet Sunday

I just have to share this new (to me) recipe.  It so easy, and it's the season for apple desserts.   
Baking apples and cinnamon makes the whole house smell good.  Then wait till your family tastes it, they'll think you really went to a lot of work.  Sugar crusted pastry, sweet apple and cinnamon what more can you ask for?  Just some vanilla ice cream to go with it, right?

2 large Granny Smith apples
2 10 ounce cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 12 ounce can citrus soda (not diet)

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Peel and core the apples, cut each apple into eight wedges.  Roll each apple wedge in a triangle of crescent dough, starting at the large end.

Press dough to cover apple and seal.

 

 

Place in baking dish.  Melt butter in a small sauce pan and stir in sugar and cinnamon.  (I used the microwave oven.)  Spoon over dumplings.  (I made half a recipe because there's just the two of us.)

Pour soda into pan, not washing off cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 - 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Let dumplings cool.  Serve warm with ice cream. 

Enjoy!    

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Banana Bread

Simply Sweet Sunday

I think everyone likes Banana Bread, I know I do.  This is a traditional Banana Bread recipe and of course my favorite.  I love the smell of it baking.  A loaf disappears pretty fast at my house.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (over ripe)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream margarine and sugar.  Add eggs and beat, add bananas, milk and lemon juice.  Pour 2 cups of flour on top of banana mixture.  Spoon baking powder, baking soda, and salt; on top of flour.  Using a fork mix dry ingredients together.  Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture.  Mix in nuts.  Spray a 8x4x3 loaf pan with pan spray.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350, reduce oven temperature to 325 bake for additional 20 minutes.  Baking is for a total of an hour.  Cool on cooling rack for 15 minutes.  Remove bread from pan, allow to finish cooling. 
Enjoy!      

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Lemon Meringue Pie

Simply Sweet Sundays
 
A homemade (even the pie crust) Lemon Meringue Pie is a gift of love.  Here at Many Many Hats we usually aim for fast and easy but sometimes you want to make something special.  A Lemon Meringue Pie is a delight to the taste buds, tangy lemon, sweet meringue and flaky crust.  My mouth is begging for a taste.  A meringue pie makes a big impression, sooo if you want to impress, this should do the trick.  This recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I got mine as a wedding gift 32 years ago.  Back then we used and used our cookbooks, now we use the Internet to find new recipes.

Ingredients:

9 inch baked pie crust, cooled
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1 1/2 cups water
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 - 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice

 Directions:

Before you start, prepare all of the ingredients.  Separate egg yolks from egg whites.  Be sure not to get any yolk in the whites, (the egg whites are used in the meringue.)  Beat yolks with a fork.  Measure butter.  Shred lemon peel.  Juice lemon, if there's not 1/3 cup of juice I add some bottled lemon juice, or you could use 2 lemons. 

In a heavy medium saucepan stir together the 1-1/2 cups sugar, the cornstarch, and flour; gradually stir in water. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; pour yolk mixture into remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and shredded lemon peel. Slowly stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice. Keep filling warm while preparing the meringue.

Meringue:

Ingredients:

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

For meringue, in a large mixing bowl (use a glass or metal bowl, not plastic) beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and water with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed about 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Pour warm filling into cooled crust. Immediately spread meringue over filling, carefully sealing to edge of crust to prevent shrinkage. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 -12 minutes. Cool on rack for 1 hour. Chill 3 to 6 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Tip: To keep bottom of pie crust flaky, sprinkle a tablespoon of powdered sugar in bottom of baked and cooled pie crust before pouring in lemon filling.
 
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Tip: When cutting pieces of meringue pie, dip sharp knife in very warm water and it will easily slide through meringue.

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Pumpkin Cookies!

Welcome to Simply Sweet Sunday!

If you've been on pinterest at all lately you've seen the pumpkin explosion that's been going on there.  Pumpkin decorations, pumpkin parties, and pumpkin recipes galore!  Fall is truly in the air! So we're jumping on the band wagon and sharing our best pumpkin recipes.  Today it's our favorite pumpkin cookies. 

My mom got this recipe from our neighbor who was pretty much like family to us.  They are so good! The recipe makes a good 5 to 6 dozen cookies which is perfect if you're hosting a Halloween party but not so perfect if you just want a cookie or two.  These are not the type of cookie where you can stop after one!  The recipe can be halved fairly easily but I like to freeze about half the dough and then it's ready to go for the next time.

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons all spice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 large can of pumpkin (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups chocolate chips

Super simple instructions.  All you have to do is first cream shortening and sugar.  Next mix in eggs and vanilla.  Then stir in flour and spices then the pumpkin and chocolate chips.  Easy peasy!  Bake these tasties at 375 for 15 minutes on a greased cookie sheet and then enjoy a taste of the season!

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Pumpkin Cobbler.

Simply Sweet Sunday

My husband loves this dessert, every fall he starts to ask when are we going to have it.  If you like pumpkin desserts like we do, you should try this recipe.  The pumpkin layer is the same recipe as on the can of Libby's pumpkin for pie.  It surprises me how more moist the pumpkin custered is baked this way instead of in a pie crust.

Pumpkin bottom layer:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
4 large eggs
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin
2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a large bowl.  Add eggs and beat.  Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. 

Topping:

1 yellow cake mix
1 cube butter or margarine

Cut butter into the cake mix using a pastry blender.  Sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.  Bake at 350 for 65 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool, and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

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Peach Melba Trifle

It's Simply Sweet Sunday and we're glad you're here!  Today was a day of celebration at our house.  Why?  Because for the past week my husband has been on call (he's a medical resident) which means he's worked a lot of long days.  The kiddos hardly saw him this week because he left before they woke up and came home long after they were in bed.  Thankfully, this week is finally over and the call phone is no longer haunting us! We celebrated with one of the best ways we know how, dessert!!! 

With peaches still being in season I decided this would be the perfect treat.  We usually save trifles for company or parties because they look a little more fancy than some desserts, but this heavenly goodness has been calling my name for weeks now.

 The Peach Melba Trifle looks like it's merely angel food cake, pudding and peaches.  That combination would be amazing by itself but this recipe has a few surprise ingredients that really take your taste buds for a wild ride!

 Here's what you'll need:

An angel food cake cut up into about 1 inch squares
About a 1/2 cup of orange juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup of raspberry preserves
4 to 5 sliced fresh peaches (I have made it with canned peaches before and it's still awesome!)

For the creamy melba you'll need:

1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cup water
1 small box of vanilla pudding
2 cups of Cool Whip

In a large bowl combine the condensed milk and water, then mix well.  Next add the pudding and beat until blended.  Chill this mixture for at least five minutes.  Once mixture is ready fold in the Cool Whip and 1 tablespoon of orange juice.  Now, you're ready to assemble your delicious trifle!

 Start with a thick but even layer of angel food cake.  Angel food cake is one of the lowest calorie cakes out there so don't feel bad about popping a few in your mouth during the process!

Next, sprinkle the cake with 2 tablespoons of orange juice.  The cake will absorb the juice and give it a little extra kick without making it soggy.  Then add a thin layer of raspberry preserves which will add another element of fun for your taste buds!  

 Top with a generous helping of those delightful fresh peaches!

Top it all off with a thick layer of the creamy melba.  Then repeat the layers again, double up on all the goodness! 

 Once your trifle bowl is filled to capacity you can garnish it with almonds, mint leaves or extra peaches to jazz it up a bit.

 

And you've done it! You've just made one of the most heavenly desserts out there!  This dessert is for sure a winner in our family.  Dig in and enjoy!

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Snickers Apple Salad

Simply Sweet Sunday! 

Apple season is here! Now is the best time to enjoy crunchy sweet apples.  Snickers Apple Salad is just the treat to make your family while apples are at their best.  It's simple, and the chocolate, nuts and caramel are the perfect surprise for your taste buds.

This recipe is best made with a mix of sweet apples,  Fuji and Gala are my favorites.  Serves 4.

3 apples                                                                     
1 Snickers candy bar (2.07 oz)
3/4 cup whipping cream
sugar to sweeten whipped cream

Core and cut up the apples, I like to use my apple corer/slicer, then cut the slices into pieces.  Chop the candy bar into small pieces.  Whip cream and sweeten to taste.  Combine chopped apples, candy bar and whipped cream.  Enjoy. 

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Apple Chunkies!

Welcome to Simply Sweet Sunday!

Here in Michigan fall is in the air.  The days are getting cooler and shorter.  The leaves are even starting to change color.  I have NO CLUE where summer went!!!  But with fall already upon on us I wanted to feature one of my favorite apple recipes.  My amazing friend Aryn introduced me to this gem a few years ago.  How I am in love with this recipe!  It's the prefect treat when you want something fruity and not too rich.  The warm apple chunks combined with a perfectly sweetened cake seriously makes me giddy.  (If you haven't noticed yet, I am a little obsessed with food!)

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup margarine or butter
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups of chopped up apples
1/2 cup of chopped nuts (I'm not a fan of nuts so I always leave them out!)

Start by adding your butter and sugar into a bowl and mixing with a mixer.  Next add the eggs and vanilla and mix them as well.  Then slowly add in your dry ingredients and combine. 

 Up next is the apples.  I mix up my batter then work on the apples so they don't brown but it doesn't really matter.  I use a Pampered Chef apple peeler/corer/slicer to prepare my apples.  It makes the work super quick.

 Then I chopped the apples up to fairly small chunks.

 Now all you have to do is spread it into a greased 9x13 pan. This batter is very thick and sticky! (Don't forget to lick the bowl because it also tastes awesome!)

 Spread that good stuff around and pop it in the oven to bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

 

They should come out golden brown and delicious! These make a great after school snack or are prefect to take to any fall event. If I can restrain myself I think these are even better the next day!  Enjoy!

 

Oh and check back with us tomorrow to be a part of our first ever giveaway!

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Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

Welcome to another Simply Sweet Sunday! I hope you're having a great day!



Chocolate and strawberries, it's hard to go wrong with that combo! This delicious dessert will not let you down.  This is one of my best go to desserts for special occasions or for when I'm entertaining.  It's looks good but it's also super duper easy!

 All you'll need is your favorite chocolate cake mix, a small box of pudding (I usually use chocolate but I let my kids pick this time), all the ingredients to make the cake and pudding, one tub of cool whip and strawberries.  Oh and you'll need a trifle bowl!

First bake your cake, while it's baking mix up your pudding and put it in the fridge to set.

 Once your cake has cooled cut it into small pieces.

 Fill the bottom of the trifle with a layer of cake.

 Make sure you really squish it in there good.

Next add a layer of pudding and then a layer of cool whip.  Top it off with a gernerous helping of strawberries.

 Repeat the layers; cake, pudding and cool whip.  I usually do something fun with the strawberries on top.

And you're done!  You've just made a beautiful, scrumptious and easy dessert! Dig in and enjoy!

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