No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pumpkin Spice Whipped Cream Topping

Yield: One 8" cheesecake
Ingredients

• 1 no bake cheesecake mix
• 1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree
• 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 8 oz. of heavy cream

Directions

• Follow the package directions on the cheesecake mix, but add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar, and 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice to the milk called for in the directions. 
• After mixing the graham cracker crust, set 1 Tbsp. of crust aside in a small bowl. 
• While the cheesecake is setting up in the refrigerator, pour 1 cup of cold heavy cream into a mixing bowl. 
• Beat on high until the cream begins to thicken slightly. 
• Gradually add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice. 
• Continue to beat on high until the cream thickens and forms creamy, stiff peaks. 
• Spoon onto the cheesecake filling and spread evenly. 
• Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of reserved graham cracker crust over the top. 
• Refrigerate until time to serve. 

Enjoy a slice of homemade happiness on a plate!

SalleeB's Thanksgiving Pies

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend! 
I hope your 2016 Thanksgiving dinner was, or will be, wonderful. What a marvelous Thanksgiving day Bill and I enjoyed with the girls and their families! 

On Wednesday evening,
I joined Ashley in her kitchen and visited with her while making bread stuffing. 

Ashley has recently started baking from scratch and Momma Sallee gave her a couple of pointers for her apple pie and crust. As a mom and a cook, I am going to tell you that Ashley's apple pie, pumpkin pie, and turkey were perfect. Her boyfriend Scott also cooks and he made the mashed potatoes.

My contribution to the family meal included a cherry pie, cranberry-orange sauce, and traditional, out-of-the-can jellied cranberry sauce. However, as you can see in the picture above, I made a pumpkin pie that stayed at home for Bill and I to eat over the weekend. 

Thanksgiving Day 2016 was wonderful. The afternoon of joking, laughter, eating, and family time is stored in my memory for the rest of my life. I am thankful for such a precious memory.

Recipes

Chill and Thrill Pie Crust - A Never Fail Pie Crust 
                        
I published my go-to pie crust recipe in a post called, "Chill and Thrill Pie Crust." The link to the recipe is below.

Click Here for the recipe. 

Quick and Tasty Cherry Pie

Ingredients

• 2 cans of cherry pie filling
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• pie crust for a 9 inch double crust pie

Directions

• Open the two cans of cherry pie filling. Using a spatula, remove the filling from the cans and put into a 1 quart bowl. 
• Add the almond extract, cinnamon, and allspice to the bowl.
• Using a spatula, gently fold the spices and extract into the filling. You want to keep the cherries from breaking apart as much as possible. 
• Put the filling into a pie crust lined, 9 inch pie pan. 
• Gently level the cherry pie filling
• Place the top crust onto the pie and crimp the edges together. 
• Cut a few small slits into the top crust
• Put the pie into a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature.

Cut and serve up a slice of  homemade happiness on a plate!

SalleeB's Pumpkin Pie

• 1-14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1-15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg and 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 

Note: 1 and 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice can be used in place of the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• one 9 inch pie crust. 

Directions

• Mix pumpkin and eggs in a one quart bowl until smooth
• Add all of the ingredients to the pumpkin/egg mixture
• Mix until blended well
• Pour into a pie crust lined, 9 inch pie pan
• Put into a preheated, 425 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes before lowering the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and baking for an additional 30 - 40 minutes. 

To test for doneness
 Insert the blade of a knife into the pie about midway between the center and edge of the pie. Lift the knife and look at the knife blade. If it doesn't have pumpkin on it, the pie is done. 

You may notice that in the picture above there isn't a slit, or hole in the pumpkin pie. I carefully and gently touched the center of the pie with a fingertip. The pie felt firm, the center had expanded upward and was rounded. I judged the pie to be done based on this. My hands are not super sensitive to heat, but I don't recommend that you try my method. 

Sallee's Six: A Sextet of Pumpkin Inspired Cupcakes

The annual trip to the pumpkin farm! 

Pumpkin cupcakes that will leave your taste buds singing an Hallelujah chorus!
Just reading the list below makes my mouth water for some yummy, pumpkin, homemade happiness on a plate! I want to make them all. How about you?

1. Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes -  A cupcake that taste like pumpkin pie and you can eat with your hands. Yum!    Click Here for the recipe.

2. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting - A trinity of fall goodness, pumpkin, caramel, and cream cheese!     Click Here for the recipe

3. Pumpkin Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting - A fall flavor binge of pumpkin, carrot, and maple cream cheese.     Click Here for the recipe

4. Maple Cupcake with Pumpkin Pie Frosting - A healthier cupcake for those who are trying to be good, but still want a fall treat. This is the cupcake for you.     Click Here for the recipe

5. Pumpkin Smores Cupcakes- Graham cracker crust bottom, pumpkin cupcake filled with marshmallow cream and smothered with chocolate ganache. My idea of fall flavor heaven!
  Click Here for the recipe

6. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting - A traditional pumpkin cupcake with a rich, made from scratch, salted caramel frosting.     Click Here for the recipe

Sallee's Six - Sweet September Snacks

1. Chocolate Chow Mein 

• Microwave 1/4 cup each of peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips until melted. 
• Put 3 cups of chow mein noodles, 3 cups of Chex mix cereal, 1/2 cup peanuts, and 1/2 cup raisins into a large bowl. 
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir lightly until the cereal and noodles are evenly coated. 
• Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and toss lightly until the powdered sugar is evenly distributed. 
• Store in an airtight container.

2. Apple Moons

• Slice an apple into wedges. 
• Spread each wedge with peanut butter and then press granola on top. 

3. Ricotta Apple Pockets

• Roll out pizza dough 1/4 inch thick. 
• Cut the dough into three inch rounds. 
• Fill with ricotta cheese, diced apple, and a pinch of cinnamon sugar
• Brush the dough edges with beaten egg, fold the round in half, and press the edges to seal.
• Poke a hole in the top of each round, then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. 

4. Chex Pumpkin Pie Crunch                            Click Here for the recipe
5. Chex Funfetti Cake Batter Buddies                  Click Here for the recipe
6. Chocolate Coconut Graham Crackers             Click Here for the recipe

Baking Mix Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Thanks to the Krusteaz pumpkin spice quick bread baking mix I received from a coworker, we are eating pumpkin spice waffles this morning. The kitchen smells amazing! Cannot wait to dip in!
‪#‎bakingmix‬ ‪#‎waffles‬

P.S. The waffles taste (singing voice) ammmmaaazinnng!  I used the pancake directions and reduced the water from 1 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup. My waffle iron baked each waffle in about 4 minutes. I served them with butter and warm pancake syrup. OMG pantry style good! 

Buy the mix     Click Here

My camera is still packed up with my camping gear and I settled for my cellphone camera to take the waffle picture. A reminder of why I bought my digital camera! lol...lol

Spiced Pumpkin Butterscotch Mini Trifle

Just in time for Thanksgiving, spiced pumpkin butterscotch filling layered between the halves of a spice cupcake. Then, they are topped with whipped topping and cupcake crumbles. What's not to love?

AND they are portable! 

Mini trifles can be prepared the day before your party. However, when using plastic party tumblers, the dessert can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator. 

Yield 15 - 9 oz. mini trifles

You will need 15-9 oz. party tumblers. I bought two - ten packs at the local dollar store for $2. 
Ingredients
1 - 16.5 oz. extra moist spice cake mix
Pan coat spray
1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. allspice
3 cups cold milk
4 – 3.4 oz. packages instant butter scotch pudding mix
About 16 ounces of whipped topping I used Cool Whip.

Instructions
• Follow package directions on the spice cake mix to make batter for cupcakes.
• Spray cups of cupcake pans with pan coat spray.
• Fill each cup of the cup cake pan about half full.
• While the cupcakes are baking, pour 3 cups of cold milk into a large bowl.
• Pour the four packages of pudding mix into the milk and blend until smooth.
• Add the pumpkin and spices to the pudding and blend until smooth.
• Cover and place in refrigerator.
• Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool on a cooling tray until they no longer warm

• Set out fifteen party tumblers
• Cut fifteen cupcakes in half and place the bottom of each cupcake cut side up in the tumblers.

• Put a rounded tablespoon of pumpkin mixture in each tumbler and level.
• Repeat another layer with cupcake top and pudding mixture.
• If you have any pumpkin mixture left, divide it between the tumblers.
• Fill each tumbler with whipped topping. 
• Crumble one cupcake into crumbs. I only used the center of the cupcake, not the outside edges.
• Sprinkle crumbs onto top of whipped topping
• Decorate with candy corn or other decoration of your choice.
• Cover and refrigerate the mini trifles for at least two hours before serving.
• You will have eight cupcakes left over. I place the left over cupcakes into a quart freezer bag and freeze them for my lunch.

Sweet Turkey Cake - My First Effort

What do you think? With the help of a vintage 1979 Wilton cake pan and a Wilton #21 star tip, I created this sweet turkey cake.

To line, fill, and define the different areas of the turkey, I decided to use white, orange, and red frosting The star tip, held at different angles, created the various shapes and textures.The pupil of the eye is half of a raisin.

The Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil                   1 1/2 cup sugar

1 egg                                      1-15 oz. can pumpkin

2 tsp. baking soda                 1 tsp. cinnamon   

1/4 tsp. cloves                       1/8 tsp. allspice

                                                                2 cups of flour                       1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

• Coat turkey cake pan with a thin layer of shortening (not cooking spray).
• Flour the pan.
• Pour excess flour out and set cake pan aside.
• Cream oil and sugar
• add egg and beat well
• add the pumpkin and mix just until blended
• Add baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, flour, and salt. Mix until blended.
• Pour batter into floured cake pan.
• Spread batter with a spoon until it is level.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes
• Place a cooling rack or foil covered square of card board over the cake pan
• Flip the rack and pan upside down. Cake should release from pan and drop onto the cooling rack or foil covered card board.
• Let cake cool completely before frosting. 

This cake does not need extra liquid. I thought the liquid ingredient had been left out of the recipe, but I followed it as written. The cake was fine. Everyone loved it.

The Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. butter             1 - 8 oz. package of cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tsp. milk                   3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Blend the butter and cream cheese with a hand-held mixer or stand mixer, at low speed, until well blended. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat at low speed until thick and glossy. Separate into separate bowls and tint as desired.

I did not "dirty ice" or put a base layer of frosting on the cake before I started piping on frosting stars, etc. I felt the turkey looked more realistic with a little "skin" peeking out here and there.