Pumpkin Dump Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 egg   

1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling        

1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 eggs                                                    

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 ground clove                                                   

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                                    

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar     

2/3 cup evaporated milk                                                 

  

Topping

1 cup cake mix

1/2 (1 stick) softened butter

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

 Directions

Original recipe makes 1 - 9x13 inch pan Change Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Set aside 1 cup cake mix for the topping. Combine remaining cake mix,  egg, and melted butter or margarine. Pat into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin,  eggs, spices, sugars, and milk. Pour pumpkin mixture over the cake mix crust.
3. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup cake mix, 1/2 cup softened butter and nuts cut until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle mixture on top of pumpkin mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 minutes.

Ants on a Log

  Ants on a log

A snack made by spreading peanut butter on celery and placing raisins or chocolate  chips on top. The snack name was first used in the 1950s.     

• Ants on vacation: Without "ants", or no raisins
• Ants on a Slip 'n Slide: Add honey on top of the peanut butter before adding raisins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ants_on_a_log

Opps, Pedro did it again

My friend Pedro decided to venture out into the baking world and it didn't go so well.  He was making flan when he messed up the caramel sauce. He used brown sugar instead of sugar and it was a disaster.  The caramel was stiff and there was no saving it.  He texted me right again with threats of throwing all of it in the garbage.  I texted him off the BAKING CLIFF, with an easy solution.  I told him to turn his flan into Cream Brulee.  If that makes any sense?  So he baked the flan with no caramel sauce.  After letting it sit for maybe a half hour, (we should have waited longer but we didn't have all night). He sprinkled maybe 2 tablespoons of WHITE sugar evenly on top of the custard.  He put it back in the oven and broiled the sugar, it maybe took 2 to 3 minutes.  You can't take your eyes off it because it can burn.  You will have to turn it a couple time to get all the sugar to melt.

He brought some to my house to share and it was DELICIOUS!  My whole family loved it.

 I have never liked flan but I will use this recipe, skip the caramel sauce & do the burnt sugar on top.

Recipe courtesy of Herb Mesa   Food Network Star

Ingredients

• 2 cups fat-free evaporated milk
• 2 cups fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 egg whites
• 3 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup pure cane sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a bowl, beat together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, egg whites, and whole eggs. Set aside. In a medium saute pan on medium heat, heat the sugar until syrup-like and brown in color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring the sugar as it can burn easily. Pour the melted sugar caramel into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, coating around the bottom and sides. Pour in the milk mixture. Place the entire baking dish in a larger dish filled halfway up the smaller baking dish with water, but be sure not to let any water spill into the flan mixture. Cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the custard is set. Cook's Note: Insert a knife into the center, and if it comes out clean, it is fully cooked.
Let the custard cool 2 hours before serving.

Jeans and Jewels

I had the best time at this years school fund raiser.

"Jeans and Jewels."  

We had the option of decorating a table to reserve seats for our friends.  The auction was October 24th so I choose Halloween decorations.  We ended winning "Best and Most Creative." 

Katie's Turkey Napkin Rings

Katie did it again! 

 I just love everything Katie makes.   I wish we were related so I could get an invitation to one of her GREAT holiday dinners.

Natalie's Pumpkin Pretzels

Natalie made these cute Pumpkins with pretzels.  I was looking for the directions to share with you and came across a recipe that called for white chocolate instead of frosting.  If you want to make these with white chocolate click here for the recipe. 

The only thing I would do different is buy Wilton's  orange candy melts.