Pumpkin and Sausage Baked Pasta

Pumpkin and Sausage Baked Pasta
Slightly adapted from I was Born to Cook

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1 lb Italian Turkey sausage
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon dried sage
Salt
1/3 cup heavy cream (half and half or 2 % milk will work too)

1 box penne pasta, cooked
½ cup Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a large pan brown sausage, until cooked through.  Remove from pan and drain over paper towel.  Set aside.

Using any oil (up to 2 Tbls) from the sausage, sauté onion, garlic and crushed red pepper until soft.  Stir in pumpkin, chicken stock and sage.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt.

Stir in heavy cream and sausage.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce comes together and thickens slightly.  Remove from heat, and add pasta.  Toss everything together.   

Place mixture in a casserole dish sprayed with non stick spray.  Top with Parmesan Cheese.  Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until top is golden brown.

M&M Candy Corn Blondies

M&M Candy Corn Blondies

Adapted from The Little Kitchen

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla

½ cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup M&M white chocolate candy corn, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare an 8 inch pan or line with foil.

Cream brown sugar and egg until it's light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and melted butter, mix well

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and incorporate with a spatula. Stir in M&Ms by hand. Do not over mix.

Pour batter to the prepared pan. Bake for about 25-28 minutes. The top will be dry.  Cool completely before cutting. 

Monster Snack Mix

Monster Snack Mix

Adapted from Gourmet Mom on the Go

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Frankensteins

6 cups Corn Chex Cereal
1 package Lemon-Lime Kol-Aid
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Light corn syrup
1/3 cup Butter

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted

Mix-Ins

Candy Corn

Marshmallows

Cheerios

Corn Chex

Raisins

Peanuts

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

In a saucepan heat sugar, corn syrup and butter over medium heat until boiling, stirring occasionally. Boil for 3 minutes (do not stir). Turn off heat and stir in baking soda and Kol-Aid.

Pour over 6 cups Chex cereal and mix together gently. Spread onto a lined or greased baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Take out of the oven and set 40 pieces (or however many Frankensteins you want to make), onto another lined or greased cookie sheet.  Cool completely, stirring the rest of them occasionally.  (I did not do this and mine ended up in a big block of Green Chex.) 

To make Frankensteins

Dip one end of a Chex square into the melted chocolate for the hair.  Pour the rest of the chocolate into a small zip-loc bag.  Cut off a tiny bit of the end.  Pipe eyes and mouth onto the squares. 

After the chocolate has hardened Assemble your mix using whatever mix-ins you would like.  

Creepy Cookie Pizza's

Creepy Cookie Pizza’s

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Round Sugar Cookies (recipe found here)

Red Frosting (recipe found here)

Candy for Decorations

                Gummi Worms

                Eyeball candy

                Chocolate covered Raisins

                Sprinkles

Spread red frosting over the cookies.  Decorate with your creepy toppings!  Enjoy!

Bloody Bones

Bloody Bones
Adapted from Pillsbury
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1 can Pillsbury Breadsticks
2 Tbls Butter, melted.

1 Tbls Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Garlic Powder (plus any other seasons you would like)

Pizza Sauce



Preheat oven to 375.  Open the can of breadstick dough, and separate into 12 sticks.  In your hands roll it to about 12 inches long.  Loosely tie each end in a knot, so they look like bones.  Place on a lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. 


Meanwhile, mix together butter, cheese and garlic.  Brush breadsticks with butter mixture once you take them out of the oven. Serve with sauce. 

Witches Brew

Witches Brew
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts


Gummi Worms
Water
Ice Cube Trays

Green Kol-Aid (any green drink)



Place the Gummi Worms in the ice cube trays.  Fill with water, and freeze.  Place ice cubes in a glass, and fill with Green Kol-Aid. 

Sausage and Mushroom Risotto

Sausage and Mushroom Risotto

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

3 cups chicken stock

3 cups beef stock

2 Tbls olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz Shitaki Mushrooms

½ tsp thyme

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 Tbls butter

Salt and pepper

2 cups Arborio Rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Combine Chicken and Beef stock in a sauce pan.  Warm over low heat. 

In a separate skillet, sauté mushrooms and the thyme together.  Sprinkle mushrooms with salt and pepper once lightly browned.  Set aside. 

In another skillet brown the sausage.  Discard the fat, and set aside. 

In a large skillet heat 2 Tbls oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the rice and coat well with the oil.  Lightly toast the rice, about 2 minutes.  Stir in wine, and cook until it is almost evaporated.  Ladle about 1 cup of warm stock into the rice and stir.  Once it is mostly absorbed add in more stock (1 ladle full each time).  Continue this process until the rice is cooked through and nice and creamy.  You might have a little stock left over, but not much. 

Once cooked through, add mushrooms and sausage to the pan.  Stir in the Parmesan Cheese and butter.  Top with additional cheese if desired. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Spiced Buttercream

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Spiced Buttercream

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup canola

4 eggs

Buttercream Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

2½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cupcake pans, makes approximately 30 cupcakes. 

To make the cupcakes

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt together. Set aside.  In the bowl for an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.  With the mixer on low, add the flour in slowly, until just combined. 

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3^rd of the way full.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

To make the frosting

Using an electric mixer cream together cream cheese and butter, until smooth.  Mix in vanilla.  Gradually stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon.  Beat on medium until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
From RecipeGirl
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Pancakes:
1 cup  flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 Tbls canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbls cinnamon

Glaze:
4 Tbls butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

To make Pancakes:Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk, oil and egg.  Whisk until just combined (lumps are good).

To make Filling:  Mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Put filling into a zip loc bag and set aside.You do not want this to get too liquidy.  About the consistency of toothpaste.  If it gets too hard, you can microwave it for a few seconds. 


To make Glaze:  Heat butter and cream cheese until melted. Mix until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla.


Heat large skillet or Griddle over medium-low heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Pour about 1/2 cup batter into pan.  Cut the corner of your bag of filling and squeeze a spiral of the filling onto the top of the pancake. Flip carefully when bubbles begin to appear on the surface.  Cook for about another 1-2 minutes.  

Serve with glaze drizzled over pancakes!

Nutella Croissant

Nutella Croissant
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1 sheet Puff Pastry Dough, thawed
8 Tbls Nutella (chocolate chips, or any other chocolate you want)
1 egg + 1 Tbls water
1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 Tbls powdered sugar
1 tsp butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Roll thawed sheet of dough out slightly.  Cut into 4 equal squares.  Fill each square with 2 Tbls of Nutella.  Brush edges with egg wash.  Fold in half over the chocolate and seal the edges.  Place on a lined baking sheet.  Brush the top of with egg wash. 

Bake for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then place on wire rack.

While cooling prepare the chocolate drizzle.  Melt chocolate chips and butter together.  Mix in Powdered sugar.  If too thick you can add in a little milk.  Drizzle over each croissant.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. 

The Rice

The Rice
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

2 cups Minute Rice
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 can Condensed French Onion Soup
1 small can Mushroom (you can saute fresh ones if you have them)
1 small can of Water

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. 

Melt butter in a pan. Add the rice.  Cook the rice until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. 

Place rice into a casserole dish that has a cover.  Pour in soup, mushrooms and water.  Mix together.  Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
Adapted from Ravie NomNoms
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts


1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350º.  Prepare a 13x9 pan.

Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and peanut butter.

In a small bowl combine the flour and baking powder.  Slowly add flour to the peanut butter mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.  Spread mixture into your prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top starts to look dry.   Allow to cool before cutting and serving. 

Baguette

Baguette

From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1 pound Boule Dough (Recipe Below)

Whole Wheat Four

Boule Dough – makes 4 1-pound loaves

3 cups lukewarm water

1 ½ Tbls yeast (2 packets)

1 ½ Tbls kosher salt

6 ½ cups all purpose flour

The water should be about 100 degrees.  Add yeast and salt to water in a 5 qt bowl (I used electric mixer bowl).  Mix in flour – no kneading.  You can use your electric mixer or a wooden spoon.  Cover  and let rise and begin to collapse (about 2 hours).  Cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge for up to 14 days. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with the baking stone placed in the middle. 

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour.  Cut off a 1-pound piece.  Dust the piece with more flour and stretch the dough around to the bottom of itself to form a ball.  Then stretch and elongate the dough.  Dust with more flour, if needed.  Form into a 2 in diameter loaf.  Place the loaf on a pizza peel (or cookie sheet or cutting board) coated in whole wheat flour.  Rest for 20 minutes.

Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with water.  Slash the loaf with diagonal cuts.  Use a serrated knife.  

Slide the loaf onto the hot stone.  Place a pan with 1 cup of water below the baking stone.  Bake for about 25 minutes, or until brown and firm to the touch. 

Allow to cool in a wire rack before cutting.

Coconut White Chocolate Blondies

Coconut White Chocolate Blondies
Adapted from Bake Your Day
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup Coconut Oil, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 8×8 pan.

Blend coconut oil and brown sugar together until smooth. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt, mix until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until it is set, and slightly browned. Cool completely before cutting. This part is torture, but Cassie claims it is necessary!

Pumpkin Spice Hot Apple Cider

Pumpkin Spice

From Steph’s Bite by Bite

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Combine everything in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  You want the mixture to become thick and syrupy. 

Store in fridge until ready to use.

To make Apple Cider:

In a large mug heat 3 Tbls of pumpkin spice syrup.  Mix in hot apple cider.  Top with whipped cream, and drizzle with additional syrup.  Enjoy! 

Cheddar Bacon Ale Dip

Warm Cheddar Bacon Ale Dip

Adapted from Cabot Cheese

By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

6 slices bacon,  diced
3 tablespoons Flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle amber ale
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (I used Siracha)

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

In large pan over medium heat, cook bacon until browned and crispy.  Remove from pan, and place on paper towels.  Leave a couple tablespoons of bacon fat behind.  Stir in flour, and cook for about 1 minute. 

Whisk in beer.  Cook until it starts to thicken, stirring occasionally. Whisk in mustard.  Turn heat down to low. Mix in cream cheese. Add cheddar cheese a handful at a time.   Stir until cheeses are melted and dip is hot.  

Place in crock pot to keep warm for a party.  Or place in fridge and reheat at the time of serving

Chicken in a French Pan Sauce

Chicken in a Classic French Pan Sauce
Adapted from Cooking Light
By Erin at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

1 Tbls Olive Oil
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 tsp flour

Preheat Oven to 350. 

Heat an oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil to the pan.  Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken in the pan.  Cook for about 4 minutes until browned.  Turn chicken over, and put the pan in the oven.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (will vary based on thickness of your chicken). Remove chicken from pan, cover with foil and let stand while you make the sauce. 


Return the skillet to medium high heat.  Add wine and bring to a boil.  Cook for 1 minute or until it is reduced to about 2 Tbls.  Scrape the brown bits into the wine.  Stir in mustard.  Stir together heavy cream and flour until smooth.  Add to pan, and bring to a boil.  Cook until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Pour sauce over chicken to serve.  Enjoy!