Pumpkin Roll Bars

In celebration of the start of Fall, I made this cake. It’s a play on a pumpkin roll, but so much easier. It’s so moist and delicious. It can be eaten by itself, or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

I’ve kind of been obsessed with pumpkin lately, so there might be an influx of pumpkin desserts on here! It’s OK because everyone love a good, spicy, pumpkin dessert for fall, right?!

For the Cake:

6 T butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1/4 cup water
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt


For the Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs, pumpkin, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and water until well blended.  In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin/butter mixture and combine until well blended. Spread about 2/3 of the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/4 cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the pumpkin batter. Dollop the remaining pumpkin batter over the cream cheese batter and spread out as evenly as possible.  Use a butter knife to swirl together the cream cheese and top layer of pumpkin batter.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the center of the pumpkin batter springs back when touched. Cool completely in pan, then cut into bars and top with whipped cream if you desire. Enjoy!!

*From Six Sisters Stuff

Chicken Bacon Pasta

This is good, down home cookin right here! It’s the kind of dish that warms the soul and perfect for a Fall family dinner. I double the noodle/cream sauce recipe for my family of 5 and I recommend doing it even if you don’t have a family of 5 because then you can savor the leftovers the next day:) I also love adding eggs to cream sauces because it makes it oh so creamy. 

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or less if you don't want the heat)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream (I just use milk)
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 whole eggs
1/4 tsp pepper
2 grilled chicken breast, sliced

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.

Place cream (or milk) and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and pepper and whisk until blended. Don’t worry…the heat from the cream mixture will cook the eggs.

Drain pasta (reserving 1/2 cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the white sauce and toss to coat. Stir in the bacon, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.  Top with grilled chicken and more parmesan. Enjoy!

*From Plain Chicken

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

I got a request for these from Justin’s work. I’d never put raspberries with brownies, but they sure turned out delicious! I used my raspberry sauce from my Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake (recipe found here) and my Ultimate Brownies recipe to make the perfect combination! These are decadent and delicious!

For the Brownies:

In a bowl, combine and stir until thickened:
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup boiling water

Add in order listed:
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Then add:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt

Stir in a little less than 1 cup chocolate chips. (no more or brownies may fall apart when cut)
Pour into greased 9x13 inch cake pan. Bake 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until brownies begin to pull away from sides or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool in pan.

While the brownies are cooling make the raspberry sauce:

1 (10oz) package frozen raspberries
2 T sugar
3 t cornstarch
1/2 cup water

In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 T sugar, cornstarch and water. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling for 5 minutes or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds. Set aside to cool slightly.

While the raspberry sauce is cooling, make the ganache:

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine the two ingredients and microwave them in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until you have a creamy ganache.

To Assemble:

After the brownies have cooled completely, pour on warm chocolate ganache. Spread evenly over brownies. Next, top with raspberry sauce, pouring evenly over brownies. Take a butter knife and gently swirl the ganache and raspberry sauce together. Cut and enjoy!!