from: My Kitchen Cafe Blog

Yes to all things pumpkin! Happy Thanksgiving!



Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture

*Makes 24 muffins

For the muffins:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

For the streusel topping:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar and whip until smooth. Form into a log on plastic wrap or greased foil, making sure that the diameter is small enough to fit into the well of a muffin pan. Wrap the log up tightly and freeze until slightly hardened, 1-2 hours.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. In another large bowl combine the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar and pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix together with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with paper liners. To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well 1/3 of the way with batter. Remove the cream cheese log from the freezer and slice into 24 equal slices. Place a slice on top of the batter in each muffin well and gently press (don't press all the way to the bottom but just slightly into the batter). Divide the remaining muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the top of the muffin (about 1/3 of the way down) comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

*My tip: if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following combination: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together and you have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Rice Krispy Drumstick

I am cracking up at the cleverness of this. I want a job where I sculpt with cereal. Also, this works great if your family doesn't really like turkey meat. Throw together a rice krispy turkey and serve Ham instead. Voila.


3 Tbsp Butter
1 (10 oz) pkg marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
Peanut butter
Cocoa Krispies

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.
3Cool slightly. Using buttered hands shape mixture into twelve small drumsticks.
Spread peanut butter on large end of each drumstick, then dip in Cocoa Krispies cereal. Refrigerate until firm. Best if served the same day.

Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.



More ideas at:
http://www.ricekrispies.com/recipes/pretzel-tailed-turkey-treats.aspx#/recipes/pretzel-tailed-turkey-treats

pumpkin pie crisp

Dave's cousin makes this recipe. Topped with a bit of vanilla ice cream, I almost (emphasis on almost) like it better than pumpkin squares!


PUMPKIN PIE CRISP

Mix together 1 large can of pumpkin pie mix (not just pumpkin, has to be the pie mix), 2 eggs and 1/3 cup evaporated milk.

Pour in the bottom of a greased 9x13. Top with yellow cake mix. Then slice up 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter and put all over the top. Or you can melt the butter and pour it on top. Whatever your heart desires.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and then 425 for 10-15 or until the top is crisp (hence the name)!

Grandma Ethel's Thanksgiving Jello

Okay. A little jello goes a long way, if you know what I mean. I only have it or make it a couple of times a year. But this recipe makes me so homesick. It always winds up on my Table for Thanksgiving. Just for the memories, 'ya know?

MANDARIN ORANGE JELLO SALAD

2 (16 oz.) cartons sm. curd cottage cheese
1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip
2 (6 oz.) cartons orange Jello - do not dissolve Jello, just put in the dry powder
3 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained
pecan nuts (both diced and pecan halves)

Combine cottage cheese, Cool Whip and dry Jello; mix well. Fold in mandarin oranges and tiny nut bits. Then garnish on top with mandarin orange halves and pecan halves, alternating each and going around the whole bowl. In the center place orange halves in circle along with pecans. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

Two kinds. You pick. Either way you can't lose. So cute.

From FamilyFun comes this: Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

Ingredients
24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies
12 oz package chocolate chips
24 marshmallows
tube of yellow decorators' frosting

Instructions
Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.
One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.
Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.
Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

Another variation, only using Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Striped chocolate cookies and orange chicklets (for the buckle)

In search of the perfect turkey cookie...

Who knew there were so many variations? All I was really looking for was the cookie I made as a little girl. Instead, I find a regular turkey cookie beauty pageant. Vote on your fav, we'll crown the winner.

Turkeys on Ritz Crackers. Hmm. It could work.


This little turkey babe uses of all things a Goldfish cracker (the rainbow variety) for it's waddle. Clever.


Pretty self explanatory, a Whopper Head Turkey. And Oreo's. One half for the turkey stand, the other half to eat.


This one is hard to beat, Reese's Turkey. Love her. So cute.
You'll need: 7 Candy Corn, 2 Double Stuffed Oreo Cookies; 1 Whopper; 1 Reese's Peanut Butter Cup; Black piping gel; White icing; yellow and red food coloring. First: Put your Peanut Butter cups in the fridge to cool, makes it easier to handle. Squeeze some of the white icing into a bowl. This will be your orange. Mix red and yellow food coloring with the icing to create your desired orange. Then put that into a plastic bag and set it aside for later. Assembly: First create the tail using 1 Oreo cookie and 6 candy corns. Gently, with one candy corn pull apart just one side of the Oreo. Put a good amount of icing in between the two sides. This will help the candy corn stay put. Place 6 Candy Corn (white side down) in between the cookie. See picture. Then, take your white icing and squeeze a generous amount onto the top back of an Oreo cookie. Take the other Oreo and put the bottom into the icing to have it stand up. If it doesn't stand, add more icing! Once you have it stand put it up against something so it doesn't fall until the icing is dry. (Use like a thick book). Remove your Peanut Butter Cup from the fridge. Take your knife and cut off the very bottom so you have a flat surface. Put icing on the bottom of it the bigger flat. Bump it up against the bottom and back of your Oreo cookies. See picture. Next take your Whopper and squeeze more icing on it on one side. Place the whopper on top of the Peanut Butter Cup to make your head. Find a piece of Candy Corn that has a nice big white end. Using your sharp knife cut the color off leaving you with the white end. Place some icing on it and stick it on your whopper as the beak to your Oreo Turkey. Hold for a moment. Take your icing and place two white dots as eyes. Get your tube of black piping gel and place a black dot on each eye to make them come alive. Grab your bag of already created orange. Cut a very small hold in the corner of the baggie. Now, pipe feet.


Runner up. Talk about innovation. Love the marshmallow (Nabisco pinwheel) cookies. To make, you'll need: 48 sugar cookies (3 inches) ; 1 package (12 ounces, Walmart carries these) chocolate and marshmallow cookies; Chocolate frosting; Vanilla Frosting; Yellow and red paste food coloring. To assemble: Using a serrated knife, cut 1/2 inch from one side of 24 sugar cookies. Using a sharp knife, cut marshmallow cookies in half vertically. Spread chocolate frosting over the bottom of each marshmallow cookie half; align cut edges of a marshmallow cookie and a sugar cookie, and press together to form each turkey body and feathers. Spread chocolate frosting over the cut edges of each turkey; position and attach near the back edge of a whole sugar cookie. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic baggie. Add eyes, beak, and legs. Then pipe snood and tail feathers. Store in the fridge. Makes 2 dozen.


Chocolate Covered Cherry Turkey
(Miss Congeniality, for sure).
Ingredients: 40 fudge striped cookies; 1/4 cup chocolate frosting; 2 packages (5 ounces each) chocolate covered cherries; 20 pieces candy corn.
Directions:
Place 20 cookies on a flat surface, solid chocolate side down. With frosting attach a chocolate covered cherry to the top of each bas cookie. Position another cookie perpendicular to each base cookie; attach with frosting. With a dab of frosting, attach one piece of candy corn to the front of each cherry for the head. Let stand until set. Makes 20.


From Pillsbury. Ingredients: 1 roll (16.5 oz) of refrigerated sugar cookie dough (or make your own); Chocolate frosting; Candy Corn, Orange decorator icing; Black decorating gel; Miniature candy coated chocolate baking bits (or mini m & m's).
Directions: Heat oven to 350. Bake cookies. Cool completely (about 20 min). Spoon chocolate frosting into ziploc baggie; cut small hole in bottom corner of bag (or can use a parchment triangle for this part if like). On each cookie, pipe frosting on outer edge of half of cookie. Arrange candy corn over frosting for feathers. Pipe orange icing onto each cookie to resemble turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to attach mini m&M's to turkey face for eyes. Pipe black gel on m&m's for centers of eyes.

The one below calls for: Fudge Striped Cookies, Chocolate bonbons (cheapo kind, found at the Christmas candy aisle at Walmart) and Semi-sweet chocolate, along with Candy Corns. Here's the how: Melt some of the semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave on low setting to use as glue. Cut 1/4 of the cookie off to make the tail. Coat the flat part of the bonbon with melted chocolate to glue to the center of the cookie (covering the hole). Cover one side of the candy corn with melted chocolate and press on the bonbon to make the face. Use a toothpick and melted chocolate to make two eyes. Use two unmelted pieces of semi-sweet chocolate to make the feet. Place on plate or wax paper and refrigerate until firm.


You can assemble cookie parts either with frosting or melted chocolate. This one uses a Brach's chocolate star for the base, a Kraft carmel square, a striped fudged cookie and one candy corn. I call her Carmel Star Turkey.