Mini Dark Chocolate M&M Skillet Brownies

I know that this is exactly what we don't need right after Halloween, but look at how amazing these brownie skillets look!!!! Plus, you can throw in any candy pieces that you have lying around from trick-or-treating.  My mom gave me and Bri a "Halloween Goody Bag."  So, now I have Justin's Peanut Butter Cups, Pumpkin Spice Latte M&Ms, Halloween Oreos, Halloween Gummies, and more.  It's a little crazy.  I'm trying to eat healthy and here I have a giant bag full of deliciousness.  I just need to make sure not to eat it all at once...

Halloween was super fun.  I was Lois Lane and Bri was Clark Kent.  It was pretty adorable.  We went to a couple halloween parties hosted by friends and overall had a super nice weekend.  

Now, it is back to school time!  

Mini Dark Chocolate M&M Skillet Brownies

(makes two mini skillets)

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup dark chocolate M&Ms

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease your mini skillets.

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat and stir in chopped bittersweet chocolate until smooth and combined.  Turn off heat and stir in the sugar until well combined.  Next, stir in the eggs until well combined.  Add in the vanilla and salt.  

2. Sprinkle the flour and cocoa powder over your brownie mixture and then stir until just combined.  Stir in the M&Ms.

3.  Divide the batter into your two mini skillets.  Bake for about 25 minutes.  

Enjoy :)

Roast Your Own Pumpkin Creme Brulee

I have been very busy with school and I am loving every minute of it.  This past week I started to teach triangle similarity and how to write proofs and it was fun to see the kids really getting it.  In fact, in honor of Halloween, I had a relay planned where students had to complete so many problems correctly in order to earn their halloween candy.  I think this is sort of ridiculous, but offering candy as a reward made those kids work harder than ever.  It was great to see them really working hard and really doing great work!  It was a fun halloween and a great way to celebrate the holiday with math!

Speaking of Halloween, I also roasted my own pumpkin for the first time!  I ended up with enough pumpkin puree from my pie pumpkin to make pumpkin creme brûlée and a pumpkin pie.  Then I also roasted the seeds to have as a snack!  Here is my recipe for pumpkin creme brûlée.  It was absolutely delicious.

Roast Your Own Pumpkin Creme Brulee
(adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients
1 pie pumpkin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a few pinches nutmeg
1 pinch cloves
1 pinch ginger
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup puree
extra sugar for the topping

Directions:
1. To roast the pumpkin: cut the thing in half, take the seeds out, and place both halves face down on a baking sheet, cover in foil and place in the oven at 350 for 90 minutes.  When done and cool, scoop out the pumpkin and puree in the food processor.  Place in container and place in fridge until ready to use.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
3. In a medium saucepan, place the cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.  Place over medium heat until just simmering.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with the sugar.  Slowly incorporate the cream mixture and then whisk in the pumpkin.  Pour into ramekins and place ramekins into a 13 by 9 inch pan.  Fill the pan with water until about halfway up the ramekins.  Place in oven and let cook for about 40 minutes.  Mixture should wobble, but be firm around the sides.  Wrap each ramekin in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours.
5.  When ready to serve, take out the ramekins, sprinkle sugar over the tops and toast with a small kitchen torch.

Enjoy :)

Oh, and hear are a few gems from my little halloween celebration :).  Lauren and I were cereal box characters, Caryn was rocking the guess who costume, and Brian went with an old favorite: Batman!

Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cheesecakes!

Happy Halloween!

I'm bringing these delightful treats into school to share with the fabulous 8th grade team I get to work with this semester! I have learned so much from them and I am excited to share these great Halloween treats.  Here's to a fun Halloween...enjoy everyone!

Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cheesecake (adapted from Yummy Mummy Kitchen)

Ingredients:
15 oreos
16 oz light cream cheese
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
Chocolate Ganche:
1/4 cup half and half
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300, line a cupcake pan with foil liners, and place the cookies in the cupcake pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the rest of the ingredients together until well combined.  Pour the batter into the cupcake wells until they are 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 minutes. The middles should be set.  Let cool
3.  Make the spiderwebs: In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the half and half until well combined and smooth.  Place in a plastic bag and cut off the tip of the bag.  Draw circles with the chocolate on the cooled cheesecakes and, using a toothpick, drag the toothpick through the chocolate circles to make the webs!

Enjoy :)

This post is featured on Foodie Friends Friday!

Foodie Friends Freaky Friday Party

Halloween is just around the corner and so this Friday, Foodie Friends Friday, is doing a "Freaky" themed party.  Link up your fantastic-ly, freaky recipes and have fun checking out some great Halloween recipes!

I'm linking up these awesome graveyard cups!

Onto the business/fun stuff! Last week three lucky winners won great prizes from Clean Mama Printables!

And here are the winner's from last week's party!

Most Votes:

1. Cheapo Pumpkin Spice Latte

2. Easy Bacon Wrapped Garlic Chicken

3. Pumpkin Pancake Palooza

Most Clicked:

1. Chocolate Snack Cake with Biscoff Buttercream

2. Apple Filled Pull Apart Bread

3. Hashbrown Crusted Quiche

This week there are FIVE sponsors and TWELVE prizes! WOAH! Here are this week's sponsors:

The Tape Shop

Lenore's Attic Art

Songbird Greetings

You Name It Designs Shop

Vectoria Designs

But first, here are this week's co-hosts:

Foodie Friends Friday http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Michelle at  From Calculus to Cupcakes http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.com

Cynthia at Feeding Big  http://www.feedingbig.blogspot.com

Jodie at Binomial Baker http://www.binomialbaker.blogspot.com

R Dawn at Spatulas on Parade http://www.spatulasonparade.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar http://www.alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cute Camp Treat

Yesterday was Halloween at camp.  I dressed up as Minnie Mouse, but then it was over 100 degrees again, and I quickly changed back into my loose camp shirt and shorts! It was hot, but it was also Friday and so people were all in pretty good moods.  Also, since it was Halloween, I came up with a great snack idea for the end of the day:

Graveyard Cups!

Ingredients:
chocolate pudding
oreos
gummy worms
milano cookies
gel frosting

Directions:
1. Spoon some pudding into plastic cup.  Top with some smashed oreo and a gummy worm. Next, write RIP or whatever you want on your milano cooke and stick it into the pudding so that it looks like a little gravestone.  Now, you have an adorable snack that kids will LOVE.

Enjoy :)

Today, I have an EPIC dinner planned.  My cousin Chris and I both love to cook and so we are getting together to make a 5 course, plated dinner, for 12.  I am also supposed to run 12 miles this morning, but seeing as there is still an excessive heat warning in effect, I am going to hold off until tomorrow when it  is going to be cooler.  So, get excited for some fun meal ideas and more on my running excursions.  I can't wait to share them all with you!