Foodie Friends Friday: November 2

It's that time again! This week I am linking up some of my favorite Pumpkin Recipes from this season.  Check out: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes, Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese, and Halloween Pumpkin Cheesecakes!

Last week, two lucky winners won some great crock pot bags from Cotton Commotion!

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

Most Votes:

1. Double Chocolate Nut Clusters

2. Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup

3. Crockpot Italian Pulled Beef Sandwiches

Most Clicked:

1. Double Chocolate Nut Clusters

2. Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup

3. Potato Soup in the Crockpot

This week is sponsored by Home Matters 1st and Adorned Well and two winners will win great gifts from these sites!

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

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

Jutta at HungryLittleGirl http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/

Ericka at Chef PickyKid and Me http://www.chefpickykid.com

Kiera at Lucious Delights http://www.luciousdelights.blogspot.au

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Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

Today was such a great day and so I've decided to share such a great recipe!

I had a really awesome day at middle school: In morning meeting, I have been teaching the Thriller Dance so that we can Flash Mob another homeroom for Halloween.  The kids look so great doing the dance and they are really getting into it.  We are having a fun time and I think it is awesome how they all work together and buy into the whole experience.  Plus, they get to see me doing something I love, dance! Also, we had some time to review the constructions we are working on in math and I got to see not one, not two, but three students who typically slack off or act out, try really hard and get a lot of good work done.  I felt like today was really positive and productive!

Next, I had work all afternoon for Visitor & Information Programs.  It was a pretty great work day as well.  I helped answer a bunch of e-mails and phone calls and I was able to get some good homework done and work on this blog a bit! I felt productive both to myself and the job!

Afterwards, I had Core Crunch at the SERF (workout center), which is always a blast because I get to hang with Margo.  The class is pretty tough and I love that I get a great work out in in 30 minutes.  Then it's time for dinner!

On Tuesdays after dinner, I always bake with Casey for DTS Study Night.  However, this night was different.  Instead, a bunch of my DTS sisters came over for some sisterly bonding and caramel apple making! We made great caramel apples to sell at a bake sale to help our organization as well as the Wisconsin Autism Society.  Caramel Apples for a Cause! Love it! It was a lovely evening and I can't wait to see how the sale is.  More details on making caramel apples to come :)

So, after all this fun stuff, I have a recipe! I saw a version of Healthier Fudge made by Chocolate & Carrots and I knew I just had to try it! Here is my version:

Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Fudge

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp peanut butter, plus more for the swirl

Directions:
1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper
2. Warm up the coconut oil in the microwave for 15 seconds to make sure it is in liquid form.  Stir in the honey.  Next, stir in the cocoa powder and peanut butter until well combined.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
3.  Drop a few spoonfuls of peanut butter on top of the fudge and, using a knife, swirl it into the fudge. Place in the freeze for 15-20 minutes.  Serve cold or re-freeze to store for a later time.

Enjoy :)



http://www.texanerin.com/2012/09/healthier-dark-m-fudge.html

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!

Daring Bakers October 2012: Homemade Puff Pastry

Our October 2012 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Suz of Serenely Full. Suz challenged us to not only tackle buttery and flaky puff pastry, but then take it step further and create a sinfully delicious Mille Feuille dessert with it! 

I didn't want to go the route of pastry cream, and apples are so delicious this fall that I decided to do a puff pastry apple pie!  I set out to make the puff pastry with the assistance of my favorite co-chef: Bri! He's visiting me for Halloween/Homecoming this weekend in Madison and it has been a blast! Plus, it was perfect to make the pastry and then watch the homecoming game while it was chilling! We had a lovely day :).

I was surprised at how much work/time goes into puff pastry...no wonder it is so amazing.  However, it is not at all difficult! So, if you are looking for a fun/delicious project make some puff pastry.  I

I know that this months challenge was to make the Mille Feuille and to layer the puff pastry with various fillings, but I was really craving this apple pie that I saw over at Create with Mom. So, since I knew I was making some puff pastry, I decided to go ahead and whip up this amazing looking "pie."  I adapted the recipe so that I could make the puff pastry provided for this challenge by Suz and so that I could use the apples I picked up at the farm while pumpkin picking! Stay tuned for the full recipe.  Today I am sharing how to make the pastry!

Puff Pastry (adapted from About .com)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp cold water
14 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
3 1/2 tbsp flour

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the larger amount of flour, salt, and cold butter together.  Pinch the butter with your fingers until you have a mixture that resembles wet sand.  Mix in the water and then knead the dough for about 4 minutes using your hands.  Wrap the ball of dough in clingwrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2.  Mix the larger amount of butter with the rest of the flour until you have a paste.  Shape the paste into a square about 5 in. long and 5 in. wide.  Wrap in clingwrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.  
3.  Take the chilled dough and roll it out into a square about 7 in. long and 7 in. wide.  Place the butter paste in the middle of the dough and then take the corners of the dough and wrap it around th butter so that you have a litte package.  Turn it over and roll it out with a rolling pin so that you have a rectangle about 16 inch. long and 1/4 inch thick.  You may need flour for the rolling.
4.  Fold the rolled dough into thirds: take the short end of the rectangle and fold it into the middle, then take the other end and fold it over that part.  Roll out the dough again into the rectangle and repeat the folding process.  Wrap is clingwrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Repeat this process 2 times and place back in fridge for 30 minutes.  
6. Repeat this process 2 more times and then use the dough or refrigerate until needed.  You can keep this in the fridge for 2 days.  

Enjoy :)