food, crochet, merriment
A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from our lives.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you are inspired to do the same–leave us a link in the comments.
Happy Conference weekend everyone.
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PS~ Oh-oh! See my guest post at Farm Bell Recipes!
…with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. The kind that makes your eyes roll back in your head because you think you’ve expired and gone to Heaven.
I tried to resist. I did.
I tried to make something–anything–without pumpkin…
but it was to no avail. It’s just so dang fabulous.
When you taste these, I promise, you’ll forgive me. The original recipe can be found at Taste of Home.
3/4 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup buttermilk
FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. Combine the flour, pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and ginger; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 2 dozen heavenly cupcakes.
Y.U.M.
If you’re inclined to say–“What?! More pumpkin?” here’s the thing. This pumpkin stuff is self-perpetuating–I swear. See, you open a can and use half of it for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake, and you have a bit left. So to use that bit for Pumpkin Crisp–so you aren’t wasting food, you open another can to add to it. Then you have a bit left–but not quite enough for Pumpkin Pie Dip…so you open another can…
It goes on, and on, and on. And still there is a Ziploc bag in the fridge right this minute, with a cup of pumpkin leftovers in it.
Someone stop me.
1- 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ginger until blended. Serve with gingersnaps or Snickerdoodles or Molasses cookies or fruit or if you’re really adventurous–try it on banana bread. Do you get the idea that the possibilities are truly endless? All I can say about that is Yee Haw!
Be sure to store the leftovers in the refrigerator.
Makes 4 cups.
I suppose you’ve heard of Apple Crisp, or Peach Crisp or even Berry Crisp. Well now it’s time to meet their little brother…
Pumpkin Crisp!
So crunchy and spicy and perfect for the holidays. Whether you are sharing with company or sneaking off alone to nibble a bowl with your favorite ice cream–you’ll love this twist on an old crisp.
Ingredients
1 can (30-ounces) pumpkin
1-1/2 cans evaporated milk
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 yellow cake mix
2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:
Mix pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, sugar, salt & cloves together well. Pour into a well-greased 9×13 pan.
Sprinkle with cake mix & drizzle with melted butter. Then sprinkle with chopped pecans–if you want.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let it set for about 15 minutes.
Serve over French Vanilla ice cream—you won’t be sorry.
Last minute. Cheap. Easy. Eco-Friendly. Dang funny.
Read on…
Speed Bump, and Magnet . Amy has metal objects stuck all over her and Jesse is covered with tire treads.
Mustard, Ketchup and a couple of dogs.
Can’t see this one too clearly because mom is holding her baby peacock. But she’s wearing a tub–with the bottom cut out and helium balloons attached. She is, of course, a Hot Air Balloon.
How about hot gluing candy wrappers, popcorn bags and trash on black clothes to be a Theater Floor. Don’t miss the footprints on his face!
Amy has socks and underwear and fabric softener sheets stuck all over her as Static Cling.
Striped shirt, sunglasses and a walking stick and you have a Blind Ref. Ha!
Do meet “Tornado Tracy” with shredded clothes and little cars and tiny animals and debris stuck all over her.
And her cousin “Jillian Cyclone” with nasty hair and wispy gauze draped around for that wind-blown effect.
Regularly dressed fellow. Sign reads: Nudist on Strike! Pregnant mom is an 8 ball.
Plastic knives and duct tape between the fingers, black Under Armor and a clever hair do and you’re Wolverine.
Worlds Greatest Dad T-shirt and a clock and you’re Father Time. Lyndi is Professor Trelawny from Harry Potter.
Where does one sock of every pair end up? The “Sock-muda Triangle” of course!
The mummy–thermals and gauze…that’s it.
Powerless Spider Man. Sew spiders all over clothes and wear a mustache…unless you’re a man already.
The Dead Sea
I Love Lucy–Lucy and Ricky Ricardo
Once in a Blue Moon
Cat Up a Tree–Have some small tree branches and a stuffed cat? Hot glue the branches on a green or brown shirt and attach the cat to the shoulder.
Crumble green paper and hot glue it around your middle. You are now Green Waste.
Fried Egg- Cut a whole in a white sheet and wear it over your head and color your face yellow.
Freudian Slip- a full slip over regular clothes with a sign that reads, “Sigmund.” A big cigar is a nice touch too.
Happy Halloween!
