Pumpkin Fudge!!!!

Because you can never have too much sugar!! (I have no idea why the picture is sideways!)

pumpkin Fudge
1 cup half and half cream
3 cups sugar
3 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup pumpkin or sweet potato puree
dash salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
4 tbsp butter (use butter - much tastier than margarine)
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cream, sugar, corn syrup, pumpkin and salt in a large pan. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a full boil, reduce heat and simmer until mixture comes to the softball stage (235 degrees F). I find an accurate candy thermometer indispensible for this as the temperatures are really important in having htis turn out well. Remove from heat. Beat in cinnamon, allspice, butter and vanilla. Cool to 110 degrees F (leave your thermometer in the mix to monitor when the temp hits 110, then beat until thick and mixture looses its gloss. I find it easiet to use my kitchen aid mixer to beat the mixture - saves the arm for knitting and spinning! Spoon into a buttered dish. Let cool, slice; cut slices into cubes and EAT!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies!!!

Because of the cream cheese in the filling, I assembled all the left-overs and wrapped them in plastic wrap so I could refrigerate them. I think they are going to be super messy, but awesome!

I got this recipe (see below) from the Better Homes and Gardens site. I made the following adjustments: 1/3 less fat cream cheese for filling, used a carrot cake mix, did not let the cakes sit out for 24 hours (like I could wait that long!)

They are SO GOOD! If I could change anything, I would have the filling be a little stiffer because they are a bit messy!! I'm not sure what would be the easiest way to make it stiffer??

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 package 2-layer-size spice cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 recipe Marshmallow-Spice Filling (see recipe below)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil (grease foil, if using). In a large mixing bowl beat pumpkin and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs, and milk; beat on low speed until combined, and then on medium speed for 1 minute.

2. By the heaping tablespoon, drop mounds of batter 3 inches apart on cookie sheet; keep remaining batter chilled. Bake 15 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Carefully remove from parchment or foil; cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, lining cooled cookie sheets each time with new parchment or foil. If desired, place cookies in a covered storage container with waxed paper between layers to prevent sticking. Store cookies at room temperature for 24 hours. Prepare Marshmallow-Spice Filling up to 2 hours before serving. Spread about 2-1/2 tablespoons filling on flat side of one cookie; top with a second cookie. Repeat. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 2 hours. Makes 15 whoopies.

Marshmallow-Spice Filling: Up to 2 hours before serving, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter and one 8-ounce package softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1/2 of a 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until well combined.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 15 whoopies
• Calories 379,
• Total Fat (g) 19,
• Saturated Fat (g) 11,
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) 6,
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,
• Cholesterol (mg) 75,
• Sodium (mg) 387,
• Carbohydrate (g) 49,
• Total Sugar (g) 33,
• Fiber (g) 1,
• Protein (g) 3,
• Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
• Vitamin C (DV%) 1,
• Calcium (DV%) 10,
• Iron (DV%) 6,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Dirt Cake with Worms

We had a small Halloween party with Rodney's family. My mother-in-law and I put it all together. One of the desserts I made was a dirt cake with worms (I doubled it) . It was so delicious! Here's the recipe (with my changes):

Dirt Cake with Worms

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes of instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 1/2 cups of milk (for thicker pudding use less milk)
  
• 2 tubs of Cool Whip (I used 1 big one)
• 1 package of oreos
  
• 1 package of gummy worms (one of the $1 ones at Wal-Mart will be plenty!)
  

Directions:
Mix pudding with milk for 2 minutes (I made my pudding ahead of time and let it chill for about 2 hours)
Mix 1/3 of cool whip with pudding
Crush Oreos in food processor (or in a zipper baggie like I did)
Layer pudding, cool whip, and cookies. Add gummy worms on top to finish. I put about 5 gummy worms in each layer between the cool whip and the cookies for some extra wormies.

Grandma's Meatloaf

I know that everyone says that their mom's meatloaf is the best....but I swear mine is! I really don't like meatloaf when it's got that ketchupy sauce on top of it, and this one doesn't have it. It's super easy to make, and it tastes really, really good.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 stack of Club crackers, crushed (I put them on tin foil, then roll a glass over them)
1 can vegetarian vegetable soup
2 eggs
onion salt (to taste)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray. Put all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix together well (it's easiest just to use your hands). Put mixture in prepared loaf pan and cover with tin foil. Bake at 325 for two hours, then remove the foil. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the top is well-browned. Slice and serve!

**I also always serve baked potatoes with this. Just wash one potato per person, wrap in tin foil, and poke with a fork. Put them directly on the rack with the meatloaf, and take them out when the meatloaf is completely finished.

Pork Chops with mushrooms

This is a recipe I made up one night just because it was what I had on hand at the moment. It has become a favorite in my household.

4 porkchops
1 lb mushrooms
1 onion
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (sometimes I use 2 cans just depending on the size of my pork chops)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. (sometimes I use garlic salt in replace for the regular salt)

2. brown pork chops on both sides I use a griddle for this. In the meantime chop mushrooms and onions in bite size pieces.

3. After meat has browned add mushrooms, onions, and cream of mushroom soup. cover and let simmer together on low. the longer it simmers the more tender the pork chops become.

it is a easy and simple recipe that tastes wonderful!

Devils on Horseback

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

Makes 24

• 24 large dates, pitted
• 12 slices bacon, halved crosswise
• 1/3 cup crumbled Stilton cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 24 toothpicks in a small bowl filled with water; let soak 15 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit with a wire rack; set aside.
2. Halve dates lengthwise being careful not to cut all the way through. Place a small amount of cheese in the center of each date. Wrap a piece of bacon around each date. Secure bacon with a toothpick.
3. Place dates on prepared baking sheet. Bake until bacon is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Brie en Croute

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

• 1/2 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam
• 1/3 cup dried cranberry, softened*
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1 (13.2 ounce) round Brie cheese
• 1 (26 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm® Entertaining Cracker Quartet Collection

1. Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix egg and water.
2. Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14 inch square. Cut off corners to make a circle. Spread preserves to within 1 inch of pastry edge. Sprinkle cranberries and almonds over preserves. Top with cheese. Brush edge of circle with egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides over cheese. Trim remaining two sides to 2 inch from edge of cheese. Fold these two sides onto the round. Press edges to seal. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Decorate top with pastry scraps if desired. Brush with egg mixture.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Let stand 1 hour. Serve with crackers.