Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

I found this recipe in the October 2017 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. I can't wait to give it a try!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pure pumpkin
2 tablespoons molasses (not blackstrap)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

In another bowl, combine pumpkin, molasses and vanilla.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in eggs, one at a time. Then alternately add flour and pumpkin mixture, beating until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin pan cups (heaping 1/4 cup each) and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; let cool 5 minutes before removing cupcakes from pan to cool completely.

To serve, frost cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)
2 cups Confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

McCormick Red Velvet Cupcakes

I found this recipe in the February 2013 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. I’ve also seen it in several other magazines. It’s included in an advertisement for McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract.

Anybody else love red velvet cake and cupcakes? Yeah. I thought so. Just don’t wait around until another Valentine’s Day or Christmas. Go ahead. Indulge.

McCormick Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
1 bottle (1 oz.) McCormick Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Spread with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Makes 30 cupcakes.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners’ sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.

Lemon Bundt Cake

The hunt was on. At least for me. My parents have a dear friend who growns the largest lemons I think I’ve ever seen. And he shares them. Which is a very, very good thing.

What are we going to do with all these lemons, came the question. Make a cake, came my reply. Okay. Simple lemon cake recipe. No time for a gazillion layers and complicated frosting? No problem. Try this one.

This recipe comes from the March 2006 Good Housekeeping magazine. It was from the Gothic Café in Belfast. Seriously. That’s what it says. Can’t wait to taste it for myself. My mouth is already watering!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Cake
3 lemons
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Frosting
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

Cake
From lemons, grate 2 tablespoons peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. Mix flour, salt and baking soda.

In bowl, with mixer on low speed, blend sugar and butter. On high, beat 3 minutes. On low, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in peel and juice. Spoon into pan.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto rack.

Frosting
In bowl, with mixer on low speed, blend sugar, butter and cream cheese. Beat in juice and vanilla. On high, beat until fluffy.

Spread over cake

Makes 16 servings, at 450 calories per serving.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This recipe comes from a 2006 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. It was apparently submitted by reader Sharon Brenneman of Lima, Ohio.

I’m sure I tore it out of the magazine and kept it because I love Chicken Cordon Bleu. Or, at least, I used to. Many, many years ago this was my favorite dish at a wonderful ocean-side restaurant in California. Alas, the restaurant closed when the owners lost their lease. It was a sad day for many of us because the restaurant was usually filled with customers.

I’m looking forward to trying this casserole. Quick and easy works for me these days. How about for you?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 lb. baby red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb. chicken-breast tenders
1 bag (12-oz.) broccoli florets
1 can (10 ¾-oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cooked ham in 1 piece, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in microwave-safe large bowl, place potatoes and 2 tablespoons water. Cover bowl with waxed paper and microwave on HIGH 3 to 4 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender, stirring once.

Add chicken and all remaining ingredients to potatoes and toss to mix well. Transfer mixture to a 13-x-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake casserole, uncovered, 5o to 55 minutes or until chicken loses its pink color throughout and cheese begins to brown.

Makes 6 main-dish servings, at 375 calories each.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The pumpkin patch at our church is filled with pumpkins of all sizes. It’s just another sign that fall is in the air. The kids absolutely love it and it’s just so much fun to watch them picking out their special pumpkins. Because they’re so affordable, parents can purchase a larger one for decorating and cooking and each child can get a smaller one for as low as 50 cents per pumpkin.

This recipe is perfect for days like this. Instead of walnuts, I would use pecans. Of course, I’ve spent two days picking up pecans and I’m all about using what you have. This recipe comes from the October 1990 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. Yeah. I have seriously kept it that long. Give it a try.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups salad oil
3 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 16-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, measure all ingredients except walnuts and frosting. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until just mixed. Increase speed to high and beat 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Stir in walnuts. Pour batter into 10-inch tube pan.

Bake cake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool cake completely on the rack. Frost cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Refrigerate.

Makes 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 3-oz. packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

In small bow, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and vanilla flavoring just until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and 2 to 3 teaspoons milk until it has a thick spreading consistency.

Double-Corn Spoonbread

This recipe comes from the November 2012 recipe of Good Housekeeping magazine. It’s perfect for those holiday gatherings coming up or for those days when you’d like to try something different. The magazine also thoughtfully included variations for 12 servings and for 20 servings. Check it out.

Double-Corn Spoonbread

1 ½ cups water
Salt
Pepper
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup stone-ground cornmeal
1 ½ tablespoons margarine or butter
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 green onions, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1 ½ cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease shallow 1 ½-quart casserole.

In 4-quart saucepan, heat water, ½ teaspoon salt, and half of milk to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk cornmeal in slow, steady stream. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until mixture is very thick and pasty, whisking frequently.

Remove from heat and whisk in margarine until melted. Continue whisking and add remaining milk in slow, steady stream. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, then baking powder.

Stir in green onions, corn, Parmesan, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until mixed. Transfer to prepared dish and spread in smooth, even layer. (Casserole can be cooled, then covered and refrigerated, up to 4 hours before baking.)

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish with green onions.

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe comes from the October 1990 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. That magazine consistently has wonderful recipes.

Eggplant Parmesan

2 medium-size eggplants (about 1 ½ lbs each)
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cups dried bread crumbs
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil leaves
Salt
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 8-oz. package Mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Parsley sprigs for garnish

About 50 minutes before serving:

Preheat broiler if manufacturer directs. Cut eggplants lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices. In pie plate, with fork, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons water until blended. On waxed paper, mix bread crumbs, dried basil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs mixture.

Arrange enough breaded eggplant slices to fit in 1 layer on large cookie sheet. Broil 10 to 12 minutes until tender and lightly browned on both sides, turning once. Remove eggplant slices to plate. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.

Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, oregano, pepper and ½ teaspoon salt to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring often.

Turn oven control to 400 degrees. In 13 x 9-inch baking dish, spoon 1 cup tomato sauce. Top with half of broiled eggplant slices, lightly overlapping, then with half of remaining sauce and half of shredded Mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering with eggplant, tomato sauce, and shredded Mozzarella. Sprinkle top with grated Parmesan. Bake 40 minutes, covered, until mixture is hot and bubbly. Garnish with parsley.

Makes 8 main-dish servings, about 240 calories per serving.

Cholesterol-Free Banana Bread

This recipe come from the May 1991 Good Housekeeping magazine. Okay. I admit it. I’ve been collecting recipes for a long, long time.

Oh, and I rarely ever use walnuts. I live in the Deep South. We use pecans. Why? Because We have a pecan orchard. And they taste good.

Cholesterol-Free Banana Bread

2 ¼ all-purpose flour
2/3 cup honey-crunch wheat germ
½ cup oats, uncooked
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons light corn-oil spread (1 ¼ sticks)
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
1 6-oz. can frozen apple-juice concentrate, thawed
½ cup thawed frozen egg substitute
1/3 cup walnuts, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

About 2 hours before serving or early in day:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. In large bowl, mix flour, wheat germ, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. With pastry blender, cut in corn-oil spread until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in bananas, undiluted apple-juice concentrate, egg substitute, walnuts and vanilla just until flour is moistened. Spoon batter into pan.

Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool slightly. Serve warm, or cool completely to serve later.

Makes 18 servings, about 180 calories per slice.

Cauliflower Mac 'N Cheese

I found this recipe in the September issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. It looks wonderful! Also check out the interview with Katie Couric and the short story. Hooray for fiction back in Good Housekeeping!

Cauliflower Mac ‘N Cheese

1 medium head cauliflower (1 ½ lbs), core discarded, florets cut into 2-inch pieces
4 medium carrots (10 oz.), thinly sliced
1 cup unsalted vegetable broth
¼ cup reduced-face cream cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne (ground red) pepper
¾ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Salt
Pepper
12 oz. elbow macaroni
8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)
2 medium plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 8-quart saucepot of salted water to boiling on high.

Add cauliflower and carrots to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until very tender.

Meanwhile, in blender, combine broth, cream cheese, mustard, cayenne, ½ cup Gruyere, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. With slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to blender. Puree until very smooth.

Add pasta to same saucepot of boiling water. Cook half the time the label directs; adding broccoli during last minute of cooking. Drain; return to pot. Stir in cauliflower sauce and half of tomatoes. Spread in 2 ½-quart shallow baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses and tomatoes.

Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown on top and heated through.

Makes 6 main-dish servings at about 345 calories per serving.