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.

Fried Pickles

This recipe comes from one of those freebie things we sometimes get in the mail. It doesn't matter. I've gotten some awesome recipes that way.

Living in the South, we all love us some pickles. Add a little grease and you've got some fine eating. Hope you enjoy it!

Fried Pickles

3 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 32-oz. jar dill pickles
Ranch Dressing

Combine cornmeal, 1/3 cup flour, black pepper, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly.

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and egg.

Cut each pickle into spears, about eight per pickle. Blot pickles dry and then put them in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup flour.

Dip the spears into the egg mixture, then coat with the cornmeal mixture.

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees. Fry a batch of spears (about 8 to 10) for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel. Repeat until all the spears are fried.

Serve with ranch dressing.

Red Beans and Rice Veggie Burgers

Years ago there was a little hole in the wall restaurant located downtown in the Texas town I lived. I mean that literally. It was like shoebox size. Owned and operated by a family that had relocated from New Orleans. They made THE best Red Beans and Rice. Even the cornbread was awesome. And it was so cheap. Seriously. I loved that place.

I left long ago and I have no idea if it's still around. I do know that I've never again found a any restaurant that can make Red Beans and Rice taste that good. I guess that's why this recipe intrigues me. I found it in the August 2014 issue of Southern Living magazine. I'm looking forward to giving it a try.

Red Beans and Rice Veggie Burgers

1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
Two 16-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup minced green bell pepper
1/3 cup minced sweet onion
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 tablespoons Creole seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Creole mustard
2 tablespoons minced green onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 butter lettuce leaves
5 (1/2-inch thick) crusty bread slices, toasted

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in rice. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly, 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. (Tip: stirring the rice as it cooks helps release the starch that helps hold the veggie patties together.)

Mash red kidney beans in a large bowl with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in bell pepper, onion, celery, Creole seasoning, garlic gloves and egg, along with the cooked rice, until well blended. Shape mixture into six 1/2-inch thick patties.

Cook three patties in 1 1/2 tablespoons hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and patties.

Stir together mayonnaise, Creole mustard, green onions and parsley. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each bred slice; top each with 1 patty and desired amount of mayonnaise mixture.

Makes six burgers.

Hush Puppies

This is the Deep South so every now and then you have to fry up some Hush Puppies. I like Hush Puppies. I do. The fish that sometimes go with them? No so much.

Still, it's important to have a good Hush Puppies recipe. I found this one in the August 2014 issue of Southern Living magazine. For a variety, substitute fresh herbs or chopped green onions for the diced onion.

Hush Puppies

Vegetable oil
1 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal mix
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup diced onion
3/4 cup buttermilk

Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 350 degrees. Stir together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda and onion in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moistened. (Mixture will be slightly thicker than cake batter.)

Drop batter by teaspoonfuls into hot oil, and fry, in batches, 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown, turning often. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels; Serve immediately.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Green Bean and Shoepeg Corn Casserole

I've been meaning to try this recipe for awhile now. I just never got around to it. Wow! I won't make that mistake again. This is fabulous. Even the normally finicky eaters at my house went for seconds.

The recipe comes from Christy Jordan's cookbook Southern Plate. I definitely recommend you purchase it, and not just for this recipe. She shares many family recipes that are just wonderful Southern dishes. Give it a try.

I wasn't quite sure what "shoepeg corn" is. I consulted with my Mother and used a can of whole kernel corn. It worked great. I know you'll enjoy it!

Green Bean and Shoepeg Corn Casserole

1/2cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
One 11-ounce can shoepeg corn, drained
One 11-ounce can French-style green beans, drained
One 11-ounce can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) margarine or butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except for the crackers and margarine. Place in a casserole dish. Melt the margarine in a skillet and mix with the crushed Ritz crackers. Spread over the top of the vegetables and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes

I found this recipe in the September 2014 issue of Southern Living Magazine. Found is the correct word. I'd marked it, laid it aside and then stuff just sort of piled on top of it. I'm going through items trying to clear out and get rid of stuff and I found what looks like a wonderful recipe. So here it is.

Mini Apple Cider Pound Cakes

 

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup apple cider

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 (5 x 3 inch) disposable aluminum foil loaf pans

Vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Stir together flour, apple pie spice, baking powder, salt and cloves. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with apple cider, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Lightly grease disposable loaf pans with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pans, and place on a baking sheet. For streusel-topped cakes, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons Streusel Topping over batter in each pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Makes 6 mini loaves.

Streusel Topping

 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/8 teaspoon table salt

Stir all ingredients together. Let stand 30 minutes or until firm. Crumble into small pieces.

Makes about 1 cup.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Breasts

I found this tip in the September 2014 issue of Women's Day magazine. It's from Trisha Yearwood, who has written a couple of cookbooks. Oh, and she's a fabulous singer too!

This recipe is for all of us who need cooked chicken and/or chicken broth quickly.

 

Pressure Cooker Chicken Breasts

You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can also use bone-in cuts.

Season the chicken and place it in the pressure cooker. Completely cover it with water. Pressure cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to sit for another 15 minutes to let the pressure release.

Let cool completely and store in resealable plastic bags for up to a week.