Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

24 muffins

Ingredients:
For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powder sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the muffins:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/2 sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions
For the filling, combine the cream cheese, vanilla and powder sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.  Once blended, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.

For the muffins:  preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda;  whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla and oil.  Mix on low speed until blended.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

For the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend, Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Transfer to the fridge until ready to use.

To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (2 tablespoons).  Spoon a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the very center of each cup.  Divide the remaining batter among the cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of the streusel mixture on top of each muffin.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, the cream cheese filling will be very hot! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt OR sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, combine the egg, oil yogurt and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in bananas and chocolate chips.  Fill greased or paper lined muffins cups two thirds full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing pans to wire racks.

Apple Bread

3 eggs slightly beaten
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 T. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
4 c. chopped, pared and cored anpples
1 c. chopped pecans
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325.  Grease and flour two 81/2 x 5 1/2 x 2-1/2 inch loaf pans or mini loaf pans.  Stir together eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in medium size bowl until well mixed.  Combine the flour, soda and cinnamon in small bowl, and then stir into liquid ingredients until just evenly mixed.  Stir in the apples and pecans.  The mixture will be very thick and gloppy.  Divide between the loaf pans.  Prepare the topping.  Combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small cup and sprinkle over the loaves.  Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Check it carefully in center and when it comes out clean. Let breads cool in the pans on a wire rake for 10 minutes.  Run a thick knife around the edges of the pans.  Remove the breads from the pans to wire racks to cool.  They are better the second day.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Crescent Twists

1 package (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Glaze:

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons hot water
Separate crescent roll dough into four rectangles; press seams to seal.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; spread over two rectangles. Top with remaining two rectangles.
Starting from a long side, cut each rectangle into three strips (I use my pizza cutter to do this). Twist each strip several times; seal ends together.
Place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
Immediately remove to wire racks. Combine glaze ingredients; brush over warm twists.

Bunny Bread

Ingredients
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
2 raisins
2 sliced almonds
1 egg, lightly beaten
Lettuce leaves
Dip of your choice

Directions
Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers.
Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body.
Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose. Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.
Brush dough with egg. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Place bread on a lettuce-lined 16-in. x 13-in. serving tray. Cut a 5-in. x 4-in. oval in center of body. Hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Line with lettuce and fill with dip. Yield: 1 loaf.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs beaten
1 c oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 1/2 cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 baking powder
1 cup nuts optional

- Combine eggs, oil, sugar and zucchini.

- Mix in dry ingredients, blend until dry ingredients are moistened. Add nuts

Bake at 350 for 50 - 75 min. 2 loaves

Cream Cheese Danish

INGREDIENTS
2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon butter, softened


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Line bottom of baking pan with 1 can of crescent rolls. Pinch all seams together to seal.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Spread filling on top of rolls. Place second can of rolls on top of filling.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar, milk and butter. After Danish has cooled, drizzle with icing.

***You can add a little blueberry pie filling on top of the cream cheese

Red Lobster Bisquits

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Bisquick.
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/4 cup margarine or butter --
melted1/4 teaspoon garlic powder


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450. Mix baking mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms; beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min. or until golden brown. Mix margarine and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm

Almond Puff

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoon water
1 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
3 large eggs


DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350. Cut 1/2 cup butter into 1 cup flour. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. water over mixture; mix with fork. Round into ball; divide in half. On ungreased baking sheet, pat each half into a strip, 12 by 3 inches. Strips should be about 3 inches apart.
In medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup butter & 1 cup water to rolling boil. Remove from heat & quickly stir in almond extract & 1 cup flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Beat in eggs, all at one time, until smooth. Divide in half; spread each half evenly over strips, covering completely. Bake about 60 minutes or until topping is crisp & brown. Cool. Frost with Confectioners' Sugar Glaze & sprinkle generously with slivered almonds. 10 to 12 servings CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR GLAZE Mix 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tbsp. butter,(softened), 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract or 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla & 1 to 2 tbsp. Warm water until smooth.

Pecan Rolls

INGREDIENTS
3/4 C. chopped pecans
12/18 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 pkg. reg. butterscotch pudding
½ C. brown sugar
½ C. butter.

DIRECTIONS

Grease bundt pan. Put chopped pecans on bottom – then Rhodes rolls.

Sprinkle 1 pkg regular butterscotch pudding, ½ C brown sugar. Melt ½ C. butter and pour over rolls. Cover with towel overnight.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.