Pumpkin Cake Cookies

Pin It It's fall and that means it's time for pumpkin desserts.  These cookies only have 4 ingredients!  These cookies are moist, soft and chewy.  They really are more cake-like than cookie.  These would be great to take a fall party.  These are sure to get gobbled up quickly.

Shared at Weekend Potluck and Strut Your Stuff Saturday .

Pumpkin Cake Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pumpkin
4 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, pumpkin and pie spice until creamy and well blended.
3. Mix in the cake mix, scraping the sides to combine all ingredients.
4. Scoop large spoonfuls of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle tops with pumpkin pie spice.
5. Bake 12-14 minutes or until bottoms are golden and cookies can be removed easily.

Snickers Dip

Pin It My friends and I recently had wine and dine night and I was in charge of an appetizer/snack item.  I wanted something sweet, but didn't want something heavy like a baked good.  This dip is to die for!  I was tempted to just eat it by the spoonful, but refrained so that there would be some to actually take with me.  This is definitely a keeper!

Snickers Dip
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 8 oz container whipped topping
1 regular size Snickers bar, finely chopped

1. Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
2. Fold in whipped topping until well mixed.
3. Stir in Snickers.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Serve with pretzels or graham crackers

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

Pin It Having grown up in St. Louis my whole life I just assumed that everyone knows about toasted ravioli, frozen custard and gooey butter cake.  Apparently I'm wrong.  If you have never experienced a gooey butter cake you are missing out.  But the good news is you don't have to travel to St. Louis to taste this delectable treat.   You also only need 5 ingredients!!!!  This is definitely going to be my go-to dessert for summer gatherings this year.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs, divided
1 stick butter, melted
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
2 cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix cake mix, butter and 1 egg.  Press mixture into the bottom of a greased  9 x 13 pan.
3. In a bowl combine cream cheese, 2 eggs and powdered sugar.  Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
4. Pour over cake mix crust and bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cooled.

Banana Pudding

Pin It I have a habit of buying bananas and not eating them.  It is a texture issue.  I usually end up letting them get over ripe and then making banana bread, muffins or cake.  I'm proud to say that this time I actually bought bananas and used them immediately for this delicious dessert.  I am not a huge fan of raw bananas or overly banana flavored things.  And when I said that I was bringing a banana dessert to Sunday dinner I did not get the most enthusiastic reply.  However, this is a winner!  Simple, (sort of) healthy, no baking required and feeds a crowd.  It is also super versatile.  You could substitute your favorite fruit for the bananas and I'm sure it would be delicious.  I ate some of the leftovers with some fresh strawberries and it was pretty tasty.

Banana Pudding
1 box vanilla wafers
3-4 bananas, sliced
1 box instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk, I used skim
1 package cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 container whipped topping

1. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish with vanilla wafers.  Top cookies with a layer of bananas.  Save some for the topping.
2. Combine milk and pudding mix.  Whisk until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.  Stir in pudding mixture and mix until combined.
4. Fold whipped topping into the pudding mixture.  Pout carefully over the bananas and cookies.
5. Top with cookies and remaining bananas.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  The longer you refrigerate, the softer the cookies will get.

Jalepeno Popper Dip

Pin It This week you will get a sampling of our Super Bowl party treats.  It's all about the food for the girls.  I could personally care less about the game.  The guys care about drinking and the game, but they did appreciate the food too.  This dip is definitely a crowd pleaser.  Warm, gooey, creamy, crunchy with a bit of a kick.  Not as spicy as it sounds and goes great with an ice cold beer.

Jalepeno Popper Dip
2 packages cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 4oz. can chopped green chiles
1 4 oz. can chopped jalepenos or 1/4 cup chopped fresh jalepenos
1/2 cup shredded colby jack or Mexican cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzerella
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl mix cream cheese, mayo, chiles, jalepenos and shredded cheese until well combined.
3. Pour the  mixture into a greased 9 x 9 oven safe dish.
4. Mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
5. Spray the top of the crumbs with cooking spray to aid in browning in the oven.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
7. Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, crackers or pretzels.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pin It I have a bad habit of buying a big bunch of bananas and then not eating them before they get brown and mushy.  Because of this I have to use them for baking.  Not a big problem, but I get tired of the same old banana bread and banana muffins so that is how this recipe was born.  I was inspired by a similar recipe that I found on Pinterest.  This cake is moist and dense and would make a great breakfast or brunch item.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter, softened

2 Tbsp oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup milk (I used vanilla almond milk, but any variety will do)

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Spray an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray.

2. Beat butter, oil and sugar until creamed. 

3. Beat in eggs and egg white one at a time.  Stir in vanilla.

4. In a separate bowl, mash bananas with milk and set aside.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, alternating with the banana mixture until all is combined.

6. Pour into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup chopped toasted nuts, optional (I used pecans, feel free to use your favorite)

Cream the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until well blended and smooth.

To toast the nuts, place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Put in a 375 degree oven for 5-8 minutes or until the nuts become fragrant.  DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Classic Cheesecake

Pin It I love a good piece of decadent cheesecake.  This is my favorite cheesecake recipe.  It turns ou perfect everytime.  Believe me, after many failed attempts at making cheesecake, this recipe wins hands down.

Classic Cheesecake
12 chocolate graham cracker, finely crushed (can use regular graham crackers if you want)
1/2 stick butter, melted
4 pkg cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 T vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Mix crushed grahams and butter.  Press mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch sprig form pan.
3. Cream sugar and cream cheese until smooth.
4.Add eggs on at a time until well blended.
5. Pour mxture over crust.
6. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until center is almost set.
7. Run a knife along the endge to loosen.  Cool completely in pan before serving.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Pin It Just to show you how easy the previous recipe is to adapt to your liking.  Here is the chocolate version.  Other successful varieties include: spice cake with white chocolate chips, butter pecan cake with pecans, carrot cake with raisins and nuts.  As you can see the possibilities are endless.  Whatever flavor cake mix  you have on hand will do.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup white chocolate chips
powdered sugar

1. preheat oven to 350
2. Cream butter, cream cheese and egg until smooth.
3. Mix in cake mix until well combined.
4.Stir in chocolate chips
5. Put 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl.  Drop tablespoon sized globs of dough in powdered sugar and coat thoroughly.
6. Place dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden on the bottom and can easily be remove from parchment paper.

Gooey Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pin It While I have been MIA, I have not been idle.  I was also anxiously awaiting my early Christmas present from my hubby: a brand new high def camera so I can take decent pictures of my culinary creations.  Lots of posts in the days to follow. 
These are my go-to cookie recipe for the holidays (or really any time of the year).  I learned to make these while working at a catering company when I was 16.  They have been a staple in my kitchen ever since.  I love them because I generally have all of the ingredients handy.  The recipe is also quite versatile and can be changed to a new flavor instantly.



Gooey Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 box yellow cake mix

1 pkg cream cheese, softened (can be reduced fat, but not fat free)

1/2 stick butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup mini chocolate chips

powdered sugar

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cream butter, cream cheese and egg until smooth.

3. Mix in cake mix until well combined.

4. Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Pour about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a bowl.  Drop tablespoon sized globs (not perfect balls or sugar won't stick) into the powdered sugar and coat well.

6. Place dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or unil golden brown on bottom and when the cookies can be picked up off of the parchment paper without sticking.

Nutella Fruit Dip

Pin It So you probably noticed the 2 tone fruit dip in the last post.  That's because I was feeling creative and decided to make 2 flavors or dip for a holiday gathering.  My fruit dip recipe is extremely versatile.  You could add any flavor of yogurt, pudding, peanut butter, or anything else delicious you can blend in to the mixture.

Nutella Fruit Dip
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c Nutella
1 container whipped topping

1. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
2. Stir in Nutella until well blended.
3. Fold in whipped topping.
4. Serve with fruits, cookies and graham crackers.

Crowd Pleasing Fruit Dip

Pin It Albert loves fruit dip.  He would eat it all day if I let him.  I don't mind making it though because then I know he will eat some fruit.  It has now become our go-to item to bring to potlucks and family gatherings because everyone loves it.  Only 3 ingredients and you can easily whip it up in 5 minutes.  Leftovers keep for up to a week in your fridge.

Crowd Pleasing Fruit Dip
1 pkg cream cheese (reduced fat is fine), softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tub whipped topping

1. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
2. Fold in cool whip until well blended.
3. Enjoy on your favorite fruits or graham crackers and cookies.