Finally Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Heaven

My pumpkin creativeness got delayed for a few days. Sick child, sick me... yes it happens but we are back. Patton back in school and me full use of my shoulder once again. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I feel like it is constantly what I'm preparing my mind for. Looking through recipes, changing the menu for Thanksgiving day. I did though find plenty of time to do my own version of "Pumpkin Rolls". My own version you ask? Well let me explain. A picture says it all!



Never expected that right? Well I watched several video's on how to do the pumpkin rolls. How you cook it roll it and do all that prep only to sometimes end up with a cracked roll. I didn't want cracks to disappoint my pumpkin craving. I just wanted thick and creamy cream cheese icing layered over that moist roll of pumpkin. So I made them cupcakes. Simple and very easy to do. I can't wait to get my icing bags for Christmas ( Yes I've asked everyone and at least one of you had better place them under the tree for me.... ) then my icing will be pretty and I can be creative as I want with the tips. Enjoy these little pumpkin jewels my husband who doesn't even like pumpkin had three last night and one this morning. That right there tells me I did something right!

Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk (or soymilk)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each – ground cloves & nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
4 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

You can sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar or pecans I tried both, everyone loves the extras!


Speaking of husband today happens to be his day off and he wanted to do nothing more than just sit around all morning and watch his WWII HD Series on TiVO so I left him to do that and I decided after a long time on the phone with Maria to try her Hash brown Strattness(found here). She made it for me while I was there in October and it was delicious, and while I'm using hers as a base be ready for a few changes. I'm in the south.. I had to have butter on my hashbrowns and well Dave loves mushrooms, so there is plenty of them in there. She told us to be creative and add stuff and I did just that.

Ingredients

5 eggs
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp minced onions
1/2 cup cheese
3/4 cup chopped ham
6 slices of bacon
4 oz can of mushrooms
1/4 cup of milk
2 cups of frozen shredded hashbrowns
2 tbsp of butter

Cook bacon and set aside. Drain skillet and add mushrooms and ham cooking them up and then set them aside as well. In a very wide skillet add in butter and hashbrowns this will be your curst ( as Maria pointed out. Let them cook until they just start to brown. In separte bowl have your eggs blended with your milk and salt, and pour right over the hashbrowns. Let that cook until almost done before adding in the cheese.



Tonight we are going to have Marinated steak with caramelized onions. It will be my first try but I've been craving it since I stumbled across the recipe in a magazine and ripped it out. Today is as good of a day as ever to try it out!

ENJOY.