Author: Ashley

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch

These are fantastic if you love pumpkin and pecans.  This reminds me of pumpkin pie with a crunchy pecan topping. Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree 1 cup heavy cream 4 large eggs ¼ cup Stevia or ½ cup 

Tofu Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash

Tofu Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash

If you haven’t tried acorn squash I highly recommend it.  The original recipe used ground chicken and stuffed the acorn squash.  I decided to use tofu and a small glass baking dish so I had more room to mix the ingredients together.  This smelled so 

Pumpkin and Greek Yogurt Thumbprint Cookies

Pumpkin and Greek Yogurt Thumbprint Cookies

These cookies pack a punch of pumpkin with a tang in the center from Greek yogurt (or cream cheese). 

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus some for sprinkling

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup pure pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Add brown sugar, pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl.  Mix on medium for 30 seconds to combine.
  4. Fold in the flour mixture scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  5. Use a cookie scooper to form tablespoon size balls.
  6. Bake 6 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and spray the back of a spoon with nonstick spray.  Gently make an indentation in the back of each cookie. 
  8. Return to oven and bake 5 more minutes until cookies are set.
  9. Mix yogurt with confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice.  Transfer to an icing bag/tool. 
  10. Use a round tip to fill the indentation in cookies with the yogurt filling after cookies have cooled. 
  11. Sprinkle cookies lightly with ground cinnamon.
  12. Store cookies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
  13. Enjoy!
Steakhouse Pasta

Steakhouse Pasta

I certainly felt like I was eating out at a restaurant tonight as I enjoyed this dinner.  This combination isn’t something I would have come up with on my own, but it is definitely a dinner I would make again. Recipe adapted from Food Network 

3 Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

3 Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

These brownies come together in a matter of minutes for a quick rich and decadent dessert. These are also keto friendly if that is your thing. Ingredients-  1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (I used Pongo Chocolate Hazelnut Plus Protein) 1 large egg 2 tablespoons  superfine blanched almond flour Directions- 

Nuts and Oatmeal Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Nuts and Oatmeal Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Instead of energy balls I decided to try making granola bars with whole nuts this week.  These use a heated mixture of honey, peanut butter, and maple syrup to bind the nuts and oatmeal together to form granola bars.

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned oat meal

1 cup all bran cereal

½ cup whole raw almonds

½ cup whole cashews

¼ cup honey

¼ cup peanut butter (I used BetterNButter)

1 tablespoon lite maple syrup

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Add nuts, cereal, and oatmeal to a large bowl and mix to combine.
  2. Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray.
  3. Add honey, peanut butter, and maple syrup to a small saucepan.  Heat on medium until beginning to bubble.
  4. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
  5. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the nuts and mix to combine.
  6. Press the nut mixture into the 8×8 pan. 
  7. Refrigerate or let sit at room temperature to cool and harden.
  8. Store in an air-tight container.
  9. Enjoy!
Spider Chocolate Chip Cookies

Spider Chocolate Chip Cookies

My kids love these cookies so we make these every year.  I normally use “canned” frosting, but this year I used a 2 ingredient chocolate pumpkin frosting.  Feel free to decorate these any way you want. Ingredients- Chocolate Chip Cookies- 2 ½ cups all purpose 

Halloween Fruit Salad

Halloween Fruit Salad

This spooky and bloody fruit salad equals as a dessert it is so delicious.  Recipe adapted from Food Network Ingredients: 1 20 ounce can lychees drained; liquid reserved 2 pints blueberries 1 pint black berries 1 pint raspberries 2 tablespoons lime juice ¼ cup seedless 

Chocolate Pumpkin Frosting

Chocolate Pumpkin Frosting

This 2 ingredient frosting is simple to make for those with a sophisticated pallet.  You may want to use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet if you are preparing this for those who prefer sweets.

Recipe from Food Network

Ingredients:

1 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Add pumpkin puree to a medium saucepan.  Cook on medium for 5-7 minutes stirring often until it begins to bubble and darkens slightly.
  2. Remove from heat.  Stir in chocolate chips.
  3. Let cool at least 10 minutes before using.
  4. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits

Slow Cooker Chicken and Biscuits

This is a dinner you can throw together in minutes.  The biscuits will need an hour or two at the end to cook so I often make this on weekends when I am home and can add the biscuits at least 90 minutes before we