Pumpkin muffins

We had a cold rainy fall day a couple of days ago. So I decided to make some fall treats. I made crumb topped pumpkin cream cheese muffins, chocolate fudge scones and a roasted pumpkin caramelized onion and Gorgonzola quiche. Everything was soooo good! Today I`ll be sharing the muffins with you, but I`m sure I will share the scones and quiche with you all soon!


Crumb topped pumpkin cream cheese muffins
p.s The ingredients in parentheses are the ways I adapted the recipe to make them healthier.

Muffins
3 cups flour ( 2c. flour and 1c. whole wheat flour)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of cardamom (I left this out, I did not have any)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar( 1 1/2 c. honey)
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil ( 3/4 c. applesauce and 1/2 coconut oil)

Cream Cheese Filling
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. To make the cream cheese filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter, then pinch the mixture until it forms pea-size clumps. Set aside.
Mix muffin ingredients together except cream cheese filling. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) 3/4 full. Put 1-2 tsp cream cheese filling in each muffin and lightly swirl (I used a plastic bag snipped as a pastry bag). Top with 1 generous tablespoon of topping.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Makes 24 muffins.

Hot Cross Buns

Today I`ve been looking up different sweets for Easter. I`m not sure what I should make out of all of the tasty cakes, cookies, and even caramel white chocolate popcorn I saw! Maybe I should make all of it... just saying. :) Well, talking about Easter I decided to share a recipe I used last year for Hot cross buns. They were really good, I did modify it a little, adding some orange or lemon zest. Last year I used raisins, this year I`ll probably do currants. I also might of snuk some chocolate chips into the dough!Let me know how you make them, or feel free to share any Easter traditions your family has!

Makes 1 dozen buns

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 cup sugar
1 cup warm (90-100 degrees) milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons instant (bread machine) yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins, currants, or dried fruit
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Egg wash:
1 egg

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and spices. Add the warm milk and butter and mix until all ingredients are combined. Add a little flour or milk until you achieve the proper consistency, which is moist enough that all of the ingredients stick together but dry enough that you can knead the dough without it sticking to your hands. I had to add a couple of tablespoons of flour to get to this consistency, but depending on the humidity in your area and how tightly packed your cups of flour are, your may need to add more or less.

Pour the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes. Flatten the dough and pour the raisins or currants on top and press them into the dough. Work the dough until the raisins are well mixed in. Return the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

When it has risen, pour the dough out onto a cutting board and divide into 12 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place on a greased baking surface (I used a 9 x 13 Pyrex pan). Cover the pan and allow to rise until they double in size again, typically 45 minutes to 1 hour.

While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. When the buns are ready to bake, scramble the egg in a bowl and brush some over the top of the buns. Then put the buns in the oven and bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes.

While the buns are cooling, make the glaze by combining the lemon juice with the powdered sugar (you can also use orange juice, milk, or water if you don't have lemon juice around). Use a pastry bag, a spoon, or a knife to paint the crosses on top of the buns. Eat while still hot.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Rolls

Everybody loves a frosting-coated, gooey cinnamon roll, but most of us could do without all those calories. Is it possible to prepare a leaner cinnamon roll with all the classic flavor? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Skimp on the butter added to the dough and maximize the flavor of the frosting to compensate. Add just 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the dough and make up for the loss of moisture with maple syrup.
• Use dark brown sugar in the filling (in combination with granulated sugar) and add lots of cinnamon for maximum flavor.
• Use light cream cheese and skim milk to make a lean though still rich-tasting frosting.
• Traditional Cinnamon Rolls have 430 calories, 16 grams of fat, and 11 grams of saturated fat per serving. Low-Fat Cinnamon Rolls have 280 calories per serving, 3.5 grams of fat, and 2.5 grams of saturated fat per serving.

STEP BY STEP

Making Cinnamon Rolls

1. Pat the sugar mixture into the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top edge.

2. Carefully roll the dough into a cylinder, moistening the border with water to seal the dough.

3. Cut the cylinder in half, then in half again (making 4 pieces). Cut each piece into three pieces, yielding 12 rolls.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Depending on the humidity, the dough may need up to 1/4 cup extra flour, as directed in step 2.

Dough
1 1/3	cups warm skim milk (110 degrees)
3	tablespoons maple syrup
2	tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
3 1/2	cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for work surface
1	package rapid-rise yeast or instant yeast
1	teaspoon table salt
Filling
1/2	cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4	cup granulated sugar
2	teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8	teaspoon table salt
1	tablespoon unsalted butter , melted
Icing
1	cup confectioners' sugar
4	tablespoons light cream cheese
1	tablespoon skim milk
1/2	teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For the dough: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Lightly grease large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Coat 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Mix milk, syrup, and melted butter together in large measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium and mix until shiny and smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. (Dough will be sticky; if it seems too wet and is not forming ball, add up to 1?4 cup more flour as needed and knead dough 2 minutes more.) Turn dough onto heavily floured work surface, shape into ball, and place in greased bowl. Cover and rest in warm oven for 10 minutes.

3. For the filling: While dough is resting, mix sugars, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in medium bowl until incorporated.

4. To make the rolls: On lightly floured work surface, roll dough into 18 by 12-inch rectangle with long side facing you. Sprinkle sugar mixture over dough, leaving 1/2 inch border along top edge, then lightly press sugar into dough (see photo 1). Starting at edge nearest you, roll up dough (photo 2). Brush border with water, then press dough to seal.

5. Using chef’s knife, slice dough into 12 rounds (photo 3), then place in prepared pan with cut side up. Cover pan with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and return to warm oven until rolls have nearly doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes.

6. Remove pan from oven and heat oven to 350 degrees (rolls will continue to rise on counter as you wait for oven to heat). Remove plastic wrap and bake until rolls are deep brown and filling is melted, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pan front to back halfway through baking.

7. For the icing: While rolls are baking, whisk confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, milk, and vanilla together in small bowl until smooth. Remove pan from oven, turn rolls out onto rack, and flip them right side up. Cool 10 minutes, then spread icing over rolls. Serve hot or warm.

Shared by Lauren

I made this a while back and man was it good!I found it from another blog called gimme some oven.If you enjoy it you should definitely check her blog out! ~Lauren

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Recipe
(Adapted from GoodLife Eats)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats, not quick cook
• 1 Tbsp. whole flax seeds, optional
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup milk

Topping:

• 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Grease 4 individual-sized ramekins. Set aside.

Combine the first eight ingredients (oat thru salt) in a medium-sized bowl. Stir well. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla, butter, pumpkin, and milk. Whisk thoroughly. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oats, and stir until combined.

Divide mixture evenly between the four ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet (this makes it easier to move in and out of the oven.). Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the topping: chopped pecans, butter, and brown sugar. After the oatmeal has baked for 10 minutes, remove and divide topping mixture evenly between the ramekins. Bake and additional 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with a splash of milk and raisins, if desired.