Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling

I know, I know, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese filling are on every blog right now... That doesn't mean that I don't want to try them! This was my first time ever making Whoopie Pies and I loved them! Loved. Loved. Love. DH also loved them and when I found out the recipe makes much more than I anticipated, everyone at work loved them! The cake part is so moist, light, and fluffy and the filling is so creamy. These ingredients and tastes work so well together. It is a marriage that was just meant to happen.

Yes, these pictures are still being taken with a iphone. Horrible, I know.

First you bake all of the cookie/cake parts.

Get a pastry bag filled with cream cheese filling ready while cookies cool...

Sandwich together...

Yum. Yum. Yum.

I used this recipe from allrecipes.com for the cake/cookie part and then this recipe from Martha Stewart for the cream cheese filling. I definitely think this is something I will be making every year. These would also be a lot of fun to make with my little sisters (ages 9, 7, 6, and 2) when I see them in a few weeks. Hopefully.

I should also mention that I saw a Whoopie Pie Pan at Williams-Sonoma yesterday but I don't think having an actual pan is necessary. If you are nervous about making them and having a pan would make you more comfortable, by all means, go for it, but I used a regular soup spoon and they all came out pretty uniform in sizes. They weren't perfect but that is okay by me.

:)

Spooky Sugar Cookies

First off, I should say that I know these pictures are really bad lol. My camera is broken so I have been taking pictures with DH's iphone. The picture quality definitely isn't the highest!

I couldn't decide is ghosts should have mouths or not. I tested it on one but I made it look like he is smiling. Not a spooky ghost thing to do lol.

Pumpkins!

I had my all time favorite sugar cookie recipe bookmarked and somehow it isn't there anymore. I searched allrecipes.com hoping to find a new favorite but honestly, these cookies were horrible. I had never used royal icing before so they were more for practice than anything but still, it would've been nice for them to taste good! Oh well, my search for the perfect sugar cookie recipe continues...

Cupcake Timer

A few months ago DH and I were shopping for a suit jacket for him to wear to work. We decided to check out TJ MAXX and see if they had any good deals. While he checked out the jackets I wandered into the housewares section and found this guy:

A cupcake timer!

It was only six dollars but when DH is on a mission for something specific, there is no talking sense into him :) He couldn't understand why a cupcake timer was important when his favorite suit jacket had just been ruined and was forced to consider new ones. Well, things don't last at TJ MAXX and by the time I was able to get back there, it was gone. I thought "Well, my kitchen will never be complete, there is no way anyone else will have a cupcake timer". A bit dramatic? Perhaps, but that is not the point. :)

I don't know why I never thought to google it but today while in Blicks Art Supplies I saw cupcake stationary with a cupcake on it that looked exactly like this timer! That little timer instantly came back in my mind and I thought "What an excellent birthday present to me!" I came home and googled it and TA DAH, I found it. Granted, my birthday isn't until November 19 but I have found exactly what I need! DH is not the type of person that likes surprises for his birthday and he doesn't understand why anyone else would either so he prefers me to tell him what I want and he tells me what he wants. Romantic? Not exactly, but it is what we do. At least I know I won't ever get a present that I don't like.

He recently got me a Kitchen Aid Mixer so I would feel bad if I asked for something expensive so soon. I think this timer (and maybe the Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition DVD) will be just perfect. Here is the link if you are interested.

Muddy Buddies

This is one of the easiest treats to make. Especially when you are low on ingredients! 


The recipe is on the back of the Chex Mix Box.

Chex Mix

Chocolate Chips

Peanut Butter

Butter

Powdered Sugar.

That is all you need. They may look gross but I love them. A co worker was having a bad day so I made these really quickly right before a meeting, bagged some up, and took it to her. 

Confession: I also ate TONS of these while watching Grey's Anatomy tonight.

Ah well, hitting the gym hard tomorrow I guess. I hope it doesn't hit me back :)

Cheesy Jokes. They get me through. Lol.

Pumpkin Pie- First ever!

My baking day has been great so far. I made my first pie and pie crust ever. I used Pioneer Woman's pie crust recipe and the recipe on the back of the Libby Pumpkin Can. I looked it up online and it had some pretty great reviews, and now I see why.
To the pictures:

Workspace complete with Pioneer Woman's Cookbook.

Flour and Salt

Shortening added

After eggs and water added. It isn't pretty. I had a hard time getting it to not fall apart. Normal? I don't know.

Pumpkin Pie dry ingredients 

Pumpkin and evaporated milk

Poured into the crust. I must say, I knew I was going to love this pie because of the way it smelled. Oh My Gosh. It smelled divine.

The finished project. I accidentally spilled some of the filling onto the crust and thats why it looks burned on one part.

It was yummy. Plain and simple. I loved it. I think I will try a different pie crust next time though. It kept falling apart. I don't know if it was something I did or the recipe... I guess I will give it another try and see if maybe it was something I did. Martha Stewart has a recipe on her website for pie crust that I really want to try as well.

That is all for now. I may bake some more later but for now, Grey's Anatomy is about to be on. 

I have plans for sugar cookies with royal icing in the next post.

Thursday = Baking Day

I cannot wait for Thursday for several reasons.

1. I am off of work. Except for a meeting at five o clock.
2. I am using the whole day for baking. Minus the time that I am in the meeting or grocery shopping.
3. Grey's Anatomy comes on!

I plan to bake:

Sugar cookies with royal icing - First time I have made royal icing! I am a little nervous!

Pumpkin Pie - This is the first time that I will be attempting to make a pie!

Puppy chow- This isn't even baking, I know. But its yummy!

As you can see this is a day with a lot of firsts! I can't wait!

I will also be trying out some new recipes to put in the freezer for during the week.