Pumpkin Dip

I am a pumpkin NUT!  Okay, so they say the first step is admitting the problem.  Step one complete!  I love this time of year because I love pumpkin and nothing says autumn like pumpkin.  Okay, apples say autumn too.  And squash.... Ok, I'll stop :)  Anywho, one of my most favorite things to just snack on all day long or have at a party is this Pumpkin Dip.  It's almost exactly like eating the filling of a pumpkin pie.  And you can serve it with thin gingersnaps, sliced apples, baked pieces of pie crust that are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, graham crackers, sugar cookies,....etc etc.  Your imagination is the limit!!  Speaking of limits, I have seen MANY versions of this recipe.  I first had it at Cost Plus World Market (LOVE that place!), and I've seen a recipe on the Pampered Chef website, Pinterest...you name it.  You can tweak this recipe any way that you want it.  You can add some sour cream, or Cool Whip, or just use cinnamon, or add vanilla extract, or use yogurt, or Greek yogurt, or add some praline syrup to it...okay now I'm just getting out of control!!  I'm sure my sister can even suggest a gluten-free, preservative-free version to make. ;) Whatever you do to it, I'm sure it will be DIVINE!  But here is a great place for you to start :)  Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Dip

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel, a reduced-fat version)
• 1 15-oz can pure pumpkin
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

In a medium sized bowl, whip the cream cheese.  Add all other ingredients.  Stir well.  Dip apple slices, gingersnaps, baked pieces of pie crust, graham crackers, etc into the dip for a delicious snack or dessert!

Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken

I am KNOWN for my hot spinach artichoke dip.  Seriously....I would take it to potlucks at work and would need to make a quadruple recipe and it would still be gone in 15-30 minutes.  I actually got the idea from Pinterest to make it into a baked pasta dish.  WHY have I not thought of this before?? Unbelievable.... Anywho, I had the ingredients to make the dip and didn't make it for something that I had planned so guess what was on the menu this week for dinner?  Yep!  You guessed it!  And if by chance you were wanting the dip recipe, all you need to do is omit the chicken and the pasta from the recipe and make your own bad-ass-perpetually-requested dip.  I do HIGHLY recommend using the frozen artichoke hearts and here's why....the canned version are usually in a brine with an acid of some kind and it affects the flavor of the dish.  Even thoroughly washing it doesn't take everything away. The frozen artichoke hearts might be the most difficult thing to find for this dish but I promise it is WELL worth the hunt.  Enjoy!

Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel or the reduced fat version)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip...the real thing)
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed (I always end up adding more)
• 1 small box of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, drained, and chopped
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 large cooked chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 a box of Penne pasta

Preheat oven to 350F.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to directions until al dente. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl.  Mix well.  Press garlic into bowl and add artichokes, spinach, parmesan cheese, green onions, black pepper, and red bell pepper into bowl.  Mix well.  Add chopped cooked chicken breast to mixture.  Once pasta is done, combine spinach artichoke mixture with drained pasta. Gently toss to combine until all pasta is evenly distributed.  Place in a casserole dish that was greased with non-stick spray.  Place, uncovered, in oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

The BEST Italian Creme Cake

So this isn't the best looking picture in the world, but it's one I took with my iPhone at work before the cake was all gone!  I made this cake as a 13x9 cake for the pure and simple fact that I was taking it to work for a coworker (who is reducing her schedule to one day a week :( ) and I wanted there to be enough to share for a small special team.  Traditionally, I would make this as a 2-layer cake.  It is certainly prettier in presentation when I do that.  I haven't made this cake in years and it was about time to bring it out as a special treat.  Of course, it helped that it's my coworker's favorite cake!  This cake has been compared to other Italian Creme Cakes and always came out on top.  Italians have been creating fabulous rich egg cakes composed of nuts and sweet, sealed with creamy dairy fillings from ancient times forward.  Italian Creme Cake, as we Americans know it today, descends from this culinary tradition. While no one claims to have invented this particular cake, food historians generally agree Italian Creme Cakes are related to Renaissance-era Trifles.  This recipe has been passed down for many generations in my family.  I received it from my grandmother, of French and Italian ancestry, and it was one of her signature desserts.  I learned a lot of my baking from her.  It's interesting to follow how this recipe got to my maternal aunt from my paternal grandmother, especially when they never had any interaction!  Just goes to show how delicious this cake is.  Please take the time to create the frosting by hand-beating.  It really does make a difference, not to mention puts more love into it. :)  My husband had the wonderful task of creating the frosting this time and I must say, I think it's the best I've ever tasted.  You may want to double the frosting recipe, especially if doing a multi-layer cake.  You MUST use cake flour for this recipe.  It really does make a difference.  You can find it in a red box in the baking aisle.  And don't scoff at the buttermilk.  It really makes the cake nice and moist.  I have found it to be the secret behind moist cakes and quick breads.  I otherwise hate buttermilk and will only have it around if I'm baking with it.  For more variety, try this as miniature loaves, or cupcakes, or individual Bundt cakes.  The possibilities are endless with cakes!  Enjoy!

The BEST Italian Creme Cake

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 7oz can of sweetened coconut (or half of a 14 oz bag)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and Crisco.  Add sugar and egg yolks, beating well.  Add baking soda to buttermilk, and mix alternately with flour and salt to creamed sugar mixture.  Beat slowly.  Add vanilla.  Add coconut and pecans, then fold in beaten egg whites that are whipped to stiff peaks.  Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until done.

Frosting

• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and cream cheese together by hand, making sure to fully mix the two.  Slowly add the powdered sugar in batches, mixing thoroughly.  Once all the powdered sugar is mixed, add the vanilla and pecans.  Spread on the cake as desired.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Mmmmm mmmmmm!  That's about all I have to say about that.... I always like trying new things, especially in the kitchen.  I love those cream-cheese-stuffed-jalapeños but most of my family does not.  They can't quite handle the same amount of heat that I like every once in a while.  Enter in this dip.  It provides all of the flavors of a typical jalapeño popper without all the intense heat.  Although you could make it as hot as you want by substituting the type of pepper used or by just using a larger quantity of peppers.  Again, this is another recipe that provides a base for lots of different ideas and uses of creativity. For example, next time, I'm gonna add some bacon =P For dinner tonight, I'm using the leftover dip to crown some cooked chicken breasts for some Jalapeño Popper Chicken!  For the rest of my family, this dip was loved by all.  Not too hot, as the peppers are cooled down by the cream cheese and mayonnaise.  And don't let the cream cheese and mayonnaise scare you if you're on a diet - use low-fat or fat free varieties and it will taste just fine.  The Ritz crackers? I used reduced fat as well and you can't even tell :) This dip was inspired by different versions I found online.  This recipe can be doubled easily for a bigger crowd, or appetite, if so desired.  Enjoy!

Jalapeño Popper Dip

• 1 (8 oz) package, cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green chilies
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, chopped (or more if a hotter dip is desired)
• 2 Tablespoons jalapeño juice (from the jar or can they came in)

     Topping

• 1/2 cup Panko crumbs (Japanese style bread crumbs)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 stick butter, melted

In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients with the exception of the topping ingredients, and mix with a handheld mixer or in a large stand mixer.  Place in a greased casserole dish that is at least 1 quart in size.  In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients well.  Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the top of the dip. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 20 minutes.  You want the top to be golden brown and the dip to be heated through and bubbly on the edges.

Be careful not to overcook this dish as the mayonnaise may separate.  Serve with buttery crackers, such as Ritz, or a sliced baguette.