Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
24 candy pumpkins (optional)

Directions
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cake; garnish with candy pumpkins. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Yield: 24 serving

Cajun Chicken Pasta

*Picture by the Pioneer Woman*
I got this recipe off of www.thepioneerwoman.com and made it tonight and it was seriously sooooo good! My husband had thirds! It says it takes about 30 minutes to make, but it took me between 45 minutes and an hour. Well worth it though. We have tons of leftovers too.

Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine (I just used more chicken broth)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a big heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Short Ribs

I got this recipe off of the Campbell's website and then I changed a few things.

1. 6 serving sized pieces beef short ribs (about 3 pounds) I think you could add a few more.
2. 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3. 3 cloves garlic minced
4. 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves crushed (I used about half that with ground thyme)
5. 1/4 cup all purpose flour
6. 1 can campbells condensed french onion soup
7. 1 bottle (12 fluid ounces) dark ale, I used coke

I added 1 can campbells cream mushroom soup

Place the brown sugar, garlic, thyme and flour at the bottom of a 5 quart slow cooker mix ingredients and then add the short ribs and toss to coat them.

Stir the onion soup and coke in a bowl and mix then add cream mushroom soup and mix and pour over ribs in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. or on high for 4- 5 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

It made the best gravy for the potaotes and my family couldn't get enough of it. Also the meat was really tender. Very Yummy!!!!

Rich Chocolate Frosting

(courtesy of Amy Via from Allrecipes.com)

1 cup butter (no substitutions), softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I prefer Hershey's)
1/2 cup milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & vanilla. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Gradually beat in powdered sugar & cocoa to the creamed butter. Add enough milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Don't add the milk before you get all the powdered sugar and cocoa in the mix...it will make the frosting runny. I frosted a 9 inch- 2 layer cake in the middle and the outside and there was some to spare. This is so good!

Chicken Salad

(Courtesy of Paula Deen)

2 Tbs. Lemon juice
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 1/2 cups finely diced cooked chicken (about 2 breasts)
2 stalks finely diced celery
3 green onions sliced thin

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, mayo, salt & pepper. Toss with the chicken, celery, and onions. Serve on bread or croissant rolls.

Paula Deen's original recipe calls for 1/3 cup slivered almonds and no onions. I really like the onions and think it needs them. I also wasn't sure about the lemon juice, but I think it's what makes the recipe better (than others I have tried) and it doesn't have a lemon taste at all. I cooked the chicken in the slow cooker with water, salt & pepper for a few hours until it would shred easily. I Love this chicken salad!

French Toast Casserole (this is made the night before)

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)

Butter, for pan

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows



Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.



In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.



The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with syrup or strawberry sauce.



Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter



1 cup packed light brown sugar



1 cup chopped pecans



2 tablespoons light corn syrup



1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon



1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg



Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.