Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Muffins

Who loves the mini doughnuts that are sold at fairs?  I do, I do!!!

Because of their crunchy cinnamon and sugar topping, these muffins remind me so much of mini doughnuts.  They were so simple and quick to make.  Plus, I had all of the ingredients on hand and didn't have to buy anything out of the ordinary in order to make them!

Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Muffins


Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup oil or melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk


1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
2.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, egg, and milk.
4.  Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Pour batter into muffin cups.  Bake for 22-24 minutes or until muffins are golden.
5.  Combine sugar and cinnamon for topping.  When muffins are done, immediately remove from the pans, dip in the melted butter, and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.


Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Smoked Cheddar Bacon Mac

So warm.  So comforting.  So delicious.  So perfect.

Smoked Cheddar Bacon Mac

Ingredients:

2 cups orrechiette or shell pasta

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk instead and it worked just as well)

1-2 cups grated smoked cheddar cheese

1/4 pound applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

a pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

2.  In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk butter and flour.  Add half of cream and half of chicken stock.  Add half of cheese, stirring continuously.  Alternately add more cream, chicken stock, and cheese until desired consistency is reached.  Continue to heat and stir.  Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

3.  Layer pasta and half of bacon in a casserole dish.  Top with cheese sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the bacon and bread crumbs.

4.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Sourece:  How Sweet It Is

Beer Dip

I like drinking beer, but I LOVE baking and cooking with beer!  I repeat, I LOVE it...in all capital letters.  First I discovered these savory beer pork chops, then I discovered this amazing beer bread, and later I stumbled upon this delicious beer and cheddar risotto.  

Oh, but it didn't stop there!  My sister found the recipe for an addicting beer dip when we were celebrating my grandpa's birthday in beer-themed fashion.  It is to die for!  I made it again for my birthday and proceeded to eat most of it myself.  

Beer Dip

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup beer

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

pretzels

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.  

2.  Add beer and salad dressing mix and beat until smooth.

3.  Stir in shredded cheddar.

4.  Serve with pretzels and refrigerate leftovers.

Source: Taste of Home

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Have I mentioned how much I adore cheesecake?  It is my favorite dessert by far.  I've tried a few different recipes since I bought a springform pan a couple of years ago.  Some have been giant flops, and others have turned out beautifully.  This White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake is the shining star of my cheesecake triumphs.  It was so delicious the first time I made it that I had to make it again!  

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies)

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, melted and cooled

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped almonds

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1.  Combine gingersnap crumbs and 1/4 cup melted butter.  Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan.

2.  Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat on low speed until combined.    Stir in white chocolate.

3.  Combine pumpkin and spices.  Carefully fold into cream cheese mixture.  Pour mixture over crust.  

4.  Place pan on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until center is just set.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then run a knife around edge of pan.  Cool 1 hour longer.  Refrigerate overnight.

5.  To make almond topping, combine chopped almonds, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Stir twice while baking, making sure almonds do not burn.  Cool.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until serving cheesecake.

Source: Taste of Home Best Holiday Recipes 2009

Tomato-Basil Grilled Cheese

I don't eat grilled cheese often, but I found this idea in a Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine and gave it a try.  It was SO yummy.  I think I've eaten at least eight of them in the last two months.  The hint of fresh basil makes all the difference!

Look at those beautiful grill marks from my new George Foreman!

Tomato-Basil Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

2 slices bread

2 slices mozzarella cheese

1/2 small tomato, sliced

3-4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Butter

Directions:

1.  Butter each slice of bread on one side.  This side will be the outside of the sandwich.

2.  Layer one slice of mozzarella and tomato on non-buttered side of one slice of bread.  Sprinkle with chopped basil.  Top with second slice of mozzarella followed by second slice of bread.

3.  Grill sandwich in a skillet over medium-low heat, flipping when bread is golden brown and cheese is beginning to melt.  Continue to grill until second side is golden brown and cheese is completely melted.

Source:  idea from Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious

Roasted Apples

Can you believe that I didn't like apples for many, many years?!  Crazy, right?  I think I always associated apples with Red Delicious apples...and those are gross.  Thankfully, I discovered some tastier varieties a few years ago.  

Roasted apples are perfect for fall!  They're warm, sweet, and cinnamon-y.  They pair perfectly with ice cream, whipped cream, oatmeal, or yogurt.  They make your house smell heavenly as they're baking.  They are super easy to make and very inexpensive.  What more could you want?

Roasted Apples

Ingredients:

4 apples (Fuji works well!)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Peel and core apples.  Cut into large chunks.  Spread in 9" by 13" baking pan lined with foil.

3.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over apples.  Drizzle vanilla over apples.  Dot with cold butter.

4.  Bake for about 30-40 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Source:  Adapted from Not Without Salt

Where there's smoke, there's fire...or not...

Well, that was a first.  I set off the fire alarms in my apartment last night while cooking.  Whoops.  

I was making these delicious sweet potato fries for about the 5th time in the last month (they're THAT good), and I left them in a bit too long.  The super skinny ones got a little burnt, and the moment I pulled them out of the oven, the alarms started screaming.  So, my friend and I quickly grabbed some towels to fan the smoke detectors, and I whipped the windows open.  The screaming finally stopped, and then we enjoyed our delicious fries...with the windows still open, just in case.

As I was lying in bed, half awake, this morning, I could hear the fire alarms in a nearby apartment going off.  Somebody must have burnt their Sunday breakfast.  What a relief to know I'm not the only one who does it!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Rinse and dry sweet potatoes.  Cut into thin strips.  Place into a large bowl.

2.  Drizzle vegetable oil over sweet potatoes.  Sprinkle with spices.  Toss to coat.

3.  Lay the potatoes on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly crispy, turning once during baking. 

Source:  Gimme Some Oven