Chocolate & Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Another awesome recipe that uses pumpkin puree! And the best part? These are perfect for your halloween party too.

If you have never had 'Whoopie Pies' before, they are an awesome dessert that sandwiches icing (in this case pumpkin icing) between two fluffy cookies that are made from a batter very similar to cake batter.

You can also add some extra excitement by rolling the edges in sprinkles or small candies!

This recipe is originally from marthastewart.com, and the original link can be found here. This recipe makes about 20 whoopie pies :)

Chocolate and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

• For the cookies:
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soft butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• For the pumpkin filling:
• 1 ounces of cream cheese (half a pack) at room temperature
• 1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and cover your cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt
3. In a second bowl, beat together the butter (or margarine), shortening, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy
4. Add the egg to the sugar mixture, and mix well
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well
6. Add the milk and vanilla, then the rest of the flour mixture and stir until completely mixed
7. Drop about 2 to 3 tsp of batter at a time onto the baking sheets.  I fit 8 cookies on each sheet and they didn't expand into each other :)
8. Bake for 7 - 12 minutes (depending on their size), or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cookie
9. Let cool completely before icing
10. To make the icing, beat together the cream cheese, butter (or margarine), and icing sugar.  When smooth, add the pumpkin and spices and continue to mix until smooth and fluffy
11. To make a whoopie pie: Place a layer of icing on the bottom of one cookie, and then cover with a second cookie
12. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

Keeping in theme with my current obsession with pumpkin recipes (like the delicious pumpkin cupcakes and the wonderful pumpkin cream cheese muffins), I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.  It had more than 3700 reviews, and still maintained it's 5-star rating! 


This recipe makes two pumpkin loaves, and is absolutely delicious.  The only modification I made was to substitute the oil with margarine and apple sauce.

A bonus is that this recipe freezes really well, if the second loaf even makes it to the freezer!


Pumpkin Bread

• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease & flour two loaf pans
2. Mix together the pumpkin, eggs, applesauce, margarine, water and sugar 
3. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix well
5. Pour half into each pan, and level the batter with a spatula or spoon
6. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick (or skewer) comes out clean when inserted into the center of a loaf
7. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, then the loaves should easily come out of the pans
8. Enjoy!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is originally from skinnytaste.com, so despite the creamy, cheesy, deliciousness that it is, this is actually a fairly healthy choice! win-win!


I will admit that I threw in extra cheese, and some bacon as well, but when does bacon not make a meal better?


If you don't like spinach, you can throw any type of vegetable in with this: broccoli, peas, mushrooms, or leave the vegetable out all together.

Here it is ready to go in the oven! I threw the leftover grated cheese on top, you can't let cheese go to waste.

And here it is right out of the oven, nice and golden!


The original recipe can be found here.  I halved it because the original recipe would have made way to many leftovers.


Baked Macaroni and Cheese

• 6 oz fiber macaroni
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (depends on how cheesy you like it)
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 6 slices cooked bacon, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs (I use Panko bread crumbs)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook your pasta as per the directions on the package, drain and set aside
2. Preheat the oven to 375 and spray your baking dish with cooking spray
3. In a large pan, melt the butter
4. Add the flour and whisk it into the butter
5. Add the onion, and cook for about 2 minutes
6. Pour in the milk and the chicken broth, then continue mixing until it is smooth and has thickened
7. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper while mixing
8. Remove the pan from the element, and then stir in the cheese
9. Continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted, and the mixture is smooth 
10. Pour over the macaroni and add the spinach and bacon 
11. Mix thoroughly, and then pour into the prepared baking dish
12. Top with breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and any leftover shredded cheese
13. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden
14. Enjoy!

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

Here is a hearty soup that will warm you up and satisfy even the hungriest tummy!  Since the ravioli cooks right with the soup, this is an extremely quick and delicious supper.


I fond this recipe on the eatingwell.com website, they have a ton of delicious and healthy recipes that I cannot wait to try.


I used whole wheat ravioli filled with cheese and spinach, yum! You can really use any type of ravioli, or tortellini if that is what you have in your house.

When served with some bread or a bun, this makes a wonderful meal!


Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups of chopped bell peppers & onions (I used a frozen bell pepper and onion mix from Safeway!)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (796 ml)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups of chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp basil 
• 1 small package of ravioli (ie: not the family sized packs)
• 2 cups diced zucchini 
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large sauce pan or pot, heat the oil and then add the peppers, onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper
2. Cook for a couple minutes until vegetables start to soften
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, water and basil
4. Bring the soup to a boil
5. Add the ravioli and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often
6. Then add the diced zucchini, and continue cooking until the ravioli is cooked and the zucchini is crisp-tender (about 5 more minutes)
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper
8. Serve with some delicious bread
9. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese center, delicious! These make such an amazing breakfast, I have been looking forward to them every morning. 


These muffins have a recipe for the filling, but since I had a bowl of cream cheese icing in the fridge already, I figured I would give that a shot.  It seemed like such a good idea! What I discovered after pulling the muffins out of the oven is that while cream cheese icing is delicious on top of cupcakes and cakes, it isn't exactly prime for the baking process. And now I know! 

So I would definitely recommend giving the filling that the recipe suggests a try, the cream cheese icing that I used just bubbled right out of the muffins! About half of it soaked into the muffins, which in turn did make a delicious center, but the rest made a nice mess of my pans.

You can also put a streusel topping on them, which is in the original recipe, but we preferred them without it.  I have included the topping in this recipe so you have the option when you make them. Trust me, you will thank me if you make them. They are that good.


The original recipe is from allrecipes.com, and can be found here.  Please make them soon! :)


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

• Cream Cheese Filling
• 1 package (250 g) cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• Streusel Topping
• 4 1/2 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• Muffin Recipe
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups canned pureed pumpkin (or one 398 ml can)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F, and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners
2. Beat the cream cheese, then add the egg, vanilla and brown sugar.  Continue beating until smooth, then set aside for later
3. If using the streusel topping: In a second bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and rolled oats.  Then mix in the butter with a fork until crumbly.  Set aside with the cream cheese filling.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. 
5. In a medium bowl add the pureed pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla, mixing well
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix together until the batter is smooth
7. Divide half of the batter between the 18 muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon in each)
8. Add 1 tsp of cream cheese frosting on top of the batter, and then cover with the remaining batter
9. Sprinkle with the streusel topping (if using) pressing it into the batter
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes
11. Enjoy!