German Chocolate Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake

1 (18.25 oz) box German chocolate cake mix
1 cup butter, melted and divided
1 large egg
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 teas. vanilla extract
1 (16 oz) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter, and egg. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add remaining melted butter, beating at low speed until combined. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour over cake mix layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 minutes (the center should remain slightly gooey). Remove from oven; let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Note: The last time we made this recipe, we left the pecans out (because a dear friend is allergic to nuts) and just used the entire bag of coconut.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

Since we seem to be on a pumpkin kick this month, here is another one for the pumpkin cook-a-thon! I've had lots of different types of pumpkin bread before but this one looked yummy because it is actually made with cream cheese. Interesting right?? It's a Paula Deen recipe.

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3/4 cup chopped pecans (definitely optional)
3/4 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:- Beat cream cheese and butter until well mixed.
- Add sugar then eggs one at a time.
- In separate bowl, mix flour, powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Incorporate into cream cheese mixture slowly.
- Stir in pumpkin and optionals.
- Spread into two greased loaf pans.
- Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Tips:
Due to my nut allergy of course I left out the nuts-- also not a big fan of raisins. So, I made one loaf plain and I added 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips to the other. YUM!! Chocolate goes with everything right?? Very moist bread!

Pumpkin Muffins

These Pumpkin Muffins are very easy to make and very tasty.

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.

Combine pumpkin and next 6 ingredients (pumpkin through egg white); add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1 Tbsp granulated sugar and brown sugar; sprinkle over muffins.

Bake for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in the center. Remove from pans immediately; cool on wire rack.

Yield: 18 servings

Notes from Kitchen of Reality:
-I use my 1.5 oz ice cream scoop to measure the batter and ensure equally sized muffins. I made 21 this way.
-I doubled the topping to give the tops extra crunch. The way it is written now, the sugar melts into the top and doesn't give it any crunch.

Easy Pumpkin Ice Cream

Here is a recipe I adapted to make some yummy pumpkin ice cream. It's very simple and delicious! I'd recommend crushing some graham crackers or gingersnaps (I don't like them but if you do I'm sure they'd be delicious) to add even more goodness. I also read it goes well with apple pie.

Here's how I made it:

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cups brown sugar
at least 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (you could make your own using cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)

Mix ingredients together well with a mixer or blender. Put in your ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Makes 2 quarts.

It's best right out of the ice cream freezer and is so creamy! Just another excuse to use pumpkin during pumpkin season!