Pumpkin Cheesecake (AKA Halloween Cheesecake)

I had to call this Halloween Cheesecake because I knew if I called it "Pumpkin Cheesecake" that no one would eat it. In fact, the child who helped me make this and knew I put pumpkin in it picked the chocolate out and refused to eat the rest of the cheesecake. Punk. Anyway, this was an easy way to get a serving of veggie in the kiddos.

Ingredients for crust
1 cup oats
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
water to add if needed

For Cheesecake:
1 can pureed pumpkin (I think it is a 15 oz can, whatever size can is closest to that)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (more if you want)
1 8 oz block of cream cheese (I prefer the 1/3 less fast kind)
1 can condensed milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon flour

For topping:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients for crust and press into a greased 8 by 8 pan (or 9 by 9 pan). Mix pumpkin and cream cheese together. Mix flour and chocolate chips and set in fridge (the flour makes it so the CC's don't melt into one big layer). Add condensed milk, eggs, powdered sugar (you need to taste it to make sure it is sweet enough), pumpkin pie spice (add more if you want). Mix in choc chips. Pour into pie crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until it is set in the middle. Let cake cool completely. Melts choc chips and butter together and spread or drizzle on top of cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is what it looked like when my punk helper ate hers and just picked out the chocolate. Oh well, I tried.

Dear Lord...I Thank Thee...That Today Is Over

Need a laugh? Read the following. It's kind of long, but it will make you laugh, especially if you know my 4 year old, David.

Seriously, this was my prayer on Sunday. It was one of those Sundays. You know, the ones that happen where you think, "Is this seriously what I signed up for???" Every Sunday I get 6 kids and myself ready and on time to church because my husband has an early meeting (with the exception of the daylights saving Sunday when we forgot to set our clocks ahead, and I had to speak in church and was REALLY late.) Anyway, my Sunday started off like this...

Joe was upset because he still couldn't tie his tie right, he's 10. His Dad promised him $5 if he comes to church with his tie tied, and he does it himself. Mom has done it the past 3 weeks, at least I have learned how to tie a tie, while nursing a baby.

Joe showed us all that he had mad gas in the car, I couldn't wait until church.

After the music started David climbed over the bench to sit with the family in front of us, Sam crawled under the bench to sit with them.

During the sacrament (which is supposed to be THE most reverent part of the meeting) Joe passed an SBD, VERY DEADLY. Then the baby tooted so incredibly loud, filled her pants and Joe announced to everyone that it was definitely not him that did that.

Then it was time for the primary presentation - a meeting where all of the little children go up and get to say a part and sing the songs we have been learning in primary this year. I tried bribing David, told him I would pay him $1 if he says his part and sits nicely. He knew his part really well.

Well, apparently the dollar wasn't enough. He ran up and climbed under the sacrament table and refused to come out. When I got him out he started punching and kicking me. As I am carrying him out (in front of the whole congregation) he starts yelling, "No, mom, don't put soap in my mouth, don't spank me, don't buckle me in Abby's seat!!!" So, yes, my kids get punished when they misbehave, now it is out. As I carried him on my hip to the hallway he yells, "mom, your hurting my wiener." Apparently my hip is bigger than I though it was.

I wrestled him into the van, buckled him in Abby's car seat then closed and locked the door. I went back into the church for a minute to see if he had missed his part. All of a sudden I heard "BEEP!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!!" Hmmm, wonder whose car that was? I got to the car and he is laughing because he some how managed to open the door, and set off the alarm. That is when the tears came... from me, we have a "discussion" (which included threats that Santa is going to give me any presents - I was DESPERATE) and David realized he needed to behave, and we went back into the chapel and he was really good for the rest of the program.

Then primary comes. Dad helped with him for awhile and then David went to class. I peaked into his room and he was wrestling on the floor with another kid, no shoes, so I took him out and went to put him back in the van again, planning on just sitting out there with him and cry. I turned my back and he was gone. He ran all the way to the other side of the building where the kids in nursery were blowing bubbles. At this point I picked him up and took him to his Dad............... where he gets popcorn. REALLY??? I guess it kept him quiet.

By the time I got out to the van after church, David not only had lost his shoes, but also had taken off his shirt and run around the parking lot.

That was just church, at home it wasn't much better. A big piece of "My Favorite Awesome Chocolate Cake - Ever" (click here for the recipe - sooooooo good) was in the fridge to comfort me, so that helped. At the end of the day I was thankful that I had not injured him, and that we were both alive. I gave thanks for the Savior, our home, the food we have to eat, and...THAT THE DAY WAS FINALLY OVER. I slept really well last night. And, we will be back next week.

Sneaky Veggie Loaded Leftovers Shepherd's Pie, Italian Style (I think)

Why is it called "Shepherd's Pie"? This picture does not do this dish justice. Anyway...this has been a "Whatever Is In My Fridge" week. I am trying to stay away from the store this week and just use what I have. This turned out really well and was SOOOOOOO easy to make because I used left over roast and instant potatoes. There was only a little bit left at the end of the night, ahhhhhh, success. (And there are a lot of veggies in it, shhhhhhhhhhh, don't tell my kids.)

Ingredients:
Left over roast (I had at least 1 pound of left over pork roast, maybe more like 2 pounds), shredded
1 red pepper (optional)
1 onion (optional)
1/2 bag spinach, chopped
1 14 oz can of Italian flavored tomatoes, pureed
1 small can of tomato paste
2 pouches of instant potatoes, made according to directions on box
mozzarella cheese, shredded parmesan cheese would be good too.

Preheat oven to 350. Make potatoes according to package directions. In a pot heat up roast, add pureed tomatoes and tomato paste. Chop and saute onion and red pepper (I drizzle the veggies with olive oil and roast them in the oven at 400 for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once. I just really like the flavor it gives to the veggies.) Add to meat (I pureed the veggies so that they are not picked out of the meal). Add to meat, add spinach. Heat through. Add salt and pepper if needed. In 9 by 13 pan spread potatoes. Then top with meat mixture. Top with cheese. Heat in oven until heated through and cheese melts (I think mine was in for 25 to 30 minutes.) Enjoy this meal on a cold day, I love comfort food that is actually good for you too.

My Favorite Awesome Chocolate Cake - Ever.

So, I have to admit that this is a combo of 2 recipes, with a twist of Kristen thrown in. Because I want to try to make everything on "the Pioneer Woman Cooks" website, I made "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever", and it was really, really good and gone in a number of minutes. But, I prefer a thicker cake, loaded with chocolate chips. Then I remembered a recipe that my friend, Leca gave me for "Awesome Chocolate Cake" - which lives up to it's name. So, wanting a taste of both of them and preferring butter cream icing to fudgy icing I came up with this combo for "My Favorite Awesome Chocolate Cake - Ever". The "my" not claiming the recipe - just that it is the chocolate cake that I LOVE!!! Just a warning DO NOT USE A BUNDT CAKE PAN FOR THIS CAKE. (I tried and it collapsed, but we ate it anyway). I made it this weekend (in a 9 by 13 pan, cake didn't collapse) for a family get together and it was a hit. It is now gone and I am trying to invent a reason to make this cake again really soon.

Ingredients for the cake:

• 2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 package of chocolate instant pudding
  
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa (I actually measured this out and it was about 3/4 cup cocoa last time I made it.)So, I would estimate it is really between 2/3 to 3/4 cup.
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• 1 cup of vanilla yogurt or sour cream
  
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 to 2 cups of chocolate chips (I prefer 2 cups semi sweet or milk choc.)
  

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

• 2 sticks Butter, softened.
  
• 5 to 6 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, depending on how chocolaty you want it)
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 3 to 4 cups Powdered Sugar (I have to taste it after 3 cups, just to make sure it is sweet enough).
  

Preparation Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pudding mix, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together. Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds. Stir it so that it cools a little bit and won't fry the eggs when you add them.

In a measuring cup, measure yogurt and add beaten eggs, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into a greased 9 by 13 pan (DO NOT USE A BUNDT CAKE PAN, THE CAKE WILL COLLAPSE. IT WILL BE VERY TASTY AND YOUR FAMILY WILL LOVE YOUR MISTAKE, BUT IT WILL BE VERY UGLY.) Bake at 350-degrees for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While cake is baking, make the icing. Whip butter with whipping attachment for mixer, or use regular paddle. If using whipping attachment it is fluffier. Whip in cocoa. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whip until well mixed. Ice over cooled cake and make sure that all children are outside so that you can enjoy scraping the bowl yourself.

I put our cake in the fridge so that the icing would not melt. This was really awesome and I don't even have a picture for you because the cake is gone. Sorry.

What does nonixylocspx spell, Mom???

LYJMNOBFUAP

I have a daughter in Kindergarten who is dying to learn how to read. She wants to do everything her siblings are doing. She "reads" books that she has memorized out loud and does not like being corrected when she skips some words. Recently she has decided that any group of letters that she writes together is a word or a story. She will often write things and then ask me what word it is. When I sound it out she tells me that is not what it says and then tells me what she wants it to say. It is like filling out one of those security words online when you want to leave a comment on the website. I sat down and made a "sounds book" with her today so that she can start putting the sounds together. She is a trip, I know I will miss these days when they are gone - or so I am told anyway.

Asian Salad with Sesame Noodles

This is my new favorite salad. The picture does not do it justice. It is a combo of two recipes from "The Pioneer Woman Cooks". She is my inspiration for dinner lately. She has got some amazing recipes, and I love trying new things. I sometimes have to improvise because I don't always have everything the recipes call for. But, they turn out great anyway. Explore her website, you will need some kind of water proof protector for you keyboard to keep drool from getting on it. Her pictures will make you salivate!!

One night I made the Sesame Noodles pictured here. Click here to get her recipe. I added left over pork roast, a red onion, and a red pepper. I didn't have the rice wine vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar instead.

Then I made her salad, Ginger Steak Salad, without the steak. A hint, I make this a lot. I just keep a big hunk of ginger in my freezer and then grate what I need, and keep the rest of later.

I added the noodles to the salad and Viola, it was really, really good. I added cucumbers, tomatoes, and yellow and red peppers. Add some left over grilled chicken and you are good to go. Did I say it was really good?