Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups pumpkin puree or cooked mashed pumpkin
• cream cheese frosting, below
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Directions for pumpkin cake
Combine sugar, applesauce, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into oil mixture, beating well. Stir in pumpkin puree.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 13X9-inch  cake pans. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool. Frost pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl; beat well until smooth.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk (I have also used 1% and it turns out fine)
¾ cup granulated sugar
pinch salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk to combine the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.

3.Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. (I have skipped this step before and still had good results)

4. Turn on the Cuisinart® ice cream maker; pour the mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

*The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Servings
Makes about 5 cups (ten ½-cup servings)
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Nutritional information per serving (based on ½ cup): Calories 222 (73% from fat) • carb. 13g • pro. 2g • fat 18g • sat. fat 11g • chol. 69mg • sod. 45mg • calc. 61mg • fiber 0g

Ingredients

3 cups fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed and sliced
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 cup sugar, divided
1-1/4 cups whole milk
2-3/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours.

2. Strain the berries, reserving juices. Mash or purée half the berries.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and remaining granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the heavy cream, reserved strawberry juice, mashed strawberries, and vanilla.

5.Turn the machine on; pour the mixture into freezer bowl, and let mix until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the reserved sliced strawberries and let mix in completely.

*The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Servings
Makes about fourteen 1/2-cup servings
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories 275 (58% from fat) · carb. 28g · pro. 2g · fat 18g · sat. fat 11g · chol. 67mg · sod. 29mg · calc. 64mg · fiber 1g

Yum! Topped with Vanilla Ice-cream

Chocolate Banana Cake

Ingredients

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Grease 13×9 cake pan or 2 9 inch round pans
3. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder.
4. In a large bowl mix the butter and sugar then add the applesauce, eggs, vanilla, and bananas.
5. Then alternate between adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk
6. Bake for 35-40 mins for 13×9 pan (25-30 mins for round pans). Let cool for about 10-15 mins before removing from pans to finish cooling.

Peanut Butter Chocolate frosting

Ingredients

1/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup  milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In medium bowl, combine butter and peanut butter and beat well.
2. Add cocoa powder and 1 cup of the powdered sugar; beat until fluffy.
3.Gradually add remaining powdered sugar and milk alternately until desired consistency is reached.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Frost your cake

*Also I am pretty sure it would be delicious to add chocolate chips to this cake and I plan I adding about a cup of chocolate chips the next time I make this.

Ingredients

4 cups Rolled Oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or flax seeds
1/4 cup oat flour (you can make your own by putting some oats in the blender)
1/2 cup honey, maple syrup, or a thick syrup made with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2-3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla and/or other extract
3/4 cup craisins or other dried fruit (optional)
1/2 cup almonds, walnuts, or other nuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together except for the dried fruit. Set the dried fruit aside.
3. In another bowl mix the sweetener, oil, and extract together.
4. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The liquids will be absorbed and the granola will become darker and shinier.
5. Spread the granola in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and stir the granola with a large spatula so that it does not over-brown on the bottom and edges. Add the optional fruit and nuts.
6.Return the granola to the oven and bake for an additional 12 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet. Letting the granola cool on the baking sheet will retain the clumps. Once the granola has cooled, scrape it into a large bowl.

Tips

*Granola will become crispier and crunchier as it cools.
*Because of the oil, granola will not stay fresh long. Store in an airtight container and use within two weeks. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or any combo of grains you choose)
3/4 cup oat flour (just put 3/4 cup oats in a blender to make oat flour)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax-seed meal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans/ walnuts/ or almonds (optional)
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
2. In a bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oat flour, wheat germ, flax-seed meal, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, yogurt, sugar, honey, and vanilla.
4. Mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture.
5. Fold in the zucchini, carrots, pecans, and raisins.
6.Scoop into the prepared muffin cups. Then bake 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

As you can see my kids devoured these within minutes of them coming out of the oven

*Also I haven’t tried it but I think these muffins would be delicious with a cream cheese frosting.

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa (or regular baking cocoa)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2-3/4 cup almond butter, or nut butter of your choice
1 egg
1 splash vanilla
1 cup rye flour (I think I may have used a mix of rye, barley , and all purpose but I bet it would be delicious either way)
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugars. Add nut butter and mix well.
3. Add egg and vanilla (make sure all butter lumps are gone before you add the egg, once that slippery stuff is in there, there’s no going back) and beat well.
4. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well, making sure there are no baking soda clumps.
5. Add oats and chocolate chips last, just stirring until mixed.
6.Drop onto cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes at 350. Makes about 24.

Ingredients
3 ripe bananas, well mashed
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups of flour (I usually try to use either all whole wheat or at least a combo)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit and grease a loaf pan
2. Then mix the bananas and the eggs in a large bowl.
3. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda
4. Pour batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour

*I will sometimes add a little cinnamon or some chocolate chips to this recipe for extra flavor. I love to eat it warm with butter. Yummy! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 large white potatoes, peeled, chopped and cooked
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped and cooked
• 1 (8 ounce)box/tub Cream Cheese (or neufchatel cheese) Spread
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 cup All natural Sour Cream, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup Shredded or 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup Shredded White Cheddar Cheese, divided