Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

Have you ever bought pumpkin pie mix thinking that you were getting pure pumpkin? Yep, that's me. But with a mish-mash of a couple of recipes, I found a way to use it. The would be perfect for breakfast since it's not too sweet.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins

One 8-oz package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup quick oats
1 Tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 cup flour (I used half each of regular and whole wheat)
1 cup quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup Libby's pumpkin pie mix
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line twelve muffin cups with paper baking cups, or spray bottoms with cooking spray.

For Cream Cheese filling:
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg white and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Set aside.

For Streusel topping:
Sift together 1/4 cup oats, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice. Add 1 Tbsp melted butter and mix gently with a fork.

For pumpkin mixture:
Sift together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, spices, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine pumpkin pie mix, milk, oil, and egg in a medium bowl; blend well. Add the dry ingredients all at once, stirring only until moistened; do not over-mix.

Fill muffin cup 1/3 full with pumpkin mixture, then a dollop of cream cheese filling, and another scoop of pumpkin on top. Sprinkle a small spoonfull of streusel topping; patting gently. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

I've gone B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Well, I'm tired of banana bread. You can only make SO much of it, ya know? So, I found a new way to use up my browning 'nanas and, OH MAN, it is GOOD!

Here's the recipe I found at Week of Menus. I used Hershey's cocoa powder and a mix of both mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and regular white chocolate chips (which I measured by eye so I probably put more in than what the recipe calls for!). Enjoy this warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it's heavenly!

Chocolate Banana Cake

(from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle)
Makes one 9 X 5 inch loaf or a 9 inch round (serves 8-10)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of 9 X 5 inch loaf pan or 9 inch round pan.

Sift together flour, coca powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using paddle attachment beat butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar and beat at high until well blended, about 2 minutes. At medium speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix at low speed until blended. Add the flour mixture at low speed in three additions, alternating it with the sour cream in two additions. Remove bowl from the mixer stand and stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrap batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.

Bake cake for 55 to 65 minutes (loaf pan) or 45 to 50 minutes (round pan), until a cake tester into the center comes out clean (except for any melted chocolate.)
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Unmold cake onto the rack, turn right side up and cool completely.

Blueberry Bread

As you may (or may not) know, I really enjoy baking. I mean, seriously. In fact, I think I like the baking part more than the actual eating part. Unless it's chocolatey.... Then I'll be licking the bowl before I wash it! (Lindsay, yes, I did what you think I did with the leftover frosting from the cake I made you this weekend!)

Anyways, I love trying new recipes too. Here's a new one for Blueberry Bread that I found on Buns In My Oven. I used the blueberries I had frozen over the summer. It's not too sweet so it would make a really good breakfast bread.

Blueberry Bread

• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom of two 8 or 9 inch loaf pans.

In the bowl of your mixer, add sugar, milk, applesauce, oil, and eggs. Mix well. Mix in the remaining ingredients except for the blueberries and mix until combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Pour in the loaf pans and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

If you want it to look pretty with the oats on the top, sprinkle it on before you bake it. Most of it will stick, and you can just gently shake off what doesn't.