Howdy Santa

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas!!! Up first is my son's room, done in a cowboy theme. The denim curtains I purchased at Target and added a red cowboy print on the inside edges. I made a patchwork quilt and two pillows out of the same fabric. During the Christmas holidays two years ago when I was very pregnant, my husband and daughter painted the room a primitive mustard and the little dresser and an old pine bookcase I had in a wonderful red. His little tree is outfitted with cowboy ornaments...all of them at clearance price last year from Peebles. The little red lantern I found at Target along with the denim rag rug. I have had the little blue chair and the dresser for years and never really knew what to do with it. I think the good Lord had a plan for them all along!!

Plum Cake

I first tried this cake at a school luncheon. A friend that baked it said it was made from baby food plums. My first thought was "no way am I going to eat that". I did try it and much to my surprise it was wonderful. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!!
Here's the recipe:




2 cups of self rising flour
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 jars baby food plums
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in a bundt cake pan at 350 for
1 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cake is cooled

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!!! The "wildman" is at daycare so this morning no one was under foot and I was feeling quite domestic so I thought I would do some pre-Thanksgiving baking. I found this recipe online for pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese filling. They were scrumptious!!! The recipe called for a streusel topping which I did for the first batch and decided to leave it off for the second batch. I prefer no topping. The recipe makes 18 muffins. Here goes:

Filling

8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Muffins

2 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

3 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons soft butter

2-3 tablespoons chopped nuts

Preparation:

line muffin pan with paper baking cups or grease and flour the muffin pan

heat oven to 375

Filling: in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth and put aside.

Muffins:

*In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 and 2/3 cups of flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Add eggs, pumpkin, oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until blended.

Topping:

*In a small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, butter and nuts. Work together with fork.

*Fill muffin cups about 1/3 full with the muffin batter, then put about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Top with 1 more tablespoon of the pumpkin batter or until the cups are about 3/4 full. Sprinkle muffins with streusal topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm.