Paula Deen Pumpkin Butter Cake

Fall means apples and pumpkins and hopefully cooler temperatures and colored leaves.  Well we have apples and pumpkins this year to look forward too.  This pumpkin butter cake is just like having a piece of pumpkin pie, especially if you put whipped cream on top.  It is very easy to make and you might think about having it at Thanksgiving if you need more than just a single pie. 

Sorry for the picture being so dark.  Flash and everything but it is just too dark. 

It has all the good things that a pumpkin pie has.

Start with one stick of butter.

Melt it and let it cool a little bit.

Add in one box yellow cake mix.

1 egg.  Stir well.

Press in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Yes I used the same bowl.  No need to mess up more.  Add 8 oz softened cream cheese.

1 15 oz can of pumpkin, mix well.

Add three eggs, mix well

Melt one stick of butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cloves.  All these spices smell so good

3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar.  Add a little at a time or you will have powdered sugar all over your kitchen.

Mix well.

Pour on top of the crust.  Place in a preheated 350 oven.  Bake for 40-50 minutes.  You do not want to over bake.  The middle will still be a little jiggly.

Serve with some whipped cream if you like.

Paula Deen Pumpkin Butter Cake Recipe

crust
1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick melted butter
filling
8 oz softened cream cheese
15 oz can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 stick melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Bake in preheated 350 oven for 40-50 minutes.

Texas State Fair

No I haven't been to the Texas State Fair, but this post is in honor of the Red River Rivalry, try saying that three times.  For those that might not be familiar with the RRR it is the college football game between Texas and Oklahoma.  Now I don't have a dog in that fight but think that it is really cool that they play the game at the Texas State Fair. And if you go to the Fair you know there will be Fair foods.  That is what I am sharing with you today.  The joke is that they can deep fry anything.  I even remember hearing they fried butter a couple of years ago.  I haven't tried that but I have tried a few other things that are fun to try at home.

Fried Dill Pickles

Fried Snickers Bar

Homemade Corn Dogs

Fried Oreos

Red Lobster Biscuit Sausage Balls

Yes I have found another sausage ball recipe.  Just when you think they can't get any better or that there could be a variation of the recipe. This recipe probably isn't for everyone, but if you like the Red Lobster biscuits then you are going to like this one. 

They cook up to the prettiest color. 

Looks like a typical sausage ball recipe.

Start with the RL biscuit mix, including the seasoning packet included.  If you want to make a lot for the freezer or a party Sam's sells big boxes of the biscuit mix.

Add 1 pound of hot sausage to the mix.  You can use regular sausage if you like.

Add about 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

Now this is where I changed the recipe a little bit.  The recipe calls for pepper jack cheese.  I thought with the hot sausage that might get too spicy.  So I used 8 oz of monterey jack cheese. Use what you like.

I let my mixer do all the work and mix all the ingredients together well.  Then make them into balls.  I placed mine on a baking sheet and froze them.  After they were frozen I placed them in a labeled zip lock bag.

But I had to bake some to try.  Place in a preheated 350 oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Red Lobster Biscuit Sausage Ball Recipe

1 box of Red Lobster biscuit mix
1 lb hot sausage
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
8 ox pepper jack or monterey jack cheese or whatever you like

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Sweet Tea Brine Smoked Chicken Wings

This recipe came from the Southern Living Tailgating Recipes book.  What is more football food than wings. We put these wings on smoker but you could put them on the grill using indirect heat.  I have a great recipe for hot wings but I think I like these maybe a little better.  One thing is for sure they are not as messy. 

Don't these look good, all nice and smoky.  They are so easy to make too. 

All you need is a little sweet tea, salt and some time.  I made my sweet tea but you could buy it remade if you like.

Start with 1/2 cup water

Add 5 Tablespoons of kosher salt to the water. I didn't use a full 5 T because I ran out.  I think they turned out fine with less.

Stir well.  Place on the stove and boil, stirring until the salt has dissolved.

Place the chicken wings in a zip lock bag.

Pour 4 cups sweet tea into the bag.

Take the water off the stove.  Let cool for a few minutes.

Pour into the chicken bag.

Shake the bag a couple of times to mix the water into the tea.

I put the bag in a bowl before I put it in the fridge so that the wings would stay covered.  Let them chill for 8 hours or overnight.  I put mine in the fridge before bedtime.

When you are ready to smoke them pull them out of the brine.  Dry the wings.  Then place them on a rack so they don't touch.  Place on the grill or smoker set at about 250 degrees.  Cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Maintain the 250 degrees inside.  Then for about the last 5 minutes place over direct heat.

Remove from the smoker.  You can make a white sauce to go with the wings if you like.  We didn't but I might next time.  A white sauce might be good with them.

Sweet Tea Brine Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

4 cups sweet tea
1/2 cup water
5 Tablespoons kosher salt
4 lbs chicken wings

Smoke/grill at 250 degrees.  Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Antipasto Squares

Every year during football season I look for new recipes for our gamed Saturdays.  I found this recipe  back in the spring and I put it aside for fall.  This was the weekend for it.  This recipe made the rounds of Facebook for a while.  If you see it again be sure and save it and try it.

These are the perfect little sandwich squares.  If you are taking them to a party they could be cut in smaller squares.

If you can find the crescent rolls that are in the sheet get those.  It makes it easier than having to make sure all the dotted lines are pinched together.  I found the rolls of the sheet kind at Walmart.

Unroll one tube of the dough.  Place it in the sprayed bottom of a pan.  You need a 9x13 or so pan.  This is a 9x15 jelly roll pan.  It worked really well.

Add a layer of thinly sliced deli ham.

Then a layer of pepperoni.  I had this sliced in the deli but you could use the small pieces too.

Add a layer of provolone cheese

Mozzarella cheese.

The recipe calls for a 16 oz jar of sliced pepperoncini.  I did not use any where near the entire jar.  Add as many or as few as you like.  I might try it sometime with sauted peppers and onions too.

Unroll the second tube.  Place on top of the sandwich.

Brush the top with some olive oil.  I used the good stuff that a dear friend brought back from Italy.

Sprinkle the top with some oregano.

Then sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Place in a preheated 350 oven.  Bake for about 35 minutes.  Watch it to see if it starts to get too brown.

This was after about 20 minutes.

So I lightly covered with foil.

Take out of the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes or so.

Then cut and enjoy.

Antipasto Squares Recipe
2 tubes crescent dough
1/2 lb deli ham
1/4 lb pepperoni
sliced provolone
sliced mozzarella
sliced pepperoncini
olive oil
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
dried oregano

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 35 minutes.