Butterscotch Banana Bread

Have this yummy bread as part of your THANKSGIVING brunch! This is now my new favorite BANANA bread recipe. I'm always making the stuff, but I love trying different VARIATIONS. Of the hundreds of banana BREAD recipes I've tried (OK, maybe dozens?), this seriously tops my list!

Butterscotch Banana Bread
(from sixsistersstuff.com)

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Stir in all the remaining ingredients (except butterscotch chips) until mostly smooth. Stir in the chips. Pour into a greased 9 x 5-inch bread pan and bake for 55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

TIP: My husband loves chocolate chips in his banana bread and asked me to do a mixture of the butterscotch and chocolate chip next time. I think it sounds like a good idea, but I'll probably do 1/2 cup of each.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

I was looking for an easy FALL dessert, and this recipe caught my eye. It was not only easy, but luxurious and RICH. Definitely a keeper! Check out the TIP to see how you can make it even more LUXURIOUS.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies 
(recipe from mommysavers.com)

1 box brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
Ingredients called for on box
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8- or 9-inch square pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions, but stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread about 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan; set aside.

In a bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients until smooth. (I like to beat the cream cheese first, and then add the remaining ingredients.) Spread over the top of the brownie batter in pan, then dollop remaining brownie batter over top. Swirl with a butter knife. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Let cool completely and store in the refrigerator. Cut into squares and serve.

TIP: You could leave the cinnamon out of the brownie mix and it will still be delish. Also, I debated sprinkling those caramel bits you can now buy at the grocery store over top. Will somebody try it and let me know? Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies sounds unreal! :)

Cranberry Rice Pilaf for Thanksgiving

Maybe your family prefers rice for THANKSGIVING. Mine doesn't, but that doesn't mean this wouldn't be a FABULOUS addition to your holiday table if your FAMILY wants it! (Sorry, but we are totally traditional mashed potato people!). Either way, this is simple, FESTIVE, and definitely yum.

Cranberry Rice Pilaf
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1/3 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 cup salted pepitas (small pumpkin seeds often found by "salad" toppers at grocery stores)
1/2 cup Craisins, roughly chopped

In a large pot, sauté the uncooked rice an onion in butter until onion is tender and rice is nicely toasted, maybe 5 or so minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn heat to low and cover with a lid; cook for 15 minutes or until rice is fluffy and liquid is gone. Fluff with a fork and then stir in the pepitas and craisins. Let warm through and then serve.

TIP: Feel free to add more onion, pepitas, and Craisins. I always say the more, the merrier!

10 Yummy Thanksgiving Pies

Every year I want to make about TEN different pies, but usually only end up making two or three. I have a hard TIME deciding which ones I want most, and there always has to be a traditional PUMPKIN in the mix. But we like all SORTS, so here are the links to some of my family's FAVORITE pies for Thanksgiving! (And for the FEW of you who actually look at my blog, make sure to keep checking because in the next few weeks I will post our favorite CHERRY pie, which is phenomenal!)

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

                           

Pretty Apple Pie

                           

Oreo Fudge Pie

                           

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

                           

Coconut Cream Cheese Pie

                           And here are a few more that I would LOVE to try:

French Silk Pie from Gimme Some Oven

Carrot Cake Cheesecake from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

                         

Rocky Road No-Bake Cheesecake from Kraft

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie from Key Ingredient

Sour Cream Lime Tart from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Savory Baked Pumpkin Seeds

We love SALTY snacks, and these savory seeds are so EASY to make we just can't pass them up. After our Halloween PUMPKINS are cleaned out, we clean the seeds from inside them and BAKE. It's super yummy!

Savory Baked Pumpkin Seeds

About 2 cups cleaned fresh pumpkin seeds

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Season salt

Garlic salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir the pumpkin seeds with the oil and sprinkle with the season salt and garlic salt. Spread on a lined or lightly greased baking sheet and sprinkle more seasoning over top. Bake for 20 minutes, stir seeds and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until toasty and brown. 

TIP: Explore with different seasonings, I'm sure they will all taste good! I've even seen cinnamon-sugar seeds, though I'd replace the olive oil with some butter. :)