Autumn Spice Pumpkin Soup

This turned out a bit thicker than I like my soups, but it was still great. However, it had so many yummy spices that I added chicken chunks to it and poured it over rice as more of an Indian dish. I love my Indian food!!!

2 small cans pumpkin

2 T. olive oil

1 c. onion, diced

3 T. minced fresh ginger

24 oz chicken broth

4 T. apple juice concentrate

1 tart apple, diced

4 T. maple syrup

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. ground thyme

1 T. cinnamon

2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. pure vanilla

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 c. cream (I generally just use milk)

Saute onion and ginger in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients except cream and simmer for about 1 hour. (Remove bay leaves unless you like pokey pieces in your food.) Use either an immersion blender or pour soup into blender and puree with cream. Serve warm over rice with cooked chicken chucks or as a soup. OR eat it as soup one day and use the leftovers with the rice the next day!! 2 for 1 meals!!

Fudgesicles=pudding pops

Super Easy and Kids Love Them!!
Do you remember pudding pops??? I do, and I loved them. Now they're in my freezer.


I even mixed half banana pudding and half chocolate pudding in the same cup--delightful!

Pudding pops or Fudgesicles

1 pkg. pudding
1 1/2 c. milk
2 c. cool whip

Dixie cups
popsicle sticks

Mix ingredients. Pour into Dixie cups. Insert popsicle sticks. Freeze. Wait until frozen. (This is the hardest part.)

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best chocolate cake I've ever made.

I'm not a huge fan of cake, but this was definitely one of the best cakes I've eaten. It probably helped there were 2 toppings on it.


Kate's Chocolate Cake from Allrecipes.com

• 1 (18.25 ounce) packagedevil's food cake mix
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 cup Melt® Organic Buttery Spread, melted

• 5 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream, melted Melt®, eggs and almond extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Satiny Chocolate Glaze

3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

3 T. butter

1 T. light corn syrup

1/4 t. vanilla

In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.


 Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Nesquik Chocolate Whip Topping

1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 t. vanilla
1 T. confectioners' sugar
3 T. powdered Nesquik

Combine ingredients and beat until peaks form.