Pumpkin Spice Fluff

Ingredients:
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 16 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:
Mix together (with an electric mix) the first 4 ingredients. Add the spices. Fold in the Cool Whip with a spatula. Chill a few hours. Serve with cookies or fruit.

Apples to Apples

It's hard to tell one apple from another if you aren't an apple connoisseur. But thanks to theitchn.com, you can use this guide to find the tastiest and best baking apples! 

Braeburn Apples
You can recognize tart, lightly sweet Braeburn apples by their streaky, red and orange exteriors, which may have undertones of yellow and green. In addition to snacking, these apples are great in baked goods like apple pie.

Cameo Apples
Crisp, juicy Cameo apples are orange- and yellow-hued, with some red streaks. If you like your fruit sweet with a tart finish, these are the apples for you. Snack on these straight or use them for cooking.

Cortland Apples
Short and stocky, medium- to large-sized Cortland apples are sweet and tart, with very crisp skin. They tend to be red or orange with green undertones, especially near their stem.

Empire Apples
Empire apples are often easiest to identify by their bright, bold red color. These apples have a crisp, juicy texture and sweet-tart flavors.

Fuji Apples
Widely available at farm stands, supermarkets, and beyond, Fuji apples are very sweet and have round, red exteriors with yellow highlights. They’re good for cooking, too — try them your next batch of applesauce.

Gala Apples
Taller and slimmer than many other apples, with red and orange colors, Gala apples are firm and sweet, with a pleasant crunch.

Golden Delicious
Some people find the flavors of Golden Delicious apples similar to Galas: sweet and crisp. They’re also very aromatic and sturdy, making them great for eating out of hand or baking into an elegant apple tart.

 

Granny Smith
You can spot Granny Smith apples by their bright green color. They’re crisp, tart and widely available. Granny Smith are also good for baking, and an ideal candidate for a classic tarte tatin.

Honeycrisp
With a name like Honeycrisp, it comes as no surprise these apples are sweet and juicy with a tart, balanced bite. They’re very round, light red apples, often with yellow undertones.

Jonagold
Among the larger apples you’ll find at the market, Jonagold are usually green and yellow with occasional red accents. They’re very sweet and crisp, and can also be cooked. 

McIntosh
Not meant for cooking, but definitely great for eating, crisp McIntosh apples are halfway between sweet and tart. They’re smaller and softer than other apple types, with red and green skin.

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place chopped apples in a bowl. Sprinkle apples with sugar and cinnamon and let sit an hour. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples evenly over crumb mixture and top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 T butter, melted
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 T cinnamon
  • 2/3 cups nuts (optional)

 

Glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 T milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

 

Directions:

With an electric mixer or stand-up mixer, mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in 4 T melted butter. Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix the 2 sticks of softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts until well combined. Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoon and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center. Place powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.