It's Birthday Week Y'all

As I mentioned yesterday, the beginning of this week is rather hectic for me. It's all good. Just lots of lines to memorize and then promptly execute.

I felt a little thrown off yesterday because it was damn warm. I didn't grow up with a real fall. I grew up in Texas and moved to Southern California shortly after high school so fall was not part of my vocab. HOWEVER, my body needs the change. It needs the cooler weather, the leaves changing, the crisp smell in the air. I need the weather to change and inspire me to make changes.

Cheesy. Yes. True. Also yes.

This week is also pretty exciting because it's my birthday week. This Thursday I get older. Pretty exciting that I've made it another year.

I read this post on Habitually Chic recently and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy in inside. This quote also made me proud to be an October baby:

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October." - Nathaniel Hawthorne


Ah, wouldn't it be grand to be sitting right there all day reading a book? Oh well. Let the day begin and let me be oh so happy about it. After I finish my coffee. And eat something. And take a shower. And memorize some lines. And pay some bills. And well...you get the idea.

(P.S. Blogger is once again the stupidest thing ever. It won't let me NOT type in italics right now. Even if I type this elsewhere and paste it, it switches it to italics. I HATE BLOGGER. I even went into Edit HTML and took out the part that is making it italic. IT'S STILL FREAKIN' ITALIC.)

Pumpkins and More Pumpkins!

There is pumpkin everywhere.

There was pumpkin in my last post.

I'm getting excited because it's the time of year for a Molly tradition: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake.

It's like the best pumpkin pie you'll ever have. In fact, if you don't like pumpkin pie you'll like this. I promise. I know people who can vouch for that statement.

Here's Paula's famous recipe:

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

recipe courtesy of paula deen.

This is best the next morning, fresh out of the refridgerator with a giant cup of coffee and whipped cream stirred together. Just sayin...

Texas, My Texas

It's no secret that I'm a Texan and proud of it. Texas is amazing. If you've never been, you're losing out.

I'm SUPER homesick right now. The last time I was able to go home was May. I won't be going home until December. That is an eternity to me.

One of my dearest friends was married around Halloween a few years ago. I spent the day after her wedding carving pumpkins with her and her husband. Guess what I carved:


No, not the smiley face. The Texas. My lopsided little Texas.

Texas I miss you! My heart is with you always.

That's all.

Pumpkins or Apples?

Sweets! Because it's a SWEET Saturday!

I found a delicious sounding recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes:


Ingredients

Makes 18

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Thank you Martha.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to use a regular cream cheese icing or this yummy maple sounding icing, thank you Ina.

Now that I'm home and making an ingredient list I'm suddenly feeling guilty. Apples are still in season. I should probably make something with yummy tasty delicious apples. They don't always taste this good. But apple cupcakes don't sound as appetizing you know? I could make an apple pie...hmmm...wait a sec....

AHHHH!

I'll let you know what I decide.