Easy Mini Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with a Crumb Topping

Nothing says fall like pumpkin, right?  I LOVE these muffins!  I especially love to eat them for breakfast...which is totally justifiable because pumpkin is such a fantastic health food!  It's high in vitamin A, carotene, potassium, magnesium, fiber, folate, and even omegas (in the seed oil).  This is a quick and super-easy take on a Weight Watchers muffin recipe - with a little something sweet added on top.  Enjoy them with or without the crumb topping, but let's be honest... who doesn't like a lil' sugar coating?  Happy fall y'all!
Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xo,

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with a Crumb Topping

Adapted from:  Spark - Weight Watchers recipe

Printable recipe

Makes 24 mini muffins

Muffins:

1 box of Spice Cake Mix

1 15 oz. can of 100% pumpkin

3/4 c. water

walnuts, raisins

Topping:

1/3 c. brown sugar

2. tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. of melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Combine the cake mix with water, and pumpkin until smooth.  Then, add the desired amount of raisins and walnuts.

2.  Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray and pour the batter into the muffin tin.

3.  Prepare topping by mixing all of the ingredients until there is a uniform mixture. 

4.  Sprinkle the topping on batter in the muffin tins.

5.  Bake for 16-18 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy! 

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Thanks for reading, loves! xo

November Improv Cooking Challenge: Creamy Chicken, Pumpkin, and Pepper Jack Enchiladas

I love a good challenge.  I'm so excited to take part in the Improv Cooking Challenge!  We were given two amazing fall ingredients for November:  pumpkin and cream cheese.  Love.  As I thought about the great potential that these two ingredients bring to the table, I decided to give myself an additional challenge... no recipes.  So, as much as I adore a sinfully sweet treat, not having a recipe at hand makes baking a "no go" for me!  So, as I was recalling some of my favorite creamy dishes - chicken enchiladas came to mind...add pumpkin?  Why not?!  As I've said before - I love to "hide" vegetables in dishes - such a smart idea!

These enchiladas are rich, creamy, spicy, savory, and most of all ... delicious!  We were excited (because I knew it could be a total flop - sans recipe).  They were even husband approved (and he's a tough critic)!  He made my night when he said, 'These taste like they could be on a menu somewhere!"  Awww.  Enjoy - we did!  Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xoxo,

Creamy Chicken, Pumpkin, and Pepper Jack Enchiladas

By:  Little Mommy

Ingredients:

All purpose seasoning

Adobo seasoning

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 package of boneless, skinless, chicken tenderloins

1/3 of a medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

1/3 package of 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese

3/4 c. pumpkin

1/4 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. diced tomatoes (or 1/2 c. Rotel)

1/2 can of green chilies (optional)

3/4 c. - 1/2 c. shredded peppeer jack cheese

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

6 flour tortillas

1.  Rinse, trim, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

2.  Place the chicken in a saute pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Sprinkle  the chicken with all-purpose seasoning, Adobo seasoning, and parsley.  Cook thoroughly and set aside.  

Chicken cooling (before chopping into smaller pieces)

When cooled, chop into smaller pieces (consistency of shredded chicken).  

 3.  In a sauce pot, saute minced onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil until tender, add garlic (I grated it into the pot using microplane grater) and cook for 1 minute longer. 

4.  Add in cream cheese, pumpkin, and pepper jack.  Stir until all cheeses are melted. 

5.  Add in chicken stock, tomatoes (or Rotel), chilies, chicken, and all spices.  Stir thoroughly. 

6.  Heat 6 flour tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds.  (This makes them easier to work with - they won't break.)

7.  Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

7.  Divide mixture equally between 6 tortillas, place the mixture inside each tortilla, wrap up the tortillas, and place the enchiladas into the baking dish.

8.  Top with more shredded pepper jack.  

Bake on 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

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Enjoy!

Shredded Barbecue Chicken with Pumpkin Pepper Jack Grits

Wondering what to do with all of those cans of pumpkin you bought when you finally found them at the store?? You have to make this dish.  Really.  This recipe caught my eye about a year ago - I had never seen pumpkin with grits.  I love pumpkin and all of the health benefits and I rarely say "no" to barbecue chicken, so I was game for this recipe.  However, I'm definitely not a connoisseur of grits - I was born in Pennsylvania and my parents were born and raised there too - grits are not familiar territory.  This recipe was actually my first experience with grits and they are so yummy!  So, it's official, after 20-some years in the south, I am finally a "southerner".
I also love the fact that this recipe is a healthy alternative to a familiar dish.  Instead of the popular cheddar cheese grits with BBQ chicken (dark meat, on the bone) - it uses pumpkin to flavor the grits, a little bit of pepper jack, and lean chicken breast.  It is unbelievably flavorful - spicy, savory, and sweet.  Don't skimp on the toppings - the green onion, cheese, and tomato (says my husband since he's the tomato-eater) really take the dish to another level.
Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xo,

Shredded Barbecue Chicken with Pumpkin Pepper Jack Grits
Recipe:  Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking" Magazine

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and rinsed

1 c. chicken stock 

1 c. of your favorite BBQ sauce (We use Sweet Baby Ray's Original)

1/4 c. molasses (excellent source of calcium!)

1 tbsp. ancho chili powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 c. chicken stock

1 c. quick-cooking grits

1 c. canned pumpkin

3/4 c. shredded pepper jack cheese

chopped green onion

seeded and chopped tomato

extra shredded pepper jack

sour cream

Preparing the chicken:

1.  Mix 1 c. chicken stock, BBQ sauce, molasses, cinnamon, and chili powder in a skillet.  Add chicken, cover, and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.

2.  Take the chicken out and shred it with a fork, return it to the skillet and keep the mixture on low.

Preparing the grits:

1.  Boil 4 c. chicken stock.

2.  Add grits and pumpkin.  Stir until mixture reaches appropriate thickness (about 5 minutes).

3.  Add shredded cheese and stir.

Place grits in a bowl, top with chicken and any desired toppings!

Thanks for reading, loves! xo