Kathleen Siegle

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Pumpkin Bars

November 12, 2014

Lovely moist pumpkin bars with gooey and buttery chocolate chip pecan pie filling baked right on top. I’ve taken my two favorite flavors this fall and married them in these Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Pumpkin Bars.

Let’s get real for a moment. I’m going to rewind to about September when I posted this monstrosity. I was so excited for those blondie-brownie-pie-bar-things. Maybe I was a little over ambitious with three massive layers of brownie, pumpkin blondie, oh…and chocolate chip pecan pie filling. The first mistake I made was trying to fit it all in a 9×9 pan, so in the recipe I noted as an option to maybe half the blondie portion. I wrote it like I was baking with the lazy and sugar high segment of my crazy little brain. Nevertheless, I still posted it to my blog because I thought it turned out yummy. Also I thought, “Who the heck even knows my blog exists?”.

One evening while checking my email for goodies (a.k.a. nice little comments), I came across this:

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Chocolate Toffee Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

November 9, 2014

Miniature whoopie pies stuffed with fluffy pumpkin butter cream frosting and dipped in buttery chocolate walnut English Toffee. These Chocolate Toffee Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are perfect this Thanksgiving!

If you’ve had a Whoopie Pie then you know two things. They’re super yummy and they’re usually super huge. Huge and yummy together are a recipe for something perfect, but Thanksgiving is coming and I need to leave room for Sweet Potato Casserole. Like this and this. Seriously, just forget the turkey. Hand me a massive bowl and a wooden spoon and I’m a happy little pilgrim.

I wanted to make some Whoopie Pies that wouldn’t be overkill but still a perfect little treat after the big feast. I used a tiny cookie scoop for these to keep them “miniature” and they were the perfect size. Keeping with the Thanksgiving theme and all that is pumpkin, I used my favorite pumpkin butter cream frosting. The chopped buttery English toffee adds a little hint of indulgence.

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Biscoff Apple Spice Cake Cheesecake

November 6, 2014

Apple spice cake with Biscoff Cookie Butter mixed right into the batter then swirled with cinnamon and nutmeg spiced cheesecake. Cinnamon whipped cream with chopped walnuts and Biscoff Cookies finish this Biscoff Apple Spice Cake Cheesecake.

I’ve known about Biscoff Cookie Butter for a long time. I think I knew about it the moment I could finally chew solids. Even then I liked to stay informed on all things sweet and diabetic coma worthy. Those things are important! I just never baked with it until I started this blog.

It has rocked my world.

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Halloween Candy Cheesecake Bars

November 3, 2014

Cheesecake bars dripping with salted caramel and littered with Butterfingers, Rees’es Peanut Butter Cups, Rees’es Pieces, Snickers, and Oreos. Put that Halloween candy to use in these Halloween Candy Cheesecake Bars!

I love nothing more than taking my son Oliver Trick or Treating. Seeing his eyes light up with every drop in his bucket, and hearing him proudly exclaim “I’m a clone trooper!” to every neighbor. It makes my heart smile. But with that fun filled night comes loads and loads of candy I end up hiding from his greedy little hands. Not so fun.

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Chocolate English Toffee Cupcakes

November 1, 2014

German chocolate cupcakes frosted with both chocolate cream cheese and salted caramel buttercream frosting. These Chocolate English Toffee Cupcakes are the ultimate salty and sweet treat.

October has been such a blur. I remember thinking about how little the kids were last Halloween. Last year, Jovi was still a newborn in a stroller while we chased a three year old Oliver around to each house on the street. We had to repeat, “Remember to say Thank you!” after each stop. Tonight though, Mr. four year old Oliver had it down perfectly. “Trick or Treat!” and promptly, “Thank you!” would follow. That’s my little guy.

Although he’s growing so fast, he still does little things that let me know his innocence in still intact. For instance, one afternoon a ridiculously sexualized commercial for a fast food restaurant was on the television. It was a young lady eating a rather large cheeseburger in a super sensual way. There’s my son, Oliver right in front of the T.V. (with his nose two inches from the screen), large eyes and mouth wide open. He turns to my husband right after the commercial, and says, “Daddy…” . I think “Dear God, here it comes…”, but he finishes by saying,

“That’s a big sandwich!”

I just wonder how long that innocence will last.

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Star Wars Sarlacc Bundt Cake

October 27, 2014

Buttery caramel flavored moist bundt cake drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce and dusted with Biscoff Cookie Crumbles. Two Biscoff madeleines with salted caramel buttercream teeth make the monster of this Star Wars Sarlacc Bundt Cake.

I have a little confession about my family. We’re a bunch of geeks. Geeks to the core. I’m a Disney fanatic sprinkled with a little Harry Potter and drizzled heavily with I Love Lucy. My husband is a Trekkie who’s obsessed with Star Wars all while being a loyal Battle Star Galactica fan. But geeks are awesome. So while October comes to a close, this Star Wars Sarlacc Bundt Cake is for you geeks!

So for all you non-geeks, a Sarlacc is a horrific plant-like omnivorous creature found across the galaxy. It’s got huge tentacles and a beak and was in the famous pit scene from Return of the Jedi. This is where Bobba Fett met his maker. This thing gave me the heebie jeebies the first time I saw Return of the Jedi, so this is my little tribute to him. I know the Sarlacc traditionally does not have teeth on his beak, but I just couldn’t resist. Teeth made of frosting is my new favorite thing.

Would this trigger PTSD for Luke? Maybe…But I could totally hear him say,

“But I don’t remember the Sarlacc ever having teeth…”

And all the Star Wars trolls nod and clap in agreement. Hey guys, just think of this Sarlacc as the suped up version with CGI teeth. I know, CGI is a sore subject. Either way, this guy is super delicious. You should make him now. Teeth or no teeth.

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