Niki's Neverending Adventure

I made some yummy things today that I wanted to share with ya’ll! First up is Pumpkin Bites! I got this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats last week and it is divine!! I have been super into baking ANYTHING pumpkin and I think these little bites take the cake so far!! Here’s the recipe…

 

Pumpkin Bites

3 cups plus 2 TBSP all-purpose flour

1tsp salt

1tsp baking soda

1tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 TBSP cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup canola oil

3 cups pumpkin puree (2 smaller cans)

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and powder, and spices. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk sugars, canola oil and melted butter. Add pumpkin and combine thoroughly. Add eggs and vanilla, whisk until combined. Pour flour mixture into wet ingredients and slowly whisk until combined. Do not over mix.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Place entire mixing bowl in refrigerator to chill for 20 mins. Use mini ice cream scooper to make 1 inch circles onto prepared sheets. Bake 10-12 mins. Once cool, fill centers with cream cheese icing.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, room temp.

8 oz cream cheese, room temp.

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

Dash of salt

Beat cream cheese, butter, and cinnamon until lump free and smooth. Gradually add sugar until well combined. Add vanilla and mix just until incorporated.

Fill zip lock bag with frosting, snip one corner, and pipe onto cookies.

Sandwich them together and enjoy!!

Ya’ll, these are so delish! And this frosting is to die for! You must make these!!

I also made a really yummy, easy dinner tonight! I grilled one sweet turkey sausage on the George Forman grill, baked some sweet potato fries, and sautéed some spinach, garlic, and red pepper flakes! Yum! I’ve never eaten spinach like that and it’s super good!!

This dinner was great for just throwing something together!!

I didn’t do any running today. My right IT band is really bothering me so I decided I needed a day of rest. It’s super tight and really painful to just stretch. I will be back to running tomorrow but am still planning to take it a little easy. I did some strength training and stretching today. I also got out in the beautiful weather and took Sadie for a walk! Love days like this!

My Anatomy test is over, thank goodness, and I don’t have anymore tests this week so I get a little break from studying! I am excited for tomorrow because I am getting my hair done! I am getting a trim and it highlighted. I am so bad about keeping up with highlighting my hair because it gets so naturally blonde in the summer and I don’t need it done! So, it’s been well over six months since I had my hair trimmed or highlighted! Yikes! Just glad I’m naturally blonde so you can’t see my roots! Haha. I just want it to be a bit brighter since it’s  almost winter and will be getting duller and a tad darker. And then after my hair appt. I am going to lunch with a good friend who is also planning her wedding so we have lots to talk about! Hope ya’ll have a good rest of the night!!

Posted in: on Monday, November 2, 2009 at at 9:43 PM