My favorite pumpkin recipe is also one of the quickest and easiest I have found. I came across this recipe in my trusty Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, and tweaked it a little for my tastes. I can whip up a batch of my Pumpkin Bars in a few minutes (without a mixer!) bake, and have warm and delicious fragrant bars for dessert or with afternoon tea. It is so light and fluffy and the frosting is so creamy that it can even pass for birthday cake! It is hard to beat, and a favorite of many, especially topped with smooth cream cheese frosting.... MOREDo-it-yourself Healthy Trail Mix
I call it trail mix, some know it as gorp, and my coworker likes to refer to it as my bird seed. Whatever you call it, a mix of fruits, nuts, seeds and other goodies is a great healthy snack that will fill you up and keep you going between meals.The Best FrostingsPre-packaged trail mixes that you find in the store can be expensive, with so much sugar, salt, and preservatives that it defeats the purpose of a healthy snack. Fortunately, it is easy and economical to make your own trail mix.
I make big batches in a plastic storage tote that I store in my cupboard. I fill little snack sized baggies or small plastic containers with the mix and throw them in lunches or in backpacks or purses for snack emergencies. They are great on the weekend, eat a handful before you go into the grocery store, you will save more money by not shopping on an empty stomach! I also bring it on car rides, train rides, camping, hiking, and anywhere there is a chance of someone getting hungry....MORE
The best cake icing is homemade, you can taste the difference. Good icing can save a mediocre cake or make a good cake spectacular. My favorite icings are not too sweet, and depending on the cake, light and fluffy or smooth and creamy. Here are directions for easy recipes for each. Both recipes cover a 9x13" cake.This first recipe was the first icing I ever made, I learned it from my mother. It is still a favorite for its versatility and airy texture.
Cream cheese frosting is great on almost any cake, and for topping carrot cake, pumpkin cake, or other spice cakes it can't be beat... MORE