Halloween/Fall Link Party

We are at it again this year!

We think everyone could use a few new recipes and crafts for Halloween and Fall this year so we are having our second annual Halloween/Fall Link Party.

It will run from Tuesday October 28th for two weeks until Tuesday November 11th and be linked on all three blogs so please make sure to stop by again and again to share and see what is new.

Crafts, Cakes, and Cats        Michelle's Tasty Creations     MorningNooNight

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Here's what your hostesses have been up to lately.....

Cutest Doc Around ~ Crafts, Cakes, and Cats

Baked Apple Cider Donuts ~ MorningNooNight

Pumpkindoodles ~ Michelle's Tasty Creations

Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Michelle's Tasty Creations

Crock Pot Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs ~ Crafts, Cakes, and Cats

Caramel Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies ~ MorningNooNight

Frankenstein Cupcakes ~ Crafts, Cakes, and Cats

Monster Eye Cookies ~ MorningNooNight

Pumpkin Maple Coffee Cake ~ Michelle's Tasty Creations

~ Now let's see what you've been up to ~

~A few things to remember~

Please only link up Halloween/Fall recipes, crafts, DIY, tutorials, printables, etc that YOU have created.

Please don't link up any Etsy shops, giveaways, or other link parties.

By linking to this party you give us permission to share your post on our blogs and other social media.

Please share this party by linking back to us in your post or by adding this party to your party page.

Be sure to stop by and visit a few of the other blogs that have posted; we all love to see sweet comments.

An InLinkz Link-up

Caramel Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies

Oh my gosh y'all,.. I lurve stuffed cookies.

Like this recipe, or maybe this one.... 

But, I honestly think this one is my favorite so far! It combines soft gingery cookies with a gooey caramel center.

It takes plain old gingerbread men to the next level. Plus, it's soft and stuffed with caramel, totally not Christmas related. Make these year 'round...

For the Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 1/2 cups plus 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

24-26 packaged caramels

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until combined. Add in the molasses until its completely incorporated. Add in the eggs, one at at time, making sure to scrape the sides as you go. Mix in the vanilla and spices until combined. Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Unwrap your caramels.

When the dough has chilled, take about 1 Tablespoon in your hand and roll it into a ball, flatten slightly. Place a caramel in the center of the dough and top with another flattened Tablespoon of dough.

Seal the edges and roll into a ball, place on prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Continue with dough, I fit about 8-10 cookies per sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until puffy and the edges are lightly golden.

Allow to cool slightly before consuming. The caramel hardens when it cools so these cookies are best the day they are made but if you heat them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds they are absolutely perfect... Soft, spicy dough paired with gooey caramel... Does it get any better than that?

*recipe adapted from fabtasticeats.com

Cheesy Garlic Chips

Growing up in Northern California we had one of the best pizza restaurants They brewed their own beer, had an arcade with pool tables, and had the best cheesy garlic pizza they cut into "chips".

The crust was thin, the cheese was gooey, and it was loaded with thick chunks of garlic... Ugh, I can taste it.

Now it's easily at my fingertips with this recipe. It doesn't taste exactly like the one from my childhood but it comes pretty close. Between the huz and the kids, this pizza was gone before I could blink...

For the Pizza:
Pizza dough
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.
Roll out pizza to a 12 inch circle.
In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter and garlic. Spread all over the top of the dough.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella.

Carefully slide dough on to the preheated pizza stone and bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until bubbly and browned.
Remove, let cool (enough not to burn your mouth), slice and enjoy!
These are amazing served with marinara sauce for dipping or a creamy garlic sauce!

Monster Eye Cookies

My first Halloween blog of the season! I wanted to make sure I got at least one in before time got away from me...

Does everyone have their costumes picked out yet? I'm not sure if I'm dressing up yet this year but my oldest is SpiderMan (of course) and youngest is Captain America... I almost have the whole Avengers on my hands! (Now if only Chris Hemsworth showed up....)

If you're looking for a quick, yet fun Halloween recipe to whip up for the kids, this is the ticket. Plus. who DOESN'T want an excuse to eat eyeballs???

For the Cookies:
(about 18 cookies)
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
food coloring (I used pink, blue, green, and yellow)
powdered sugar
eyeballs

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and egg until combined. Add in the white cake mix until incorporated.
Divide into separate bowls equal to the amount of colors you want to use. Dye each batter and place in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Place about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a bowl.
Working with one dough color at a time, scoop about a Tablespoon amount and roll into a ball and then into the powdered sugar to coat. Place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Continue with remaining dough and colors.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes or until crackled and lightly browned.
Immediately upon removing from the oven stick decorative eyes into the dough.
Cool completely before serving, enjoy!

(the blue ones remind me of Cookie Monster!)

Flan Cake

Do you like flan? Do you like cake? How about mixing the 2?

This magical cake can be any flavor and although the flan is poured on top of the batter, it magically sinks to the bottom (or top). Fine, I know its not really magic, and it's science and weight distribution and such but its magggiiiccc.

P.S: If you hate boxed cake mix recipes, this one isn't for you...

For the Cake:
Caramel Topping
1 box Butter Cake Mix plus ingredients listed on box
1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour the inside of your bundt pan. Pour 1/2 cup of the caramel topping on the bottom.
Prepare cake according to box instruction and pour the batter evenly over the caramel, set aside.
In a large bowl, gently whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla, and almond extracts. Pour over cake batter.
The batter will start to rise above as the flan mixture sinks, this is OK.
Fill a 9" cake pan half way with water and place in your preheated oven. Place the bundt pan filled with cake/flan into the center of the cake pan (this creates a water bath) and bake for 45 minutes.
Cover the top with foil and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool at room temperature for 2 hours before placing in your fridge to cool over night.
Prior to serving, place the bottom of the bundt pan in warm water for 1-2 minutes before inverting on to your plate, this prevents the caramel from sticking.
Slice, service, and enjoy! I just love the combination of the buttery cake and creamy flan... Enjoy!

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

Last week the Family and I took a trip to Apple Hill.

Among the apples and cider are the delicious Cider Donuts. The fry them upon order so they arrive warm, crispy with cinnamon and sugar, and soft in the middle. You could easily devour 4 of them in 1 sitting... Not that I would know.

Now, if you haven't been to Apple Hill or have no tried Apple Cider donuts... You can now make them at home! It is the ultimate Fall breakfast!

For the Donuts:
(makes around 16 donuts)
1 1/4 cups apple cider
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temp
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Coating:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Place apple cider in a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes or until cooked down. Place in refrigerator to cool down while you mix the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of the apple cider, egg, melted butter, and sugars until combined. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla just until incorporated. Add the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined (it may still be slightly lumpy).
Grease your donut pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pipe dough into the pan 3/4 of the way and cook in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes.

While donuts are cooking, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar for the coating and set aside. In a separate bowl, melt the butter.
When the donuts have baked and cooled slightly dunk into melted butter and then the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated. Continue until all donuts are baked and coated.

Enjoy this perfect Fall treat! It has all of the tastes of apple cider packed into the sugary sweet donuts!

*recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction