Pumpkin Cream Cheese Recipe (Starbucks-a-like)

These Starbucks copies are so delicious, and make your house smell amazing! I make them every fall and bring them to holiday parties and family get-togethers.

Candied Pepitas:
3 tablespoons table sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pepitas (can sub sunflower seeds)

Cream Cheese Topping:
4 oz cream cheese softened
2 tablespoons table sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


Muffin Mixture:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 teaspoon allspice 

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
3/4 cup vegetable oil
12 cup muffin tin
Paper muffin cups

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Cream Cheese:  

combine cream cheese (by mixer or by hand), sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. 

Candied Pumpkin Seeds: 

Put 1/2 pepitas in pan with 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil. Stir constantly until lightly browned. Remove. Add sugar and cinnamon and mix.

Muffin Mixture: 

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add pumpkin and oil and continue to mix until thoroughly blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until batter is semi-smooth.

Bake: 

Spoon batter into muffin cups, making batter level with top of the muffin cup. Add 1 tablespoon of cream cheese to the top of each muffin and press cream cheese down into the middle of each muffin cup. Sprinkle muffins with candied pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes. 

To test for doneness insert a toothpick into center of muffin

Baked Plantains with Avocado-Banana Dip

Easy, healthy snack for all ages!

Ingredients:

2 Green Plantains
3 Tablespoons Olive (or coconut) Oil (Organic)
Salt to taste
1 Ripe Avocado (Organic)
1 Ripe Banana (Organic)
2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel plantains with a knife. Using a mandolin or a food processor, slice plantains into medium-thin slices. Put sliced plantains into a bowl, and coat with olive oil. Place in a single layer on non-stick baking sheet and add salt to taste (can add cinnamon in place of salt). Bake 8 minutes, turn over, bake 5 minutes. Total bake time 13-16 minutes.

Dip: Mash 1 ripe avocado and 1 ripe banana in a bowl. Add 2 Teaspoons fresh lemon juice. To add sweetness, add honey.