Pizza Pizza!

I have always been a huge fan of pizza...who isn't? I seriously think it should be it's own food group! I like it delivery, frozen, or homemade. Good thing I have fresh tomatoes and basil in the garden to help with that homemade thing! I did cheat and used store-bought crust, but don't hold that against me! Check this guy out and tell me delivery is better:

I think not! What really made the pizza was the fresh Basil Oil, from my new collection of oils:

I feel very Guy Fieri when I use these squirt bottles! :)

You know what else should be it's own food group?

Cupcakes!

Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting...yum!

Perfect ending to a comforting evening......aaaaaah

Pumpkin Pleasure!

This week I bring you double pumpkin-pleasure! I was feeling very fall-like and craving all those comforting flavors. I pulled two cupcake recipes from my arsenal that were similar, yet different. I have mixed reviews about them, but I couldn't stop eating them!!!!

The first one is a simple Pumpkin Cupcake with a Cream Cheese Frosting. It was very simple to make and sooooo delicious! I did have a sad felling when the candy corns on top started to melt, and they were no longer perfect, but what can you do in the FL heat?! Definitely try this one out at home this fall! http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting-00000000021359/index.html#

The other cupcake was also delicious, but SO labor intensive! Rachel Ray, if you are reading this, tsk tsk on you! This recipe was the most labor intensive, dirty dish making thing I have ever made! I admit, I did not read the recipe ahead of time- I rarely do- but read the ingredients and it sounded great so I went for it. Well, 2 minutes into it I was frustrated and grumpy! I used every mixing bowl in the kitchen, washed and re-used my bowl for the mixer twice AND had to pull out the double-boiler! All this for only 12 cupcakes! Once done, tasting these Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes, made me (almost) forget all the labor though....they are super yummy! I was not a particular fan of the brown sugar frosting (it's pretty sweet!), but everyone seemed to think it was OK! This recipe was from the Rachel Ray Magazine, and they made life even more difficult by not putting it online for us! I have the recipes scanned, so if you want to even try it after reading this review, then email me and I will send it directly to you!

Happy Fall everyone..time to go have a cupcake for breakfast! :)