Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a delicious treat to make for fall holidays and celebrations!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are such a delicious sweet treat for fall! Moist and tender pumpkin cake in cupcake form is a good idea since they’re already portion-sized for you. That swirl of cream cheese frosting on top is your big indulgence. Since cupcakes are a 4 or 5 bite dessert, you get just enough to satisfy your sweet craving.

How to make Pumpkin Cupcakes:

Flour, baking powder and salt are combined with the best fall spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger). The wet ingredients are combined in a second bowl (oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin purée and vanilla). The flour is then mixed into the wet ingredients to create the pumpkin cupcake batter.

This recipe makes 12 Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, which is awesome since most of the time you don’t need more than that. If you are looking for a recipe that makes 24 standard-sized cupcakes, just double all of the ingredients in the recipe. Or you can opt to use a mini cupcake pan, and then you’ll be able to have 24 mini cupcakes with the original recipe. The batter is scooped into cupcake liners in a muffin pan. It’s easiest to transfer the batter evenly to the cupcake pan if you use a springform ice cream scoop.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting:

Use your mixer to combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt. You can certainly spread the frosting on the cupcakes in whatever fashion appeals to you. Or you can use a piping bag and a swirl tip to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes in a fancier way.

Garnish your Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting with whatever you’d like. Little candy pumpkins look cute on top. But you can always opt for fall-colored sprinkles, candy corn or miniature pumpkin cookies. Of course, these cupcakes are perfectly delicious on their own without any extra adornments too!

Such a pretty cupcake!

Take a bite out of fall and bake some Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Enjoy!

Here are a few more cupcake recipes you might like to try:

• Red Velvet Birthday Cupcakes
• Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
• Easy Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
• Emergency Blender Cupcakes
• Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
• Devil’s Food Cupcakes
• Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Perfect fall cupcake recipe!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cream cheese, cupcakes, frosting, pumpkin

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 476kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

CUPCAKES:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1¼ cups granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 3 cups powdered sugar (more if you intend to "pipe" it on)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan (or a 24 cup mini muffin pan) with baking cups.

PREPARE THE CUPCAKES:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, stir the oil and sugar together. Whisk in the eggs, and stir in the vanilla extract.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir the pumpkin into the batter until it is thoroughly combined.
• Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Less time will be needed if you are making mini-cupcakes. When cupcakes are removed from oven, let them sit for about 10 minutes, then remove them to cool completely on a wire rack.

PREPARE THE FROSTING:

• In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the frosting ingredients until smooth. If you're going to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes with a piping bag, you may wish to add a little more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) until you have your desired thickness. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 3594IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

One of my go-to side dishes is steamed green beans. Why? Because they’re so fast, they’re uncomplicated, delicious, and you can make them several different flavors to match your main dish. They’re just the perfect no-brainer side dish. If you’ve only ever had canned green beans, please promise me that you’ll try steaming fresh green beans at least once. They’re a whole different beast. A deliciously fresh beast. So, without further ado, let me show you how to steam fresh green beans, so you can have another simple, delicious side dish under your belt!

The One Secret to Good Green Beans

There is only one thing you need to know about making good green beans: DON’T OVER COOK THEM. Most people I come across who say they don’t like green beans have only ever had overcooked, drab, olive green, too-soft green beans (like the kind you get in a can). The trick is to cook them until they are bright green, tender, but still with a good bite. They’ll still taste fresh, vibrant, and green. Deeeelish. 

What Equipment Do I Need?

Steaming green beans is so incredibly easy. All you need is a colander, pot or a deep skillet with a lid, and a steam basket. The steam basket holds the green beans just above the boiling water so they cook evenly and makes it really easy to lift the green beans out of the pot once cooked.

Do I Really Need the Steam Basket?

While the steam basket does help produce the best results, I’m not going to tell you that you can’t steam green beans without one. For years, before I had the few dollars to spend on a steam basket, I simply steamed my green beans directly in the one-inch of water. The bottom layer of green beans cooked slightly more than the rest, but guess what? It was barely noticeable. If you’re short on cash, follow the directions below minus the steam basket and you’ll do just fine.

Why Steam Instead of Boil Green Beans?

Because it’s faster. One inch of water takes a fraction of the time to come up to a boil compared to a full pot of water. Also, less nutrients are leached out of the green beans when they steam compared to when they’re fully submerged in boiling water. That’s two good reasons, if you ask me!

Can I Use Frozen Green Beans?

Frozen green beans are blanched, or partially cooked, before freezing. So, while you can steam them using this method, they may need a different amount of time to cook. Check the package for recommended cooking times.

How to Steam Green Beans

Learn how to steam fresh green beans for an easy, delicious, fresh, and versatile side dish that will go with just about any dinner.

Total Cost $1.86 recipe / $0.47 serving

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 13 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 60.38kcal

Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Steam Basket

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh green beans $1.69
• 1 Tbsp butter $0.13
• 1/4 tsp salt $0.02
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02

Instructions

• Rinse the green beans in a colander. Snap the end off of any beans that still have an attached stem (see photos below). Snap each bean in half, or leave the beans whole for a more dramatic presentation.
• Place one inch of water in a pot or deep skillet. Place the steam basket inside the pot. The water should not be so deep that it comes up through the holes in the steam basket. Fill the steam basket with the washed green beans. Place a lid on the pot or skillet, turn the heat onto high, and allow the water to come to a boil (about 3 minutes).
• Allow the green beans to steam for about 5 minutes from the time the water begins to boil, or until they have reached your desired level of tenderness. Aim for green beans that are vibrant in color and tender but not mushy. You can test the tenderness of the green beans with a fork.
• Once cooked to your liking, remove the pot from the heat. Remove the steam basket with the green beans and discard the water from the bottom of the pot. Place the beans back in the pot without the steam basket and add some butter. Stir the butter into the green beans, allowing the residual heat to melt the butter. Season the beans with salt and pepper, then serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25lb. | Calories: 60.38kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.85g | Protein: 2.08g | Fat: 3.13g | Sodium: 237.08mg | Fiber: 3.05g

How to Steam Green Beans – Step by Step Photos

Rinse your green beans in a colander. Snap off any ends that still have a stem attached. You can see what the stem looks like in the photo above. The other end of the green bean will be pointy, but those are fine to eat. In fact, that’s my favorite part. You can snap your green beans in half or leave them long and whole for a more dramatic presentation.

This is the metal steam basket that I use. It has a loop in the center for lifting the basket out of the pot and the outer edges can close in or expand to fit the diameter of your pot. You can also buy bamboo or silicone steam baskets, but I find these old-school metal baskets to be inexpensive and pretty indestructible.

Place about an inch of water in a pot or deep skillet and place the steam basket on top. The water should not be so deep that it comes up through the holes. 

Fill the steam basket with the washed green beans and place a lid on the pot. Turn the heat on to high and allow the water to come up to a boil (about 3 minutes).

Once the water begins to boil, allow the beans to steam for about 5 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of tenderness. Aim for green beans that are a vibrant green color and are tender, but still have a bit of bite. They shouldn’t be a drab green or mushy.

Remove the pot from the heat, lift the steam basket and beans out of the pot, then discard the water. Place the beans back into the pot without the steam basket, add some butter, and stir to melt the butter (heat is off). Season with a little salt and pepper, then serve!

The fresh green bean flavor on its own is so delicious that I usually only add a little butter, salt, and pepper, but you can have fun and get wild with the seasonings! Let me know what your favorite flavors are in the comments below. :)

The post How to Steam Fresh Green Beans appeared first on Budget Bytes.

These carrot fries are full of big flavor, sprinkled with ranch seasoning and baked until lightly crispy! Everyone will ask for the recipe.

Good news, fry lovers: there’s a new fry in town. Carrot fries! This healthy fry recipe is full of all the nutrients of this popular vegetable: but tastes like your favorite greasy comfort food. Even better: they’re coated in ranch seasoning! This play on the standard pairing of carrots and ranch gives a savory zing to each bite. Of course, you can dip them in ranch too for double the fun. They’re baked, and there’s a little trick to give them a lightly crispy exterior. Everyone will love them! We couldn’t stop sneaking bites off the baking sheet.

Ingredients for the best carrot fries

You’ll need just a handful of ingredients for carrot fries: and most of them are the spices you’ll need of the ranch seasoning. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

• Carrots: medium to large carrots work best, since they’re easiest for cutting fries
• Olive oil
• Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley
• Cornstarch
• Salt

How to cut carrots into fries

The hardest part of this recipe is actually cutting the carrots into fries! How to get those perfect rectangle fry shapes? Well, it’s similar to the steps for cutting fries out of a potato. Here’s what to do:

• Slice off the ends of the carrot.
• Square off each of the sides of the carrot to make a rectangular box shape.
• Cut into 3/8-inch wide slices, then cut each slice into strips.

The tricks to crispy baked carrot fries

Here’s the thing. When you bake carrots, they turn out beautifully tender: like with these Roasted Carrots. But that’s not what you want with fries! We don’t have a deep fryer and typically don’t like frying at home (it’s messy and not worth the effort). So we’ve found a few tricks to making lightly crispy baked carrot fries! They don’t come out crunchy like they would in a deep fryer, but they’re lightly crisp and totally satisfying. Here’s what to know:

1. Coat in cornstarch. Cornstarch helps to form a crispy coating for the carrots, which can turn soggy and tender in the oven.
2. Place on parchment paper. Don’t use a Silpat or silicon baking sheet, which can make for soggy fries! Paper is the way to go.
3. Spread apart on the baking sheet. Spread the fries as far apart on the baking sheet as possible: this allows for maximum airflow and enhances crispiness. Bake a maximum of 2 pounds of carrots in the oven at once.

Are these healthy fries?

We think so! These healthy carrot fries are part of a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. Here’s why these fries pale in comparison to those from your favorite fast food chain:

• The ingredients are just carrots, minimal olive oil and a bit of salt. These are all healthy, whole food ingredients. They’re basically baked carrots!
• They have all the nutrients of carrots. Scroll down for more on that.
• The serving size is moderate. The serving size is much less than a restaurant would serve, so that helps to keep the calories down.

Carrots nutrition

Carrot are one of the best vegetables you can eat! They’re not just good for your eyesight. Here are some of the top nutritional benefits of this tasty orange veggie (source):

• Low in calories, high in fiber: One cup of chopped carrots has only 52 calories and 3.6 grams of fiber. (source)
• Packed with Vitamin A (beta carotene): This root veggie has 428% of your daily vitamin A in 1 cup! It’s present as beta-carotene, an antioxidant that could help in cancer prevention. Your body converts beta carotene into Vitamin A.
• High in Vitamins C, K and potassium: Carrot are also are high in these vitamins.

Yes, all these good things are present in a recipe of carrot fries! So why not give them a taste?

Dipping sauces for carrot fries

These carrot fries are delicious on their own, as an easy healthy side dish for dinner. But of course you can spice them up with a dipping sauce! Here are a few we’d recommend:

• Homemade Ranch Dressing This creamy ranch dressing is lower calorie than most and full of big flavor. A fan favorite!
• Cilantro Lime Ranch Or try this cilantro spin on ranch! Cilantro and carrots are in the same plant family, so they go well together.
• Creamy Cilantro Dressing or Creamy Cilantro Sauce (vegan) These creamy green sauces pair beautifully with these fries.

Serving these fries

These carrot fries are a fantastic healthy side dish to complete a meal. They’d be perfect with all sorts of dinner ideas — here are a few of our top choices:

• Falafel Burger or Ultimate Falafel Sandwich Insanely good and bursting with Mediterranean flavor! An epic vegetarian or vegan dinner.
• Best Chickpea Burgers A hugely satisfying plant-based dinner! Painted with BBQ and served topped with vegan bacon and spicy mayo.
• Egg Salad Sandwich or Tuna Salad Sandwich Make these classic deli recipes shine with a unique fry.
• Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich This jackfruit BBQ sandwich tastes just like pulled pork, nestled on a bun with tangy coleslaw.

This carrot fries recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Carrot Fries (Ranch Seasoned!)

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(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

These carrot fries are full of big flavor, sprinkled with ranch seasoning and baked until lightly crispy! Everyone will ask for the recipe.

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds carrots, medium to large
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel the carrots. Cut the carrots into thin fries: slice off the ends, then square off each of the sides to make a rectangular box shape. Cut into 3/8-inch wide slices, then cut the slices into strips. 
3. Place the fries in a large bowl. Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, salt, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Drizzle the carrots with the olive oil, then add the spices and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly to combine.
4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible. 
5. Bake 12 minutes on one side, then flip the fries and bake 12 to 17 additional minutes until the fries are dry and slightly browned; watch them carefully as the cooking time can depend on the thickness and the heat of your oven. Thinner fries will turn out crispier than larger fries (you’ll likely have some variation).
6. Cool a few minutes, then serve immediately. (Note: Fries are best right out of the oven; they become softer as they sit.)

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• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Carrot fries

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Crunchy, perfectly seasoned and addicting, these Homemade Croutons are the Best. After you see how easy and simple it is you’ll never buy store croutons again. They will crunch, but then melt in your mouth. You will want to make salad or soup just to eat these.

Croutons are the perfect toppers for almost anything. Try them on this Classic Caesar Salad with Asiago Dressing, or Avocado Chicken Bacon Chopped Salad  with a creamy Basil Dressing, And don’t forget soups,  I love them on this Fire Roasted Tomato and Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup.

The Best Homemade Croutons

Seriously these are so good, it’s hard not to eat them all right from the oven. They’re a light crispy crunch unlike the store bought ones that are so rock hard and dry they can break your teeth if you aren’t careful. The seasonings are divine and just right and you can vary them to your liking or needs. You’ll start buying bread just to make these!

The best part is how easy it is. You’ll wonder why you hadn’t tried them before, and you’ll never go back to buying them, it’s just that simple. Plus the aroma they fill your home with is enough to make them on a daily basis. Super easy, super delicious, what’s not to love.

Crouton Ingredients:

Not very many ingredients, but so amazing.

• Loaf Crusty French Bread– Or bread of your choosing
• Olive Oil– Can substitute butter or Avocado oil.
• Italian Seasoning– It’s all the best herbs in one bottle
• Parmesan Cheese– Finely grated adheres best to the bread.

How to Make Italian Croutons:

So quick on the prep, you’ll make these in no time.

1. Preheat– Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut and Mix– Cut the loaf into bite sized cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and toss till thoroughly coated. Sprinkle on the seasoning and cheese and toss again.
3. Bake– Spread on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes till golden brown.

Tips and Variations for Crunchy Croutons:

• Bread– Using a hearty crusty loaf is important. The airy insides allow air to circulate and you end up with a perfect soft- crisped texture. Sourdough, French, Ciabatta, or any hearty sturdy loaf will do.
• Fresh vs Old- Either can be used successfully. Old staler bread will cook faster, fresh has more moisture so will take a little longer.
• Cutting-You can cut or tear the loaf into bite sized pieces, just keep the size uniform to bake at an even rate.
• Seasonings– Get creative here. Add garlic powder or garlic salt. Add different herbs, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, or parsley. For heat try chili powder, paprika, and cumin.  For a nice kick use ranch dressing powder. Or just add salt and pepper.
• Cheese– Any hard cheese you can finely grate will work.
• Stove Top– Need to do these on the stove top? Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the unseasoned and unoiled bread to the pan stir to coat. Add the seasonings, and toss. Let sit and brown, stirring every 2-3 minutes till toasty golden brown. About 10 minutes.

Storing Homemade Croutons:

•  Storage– Croutons keep beautifully if you follow a few guidelines. The drier the croutons the longer they’ll keep. Moisture will cause mold, so if you want to keep these for more than a week, bake till completely dehydrated. Cool the croutons completely before storing in an airtight container for up to  2 weeks.

Recipes to Top with Croutons!

• Slow Cooker Butternut Soup
• Tomato Basil Soup
• Creamy Pumpkin Soup
• Grilled Caesar Salad
• Greek Salad with the Best Dressing

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Croutons

Crunchy, perfectly seasoned and addicting, these Homemade Croutons are the Best. After you see how easy and simple it is you'll never buy store croutons again. They will crunch, but then melt in your mouth. You will want to make salad or soup just to eat these.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword croutons

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 6 Cups

Calories 179kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 1 loaf crusty French bread or bread of choice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into one inch cubes. Add to a medium sized bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until coated. Add Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese and toss to coat.
• Spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until bread is toasted and golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg

Fall for this autumn-inspired grilled cheese: with a layer of apple butter, thinly sliced fresh apples, sautéed shallots and thyme, and perfectly gooey, melty cheese that blurs the line between sweet and savory.

I call this French-toast style grilled cheese, battered and butter-toasted until it’s perfectly golden brown, and let me tell you, it is life changing, falling somewhere in between a traditional grilled cheese and a monte cristo.

This recipe was created in partnership with Roth, award-winning cheeses made in Wisconsin with milk from local family farms. Now available at a store near you!

No, your tastebuds aren’t tricking you, this next-level grilled cheese somehow manages to be both sweet and savory.

In one bite you’ll taste the alpine-style cheese, nutty and mild and ultra melty. The next brings a hint of autumn spice and fruity sweetness from the apple butter, and a fresh crunch from the slices of thinly sliced apple. But then! There’s the shallot, sautéed with a bit of butter and thyme, for a subtle savory push. And finally, the eggy bread, cooked to golden brown perfection that’ll have your brain thinking you’re eating a slice of perfect French toast.

It’s a culinary mind melting experience, and I am here for it.

Cooking a grilled cheese French-toast style involves basically brushing the bread with an egg/milk mixture instead of butter. Doing so walks the line between sweet and savory, taking your tastebuds on a wild adventure. The egg wash also produces a gorgeously golden brown finish (and let’s face it, we all eat with our eyes first anyway).

If you’ve ever had a Monte Cristo sandwich, it’s a similar idea (although sometimes Monte Cristos are deep fried and topped with powdered sugar, and, well, let’s just be reasonable here). You could even go full MC with this recipe and add a layer of thinly sliced ham or prosciutto in the mix.

Not only does the egg wash produce the most gorgeous golden brown crust, but it also gives the sandwiches a hint of egginess that just screams EAT ME FOR BRUNCH. Thought I’d be equally satisfied eating it for lunch. Or dinner, too, really (you know I’m always down for some B4D).

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