Pumpkin, Spice...

I was at a friends house the other day for a Pampered Chef party. While there the consultant gave the hostess a great idea for making an easy and healthier pumpkin cake using a yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin. Hmm...my curiosity was peeked.

My mind started thinking about working this combo into some baked donuts. I've been having so much fun making these tasty and healthier delights ever since I bought those baked donut pans at Michael's last year. So far I've tried lemon, apple with an oatmeal crunch topping and some glazed buttermilk donuts, and those are just the ones I've blogged about. But haven't done any with pumpkin yet, and since it's fall and I LOVE anything pumpkin I just had to try making some.

So here's what I came up with; and because they met my family's seal of approval, they are a keeper recipe.

Here's all you need to bake these tasty donuts.

1 box yellow cake, the kind with pudding

1 can of pumpkin purée

1 egg
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 tablespoons milk
Melted butter

Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer for 3 minutes. Place the batter in a gallon size ziplock bag carefully squeezing out all the air before closing. Cut about a 1/2" off of one corner and evenly distribute the batter between 2 greased baking pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350* for 10-12 minutes, or until they spring back when touched. Remove them from the baking pans to cool on a baking rack. When they are cool enough to handle give them a quick dip in some melted butter and lightly dust with cinnamon and sugar and enjoy!!!

Spice It Up!!!

Here in Cammie's Kitchen we use a lot of spice. And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. Like we should probably own stock in the spice industry a lot. Yeah we love our spice. 

One of our favorite ways to "spice it up" is with a spice combo for blackening chicken or fish. I found a recipe that I absolutely love and just have to have on hand All. The. Time. I think it's the smoked papricka that puts it over the top. You could follow the recipe and make a single use portion, but it's so easy to make bunch to keep on hand; so go ahead and do it. You can thank me later. 

The Best Blackening Spice

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (cut in half if you prefer less spicy)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in a cool, dry place. Will stay fresh for three months if sealed well.
2. To use: coat whatever meat or fish you’re using with extra-virgin olive oil, just enough to coat, then coat liberally with spice mix. Grill, broil, roast or saute as desired.
   

http://www.thewickednoodle.com/blackening-spice/