Pumpkin Tres Leches Bundt Cake

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Baking is one of my favorite forms of cooking and is one of the most rewarding, as everyone looks forward to dessert!  Baking is also one of the more tedious forms of cooking as measurements are extremely important. Measuring is not my strong suit, as I am a southern woman who abides by measurements such as "a pinch of this and a dollop of that..." but I never guestimate when baking.

Bourbon-Vanilla Pumpkin Tart

Traditional pumpkin pie can get kind of boring.  It is a delicious pie, but sometimes you need to jazz things up a bit.  This Bourbon-Vanilla Pumpkin Tart is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving and will be the star of the sweets table.  Even family members that do not care for pumpkin pie will rave about this tart.  I need to also mention how easy it is to prepare...It is near foolproof!

INGREDIENTS

Tart Filling
8 oz Reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 C Sugar (Or Stevia)
1/4 C Brown Sugar
1, 15 oz Can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just pumpkin)
2 Eggs
3 Tablespoon Bourbon
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
pinch of salt

Crust
1 Sleeve cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
2 Tablespoons pecans, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons butter, melted

Topping
1 and 1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Maple Extract
2 Tablespoons Confectioner's Sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Prepare crust by putting the graham crackers and pecans into food processor and pulse until fine crumbs.  Add in melted butter and pulse until combined.  Pour into tart pan and begin pressing into form.  Bake for 8 minutes, then set aside.

3. Prepare filling by creaming the cream cheese and both sugars together with mixer.  Beat until smooth, then add the pumpkin and eggs.  Add Bourbon and remaining 5 ingredients and mix until well combined.  Pour pumpkin filling into tart pan and spread out evenly.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Your tart should not jiggle in the middle when sides are tapped if done after 40 minutes.  Let tart cool on wire rack completely before placing in the fridge for 3 hours.

*It is important that you use good quality bourbon and vanilla to give the tart the proper depth of flavor.

4. When ready to serve combine whipping cream, maple extract and sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form.  Carefully scoop whipped cream and pile on top of tart.  Spread gently to cover most of tart, leaving a ring of exposed pumpkin around the outside so people know what kind of tart it is.

This tart comes off very high-falutin' and fancy, yet it is super simple.  I am not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best desserts I have ever put in my mouth.  I really hope y'all try this recipe!!

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

I Know Who The Great Pumpkin Is!!!!

Image via Pinterest

I cannot get enough pumpkin things!!  I need all the things pumpkin, maple and cinnamon! 

1. It is only fitting that Vivian is due on Halloween.  I should have know The Great Pumpkin was, in fact, my daughter!  Linus can rest assured, as I have a feeling she is real, judging by the kicks and punches coming from inside my belly and will come empty handed and expecting to be fed on arrival.

Image via Pinterest

Because of the time of year she will be born...I can already envision my Great Pumpkin's birthday parties in the years to come...

Image via Pinterest

2. Bubba is on fall break starting today thru Monday.  I will be off with him on Monday and hope to take him to Pumpkin Patch and/or Apple Orchard with my Mama and Step-Father.  We have taken him to the local pumpkin patch every year since he was born and I do not intend to stop now...even if I am a million months pregnant with elephant ankles!

 3. Over the last few months I have been re-watching the Gilmore Girls series to prepare for Year in the Life that comes out around Thanksgiving.  I have watched every episode at least 5 times each and remember watching back-to-back episodes that came on in the early afternoons on ABC family during my college years. I really wish I could have gone to one of the coffee shops that transformed into Luke's in Atlanta yesterday!!  Crossing my fingers she ends up with Logan or Jesse in the new shows!

Image via Tumblr

   

4. All mamas are amazing, but extra props have to be given to the mamas that work full-time.  I mean work outside of the home reporting to someone for at least 40 hours a week.  Our society is not built with full-time working mother's in mind and because of this, our normal state is being stretched beyond our limits at all times.  This video, and this mother's emotions, are everything to me.  Being a full-time, working outside of the home, mother means always feeling like a ball is dropping somewhere and it is inevitably your fault.

5. I have a sonogram and exam on Tuesday and I am so ready to see what they say about sweet Viv and if my body is beginning to prep for labor.  I was induced with Bubba, so I am hoping I get to experience what it is like to go into labor on my own this time.  I know it is not like the movies, but I would still like to experience it.  While I would really really love to have a Halloween baby...I am also becoming extremely impatient to meet her!  

The last three and a half weeks are going to creep on by.  She has gotten extremely low, thus making walking, without waddling, impossible...and the pressure down there makes you feel like the bottom could just fall out...literally...And the heartburn...oh the heartburn...I feel like a drug addict because I live off of tums...I practically jones for them...

On the plus side, I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to have another surface to place things...

Happy Friday, y'all!  I hope everyone has a great weekend and if you are lucky enough to be at home with your babies on fall break...I hope it is extra snuggly and full of naps, kisses and snacks!

Linking up with some of my favorite friday blogs!!

Karli /  Jennie / Andrea / Tif / April

Basically...It's Friday!

 

Image via Pinterest

What a whirlwind of a week.  We packed a lot into this short week and I am sure glad to have another week in the books.  Looking forward to recuperating this week and hopefully getting things around the house situated for Vivian's arrival next month!

| 1 |

I had the opportunity to see sweet Viv via ultrasound on Tuesday.  I am supposed to be around 33 weeks currently, but Viv is measuring around 35 weeks.  EEK! The ultrasound tech and the doctor said that she is healthy and measuring around 5lbs 14oz!  They actually admitted that it is possible that the measurements were wrong on her previous ultrasound...I never thought I would hear a doctor's office admit they might not have done something perfectly! Either way, she is perfect and that is all that matters!

| 2 |

I have had two instances this week where I have been meeting with my students when Vivian starts moving around quite dramatically making my whole belly move around.  In each instance, all they could do was stare slightly bewildered...literally dazed and confused as if they want to ask "Are you OK?"  Bless their late-teenage hearts... 

| 3 |

To add to my basic white girl status...I stopped by Bath & Body Works earlier this week to use up three coupons I received in the mail...naturally, being #basicwhitegirl, this is what was chosen....

I am not ashamed...not one bit!

| 4 |

So the heartburn that I mentioned in my earlier post has decided to make itself a reoccurring symptom...at night..roughly 1AM.  I will wake up to a very acidic bubble coming up my throat and at times it makes my eyes water.  I was up for an hour thanks to this hot mess.  We eat very little processed foods and we only eat out on the weekends for the most part.  I feel confident it is not due to greasy or spicy food intake, but it is frustrating not know exact triggers...other than this huge baby in my belly pushing on everything.

I have not taken a single medication since before we started trying to get pregnant in January, not even an allergy pill. It had almost become a competition with myself to make it through pregnancy without putting a single medication in my body (outside of prenatal vitamins of course)...well I caved last night and took two Tums and was able to lay back down and go to sleep for the rest of the night! So now I'm just going to keep tums at my bedside and admit defeat.

With all of this heartburn, my ultrasound tech better be right when she says Vivian already has a head of hair...It better be some of the prettiest hair on God's green earth if my esophagus has to battle wildfires.

Image via Today

| 5 |

One of Bubba's favorite athletes is Cam Newton.  War Eagle! Bubba has increasingly, with each season that passes, shown more and more interest in competitive sports.  His two favorite sports are probably football and baseball.  I have always been inspired by Cam Newton as he is always unapologetically himself.  He is classy, values education and believes in giving back to those less fortunate than himself.  That is a person I can get behind.  He is such a role model for kids wanting to play sports.  I cannot wait to show Bubba this inspiring video of one of his heroes.

I hope everyone has a glorious weekend with their families!  I will just be basic white girling it with my PSLs, B&BW fall lotions at the ball fields and watching SEC football all weekend with the fam.  So glad they love me for me...in all of my basicness!

 

Linking up with some of my favorite friday blogs!!

Karli /  Jennie / Andrea / Tif / April

Pumpkin Pecan Waffles

I came up with these waffles at the beginning of fall this year when I was craving everything pumpkin, including pumpkin air.  These waffles are a regular in our house, as our Bubba loves them.  

| INGREDIENTS |

1.5 C Krusteaz Belgian Waffle Mix
2/3 C Water
1 Egg
1/2 C Pure pureed pumpkin
1 t Butter extract
1 T Pumpkin Pie Spice
3 T Melted Butter
Chopped pecans
100% Pure Maple Syrup

| METHOD |

Mix Waffle mix, water, egg, pumpkin, butter extract and pumpkin pie spice using whisk.  Turn on waffle iron.  Next melt butter and add to batter.  I like to let my batter sit for a couple minutes.  I can't explain it, but my waffles turn out fluffier when I do this.  

When your waffle iron is hot, spray with Pam (I love the one for baking) and ladle 3 heaping spoonfuls (maybe 4) into the middle of iron and spread around.  Next top with pecans (however many you want) and close iron.  Our waffle iron beeps when done, it usually takes no more than 4-5 minutes.

This recipe makes 3 full waffles for us, which is perfect as there are only three of us.  We have the coolest Double Belgian Waffle Maker by Waring Pro.  I love that it can make two at a time, as it makes breakfast happen a lot quicker!  It also has a great dial to control the crispiness of the exterior of the waffle.  My family likes a crispy outside and soft, fluffy inside.  Doesn't that sound like heaven?  The amount of batter needed per waffle will differ depending on the waffle iron you have, so judge accordingly. 

Happy Eating!