Pumpkin Spice Bagel Cream Cheese Spread

In case y'all haven't heard, PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES ARE BACK AT STARBUCKS!! It may still be 98 degrees here in the shade but you better believe I've had 2 already. I am a summer girl at heart, but I can hear fall calling my name. Boot, flannel shirts, falling leaves, cool weather, apple pie, and punkin flavored everything. BLISS. As I have said in the past, I have made fixing breakfast an Olympic event. I'm a busy girl so breakfast has to be a thermos of coffee and something I can eat in the car. Since I don't have time to run to Starbucks every morning and get a pumpkin spice latte IV, I decided to make an edible version... the punkin spice bagel.... and it is FANTASTIC! I eat mine on a cinnamon raisin thin sliced bagel but it would be wonderful on just about any kind!

Pumpkin Spice Bagel Cream Cheese Spread: 
1 8oz  block of cream cheese (you can use low fat or whipped if you like)
3/4 cup canned pureed pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie filling)
2 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice (I usually add a little more cinnamon also, just because I like mine with a bolder spice flavor)
pinch of ground cloves (be careful not to add too much- its a strong flavor)
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon brown sugar (you can add or subtract to this to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With an electric mixer, cream on high until smooth, fluffy and creamy! Shmear it all over a bagel or just eat it with a spoon like I did! 

-Ada Grey

Irish Cream Brownies

Y'all I love my family dearly but sometimes you just need a drink to be able to deal with family gatherings. When you get 30 people with strong personalities, passive- aggressive tendencies and dry wits in one room and tell them to chat, sometimes you'll be amazed what comes out of their mouths. Since the law (and my parents) tend to frown upon putting a gin and tonic in a water bottle, I decided to make some Irish Cream brownies. The alcohol cooks out so that won't really take the edge off but the chocolate will. So lets make a toast to families. Here's to the ones we love and the ones who love to make us crazy. Cheers! 

Irish Cream Brownies:

1/2 cups of butter, melted

1 1/4 cups of sugar

1 cup of cocoa 

pinch of salt

1/2 cup Irish Cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 egg white

3/4 cups of all purpose flour

Mix melted butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until well combined. Stir in Irish Cream and eggs. Add flour and and mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Bake in greased pan at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until set.

Icing:

8 oz of cream cheese, softened

3 tbsp (or more if you want) of Irish Cream

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

6 oz of dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Mix the cream cheese, Irish Cream and sugar until smooth. Then add chopped chocolate and mix. 

After taking the brownies out of the oven, allow them to cool for a few minutes. While still barely warm, spread icing on brownies. (This way the chocolate kind of melts and swirls). Then enjoy with a delicious cup of coffee (with a little Bailey's)! 

-Ada Grey