Cookie Dough Dip

Cookie. Dough. Dip.

Need I say more?

I served this delicious dip with chocolate graham crackers to my writer's club yesterday and it was a hit with everyone, even the people who usually don't like dips.

I've had a bunch of just so-so or bad recipes lately, so this dip was like a ray of cooking sunshine.

It really was delicious. Every single bit of it was gone by 10:00. It's quick, easy, and scrumptious - the cooking trifecta.

You really must try it - it's a keeper recipe in my book.

Cookie Dough Dip

Source: http://addapinch.com

Ingredients

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup toffee bits

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter.

2. Mix in powdered sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

3. Mix in toffee bits and chocolate chips.

4. Serve with chocolate graham crackers (or whatever else you want to dip in it).

This dip can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to three days.

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Muffins

I'm on a muffin kick these days.

They're just so fantastically easy and convenient. And the fact that you can say you're snacking on a muffin instead of a cupcake makes you feel a little healthier too...

You can make regular or mini muffins with this recipe. I chose mini - more to go around!

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Muffins
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or mini chips, if preferred)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Grease a muffin tin (or mini muffin tin, if preferred).
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a separate medium bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined (be careful not to overdo it).
6. Fill each muffin spot 3/4 full with batter (you will need a spoon; it's a little thick for muffin batter).
8. Bake for 14-18 minutes for regular muffins and 11-12 minutes for mini muffins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Muffins

Made these for Christmas morning. Strangely, I adore pumpkin bread but hate anything else pumpkin (including the pie). These muffins were enjoyed by pumpkin lovers and haters alike, though! Delicious and easy breakfast recipe!

Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease muffin tins of your choice.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, and sugar until they're well-blended.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until blended (don't over-mix).
5. Put two heaping spoonfuls of batter into each muffin cup.
6. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top of a muffin comes out relatively clean.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks.

Yield: About 30 muffins