Pan de Muertos (Bread of the Dead)

Baking and blogging has taken a back seat in my life for the moment.  I've been kind of distracted with work and with the construction of our new home.  I haven’t felt like baking, and to be honest it felt nice to not have the pressure that I tend to put on myself to post something.  But I knew I had to share this recipe.  A few weeks ago my son Josh came home from school with a recipe he wanted to make and bring to Spanish class for extra credit.  Not only did he want us to bake the bread together, but he wanted me to take pictures and “blog it”.   Pan de Muertos, or “bread of the dead” is a sweet bread made in Mexico for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) or All Soul’s Day which is celebrated on November 2nd. 

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

I decided to give my favorite cinnamon rolls an autumn makeover.  I incorporated a few of my favorite seasonal flavors and ingredients into the recipe.  The result is these Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls.  They  have an apple-cinnamon filling and are topped with warm caramel sauce.  They are too good for words.  These rolls take a little time and a little work to make, but I promise you they are worth it!

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cookies

These Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cookies may just be my favorite cookie ever.  They are so chocolaty, so chewy—just like my favorite brownie.  Add in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Mini’s and peanuts, and they get even better.  The cookies have both unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder, so they are extra chocolaty.  And unlike some of the other chocolate cookies I have tried, these are so soft and chewy inside.

Maple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

If you like maple syrup, you need to try these Maple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins.  Not being much of a morning person, I baked a batch of these late at night to have ready for breakfast in the morning.  The muffins smelled so good baking that I could hardly stand waiting until morning to try one.  The fragrant smell of warm maple syrup and cinnamon haunted me all night long.  And the verdict in the morning: they tasted as good as they did in my dreams.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Biscoff Buttercream Frosting

Last week my boys went back to school.  They are both in high school now, so the quiet of our empty house during the day is even more of a reminder that in a few short years we will have an empty nest.  I can’t even think about it!  So I made cupcakes—Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Biscoff Buttercream Frosting.