Pumpkin Pie Bites

I know I am really late in posting this, but I've been busy!!

I got this recipe from here.

They turned out to be pretty easy and fun to make. I am going to just put the basics here, so if you want more details, then go to her website.


Pumpkin Pie Bites

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.
Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)
Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.
Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.

Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

*I didn't have a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter. I just cut out round shapes and then shaped them in the muffin tins. I also forgot to do the egg white wash on one batch and they were fine.

Lemon Orzo Pasta

I basically made up this recipe based on a couple different recipes I found on Food Network and Cooking Light. It is really easy and really good.

Lemon Orzo Pasta:

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
Juice from 1 medium lemon
1 Tablespoon lemon rind
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 TB Chopped cilantro
2 TB Chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts

-Cook orzo according to package directions
-Mix together lemon juice, rind and salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.
-Pour over orzo and add remaining ingredients.

-Serve at room temperature

*This is a great side dish, but would make a great main dish if you added chopped chicken.

*You can buy toasted pine nuts at Trader Joes.

Angel hair pasta with lemon and pine nuts

1/4 pound angel hair pasta

3/4 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 minced flat leafed parsley

cook garlic in oil until softened

transfer mixture to large bowl

add pine nuts, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, salt and pepper to taste

Drain pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons of cooking water

add pasta and reserved water to the bowl

toss with oil mixture until absorbed

serve pasta warm or at room temp

ENJOY