The Thrifty Foodie

Spicy Ginger Pumpkin Cupcakes

Nothing quite says "fall" like these treats, which take a traditional cupcake and spice them up for the foodie in all of us.  With cream cheese frosting and cute little candy corn decorations, they can be taken to a pumpkin-carving party or just enjoyed at home.  This recipe makes about twelve, and you'll probably have a little leftover frosting.  I bought my crystallized ginger in bulk at the local grocery store, paid about a dollar for it, and still had about half of what I bought leftover to munch on after garlicky lunches.  I also use the cardamom I bought for Marlene's lentils a couple of weeks ago, which I think lends these cakes a more interesting flavor than traditional cinnamon.  Enjoy my version of pumpkin cupcakes.

The Fudgiest Brownies

There is nothing more satisfying than a really rich, chocolatey, dense brownie.  Serve 'em to guests with ice cream and no one goes home unhappy (or hungry).  This is a recipe that has been served by my mom for years, and I guarantee that these brownies are practically a different *species* than those that come from a box (think more of flourless chocolate cake consistency), and yet are as easy to make as their inferior cousins. 

When I was young, my mom would take my sister and me to visit her friend Candy, who worked at a local lunch diner.  Candy would give each of us a brownie, the recipe of which came from a box (!) - how many years I ago you'll never get me to divulge.  Let's just say that they don't make them like this anymore.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit and butter up a 9x13 in pan.

In a microwave, melt:

8 oz Baker's unsweetened chocolate (one box)
2 sticks of butter

You might have to stir it up a bit to get it melted without burning.

Then add: 3 C sugar, 1 T vanilla, 5 eggs, 1.5 C flour

Stir the mixture until everything coagulates into one deliciously gooey mess, spread it in your pan, and bake for about 35 minutes (its better to take them out when there's still a bit sticking to a knife inserted into the middle - otherwise they get too overdone).

Enjoy!

Upside-Down (And All-Around Good) Apple Cake

Its apple pickin’ season in Wisconsin, as I suspect it is in many parts of the country, and so one early morning some friends and I drove fifteen minutes outside of town to pick a wagon full of apples among the dewy grass, sheep, and, as we unfortunately discovered, swarms of mosquitoes.  The crisp and tart Empires, Galas, and Cortlands were worth it though; it has been a week of pie making. 

I wanted to try something a little different, a cake with a gooey apple topping that could be made quickly, easily, and best of all, cheaply.  I combined an old recipe for upside down cake that my mother’s friend used to make with apricots, and voila!  A not-too-sweet dessert that would be right at home being served at an afternoon tea; you can find out how to make it here.