Brown Sugar Cinnamon Brioche Buns

Yes, I know.  I have been a brioche making fool around here lately.  But, can you blame me?  That stuff is so good - and for everything!  This recipe uses a small portion of the already made up dough you should have in your fridge.  Oh, you don't have brioche dough in your fridge?  Well, click here and you can.  Don't be scared, it's super easy.  I promise.  :)

For this super simple recipe, I grabbed a handful of dough and rolled it out into a rectangle (approx. 9x13).

Sprinkle a generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon on top and roll up longways.  Be careful to leave the edges of the dough as clean as you can.  Pinch the ends closed after rolling.  

After rolling, slice into pieces.  Mine were about 1 1/2 thick.  Place in a buttered round baking pan and cover with a dishcloth for about 45 minutes to let rise.  Then, pop in the over for about 15-20 minutes on 350 degrees.

Banana Bread

Today's Great Thing was not about me, considering I hate (yes, I used the 'H' word) banana bread.  I guess it stems from the fact that from the ages of 4 to 9 all I ate was bananas.  Seriously.  

At any rate, my husband loves banana bread.  He and the kids are off to the hunting cabin this weekend - it's youth hunt weekend in Alabama, and their special prize was a warm loaf of Banana Bread.  They even paid me with a happy dance!

Of course they think I slaved all day preparing this but I didn't.  It was a mix!  You know, one of these mixes...

And the best part:  It was only $1.96 at my local Walmart.  Using my trusty $1 off coupons, I was able to score these mixes for only $0.96 each.  Not too shabby, eh?

Moral of the story:  It doesn't have to cost much OR be homemade to be a really Great thing!

If you need coupons, Leonard at American Consumer Services offers the most helpful and affordable options.  Just contact him here and do me a favor - tell him Heather sent you!  

Pumpkin Gooey Cake

One of the reasons why I love this time of year is the fact that pumpkin puree is readily available.  And this cake is one of my most favorite things to make.  Super easy, your family is going to love this ooey, gooey, pumpkin goodness.

When I first tried this recipe I had all kinds of horrible problems, but since I'm not one to give up easily (especially when it comes to yummy pumpkin goodness), I worked and worked (actually googled, and googled) until I figured out what the problem was...

Tips

DO NOT USE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING. YOU MUST USE PUMPKIN PUREE IF YOU WANT THE CAKE TO BAKE CORRECTLY.  (Smitten Kitchen has a great tutorial on making your own pumpkin puree, just click the link.)

The cake mix + pumpkin puree version of pumpkin cake may not be for everyone. I like it just fine, especially when it’s soaked in SCM and caramel. But if you’re not sure about it, feel free to substitute your own pumpkin cake recipe as the cake base.

DO NOT mix together the pumpkin, cake mix, and the other ingredients on the back of the cake mix box!!!! ONLY mix the cake mix and the pumpkin puree.

You must let the sweetened condensed milk soak in all the way. Letting it sit overnight will yield best results.

Use the bottom of a wooden mixing spoon to poke the holes in the cake.  

What I Used

1 box yellow cake mix

1 - 15 oz. small can pumpkin puree

1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 - 8 oz. tub cool whip

1/2 bag Heath Bits

Caramel Sundae Sauce

How It's Done

Mix together the cake mix and the pumpkin puree (DO NOT add the other ingredients on the cake mix box).

Pour batter into a well greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350º according to the directions for a 9x13 cake on the cake mix box.

Let cool for about 10 minutes after baking. Using the bottom of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the top of the cake.

Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, filling the holes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spread the cool whip over top of cake. Sprinkle on the heath bits, and drizzle caramel over top (just to your liking). Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight (best).

This cake gets really gooey.  But, it's sooo yummy.  If you make this, comment and let us know how you liked it.

The original cake recipe posted at Something Swanky.

Effortless Peach Cobbler

Today's great thing was actually a request from the hubs.  He loves peach cobbler and it's just not something I make regularly.  So, why not today?  

I used one of my Grandmothers recipes and frankly, it was easier than mine.  And just as good - if not better just because of its ease.

What I used

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, softened

Peaches, or any fruit (pie filling is also an option)

Combine the flour, milk, sugar and butter in a bowl and add fruit or pie filling.  Transfer to pan and bake in 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes or until done.

That's it!  :)