This past weekend, I had a chance to try out a couple of fall recipes that have been on my list. I was in Indiana for my Grandma Weezie's 90th birthday celebration, so there were plenty of eaters on hand.

This pumpkin cream cheese spread was one of The Kitchn's Delicious Links last week, and I was pretty sure it would be a big hit. It was. I made a big batch of it and served it with sliced apples for Grandma Weezie's party on Saturday, and again with bagels for a family brunch on Sunday. Luckily, I still had a little leftover to bring home with me.

I also made a batch of Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sage and Pine Nuts for a leisurely dinner on Saturday night. This one's also from The Kitch – it's actually a variation of a dish served at super-editor Faith's recent wedding. (Congrats!)

Mine didn't crisp up quite right - I should have paid more attention to the recipe and not crowded the pan – but it was still really tasty.

Lately, I've been really busy outside of the kitchen, and a little uninspired in the kitchen, but this weekend got me back in my groove and excited to jump into more fall recipes.

Get the recipes here:

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sage and Pine Nuts

try this: http://www.bellybytes.com/recipe/jams/jams22.html (original link)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Makes 1-1/2 cups (24, 1-tablespoon servings).

Nutritional facts per serving: Calories: 43 , Total fat: 3g , Saturated fat: 2g , Cholesterol: 10 mg , Sodium: 28mg, Carbohydrate: 3g , Fiber: 0g , Protein: 1g

Toasted Butter Pecan Cake

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
• 2-2/3 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

In a small heavy skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add pecans; cook over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, cream sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat just until combined. Fold in 2 cups reserved pecans. Spread evenly into three greased and waxed paper-lined 9-in. round baking pans.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 packages (one 8 oz and one 3 oz) of cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup of butter softened
• 4-5 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until well combined, add 4 cups of confectioners sugar and maple syrup and beat until smooth. Add remaining sugar if needed. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Store in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Amber's Delectable Delights, originally from Taste of Home.

½ can black olives (chopped)

1 small jar pimentos (if desired)

Mix together, form into ball and chill.  Roll ball in chopped nuts.

Jennifer Evangelista

4 EGGS

1 BOX YELLOW CAKE MIX

1 BOX CONFECTION SUGAR

1 8 OZ CREAM CHEESE

1 STICK OF BUTTER

MIX MELTED BUTTER, ONE EGG AND YELLOW CAKE MIX.  SMOOTHE IN THE BOTTOM OF 9x12 PAN.  I USE WAX PAPER TO PRESS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

MIX  3 EGGS, 1 BOX OF CONFECTION SUGAR AND CREAM CHEESE.

POUR ON TOP OF THE CAKE MIX.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR APPROX 45 MINUTES

Melodie Miley

Source: doughmesstic

Fruit Dip

• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened to room temp.
• 8 oz Fluff

Whip cream cheese and fluff together in a stand mixer or with a hand hand mixer until well combined. Serve with fresh fruit. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, just make sure you approximately the same amount of cream cheese and fluff.

The Pampered Chef Creamy One Pot Pasta

4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 jar (7 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, undrained
3 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth (5 1/4 cups)
1 lb uncooked penne pasta
1 head broccoli (2 cups small florets)
2 medium carrots, peeled
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil (optional)

Thinly slice garlic using Paring Knife. Place garlic and 1 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes into (8-qt.) Stockpot.

Cook garlic over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until garlic is golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat; add broth. Return to burner; increase heat to high.

Cover and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta; cover and simmer vigorously 8-10 minutes or until pasta is almost cooked but still firm, stirring occasionally .

Meanwhile, cut broccoli into small florets; place Bowl. Cut carrots in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise on a bias.

Drain sun-dried tomatoes; pat dry with a paper towel. Slice tomatoes into thin strips. Add carrots and tomatoes to bowl.

Cut cream cheese into cubes. Add vegetables, cream cheese, salt and black pepper to Stockpot.

Stir until cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook an additional 2-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Serve immediately.

If desired, top with grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrients per serving: Light: Calories 410, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 65 g, Protein 15 g, Sodium 1000 mg, Fiber 5 g

Garlic Cheese Spread

• 8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. block pepper jack cheese (I used Colby-Jack)
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Dash of Tabasco
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor fitted with the shredding disk, shred cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Empty the cheese from the workbowl and place the metal blade into the bottom of the bowl.

Add the cream cheese, garlic and remaining seasonings into the workbowl and process for one minute. Add in the shredded cheese and process for 1-2 minutes or until everything is well mixed and creamy.

Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with crackers and/or pretzels.

Adapted from Amber's Delectable Delights.

    Credit to fogcity.blogs.com

For you, what is the quintessential autumnal ingredient? 

For me, it's pumpkin. Nothing says "fall" to me more than the pumpkin (or the "pumpking", as my friend's six year-old brother likes to say). I love walking into bakeries this time of the year because the smell of pumpkins, spices, and butter engulfs me. Pumpkin's distinctive flavor just brings to mind autumn. It invokes thoughts of falling leaves and haystacks and roast pork and other hokey scenes straight out of a Ross commercial. 

And pumpkin done right is just so gosh-darn delicious as well. My dad's pumpkin and squash soup is something I'd happily give my right arm for. Buttery, creamy, peppery, and hints of spices and voodoo that makes it food for the gods. He doesn't make that soup quite often enough, but when he makes it, it's magic. I've asked him over the years what he puts in it, but he always says that he doesn't remember, other than the pumpkin and squash. "Just whatever's on hand and seems like it'll be good," he says. I guess that's why the soup is different every time, but always, always delicious. 

As a side note, I am of the opinion that my dad is the best chef in the world, even better than Saint Thomas Keller and Gary Danko and Eric Ripert and all the other bigwigs of the world. I actually don't know this because as a broke college student, I wouldn't have the funds to eat their food. But even if I did know better, I'd still say that my pops is the best. So there. 

But anyways, back on topic. The most elusive recipe for me over the years has been a recipe for a decent pumpkin cake. I found a recipe for a pumpkin cake on Epicurious.com a couple years back that turned out delicious, although not quite what I hoped for. I altered the recipe a little to my whim and have found it a very flexible recipe. I found that adding a little sour cream to the original recipe makes it a lighter and moister, and also adds a little je ne sais quoi to it. 

Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Rum Cream Cheese Frosting (Serves One--if you eat the way I do)

Adapted from Epicurious.com and Bon Appétit

FOR THE CAKE:

• 2 cups (minus 1 Tbsp) cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 Tbsp sour cream 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup milk (1% is what I use) 
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 

Cake:
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon iodized salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
confectioner’s sugar

Filling:
1 eight oz. package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a 17 ½ x 11 ½ inch jelly roll pan. Line with wax paper.
Place sugar, pumpkin, and eggs in large mixer bowl and beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Add baking soda, salt, flour, and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. Spread batter evening in prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes or until done. Cool on rack for 2 minutes.

Flip cake out onto a clean towel sprinkled LIBERALLY with confectioner’s sugar. Remove waxed paper. Roll up cake from short side in the towel and let cool to room temperature.

Combine all ingredients for the filling by beating well in mixer bowl until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Unroll cake, spread filling, and roll up again removing towel.

Place in refrigerator and chill for at least one hour. Makes 8-10 servings (or slice thinner for more!) Enjoy!

Note: This roll freezes well if you don’t finish it when served.

You can serve these in their little cups or fancy them up on a plate with the chocolate sauce.  I sifted a little bit of powdered sugar on top before drizzling the chocolate.  The only other change I made was to omit the coconut.

Dusting with cocoa powder and garnishing with mint leaves and/or raspberries would also add some nice finishing touches.  I had trouble taking a picture of the cross-section of the cupcake without it looking like a pile of wreckage, but you’ll  see my attempt above.  These are best served warm from the oven.  They kind of implode as they cool because of the gooey center.

This turned out truly amazing. It starts out with a graham cracker and pecan crust sweetened with a little bit of sugar and cinnamon. The crust had an incredible flavor. I would definitely experiment and use the crust again for another recipe. Next, it has a traditional cheesecake filling (soo easy). Next, the cake is layered with thinly sliced apples (I used Cortland) tossed in cinnamon in sugar. The apples are then topped off with pecans.

Though the recipe called for a 9 inch pan, I would HIGHLY recommend using a 7 inch pan. Even with the smaller pan, this was still a thin cheesecake. I did not adjust the cooking time for the smaller pan. The first time I ever made cheesecake, I was warned to use a water bath (I don't even really know the reasoning, so it won't crack?). Either I would pour the boiling water into the "bath," and then gingerly try to put the entire two ton thing in the oven without burning myself or slopping it into the cheesecake. Or, in the alternative, I would sit there with the oven door open, letting all the heat escape, trying to pour boiling water into the two inch space between the springform and the "bath," inevitably splashing it into the cheesecake or on the oven floor.  My most vivid water bath nightmare was when my springform pan was not quite sealed entirely.  When I eagerly unlatched the springform, expecting to find a crisp crust beneath the silky cheesecake, I was instead met with a wet (not just soggy) crust and soupy cheesecake.  Not this time. I decided to throw caution to the wind and skip the water bath altogether and I did not miss it one bit. I did put a small baking dish with boiling water on the lower rack to keep the cheesecake from drying out. Good riddance to the water bath.

Ingredients

• 1 c. graham cracker crumbs
• ½ c. finely chopped pecans
• 3 Tb. white sugar
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ c. unsalted butter, melted

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• ½ c. white sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 c. apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/3 c. white sugar
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ c, chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter; press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla; pour filling into the baked crust.
3. In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss the cinnamon-sugar with the apples to coat. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer and sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped pecans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes. With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill cake before serving.

Right out the oven (sorry a little dark)

Mmm!

Chili Cheese Dip

Spread 1 8 oz. brick of softened cream cheese in the bottom of a pie plate, top with 1 can of Hormel Chili (either with or without beans, depending on preference).  Heat in microwave 1-2 minutes.  Top with shredded cheese and return to microwave until heated completely through.  Serve with Tostitos, Fritos or Crackers.  Never any leftovers.

Submitted by:  Julie Hoshal

Kraft has recently introduced cream cheese-filled bagels called "Bagel-fuls."

Is this a mind-blowingly great idea or just another sign of the approaching apocalypse? God forbid if we actually take an extra 5 seconds to schmear the white stuff on our frozen Lender's bagel. Wonder what good old Murray Lender would have to say about this development?

The reviews I've seen online are a mixed bag ... some good, some not so good. I was thinking the cheese would be Kraft's Philadelphia brand, but some claim the fromage in Bagel-fuls is more like cottage cheese. Further, I'm not sure what other ingredients (artificial or otherwise) make up these savory (not sweet) little Twinkies (sorry 'bout that Hostess).

Have any of you tried these yet? I'd love to hear some more opinions before I shove one in my cakehole.

Here's what Kraft has to say about them ...

NEW YORK (April 9, 2008) – With more to do than ever and less time to do it in, people are always on the look-out for wholesome grab-and-go breakfast ideas. Now, with new Kraft Bagel-fuls – a warm, golden bagel and creamy Philadelphia® cream cheese deliciously and conveniently rolled into one – those in a morning rush can have their bagel and eat it, too! Bagel-fuls offer a fresh-baked taste at home or n-the-go that will satisfy even the most discriminating bagel lovers.

Kraft launches the new breakfast option today in the bagel capital of the world, New York City, with the help of popular comic and “The View” co-host Joy Behar. With a busy TV and touring schedule, Joy is all too familiar with morning mayhem.She’ll kick off the launch of Bagel-fuls by rolling up her sleeves and getting behind the counter at Bagel & Bean, 1710 Broadway, which will be transformed to the Bagel-fuls Café for the day.Morning commuters will be pleasantly surprised when they come face-to-face with Joy’s wit, wisdom, and a warm, golden Bagel-fuls sample.

Different Look, Great Taste
Heated in the toaster or microwave, Bagel-fuls have the warm, golden crust and soft texture of a real bagel wrapped around creamy Philadelphia cream cheese. Bagel-fuls can also be enjoyed right out of the refrigerator. Bagel-fuls filled bagelscome in five delicious varieties:

• Original (plain bagel with plain cream cheese)
• Cinnamon (cinnamon and brown sugar bagel with cinnamon cream cheese)
• Whole Grain (whole grain bagel with plain cream cheese)
• Strawberry (plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese)
• Chive (plain bagel with chive cream cheese)

Just What Women-on-the-Go Need
Bagel-fuls are being introduced just as a recent survey from Kraft reveals that more than half of all moms are more likely to skip breakfast than any other meal and that 60 percent of moms would eat breakfast more often if they could take their favorite options on-the-go. Bagel-fuls meet these needs by providing a simple and stress-free breakfast that can be prepared in less than two minutes with no plates, mess or effort.

“Most people realize the importance of a good breakfast, but during hectic mornings they don’t often have time to prepare a warm, satisfying breakfast before getting out the door,” said Chitra Ebenezer, director of marketing for Cheese & Dairy at Kraft Foods. “Bagel-fuls offer thegreat taste of a bagel and cream cheese, but in a convenient form that can be enjoyed on-the-go.”

A Sensible Solution
All Bagel-fuls varieties meet Kraft’s Sensible Solution criteria. The Sensible Solution green flag on the package is an easy way to know that Bagel-fuls are a good source of calcium and seven other vitamins and minerals. Bagel-fuls are also a better-for-you choice with 200 calories (or less), 6 g of fat (or less),
220 mg of sodium (or less) and 0 g trans fat per serving.

Availability and More Information
Bagel-fuls are available in 10-oz. packages containing four 2.5-oz.-filled bagels at a suggested retail price of $2.39 and can be stored in the freezer or refrigerator. They can be found nationwide in the frozen breakfast section of leading grocery stores beginning April 2008. For more information, visit www.kraftfoods.com.
Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, with 2007 revenues of more than $37 billion. For more than 100 years, Kraft has offered consumers delicious and wholesome foods that fit the way they live. Kraft markets a broad portfolio of iconic brands in more than 150 countries, including nine brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion: Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats; Philadelphia cream cheese; Maxwell House coffee; Nabisco cookies and crackers and its Oreo brand; Jacobs coffees, Milka chocolates and LU biscuits.Kraft is listed in the Standard & Poor's 100 and 500 indexes. The company is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.kraft.com.

It's always nice to bring in Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) with something sweet. So what could be sweeter and more delicious than a homemade batch of Rugelach? These were always my favorite Jewish dessert when I was younger, probably second to rainbow cookies. I always used to pick off the sugared chocolate chips. I actually still do, but we'll keep that a secret. But a chocolate cinnamon filling paired with my sweet creamy dough really hits the spot and even makes me want to eat the entire cookie, not just the chips!

Rugelach, which literally means "little twists" in Yiddish, has Jewish Ashkenazic (Polish) origins. In Europe the dough was made with yeast so that it would be pareve (no dairy ingredients), and so it could be eaten with or after a meat meal and still be kosher. American Jews later introduced a cream cheese based rugelach dough. Rugelach dough is traditionally rolled around sweet fillings such as chocolate, raisins and nuts, or preserves.

These Rugelach were actually very easy and fun to make. The one suggestion I have before making these is to refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours before baking so that the dough is easier to shape.

CHOCOLATE CHIP RUGELACH

Ingredients

DOUGH:

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)

8 oz fat free cream cheese (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg yolks

FILLING:

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped pecans (toasted)

1/2 c turbinado sugar

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

GLAZE:

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 cup water

1. Whisk the white flour, whole wheat flour, and the salt in one bowl.

2. Beat the softened butter and cream cheese until well blended (about 2-3 minutes) and then add the sugar.

3. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the batter, incorporating the ingredients one at a time until blended.

4. Add the flour mixture to the batter in half cup increments and mix with a spoon until blended.

5. Knead the dough on a floured surface and then divide it into three disks. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least two hours.

6. While the dough refrigerates, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in one bowl. In another bowl, combine the mini chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and raisins.

7. At this time you can also combine the egg yolk, sugar, and water for the glaze in a small bowl. You should keep this mixture refrigerated.

8. Once the dough is chilled preheat your oven to 350 degrees. You can now unwrap one disk and roll it out onto a flat surface between a sheet of wax paper (on the botton) and the plastic wrap on top. Roll the dough into a circle that is approximately 1/4 inch thick.

9. After the dough is rolled take 1/3 of the sugar mixture and spread it across the circle leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge. Then take about 1/3 of the mini chocolate chip/chopped pecan/raisin mixture and spread it on top of the sugar mixture. Then put the plastic wrap you'd previously used over the circle and gently roll the toppings into the dough.

10. Once the toppings are somewhat set in the dough take off the plastic and divide the mixture with a pie cutter or pizza cutter into 12 triangular pieces.

11. The carefully take the wide side of the triangle and roll it up into the center of the circle. Use this technique to roll up the remaining pieces and then continue the process from the beginning with the other two disks.

12. You may want to refrigerate the first and second batch of disks while you finish rolling the remaining disks (prior to baking them).

13. Once all the Rugelach are rolled, you can brush the glaze you had made earlier on the tops. You may want to sprinkle some extra cinnamon or sugar on the tops before baking them.

14. You can now place the Rugelach on baking sheets lined with wax paper. The wax paper prevents the Rugelach from sticking to the sheet.

15. Bake the Rugelach for approximately 20-30 minutes until slightly golden on top. Cool the Rugelach on wire racks until room temperature and then serve! You should store in an air tight container for up to five days.

Rich, Tina, and I drove to Budd Lake, NJ to spend Thanksgiving with all of you and while there, the adults took a side trip to Philadelphia for the Army-Navy Football Game.  While in Philadelphia we enjoyed drinks at a tavern called the Monk's Inn.  There we were served a cheese spread that everyone truly enjoyed.  After returning home, Sue was able to break down the ingredients and create a recipe for me.

Monk's Inn Cheese Spread

1 4-1/2 oz. Herb Cheese

2 T Butter

4 oz. Cream Cheese w/Chives

Chopped Parsley

I remember this trip well.  Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was on tv.  It was the first time we had seen it.  Dad and Uncle Rich watched the movie with us on the television downstairs.  Tina, Jennifer, Rob and I were all making a bed on the floor with our sleeping bags.  Mom and Aunt Sandy made us popcorn (in the old cast iron pot with oil - no microwaves then).  I remember the Army-Navy games.  Mom lost a bet one year and had to pay $5.  I forget who the bet was with, but Mom spelled out NAVY in pennies and glued them to a cardboard frame and that is how she paid up.

Quarter sheet in carrot cake and cream cheese.  Fondant leaves, gum paste mums,  real acorns - luster dusted.

My fondant letters backfired but in the end it came out okay.  Definitely a good learning tool for the next fall cake coming up!

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 10 min
Makes: 3 cups or 24 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 3/4 lb. cooked shrimp, chopped (2 cups)
• 3/4 cup KRAFT Cocktail Sauce
• 1/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 2 green onions, sliced

1. Spread cream cheese onto bottom of shallow bowl or 9-inch pie plate. Toss shrimp with cocktail sauce; spoon over cream cheese.
2. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and onions.
3. Serve with WHEAT THINS Crackers.

Substitute 1 pkg. (8 oz.) imitation crabmeat, coarsely chopped, for the shrimp.

**Personal Review: No Review Yet**

Filling
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping
1 stick of Earths Balance softened
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Batter
1 stick Earths Balance softened
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup soy/rice/almond milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
For Filling: In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Set aside.
Topping: In a small bowl blend together Earths Balance, sugar, flour, spice and salt. Set aside.
Batter: In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together EB and sugar. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and in batches slowly beat into wet mixture alternately with milk.
Assemble: Spread half of the batter in bottom of baking dish. Add a smaller layer of filling on the top leaving an inch or two of space around the edge.
Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter on filling and spread evenly (be careful not to mix layers).
Sprinkle or drizzle topping evenly over batter (I was playing with the recipe and the topping was pretty soft by the time I started to assemble the cake. I ended up drizzling it over the top with a teaspoon. Bake coffeecake in middle of oven for about 45 minutes, until golden and a tester comes out clean. My oven runs about 50 deg. too hot, so you're baking time may vary from mine.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 ½ cup ap flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch nutmeg
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 c chocolate chips or raisins
½ - 1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Whisk together flour, leavening, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars. Beat in egg, then vanilla, then pumpkin. Add flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans, if using.
Drop by tablespoons and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350F. Bake them until they’re lightly browned at the edges, but not dark.
Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.