Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

I got this recipe from Domino Magazine, it quick and easy for lazy mornings when you don't really want to cook, but don't want to eat cold cereal again for the millionth consecutive time.

Egg Benedict for a Crowd
Makes:12

non-stick cooking spray
12 slices Canadian Bacon
12 eggs
6 English muffins, split
6 tablespoons butter, softened
chives, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F. Put two 6-cup silicon muffin trays on a baking sheet (I used regular sized tin muffin pans) and coat well with cooking spray. Crack an egg into each muffin cup, cover each egg with a slice of Canadian Bacon. Butter the English muffin and place the buttered-side down on top of the bacon. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Cover mufin pan with a plate (I used a baking sheet) and flip over, remove muffin pan. Spoon with the Bernie Sauce and sprinkle with the chives.

Bernie Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Mix together the mayonaisse, mustard, pepper and lemon.

Pumpkin-Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese-Ginger Frosting

I've been dying to bake pumpkin cupcakes since August, I've been constantly searching for a can of pumpkin in the supermarkets, but I was told by a clerk that "canned pumpkin is only available during the Thanksgiving season". I don't get it, what's the point of canning food if it's only going to be available when in season? Maybe people don't buy canned pumpkin in this island util November, but still that pumkin is gonna stay edible at least two years from when it was first canned.
Anyway, so at last I got me some pumpkin and did the cupcakes, using as base a Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes from Simply Recipes. I really love the way they turned out, when you eat them you taste the spices and the sublte flavor of the pumpkin followed but the nice after taste of the carrots and walnuts. The cream cheese with the ginger compliments the spiciness of the cupcake. The candies on top are chocolate covered ginger. I've got to say that I'm actually very proud of this cupcakes.



Pumpkin-Carrot Cupcakes
Makes:17

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger, ground
1/8 teaspoon cloves, ground
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1/2 cup buttermilk
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup carrot, shredded

-Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses and honey, until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add one at a time, the eggs, then the pumpkin and vanilla; beat until incorporated.
-In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the spices. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively to the pumpkin batter. Add the walnuts and carrot stirring until just combined.
-Pour into paper lined cupcake pans, filling close to the tops (I used an ice cream scoop) and bake 18 minutes or until done. Let cool completely.

Cream Cheese-Ginger Frosting

8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ginger spread
-In the bowl of an electric mixer, put the cream cheese, ginger spread, butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Refrigerate 30 minutes if too soft.