Thanksgiving at home & Pumpkin Cheesecake =)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that Graham and I drove back to North Carolina with our fur kids in tow. We didn't leave until about 3:00, didn't make it to our families homes until about 5:00am. It was a long day. But our animals are cute enough to make up for it. =)

White Chocolate & Cranberry Cheesecake

If you follow me on Instagram (you should by the way; my pets are adorable...) you may have seen this beauty posted late Sunday night: White Chocolate Cheesecake on an Oreo crust, with a Cranberry Topping.

It was absolutely as decadent and delicious as it sounds.

I'm in the process of testing out desserts for the various Thanksgiving functions I'm attending. We have a luncheon at my office, we have lunch on Thanksgiving with Graham's family, and then dinner that evening with my family. Graham has already decided I need to bring my apple pie to his families meal, but that still leaves two desserts for me to impress people with. And this cheesecake was definitely impressive. Not only is it absolutely delicious, but I think it's very visually appealing thanks to the all of the colors.

I did try to lighten this up a little bit. Last time I made a cheesecake I used reduced fat cream cheese and sour cream, and you couldn't tell a difference. And considering the addition of melted chocolate in this one, I figured it could use all the help it could get =)

White Chocolate & Cranberry Cheesecake
(Recipe heavily adapted from this one.)

Ingredients:

• 2 C. of crushed Oreos (about 40 cookies, creams removed.)
• 1/2 stick of butter; melted & cooled.
• 3-8 oz packages of reduced fat cream cheese
• 1-8 oz. container of reduced fat sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 C. of sugar
• 1 & 1/3 C. of white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Wrap the aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of your springform pan and set aside. (This helps keep water from seeping in & making the crust soggy.)
2. Remove the creams from the Oreos and then crush them. (I used a food processor, but if you don't have one just put them in a gallon sized Ziploc bag & beat them with a heavy bottomed pan or meat mallet.)
3. Mix the cookies and the butter and press down into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Place in the freezer to set while you make the filling.
4. Melt the chocolate chips by your method of choice. I used a double boiler. If you do this, be careful not to get the water to the boiling point... I did that and my chocolate turned into chalk... Let the chocolate get glossy and then start stirring until all of the chocolate is melted and creamy.
5. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer) cream the cream cheese and the sugar together. Then add the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream & the melted chocolate. Pour the prepared filling into the crust.
6. Pour about an inch of water into a large roasting pan. Place the foil wrapped cheesecake into the pan and bake for 60 minutes. For the last ten minutes open the oven door. Once it's finished, turn off the oven and let it sit for another ten minutes before removing it to cool on the counter.
7. Let rest on the counter for about 30 minutes before putting in the fridge. Let refrigerate for at least four hours, but over night is better.

Cranberry Topping
Ingredients:

• 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1 T. Yellowtail Moscato
• 3/4 C. water
• 1 C. sugar

Directions:

1. Combine the wine & the cornstarch and set aside.
2. Heat water and sugar in a large saucepan. Let the sugar dissolve and then add the cranberries. Bring to a boil (about 5 minutes) and then reduce the heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
3. When thickened, remove from heat and refrigerate.
4. Once it has chilled and is thick, drain the cranberries, reserving the syrup that drains off.

To serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan and move to your serving dish and top with the cranberry mixture (drizzle some of the extra syrup on your slice for extra deliciousness).

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

For the past few weeks, I've had this overwhelming desire to bake something that involved two of my favorite things: apples & cheesecake. Last fall I made an incredible apple cheesecake, but it was labor intensive and... huge.

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I was instantly smitten. Cheesecake bars, studded with apples, topped with oatmeal, butter & brown sugar, then covered in caramel sauce? Yes, please.

These turned out absolutely PERFECT. I made a couple of changes to the recipe and just used a packaged snickerdoodle cookie mix for the crust, and added a little lemon zest to the cheesecake batter. FYI; adding lemon to cheesecake is the best possible thing you can do to it.

 Anyways. On to the recipe!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
(Adapted from Zoom Yummy)

Ingredients for the Base

• A package of Betty Crocker Snickerdoodle cookie mix
• 1 stick of melted butter
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 egg

Directions for the Base

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper, with overhand over the longer sides.
3. Prepare the cookie dough according the directions on the package, only adding the packet the of cinnamon-sugar mixture to the dough.
4. Press the dough down into the baking pan.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dough has started to set. Remove from oven & set aside.
6. Lower the oven temperature to 350.

Ingredients for the Filling

• Two 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese.
• 1/2 C. of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions for the filling

1. Beat the cream cheese & sugar together until smooth
2. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix until just incorporated after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla.
4. Scrape down the sides of your mixer and mix until you have a smooth filling.
5. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the (warm) crust.

Ingredients for the Topping

• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of softened butter, but into cubes

Directions for the Topping

1. Toss the apple chunks in the cinnamon and granulated sugar, and spread them out over the cheesecake mixture in an even layer (there will be some empty spaces).
2. Put the oats, flour, brown sugar and butter in the food processor and pulse until you have a coarse texture. Spread this in an even layer over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. When finished, lower the temp to 325 and bake for 5 more minutes.

Let cool in the fridge for about 4 hours, before slicing into squares and drizzling with caramel sauce. If you're feeling motivated, and don't already have an overflowing pile of dirty dishes, you can make your own. I'm lazy and had a jar of Smuckers caramel sauce in the fridge already, so I went with that.



Raspberries and cheap wine =)

I'm currently working at two offices in our company, and both offices had their Thanksgiving luncheons today. I of course made desserts for both. Neither was a traditional fall dessert, because I am honestly already sick of pumpkin & apple.

Anyways, my initial plan was to make
1) Lemon cupcakes, filled with strawberries and topped with a cream cheese frosting
2) Vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd, raspberry jam and topped with buttercream
3) Chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting.

Only #3 worked out.

I used the same recipe for the first two cakes, and it was AWFUL. I made the lemon ones first, and I shouldn't have made the plain ones next, but I was concerned I had made an error, so I made it again. Both were really, really bad. They looked like little white hockey pucks, were not at all moist or fluffy and were just really disappointing. I should have known, because all of the reviews I've read for this recipe say that it's really sturdy and gives off little crumbs (which is true), and handy when making a layered cake. But this really does not translate well into cupcakes. I just really wish I had read more reviews for the recipe before baking four dozen of them. Oh well. You win some, you lose some,

I definitely won with the chocolate ones though! They were so, SO good. And the frosting was INSANE. Sweet, a little tart, SO creamy and the color is SO pretty!

The cupcakes were my favorite Martha recipe and the frosting was adapted from Jamie over at My Baking Addiction.

Raspberry Buttercream
(Adapted from My Baking Addiction)

Ingredients

• 1/3 of a cup of raspberry puree
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter; room temperatue
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 6 cups of powered sugar4 tablespoons of milk

Directions 

1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer until fluffy.
2. Mix in the raspberry puree.
3. Slowly incorporate the sugar. Do not put in to much at once unless you want your new knives covered in sugar dust... grrrr.  
4. Once all of the sugar is combined, add enough milk to get to your desired consistency (I just used two).

For the other office, I used some of the leftover raspberry puree and made an insanely good raspberry swirl cheesecake. OH. MY. GOD. So effing delicious! I actually messed up with the eggs. All of my cupcakes called for four eggs, and I guess I was on a four egg kick. The recipe only called for three, but I didn't realize that until the stand mixer was mixing in the fourth egg. *sigh* At that point I just went along and hoped for the best.

The cheesecake was the PERFECT consistency. I don't like super creamy cheesecakes, I like them to be firmer. I guess the extra egg did that? Anyways. It was really, really delicious. I managed to salvage a good sized chunk of it to bring home... (I'm supposed to welcome someone home tomorrow who LOVES my cheesecake =) =) =)) and I may have had a slice for dinner tonight.

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
  
Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients

• 2 cups of Graham Cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of melted butter

Directions

1. In small bowl toss together graham crumbs, margarine or butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. 
2. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. 
3. Wrap pan tightly in aluminum foil.
4. Chill in freezer while preparing filling.

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients

• 4 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of lemon extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• Raspberry puree

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream. 
2. Take spoonfuls of the puree and drop onto the cheesecake. With a toothpick (or a skewer, which is all I ever have) swirl the puree around. I did about 5 dollops of the raspberries.
3. Pour hot water in a large roasting pan. Once the cheesecake is in the water bath, the water should come up about one inch up the side. Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for 1 hour & 10 minutes. Once done open up the oven door a few inches and let cool in the oven for about 25 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator. 
4.  The cheesecake needs to refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but over night is preferable.

And as a fairly decent end to the night, I stopped by the store on the way home and picked up a cheap bottle of wine to help me relax. The Flip Flop Wines are pretty good for their crazy low price tag. AND they donate a pair of shoes to someone in need for every bottle sold (up to 100,000 pairs). And at $7.00 a bottle? Yes, please. I bought the Riesling last time, and it was good. It was crisp, but not as sweet as I like. I like the Moscato better a little better. It's sweet, but doesn't have the crispness. Still good though!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

This is another recipe from the wonderful, amazing, BRILLIANT Jamie over at My Baking Addiction. Discovering this blog is the reason that I have gained like 20 pounds in the past year. Her recipes are easy and so delicious. Everything I've made of hers has turned out perfectly, and these were no exception.

Oh yes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about one sleeve)
•   1/2 stick of unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

For the Cheesecake Filling:

• 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Let sit in freezer while you prepare the cheesecake filling and cookie dough.
3. To prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, the sugars, salt and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Put dough in a separate container and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and well incorporated. Mix in the egg on low speed until smooth. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. It seems like a lot, but you will need to use all of the dough. It will cover most of the cheesecake batter.
5. Bake for 40 minutes until the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
6. Lift the bars out by the overhang; slice into desired size (I cut mine into 12 equal pieces) and store in the refrigerator.

In other news, my grated finger still hurts and looks awful. I'm going home soon and have a fancy event to go to. The stupid thing needs to hurry up and heal so I'll be able to get my nails done.

Ew.

My wall is coming along nicely. I decided on a color for the print, and I'm in the process of tracing it on to the wall with chalk so it'll be ready to paint over this weekend.

I'm LOVING how it's turning out.

"Strawberry" Cheesecake

(Ignore the horrible camera phone pic)

I have the strawberry in quotation marks, because it obviously isn't real strawberry. The grocery store was completely out of strawberries, and until about 3 seconds ago I didn't realize that I could use frozen... Oh well. It's delicious. And it's pink =)

It's "strawberry" because I stirred in a pack of strawberry jello at the end (I was determined to make a Valentines Day themed desert. And honestly, I LOVE the addition of the jello. It made it a little sweet and tart and I could probably eat the whole thing in one sitting.

"Strawberry" Cheesecake

Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients

• 2 cups of Graham Cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of melted butter

Directions
In small bowl toss together graham crumbs, margarine or butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Chill in freezer while preparing filling.

Cheesecake Filling
Ingredients

• 4 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
  
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions
1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream. Once batter is combined, add the pack of jello.

2) Pour hot water in a large roasting pan. Once the cheesecake is in the water bath, the water should come up about one inch up the side. Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for 1 hour & 10 minutes. Once done open up the oven door a few inches and let cool in the oven for about 25 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator.

The cheesecake needs to refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but over night is preferable.

Notes
-Don't forget to wrap the pan TIGHTLY in aluminum foil. The last thing you want is for water to seep into the pan and you end up with a soggy crust.

-If you have real strawberries, puree them with a sprinkle of sugar and swirl the puree into the batter before baking. Use a toothpick to create pretty swirls.

-This cheesecake is super easy and very low maintenance to prepare. And the taste is phenomenal. It's so creamy and delicious and I'm not kidding when I say I could eat the whole thing.

Blackberry Swirl Cheesecake

(Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)

This recipe is actually for raspberry swirled cheesecakes, but I am a much bigger fan of blackberries, so I made a little change. A very delicious change =)

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. sugar

For the topping:
fresh blackberries (about 10)
2 tbsp. sugar

For the filling:
2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Stir together with a fork until well blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened. Press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Bake until just set, 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

To make the blackberry puree, combine the blackberries and sugar in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth, then pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.

To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy. Blend in the sugar until smooth. Mix in the salt and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

To assemble, spoon 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner. Dot a ½ teaspoon of the blackberry puree in a few dots over the cheesecake filling. Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.

Bake until the filling is set, about 24 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.