Red Velvet Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:

3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese - room temperature

1-1/3 cups sugar

3 Tbs cornstarch

1 Tbs vanilla

3 eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream

Red Velvet Cake

2 Tbs butter - softened

2 Tbs shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1 oz red food coloring (a small bottle)

1 cup + 2 Tbs flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 tsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz pkg cream cheese - softened

3-1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Spray two 9” round cake pans generously with PAM. Trace bottoms of pans onto parchment paper, cut out, and place in bottom of pans. Set aside.

For the cheesecake: Cream together cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch with mixer. Add eggs and vanilla - beating until smooth. Add cream & beat in just until combined - don’t overmix. Pour into one of prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes - watching closely near end of baking time. Cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator for about 2 hours. Run knife around outer edge, tapping pan to remove cheesecake onto the palm of your hand. Set in refrigerator until cold.

For the cake: Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add egg, then mix in cocoa and food coloring. Scrape bowl with a COLORED spatula (as you can see, I used RED so it wouldn’t stain) Add flour and salt, then buttermilk - beating well. Sprinkle baking soda over batter, then pour vinegar and vanilla over the top. You’ll see it foam slightly. Fold into batter until well mixed. Pour batter into the other prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, or until it tests done. Cool, then remove cake from pan. Using large serrated knife, cut this layer in half when cold.

For the frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Add sugar and salt, then cream & vanilla. Continue to beat until smooth and it forms peaks. Set aside.

To assemble cake:

Place first half of cake layer onto serving plate (be sure to remove parchment paper from the bottom!) Protect outer edges with waxed paper if desired. Spread generously with a layer of frosting. Carefully slice cheesecake in half in the same way as the red velvet layer, placing one half on top of red velvet cake & frosting. Add another layer of frosting. Repeat layers. Spread frosting carefully around outer edge of cake - being careful not to ‘drag’ red velvet crumbs with the knife (as you can see, I wasn’t careful enough...) Now frost top of cake. Using remaining frosting, place in pastry bag with decorative tip. Pipe edge on top and bottom. *Note: This frosting contains butter, which can soften and melt in your warm little hand (as you can see from my handiwork below...) Work quickly, or it can make the frosting start to droop.

Avalanche Bars

Avalanche Bars

12 oz bag of White Chocolate Chips

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups Rice Krispies

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips + 2 Tbsp for garnish.

Lightly grease a 9×9 pan (or 8×8 if you prefer thicker bars)

1. In microwave-safe bowl dump in white chips and heat on med power for 1 minute. Stir and continue in 30 second increments until chips are melted.

2. Combine the peanut butter with the melted chips

3. Add the krispies.

4. Let cool approx 15 – 20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes or so to help cool.

5. Add the marshmallows and the mini chocolate chips and stir to combine.

6. Dump mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly, pressing lightly with the back of your spoon, but do not compact too much, otherwise they will get hard.

7. Press the remaining chocolate chips into the top for garnish.

When the bars are completely cooled cut into squares and enjoy!

These will be the only avalanche that I will ever love

Chubby Hubby Bars

I must try this recipe from cookiesandcups.com:
Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pretzels
• 1 (8oz) bag of Reese’s Mini cups (or 2 cups coarsely chopped full sized Reese’s)
• 1 (14 oz) bag of caramels, unwrapped
• 1 Tbsp water
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a 9×13 pan lightly with cooking spray.
3. Beat together your butter and sugars until light and fluffy, approx 1 min.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until incorporated.
5. On low speed add in your salt, baking soda and flour, mixing until just combined.
6. Slowly add in your Reeses and Pretzels, mixing until evenly distributed.
7. Spread in your prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.
8. Let cool completely. Approx 30 minutes to an hour.
9. When cooled, melt your caramels and 1 Tbsp water in a microwave safe bowl stirring every minute until melted.
10. Pour over your bars.
11. Chill in fridge for 15 minutes to set caramel.
12. Melt your chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave and spread over caramel.
13. Put back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
14. Cut into squares when ready to serve.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Topping

Ingredients

• CRUST:
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• FILLING:
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• TOPPING:
• 2 cups sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 pecan halves

Directions

1. Combine crust ingredients. Press into bottom of a 9-in. springform pan; chill.
2. For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, spices and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for topping, combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread over filling; return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool on rack; chill overnight. Garnish each slice with a pecan half.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup ground pecans
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 3/8 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the melted butter or margarine and mix well. Firmly press mixture into one 9 inch springform pan.
3. Combine 3/4 cup of the white sugar, the pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, ground cinnamon, ground mace, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and set aside.
4. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and mix well. Add the whole egg, remaining egg yolk and the whipping cream, beating well. Add cornstarch and vanilla and lemon flavorings, beat batter until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes. Do not overbake. Center may be soft but it will firm up when chilled. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate.

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter or grease one 10x15 inch jelly roll pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth. Evenly spread the mixture over the prepared jelly roll pan.
3. Bake 15 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
4. Remove cake from pan and place on tea towel (cotton, not terry cloth). Roll up the cake by rolling a towel inside cake and place seam side down to cool.
5. Prepare the frosting by blending together the butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.
6. When cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread with cream cheese filling. Roll up again without towel. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle top with confectioners sugar and slice into 8-10 servings.