Brown Sugar Cheesecake

Gosh dang, I produce some good cheesecakes...you might as well just call me the cheesecake factory.

Brown Sugar Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust -

1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 cup toasted ground almonds

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling - 

1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cream

4 eggs

Topping -

1-1/2 cups sour cream

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

4 Tablespoons bourbon

Directions:

1.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil.  Attach sides of pan.  Mix crust ingredients in a bowl until moistened.    Press crust mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan.  Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth.  Add molasses, vanilla, sour cream, and cream.  Beat just until combined.

4.  Add eggs one at a time, barely waiting for one to be incorporated before adding the next.

5.  Pour filling into prepared pan.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 40 more minutes.

6.  Combine topping ingredients in a bowl while cheesecake is baking.  After the 80 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully spread the topping over the top of the cheesecake.  Be careful!  Your pan will be very full.

7.  Return the cheesecake to the oven.  Bake for 5 minutes and then turn the oven off.  Leave the cheesecake in the oven for one hour.  Do not open the oven door.

8.  Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.    

9.  Decorate cheesecake with nuts or fruit before serving.

Source: Vintage Kitchen Notes

Pumpkin Dream Cake

If anything other than the voice of Charles Kelley could be described as dreamy, it would be this cake.  Pumpkin Dream Cake is seriously dreamy.

Don't judge me...I know it's an awful picture.  It was my birthday, and I really wanted to eat the cake.

  

Pumpkin Dream Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

6 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla, pumpkin, and oil.  Alternately, beat in the flour mixture and milk.

4.  Divide batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

5.  Remove pans from oven and immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes to keep the cake moist.

6.  To make the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Beat in powdered sugar on low speed until combined and then high speed until smooth.

7.  Apply a thick layer of frosting between each layer of the cake, and then frost the entire cake.  

8.  Store in fridge.

Source:  The Novice Chef

Tomato, Basil, and Cheddar Soup

We got somewhere around 10 inches of snow yesterday.  Yep, 10 inches.  Another soup recipe seemed appropriate.

I have no idea why I decided to try this tomato soup.  I have never in my life liked tomato soup.  When we would eat grilled cheese sandwiches growing up, I would substitute ketchup for the tomato soup the rest of my family was enjoying.  I am SO glad I tried this soup though.  It was amazing and absolutely nothing like tomato soup from a can.

A word to the wise: If a recipe says it's ok to puree something with either an immersion blender or a food processor, DO NOT USE A FOOD PROCESSOR.  Get thee to a store and buy thyself an immersion blender.  For real.

I either lost my pictures of the soup, or I was so busy eating it that I forgot to take pictures...so here's a beautiful picture of tomatoes from http://rutgers-leslie.blogspot.com/2010/04/growing-perfect-tomato.html

Tomato, Basil, and Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup basil, chopped and loosely packed

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion.  Cook and stir until tender, about three or four minutes.

2.  Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes.  Pour in the tomatoes, including the juice, and the vegetable stock.  Stir in the basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.

3.  Put the lid on the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese until blended. 

4.  Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, if desired.  Top individual servings with chopped basil and grated cheddar cheese. 

Source:  More Fruit Please

Chicken Bacon Wild Rice Soup

My life has been so BUSY lately.  Between my birthday, Thanksgiving, spending time with friends and family, and the end of the trimester at school, I was too busy to post even one recipe in November.  Whatever down time I had in November was clearly not spent blogging.  I did, however, make a lot of delicious food.

Most people prefer to be catered to on their birthdays.  I prefer to cook for other people.  I generally end up having my family over and cooking up some awesome food for them.  Bet you wish you were part of my family! 

I made Chicken Bacon Wild Rice Soup for this year's birthday party, and it was a success.  My brother said it was better than Panera's wild rice soup, and my sister-in-law said she'd like to swim in it.  I think that's a good thing.

Chicken Bacon Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

3 (10-3/4 oz) cans condensed chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 cups half-and-half

1-1/2 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tablespoon chopped pimiento

2-3 tablespoons dry sherry, if desired

Directions:

1.  Combine chicken broth and water in a large saucepan.  Add wild rice and onions, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender (30-45 minutes).  Do not drain additional broth once rice is cooked.

2.  In a separate saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in flour, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper.  Cook and stir constantly for 1 minute or until smooth and bubbly.

3.  Slowly stir half-and-half into the flour mixture.  Cook and stir until slightly thickened.

4.  Add the half-and-half mixture into the rice and broth.  Add chicken, bacon, pimiento, and sherry.  Heat on low for at least 30 minutes (the more the better!).  Stir occasionally.  Soup will thicken the longer it heats.

Source:  Pinch of Yum

Apple Cider Sangria

My grandma loves my blog.  She also loves this Apple Cider Sangria that I made for Thanksgiving.  I love my grandma.

So, this post is for you, Grandma!  Enjoy!

Apple Cider Sangria

Ingredients:

1 bottle (standard size) pinot grigio

2-1/2 cups fresh apple cider

1 cup club soda

1/2 cup brandy

3 honey crisp apples, chopped

3 pears, chopped

Directions:

1.  Combine all ingredients in a LARGE pitcher.  Stir thoroughly.

2.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Source:  How Sweet It Is

S'mores Dip

One of my favorite ways to spend time with friends is sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows, and chowing down on some good old-fashioned s'mores.  Unfortunately, the seasons in Minnesota seem to go from summer to winter in about 4.2 days.  Seriously, fall is way to short.  

When it gets too chilly to sit outside around a campfire, bring the s'mores party inside with this delicious S'mores Dip.  

  

S'Mores Dip

Ingredients:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup marshmallow cream

graham crackers, for serving

Directions:

1.  Melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together in the microwave.  Stir every 30 seconds until the chips are melted.  Mix well.

2.  Pour into a 9-inch glass pie pan and spread evenly.  Drop marshmallow cream by the spoonful over the chocolate mixture.  Swirl the marshmallow through the chocolate mixture to create a marbled appearance.  

3.  Serve with graham crackers.

Source:  What Megan's Making

Zucchini Parmesan = Love

I love, love, love this dish.  Love it.  LOVE it.

So...did I mention that I love it?

Layered Zucchini Parmesan

Ingredients:

3 large zucchini, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

salt and pepper

1 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Remove excess moisture from zucchini by blotting with paper towels.  In a medium bowl, drizzle zucchini with olive oil and toss to coat.  In a separate bowl, combine half of the parmesan, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper.

3.  Dip each zucchini slice into the cheese mixture, pressing slightly to ensure the breading sticks.  Arrange zucchini in an even layer on baking sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and crisp.

4.  Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Coat the bottom of a baking dish with 1/3 cup marinara.  Layer half of the zucchini over marinara.  Top with 1/3 cup marinara, 1/4 cup mozzarella, and 1/8 cup parmesan.  Repeat layers.

5.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

Source:  Handle the Heat