Joey's Classic Cheesecake

 

 I was given a version of this recipe about a million years ago by my sister-in-law, Janet. She had made it and brought it to one of our family events, and after one bite I decided that this was the best cheesecake I had ever tasted. As she was describing the recipe to me, she said it was originally a pumpkin swirl cheesecake and that she just omitted the pumpkin ingredients. I took it a step further and tweaked it ever so slightly. Now it's just perfect!

 Over the years, I've made it SO many times for cast parties, holiday parties, birthdays, you name it. And it's ALWAYS a big hit. At one point, I was making it so often that the corner store next to my apartment specially ordered 3 lb blocks of cream cheese just for me. I guess they were getting tired of having to restock their supply of cream cheese every time I baked a cheesecake. LOL (true story!)

 Full disclosure... I actually debated whether or not to share this recipe or keep it to myself, but then I figured it would be a shame not to share it. It's just so good. If you like a rich creamy cheesecake, then this is definitely the one for you. I honestly don't think you'll find anything better!




Crust:


2 sleeves graham crackers (they usually come 3 sleeves to a box)

2 tbs sugar

5 tbs melted butter

 



Preheat oven to 300ºF.


Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process graham crackers and sugar until finely crushed to crumbs. Add butter and process until well combined. Using the palm of your hand, press FIRMLY into bottom of a 10" spring form pan. Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.

 



Cake:


6 (8oz) pkgs Philly cream cheese


1 1/2 cups sugar


3 large eggs


1 tsp. pure vanilla extract


1/2 cup sour cream


1/4 cup heavy cream



 

Combine all ingredients in the order listed, making sure to mix well after each addition. (be sure to mix eggs into batter one at a time). Pour onto prepared crust. (No need to cool the baked crust). Place in oven and bake for one hour. Without opening the oven door, (resist the urge to open it!!) turn the oven off and leave cake in oven for at least 2 more hours. I usually just leave it there until the oven cools and I can remove it without using oven mitts. Remove from oven and then remove the outer ring of the spring form pan. Allow to cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge to chill. (This step is important because it'll crack in a huge way if you put it directly into the fridge from the oven). Once it is chilled, serve plain or with your desired topping. 

 To serve it as it's shown in the photo, top it with the prettiest strawberries you can find, then add a tbs of water to a little bit of jam, and brush it onto the berries for a shiny glossy finish!




Tips:


This is an extremely versatile recipe and you can change it to make whatever kind of cheesecake you'd like. You can add chopped oreos to it, mini chocolate chips, chopped snickers bars, really anything you can think of. You can take a portion of the batter and add chocolate syrup, or pumpkin and spices, or peanut butter, then swirl your flavored batter with the the plain batter for a swirled cheesecake, or just top it with your favorite fruits, or berries or even caramel. There's really no wrong way to do it and it turns out every time. I also like to play with different crusts. For a chocolate chip cheesecake, I make the crust out of oreos. For a peanut butter swirl cheesecake, I make the crust out of nutter butters. Most times I use graham crackers or vanilla wafers for the crust. Again, the sky's the limit on cake/crust combinations. Oh, and be sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you start. That's a biggie. It makes a HUGE difference, more than you'd think it would. The batter is smoother, the finished cake is creamier, and it helps reduce cracks on the top of the cake. And if your cream cheese is room temperature, you'll be less likely to burn out your mixer. (it used to happen to me all the time until I finally bought a Kitchen Aid!) Also, be sure to use the best ingredients. Do NOT use low fat this, or imitation that. If you're going to have cheesecake, then have REAL cheesecake. There's just no substitute!

Mini Chocolate Cherry Cheesecakes

  Many many years ago, my sisters used to make Cherry Cheese Tarts. They were just simple little cheesecakes that didn't take many ingredients and were a cinch to throw together. It was one of those desserts that showed up at many family events and they were always a bit hit. A vanilla wafer went into the bottom of a cupcake liner, cheesecake batter was poured over the top, and then after they baked and cooled, they were topped with a spoonful of cherry pie filling. Perfect, right? They were SO good! But I thought, well, what if we do a chocolate version? Chocolate and cherry are a match made in heaven! (And frankly, why have I never done this until now?) I'll just do an Oreo cookie crust, a chocolate cheesecake filling, and my same favorite cherry pie filling on top! Awesome.
 I was originally just going to chocolate-ify the recipe that we used to use, but then I thought maybe it would be better to go with a whole new recipe. Since I didn't already have a go-to chocolate cheesecake recipe, I decided to try this recipe from a blog called Baker by Nature. It's a FABULOUS recipe. Not too sweet, VERY rich and chocolatey, and perfect if you want a small but decadent treat. And they look so delicious that you'll get the added bonus of everyone saying "ooooo and aaaaahhhhh" when you bring them to a party. LOL Btw, They're also the perfect thing to make if you want to impress somebody special. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'!




For the crust:
36 Oreo cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
4 tbs melted butter

 Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line two 12-mold muffin tins with paper liners. Spray liners lightly with non-stick spray and set aside until needed. Place the cookies in the body of a small food processor and pulse until the cookies are very fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until well combined. Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners and press it firmly into the bottom of each mold. Bake crusts in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the tins on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling. Reduce oven to 300°F.



For the cheesecake:
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
16 ounces full-fat cream cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


 Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside.
 In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the sugar and cocoa powder and beat until smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until combined,. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds. Divide the filling evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake cheesecakes for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the door closed for another 5 minutes. Remove the cheesecake pans from the oven and place the pans on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool to the touch, place the pans in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Once the cheesecakes are completely cool, you can remove them from the pan.
Top with cherry pie filling or your topping of choice.



Tips:
Whenever making any kind of cheesecake, be sure that all of your ingredients are room temperature. It makes all the difference in the final product!
This recipe originally called for a ganache topping, which is just chocolate melted with heavy cream. I decided to stick with cherry pie filling, since that was the original inspiration. Strawberry pie filling would be great too, or even just a swirl of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry on top. You do you!
If you don't need to make 24, you can either cut the entire recipe in half and just make 12, OR you can still make all 24 and then freeze the rest for another time!

Jam Swirled Cheesecake Squares

  Just as I do every year, I was looking for a red white and blue something to make for July 4th. This year's contribution is an easy and perfect time saver because you can do it way ahead!
 I was trying to think of something that would work with my home made strawberry and blueberry jams, and this is what I found! It's a slightly tweaked version of a Nestle recipe and it's just exactly what I was looking for. Just a quick basic crust, basic cheese filling, and then a swirl of jam! Perfect, right? Seriously, its beauty is in its simplicity. It's the perfect starting point recipe for any cheesecake squares, and then you can vary it up however you like.
 I just happened to have some strawberry pineapple jam, and a brand new batch of fresh blueberry rhubarb jam on hand, so that's what I used, but I will DEFINITELY try other flavors the next time I make this. Ooo maybe fresh blackberry jam next! Or maybe fresh pineapple, one of my all time favorites! I promise, your friends and family will absolutely devour these little gems at your July 4th BBQ long before it's time for fireworks! Have fun, be safe, and enjoy!




First line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper with an inch or two of overhang on each side.

For the crust:
one entire box of shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers
2 tbs sugar
4 tbs melted butter

Place all ingredients in a food processor and give it a good blitz until it becomes fine crumbs that are evenly coated with butter. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake crust for 15 minutes at 325ºF.

Remove from oven. Let it cool. Meanwhile make the filling.

For the filling:

3 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Use a paper towel to wipe out the food procesor of crumbs. No need to completely wash.
Place all filling ingredients in the now crumb free food processor. Process until completely smooth.
Pour filling over baked crust.

For the topping:
Place teaspoonfuls of your favorite jam all over the top. I would say about 1/4 -1/3 cup of jam, total. Yes, it will probably sink in, but that's ok. Use a tooth pick to swirl, making sure not to disturb the underlying crust.
Bake at 325ºF for 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve!



Tips:
For the crust, I used Lorna Doone cookies. Why? Because I LOVE 'em! But use anything you like. Vanilla wafers or graham crackers would be my second choice. You could even do golden or regular Oreos. No need to add the butter and sugar, just process until crumbs and then proceed as directed!
 Don't have a food processor? just crush the cookies in a ziploc bag. And use an electric mixer to mix up the filling! The only reason I used a food processor for the filling was because I didn't feel like washing another dish! heehee
 I used strawberry pineapple and blueberry rhubarb jam. I wanted the red white and blue, but feel free to add just one. Or as many as you like! Don't have any jam? Use teaspoonfuls of pie filling instead!
Definitely be sure to chill the pan for several hours. It makes cutting into squares so much easier!

No-Bake Avocado and Lime Cheesecake

  Do you love avocados as much as I do? I love love LOVE them. It's absolutely not uncommon for me to just cut up a couple avocados into a bowl, sprinkle with some kosher salt, and there's lunch. But I must admit, as intriguing as it has always been, I've never used avocados in a dessert.
Well, that is until now!
 I recently had a few friends over for a Mexican themed dinner, and I wanted to incorporate avocados somewhere in the menu. The usual thought would have been to make guacamole, but then I thought, hmm.. let's try something different!
 As usual, I did some googling, looking for ideas. I found several recipes for cheesecake and quickly noticed that they all seemed to be no-bake cheesecakes. Maybe the avocados don't do well with the baking? Who knows? But I went with it. It was as easy as throwing everything into a food processor and blitzing it until smooth and creamy! And OMG it's SO delicious! You can really taste the buttery avocado, and the tartness from the lime cuts through everything to make a very LIGHT and refreshing dessert. Who knew????
 So, the next time you're looking for a "slightly outside the box" kind of a dessert, give this one a try. (it's from Kraft!) And it's a total time saver because you do it ahead and let it chill until you're ready. I bet your family and friends are gonna love it!



1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
2 fully ripe avocados
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp zest and 2 tbs juice from 2 limes
2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping

Combine graham crackers and butter. Press into bottom of a 9" spring form pan.
Process all remaining ingredients except Cool Whip in a food processor until smooth. Spoon into a mixing bowl. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour over crust. Smooth the top. Refrigerate four hours or until firm. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cheesecake just before serving. Remove rim.



Tips:
OK, I did a few things slightly differently. Instead of using graham crackers, I used vanilla wafers. Why? Because I like 'em! Also, I baked my crust for about 10 minutes at 350º because I wanted it to have more of a toasted flavor, then quickly chilled it in the freezer before filling it with the cheese mixture.
And since I didn't want to ruin the nice smooth side edge of the cheesecake, I decided to spray the inside of the springform pan ring with cooking spray. No need to run the knife around!
To decorate, I just piped some more Cool Whip on top, and then added some more fresh lime zest just before serving. 
Btw, one other thing.. this cheesecake softens to a very soft mousse when it is left out and comes to room temperature. Be sure to keep it chilled at all times!

Nutella Swirled Cheesecake Bars

 If you love Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) as much as I do, then you simply MUST try this recipe. It's from Pillsbury, so you already know that it's gonna be amazing, and OMG wait'll you taste it! I was looking for a picky-uppy dessert something, and as soon as I saw it, I couldn't wait to try it. Actually, I'm not even kidding when I say that. I stopped what I was doing, went to the store to buy the ingredients, and made them as soon as I got home. And of course they were as decadent as I thought they'd be!
 I've literally made them twice in as many weeks. The first time I made them was just as a little thank you to my friend Anthony, who said that "they might be his favorite thing ever." Then I made them for a my friend Marie's dinner party where they got RAVE reviews from everyone! I PROMISE you'll get the same reviews when you make them too!
 The only challenge is to not run out of Nutella before you go to make them! Does anyone else find it difficult to not eat it with a spoon right out of the jar? Uh.. I mean... I'm asking for a friend...

1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbs vanilla bean paste (or extract)

3 eggs

1/2 cup Nutella™ hazelnut spread

 Heat oven to 350°F. 

Place cookies in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Press dough evenly into pan. Bake 9 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread evenly over baked crust. In small microwavable bowl, microwave hazelnut spread uncovered on High 10 to 20 seconds to soften. Drop teaspoonfuls of spread on cream cheese mixture. With knife, carefully swirl spread into top of cream cheese mixture. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

 

 

Tips:

 If you'd like to make the crust from scratch, just use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, but it seems to me that this is one instance where store bought is just as good!

This recipe has been slightly tweaked from the original Pillsbury recipe. The first time I made them, I felt that the bars were too thin (as you can see in the picture), and I wanted them to be a little thicker. So I increased the filling ingredients by half, but still followed the rest of the baking directions. I also used vanilla bean paste instead regular vanilla extract. They turned out MUCH better! Well, in my humble opinion, anyway.

 More is more, right? 

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 If you're looking for a CLASSIC pumpkin cheesecake recipe, this is definitely it! As I was searching for recipes and comparing ingredients, I chose this one specifically because it doesn't have too many bells and whistles. Sometimes I find recipes that have so many fillings and toppings and spices that the main ingredient gets completely lost. But with this one, it's just straight up pumpkin and cream cheese, not too many spices, and a little cinnamon and whipped cream on top. In my humble opinion, it's how pumpkin cheesecake is supposed to taste!
 Ok, now, don't be intimidated by the thought of making a cheesecake. It's really easy! The most important thing is to buy a springform pan. After that, it's all downhill! Just follow the directions and there you go! This recipe is from Betty Crocker, but I tweaked it ever so slightly. It's so perfectly delicious. I think this is now my go to pumpkin cheesecake recipe.
 Once you taste it, it'll be yours too!


Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp rum extract, if desired

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

5 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
 

 Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan with shortening.  In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and the melted butter. Press crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Bake crust 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate about 5 minutes or until completely cooled. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, rum extract, and pumpkin together until well blended; set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. On low speed, beat in 1 egg at a time just until blended. Gradually stir in pumpkin mixture and heavy cream until smooth. Pour filling over crust. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door about 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving. To serve, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Carefully remove side of pan before cutting cheesecake. Top with whipped cream, if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.

Tips:
 The original recipe called for adding 2 tbs brandy. I decided to add 1 tsp rum extract instead. It was a total game changer! In fact, I think it's what makes this pumpkin cheesecake stand out from all the rest! I also added the heavy cream to the batter (which was also not in the original recipe) because I think it makes it more velvety and smooth. Just sayin!
If you're worried about your cheesecake cracking in the center, I've heard that it helps to put a pan of hot water in the oven on the rack below your cheesecake. TBH, I'm not sure if that works or not. As far as I can tell, the main factor in cheesecake crackage is temperature. If you take a hot cheesecake out of the oven and put it in the cold fridge, you're gonna wind up with the San Andreas Fault right down the middle of your cake. Best to leave it in the oven and turn off the heat, then let it SLOWLY cool to room temperature before you put it in the fridge to chill. And if you do wind up with the San Andreas Fault, don't worry! Just cover the top with whipped cream! No one will ever know!

Joey's Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie

OK, so this recipe sort of happened by accident. I realized at the last minute that March 14th is PIE DAY, (3.14 = Pi!), but I didn't have any pie recipes ready to share. So I did a quick pantry inventory and came up with a new recipe idea! I was gonna do a regular pie crust, but then decided I wanted a shortbread crust instead. And I always have home made jams and jellies on hand, so I figured a pineapple cream cheese pie would be pretty amazing. And guess what! It TOTALLY is! It was seriously easy to throw together, and it's so light and fluffy, it's just the thing to hit the spot.
A perfect pie for pie day! Hope you like it!


Crust:
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
8oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup pineapple jam, homemade or store bought
1-2 tbs sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 cup heavy cream, whipped


Heat oven to 425ºF.
For the crust:
Place all crust ingredients into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse for several seconds until the dough just begins to pull together into a ball. Do not over process. Press dough into a 9" deep dish or pyrex pie plate. Press the dough up the sides and slightly higher than the edge of the plate. Pinch the dough between your fingers all the way around the plate to make a decorative edge. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil into the plate over the crust, then fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, then place back into the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

For the filling:
Mix cream cheese, pineapple jam, and sugar with a mixer. Fold in whipped cream. Pour cream mixture into cooled crust, smoothing over the top. Chill at least a few hours or until set. Pipe additional sweetened whipped cream on top, if desired.

Tip:
I like a really thick shortbread cookie crust, but if you prefer a thinner crust (or if you're using a regular pie plate instead of a deep dish pie plate, go ahead and cut the crust recipe in half).
For an easy shortcut, just use a ready made store bought graham cracker crust. Bake according to package instructions, then fill as directed.
For an easy variation, use any other kind of jam. Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, apricot, even orange marmalade would work!

Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

 Usually, when I want to post a decadent dessert for Valentine's Day, I immediately go for something chocolatey and gooey. But today I decided to go in a different direction. How about something that is still rich and decadent, but instead of chocolate, lets go for rich and creamy and laden with luscious swirls of cinnamon? Sounds like heaven, right? Well, let me just tell you it ABSOLUTELY is! Its beauty is in its simplicity, really. I feel like saying "why have we never done this?" It's genius! The cinnamon rolls are the perfect crust, the cheesecake is sinful, and the cinnamon swirl is the thing that takes it from good to GREAT. I got the recipe from a Tasty video, and this one is definitely a keeper. Yes, yes, I know it's a lot of cake for a romantic dinner for two, but just freeze the rest of it in slices! You'll definitely want to go back for more!


16 ounces cream cheese, softened 
1/2 cup sugar 
1/2 cup sour cream 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
2 eggs 
1/3 cup melted butter 
1/2 cup light brown sugar 
2 tablespoon. cinnamon 
1 (8 count) packages refrigerated cinnamon rolls with frosting


Preheat oven to 325°F.
 In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and beat until there are no lumps. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing completely after each one. Set aside. In another bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until fully combined. Set aside. In a greased springform pan, press all of the cinnamon rolls flat, until they completely cover the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread the cheesecake batter, then drop spoonfuls of the butter mixture onto the cheesecake batter. Swirl the butter mixture into the cheesecake using a knife (try to keep it away from the edges!). Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheesecake is firm around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the middle. Remove from oven and cool completely. Top with frosting from the cinnamon rolls. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Tips:
Usually this is where I'd put recipe variations, or talk about what I'd do differently, but this cake is perfect as is! Just follow the recipe and you'll be a hit!
 

Cherry Cheesecake Chocolate Bundt Cake

 Ok here's a showstopper of a recipe that was brought to my attention by my niece, Kristin. It was a Tip Hero video that she posted on my FB page with a comment that said "This needs to happen!" She was absolutely right! This seriously needed to happen, and it will definitely need to happen again! There's a whole lot of "how can this not be good?" about this cake. Besides the whole wow factor, it's rich and creamy and delicious! Add the fact that I already had just about all of the ingredients on hand and this became a no-brainer for what to make for my family at a recent get-together. RAVE reviews from everyone! If you have a special occasion coming up, or maybe you'd like to make this for your special someone, THIS is just the thing! Yes, I know it looks like there are lots of steps and ingredients, but really, there's nothing difficult going on here. (I'm looking at YOU, Terri). Just follow the directions and you'll be good to go! I PROMISE you it'll be worth the extra effort!


Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup water
6 oz unsalted butter 
1/3 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1 heaping tbsp. espresso powder
6 oz bittersweet chocolate chips 
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. brown sugar
16 jumbo maraschino cherries, drained 
3/4 cup cherry pie filling

Cheesecake filling:
2 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese 
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 egg

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1-2 tbsp. milk



Preheat oven to 350℉. 
Spray a 10-12 cup Bundt pan generously with baking spray with flour. Set aside.

Cake:
In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk until fully blended.
In a small saucepan, combine the water and 6 oz. butter. Place over medium heat and cook until the butter has melted. Add cocoa and espresso powders and whisk until no lumps remain. Add the chocolate chips and continue stirring until completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat. Add chocolate sauce to the dry ingredients, then whisk until just combined. Blend in sour cream. Add eggs and vanilla, then mix until fully combined, making sure not to over-mix the batter.

Cheesecake filling:
In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and egg and beat until smooth.

Assembly:
Evenly, pour 1 1/2 tbsp. melted butter into the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Evenly sprinkle 2 tbsp. brown sugar on top of the melted butter. Place 2 maraschino cherries each into the larger grooves of the Bundt pan.
Pour 3/4 of the prepared cake batter on top of the cherries. With a large spoon, evenly spoon the cheesecake filling into the center of the batter, not allowing it to touch the sides of the pan. Spoon cherry pie filling on top of the cheesecake filling, again not allowing it to touch the sides of the pan. Pour remaining cake batter over the filling. Bake 50 – 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then flip cake out of pan and cool completely.

Glaze:
​Once cake has cooled, prepare the glaze. In a large bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and milk, whisk until smooth. Drizzle cake with glaze. Allow glaze to set and serve.



Tips:
Not a fan of cherries? Try a different kind of pie filling! How about raspberry or strawberry or even peach? It would all work!
For a little extra cherry kick, you could also add a little of the maraschino cherry juice to the glaze. It'll give it a lovely pink tint too! Another glaze option would be to add a little cherry liqueur instead of the milk. Works for me!
Another option would be to make a ganache to pour over the cake instead of the glaze. Just heat some heavy cream and then pour it over an equal amount of chocolate or white chocolate chips. Lets it sit so the chips melt, then whisk until smooth. Easy!
Btw, if you're out of sour cream, just use buttermilk instead! It's not the best substitute when you're topping a baked potato or nachos, but in baking it works perfectly well!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars

If you know me, you know that I'm always looking for new and yummy pumpkin recipes. Sweet, savory, and everything in between, I love all things pumpkin. So I decided that my pumpkin collection needed an easy "picky uppy" something that would be perfect for you to make for a party or your next family get-together. Then I found this recipe on a blog called Sally's Baking Addiction. (if you haven't checked it, out, you simply must. LOTS of fabu recipes there!)
 So here we go! They're moist and cakey, and the cream cheese swirl is what pushes it over the top. SO rich and perfect, and the cinnamon pumpkin seeds add just the right amount of added crunch.
 Having a party? Now you know what dessert to make! Just place them on a tray and watch them disappear. Better yet, make a double batch, and then you'll have leftovers! More is more!


Bars
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Swirl
 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup pepitas tossed in a sprinkle of ground cinnamon


 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in egg and vanilla on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. On medium speed, beat in the pumpkin until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. Do not overmix. The mixture will be thick. Spread 2/3 of the batter evenly into the prepared pan; it will be a relatively thin layer.
In a medium bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer filled with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until completely combined. Drop random spoonfuls on top of the pumpkin batter.
 Drop the remaining pumpkin batter on top of the spoonfuls of cream cheese. With a rubber spatula or knife, begin gently swirling the two together. Sprinkle cinnamon-pepitas on top of the swirled batter.
Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator for about 2 hours before cutting into squares. Leftover bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.


Tips:
 As stated on the SBA blog, these bars can be made 3 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Bars freeze well, up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Definitely use the foil or parchment as the recipe directs. It makes it SO much easier to lift the whole batch out of the pan in one go. Then you can use a large knife to make perfect cuts, and you won't ruin your pan!
 

No Bake Cheesecake

 I don't know anyone who doesn't like cheesecake. Even people who don't like cheese, like cheesecake. Unfortunately, making a cheesecake can be a little daunting. Plus, it does take a few hours to bake, then cool, then chill. Correct? Well, how about a cheesecake that jumps right from the mixing to the chilling? To be quite honest, there is a tiny bit of baking involved (just the crust) but the cake itself is just mixed and chilled. No baking required! So it's much easier to quickly throw one of these little babies together the night before your event, and then it's ready whenever you get to dessert! It's creamy and delicious and no one would ever believe that it's something you just threw together. And since I'm choosing to restrict carbs from my diet, this is the perfect dessert because it's easily adaptable. I've listed both options in the ingredients list. If you're doing low carb, then use the splenda and almond flour. If not, then use sugar and graham crackers. Simple! I served mine with a sauce of fresh berries. Feel free to serve yours just plain or with any pie filling or fruit topping.
If you have a craving for cheesecake, this will DEFINTELY take care of it for you. It's not my own recipe, but I did tweak it a little here and there.
 I hope you'll give it a try!


Crust:
1 1/2 cups almond flour or graham cracker crumbs
3 tbs melted butter
2 tbs sugar or splenda

Cake:
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar or splenda
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs pure vanilla extract


 In a small bowl, mix together the crust ingredients. Press into the bottom of a 9" spring form pan. Bake in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes. Cool.
Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Mix together the remaining cake ingredients. Fold together the cheese mixture and the whipped cream. Spray the insides of the ring of the spring form pan lightly with cooking spray. Pour the filling into the pan. Smooth the top to make a nice even layer on top of the crust. Chill in fridge for several hours or overnight. Remove outer ring of spring form pan. Serve with fresh berries, fruit jam or pie filling.


Tip:
I'm not really a huge fan of adding lemon to cheesecakes, so I usually leave it out. On the flip side, if you LOVE anything lemon, then go ahead and add some grated lemon zest along with the lemon juice to kick up the lemon flavor a few notches.
For the crust, use any kind of crushed cookie you like. Vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies, even Oreos.
And for the low carb version, I've used hazelnut flour instead of the almond flour. Any kind of ground nuts will work!

Low Carb Brownie Cheesecake

 Ok, so, it's the new year, you're trying desperately to stick to your New Year's resolution to lose weight, but you're struggling. Am I right? The problem with "dieting" is that you always feel deprived. You automatically think to yourself "I can't have that, I'm on a diet." You've also programmed your mind to think that a "diet" version of something is not going to be as good as the real thing. Am I right? WRONG!
 True story: I made this cake for a birthday party, and was greeted at the door by someone who said something along the lines of "Here, let me take that from you!", as if to say "This looks so good, I'm going to eat the WHOLE thing!" And then I said "well, actually, it's low carb", (basically saying I'm going to save this for the guest of honor who is on a low carb diet) and my greeter crinkled her nose and said "Ew, I don't do low carb".  I wanted to say "Wait, are you kidding me?? A minute ago, you wanted to eat the whole thing!" The point is there are LOTS of "diet" recipes that taste as good as the real thing! And frankly, if I hadn't said "this is low carb", no one would have ever known. That's the beauty of a good low carb recipe. So basically the best diet is the one where you don't feel like you're on a diet. No more feeling deprived, and no more "diet" versions of things that don't taste good. Of course, you may have to use a few ingredients that are different from the ones you'd usually use, but isn't that the point? Like I always say, if you go back to eating what you did before, you'll go back to weighing what you did before. Trust me when I tell you you'll forget all about that when you're sporting your new slimmer body this summer!
Oh, and speaking of different ingredients....
 This recipe uses a sugar substitute called erythritol which is becoming increasingly popular. It can be purchased in certain health food stores, or at Whole Foods markets, or simply by ordering it online. Yes, it's expensive, but I think it's worth it, and like I said, you won't care about that when you hit your weight loss goal. I like it because I think it tastes better than some sugar substitutes, (no aftertaste) and it doesn't cause any side effects as some sugar alcohols do, if you know what I mean. It's also gluten free, doesn't promote tooth decay, and doesn't cause any blood sugar spikes so it appears to be a good sugar alternative for anyone who is diabetic. The brand name is called Swerve, and I'm definitely a fan. No, I am not being compensated to say this. I'm just telling you that I tried it and liked it. I'm can't say that I will use it in EVERYTHING, but when I'm craving something sweet like a rich and delicious chocolate dessert, I'll definitely be coming back to this recipe again and again. I found it on a blog called All Day I Dream About Food.
It is DEFINITELY a keeper!


Brownie Base:
½ cup butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
½ cup almond flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
pinch salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol
¼ tsp vanilla
¼ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Cheesecake Filling:
1 lb cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
½ cup Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla extract


 For the brownie base, preheat oven to 325F and butter a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom of pan in foil. In a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup, melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments. Whisk until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt them together over low heat in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat eggs, Swerve and vanilla until smooth. Beat in almond flour mixture, then butter/chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until set around edges but still soft in the center. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes. For the filling, reduce oven temperature to 300F. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in eggs, Swerve, cream and vanilla until well combined. Pour filling over crust and place cheesecake on a large cookie sheet. Bake until edges are set and center just barely jiggles, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Run a knife around edges to loosen and then remove sides of pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Serve with sugar-free chocolate sauce or ganache.

Serves 10. Each serving has 6.2 g of carbs and 2.1 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 4.1 g.

Tips:
I opted not to add the chopped nuts, but if that's your thing, go for it.
I noticed that the Swerve sweetener didn't really dissolve completely into the brownie layer of the cake, and retained a sort of granulated sugar texture. Not that it was a bad thing, just that it was noticeable. It did, however, completely dissolve into the perfectly dreamy creamy cheesecake layer, which I wanted to dive into, face first. OMG so good.

Coeur a la Creme

 If there was ever a dessert that screams Valentine's Day, this is it! Translated, it means Heart of Cream, which is exactly what it is! It's a delicious velvety heart of luscious cream that is rich and decadent and light and fluffy, all at the same time. Basically, it's kind of like if whipped cream and a cheesecake had a baby, it would be Coeur a la Creme. Absolutely fabulous, right????
 I first heard of it when I saw Ina Garten making it on Barefoot Contessa, and immediately knew I'd be making it for my next Valentine's Day post. I even went on Amazon to buy the heart-shaped dish (which was very inexpensive, btw). And it turned out perfectly!!  Fun, huh?
 So if you have a certain someone special that you'd like to surprise with a fabulously delicious and easy dessert, this is the one to make! It couldn't be easier, and you should definitely serve it with the raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries. I PROMISE you'll absolutely impress the hell out of everyone. Like, seriously. Add some candlelight and soft music?
 Best. Date. Ever.
You're welcome.

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce

2 half-pints fresh raspberries

Place the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.

Line a 7-inch sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels or coffee filters so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the bowl for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce.
 

 Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce:

1 half-pint fresh raspberries

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and orange liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

Tips:

The heart-shaped dish which is specifically made for this dessert has holes in the bottom to let the liquid drain, but you really don't need it. You can just use any kind of mesh strainer. Just know that your final product will be in the same shape as your strainer. Of course, you can always purchase one on Amazon buy clicking on the Amazon link on the right side of my page!

If you don't have a vanilla bean, just add a couple extra drops of pure vanilla extract.

For the sauce, I added a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I think it needed a little burst of brightness. 

 Not a raspberry fan? Try another berry instead, such as strawberries or blueberries. I bet the sauce recipe would still work! I'm gonna hafta give that a try.

 This sauce would be AMAZING poured over ice cream, or angel food cake, or chocolate cake, or brownies, or lemon pound cake, or pancakes, or waffles, or french toast, or your significant other. 

Ricotta Cake

Every year for July 4th, I like to try to come up with something red white and blue. One year I did a raspberry and pretzel dessert with a flag design, another year it was a berry and cheese pie, another year it was a berries and cream tart. I even had a strawberry salsa with sour cream and blue corn chips. And of course, my favorite one of all is the red white and blueberry trifle. (That's always the big showstopper!) Anyway, this year is no exception. I decided to keep it simple and quick by basically doing a doctored up cake mix with fresh berries on top. Easy, right??? Perfect for any cookout! The addition of the ricotta cheese turns it from something blah into something special! Serve it up chilled right out of the fridge. I bet your family and friends will love you for it! Three cheers for the red white and blue!


1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
Oil and eggs (as directed on the package)
2 pounds ricotta cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan (or spray with baking spray...you know, the kind that has flour in it). Prepare the cake according to the directions on the package. 
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls on top of uncooked cake. 
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Sprinkle cooled cake with confectioners sugar. Keep refrigerated.

Tips:
 You can decorate the top of the cake any way you like, or decorate each individual piece, as shown in the picture. No matter how you do it, it'll be fabulous and yummy.
If you like, you can glaze the fruit on top of the cake with some apricot jam. Just thin it down with a few drops of water and then brush it over the fruit so everything glistens.

Golden Oreo Cheesecake Bars

Here's a recipe that I found online. Actually, I think someone else found and pinned it or tweeted it or posted it on FB, I can't remember. I immediately wanted to try it because they had me at Oreo. Frankly, any recipe involving Oreos is fine by me. They're my very most favorite store bought cookie, and, well, lets just say it, I'm kind of a little bit addicted to them. Don't judge me....
 Anyway, you've probably tasted regular Oreos, but have you ever tried the golden ones? They're AWESOME. I love that they still taste like Oreos, even though they're not chocolate. Love 'em! If you haven't tried them, then here's the perfect excuse to go get some.
 At first,  I thought the cheese mixture wouldn't be sweet enough, but trust me, the caramel and cookies make up for it. They're easy to make and rich and just SO fabulous. You seriously need to try them.
 I doubled the entire recipe and baked it in a 9x13 pan and it turned out beautifully. Like I always say, more is more! Be sure to let it chill for several hours in the fridge so it'll firm up before you slice them, and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve. And as always with any Oreos, you definitely need an ice cold glass of milk to go along with it. Make 'em for your next party! Your family and friends will thank you!


28 Golden Oreos, divided 18 and 10
3 tablespoons, melted Butter
1 cup Caramel bits (or 24 wrapped caramels)
1 tablespoon water
2 pkgs (8 oz each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
1 egg


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush 18 Golden Oreos (cream and all) in a large ziplock bag or a food processor, until they are very fine crumb.

Pour crumbs into a 9 inch square pan. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter and combine using the back of a spoon to mix and press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool 10-15 minutes.

While crust is cooling unwrap your caramels, or if using caramel bits, pour into a bowl and add the 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.

Now coarsely chop the remaining 10 Oreos. Set those aside as well.

 Beat the softened cream cheese and marshmallow fluff with a hand mixer on medium speed. Beat until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides half way through.

Add the egg and beat for 30 more seconds on medium speed until incorporated.

Stir in the coarsely chopped Oreos.

Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Spread evenly into the pan. Now melt your caramels and water in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir halfway through. When melted, drop by spoonfuls onto the batter.

Using a knife, swirl the caramel into the cream cheese batter. Don't go too deep or you'll mess up the crust.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until center is set. Cool for 20 minutes on wire rack and then transfer to the refrigerator until they firm up, or overnight. Cut into squares when completely chilled. Enjoy!

Tips:
As always, whenever I'm making any kind of bars or squares, I like to line the pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the edges a couple inches on each side. After it's baked and chilled, you use the paper like a sling to lift the entire batch out of the pan in one piece. Now you can place it on a cutting board, and (using a big sharp knife) you can make nice clean perfect cuts. It also saves your pan from being ruined if you try to cut the squares while it's still in the pan.
For the crust, I think it's easier to combine the butter with the Oreo crumbs before you put them in the pan, so I just threw the Oreos and the melted butter into a food processor and let it go until no large pieces remained.
For a little variation, obviously you could use regular Oreos instead of the golden ones.
I bet you could also do a slammin' peanut butter version of this recipe. Doesn't that sound good? You could use Nutter Butters (my other favorite sandwich cookie) instead of Oreos, and peanut butter instead of the caramel. I would thin it out and sweeten it a little, though.
Oh, btw, before you measure the Fluff, spray a rubber spatula and a measuring cup with nonstick spray. You'll find it'll be a lot easier to measure and it won't be as messy. Otherwise, it'll stick to everything and you'll have Fluff from one end of the kitchen to the other. Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything.....

Chocolate-Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Here's a Martha Stewart recipe that my sister, Cathy, passed along to me. (Yes, my fabulous, gorgeous, talented, youthful, vibrant, funny, caring and all-around wonderful sister, Cathy.)  Of course I HAD to make them because, seriously, I've never met a cheesecake bar I didn't like.  They're rich and delicious and they're the perfect thing if you're looking for something a little different from your usual pumpkin pie. They're also great because you can make them in advance and either keep them covered and chilled in the fridge, or wrapped and frozen. Better make extra because they'll be gone in no time flat!!
Thanx, Sister!

For the crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies (half a 9-ounce package)*
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
2 packages bar cream cheese (8 ounces each)
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

 Preheat oven to 350F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
In a food processor, blend cookies with sugar until finely ground (you should have about 1 cup crumbs); add butter, and pulse until moistened.
Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and press gently into bottom. Bake until fragrant and slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth. Add sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, flour, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt; process until combined. Set aside.
Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted. Add 1 cup pumpkin mixture; stir to combine. Set aside.
Pour remaining pumpkin mixture into prepared pan. Drop dollops of chocolate mixture onto pumpkin mixture; swirl. Bake until cheesecake is set but jiggles slightly when gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes.
Cool in pan. Cover; chill until firm, at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days). Using overhang, transfer cake to work surface. With a knife dipped in water, cut into 16 squares. Serve.

Tips:
* Instead of buying chocolate wafers and then adding butter and sugar, I found it easiest to just throw about 15-18 regular Oreos into the food processor and process until they're fine crumbs. No need to add melted butter or sugar because the creme filling is already in there!
When you cut them, be sure to dip your large knife into very hot water, just as the recipe directs. It's a great tip for getting perfectly clean cuts. You could always just clean your knife under very hot running water between each cut.
For an easy variation, try butterscotch chips or white chocolate instead of the semisweet chocolate.
To make a double chocolate swirl, add some of your 1 cup pumpkin mixture to some melted white chocolate in addition to the semisweet chocolate. Then alternate your dollops of chocolate over the pumpkin mixture and swirl together.
If you're not a chocolate person, you could use graham cracker crumbs for the crust, omit the chocolate altogether, and just do plain pumpkin cheesecake squares.

Piña Colada Cheesecake Squares

Ok, so, when I asked My sister, Cathy, what I should make for Casey's graduation party, she said "How the pineapple cheesecake squares that Terri always makes?" And I thought..."wait, how do I not know about this recipe?" So, I called Terri. Apparently she found this recipe in a newspaper years and years ago...like, maybe 15 years ago.. and for some reason I missed them somehow. We were talking and laughing about it at the party, and Kim even said "Don't you remember a couple years ago when I called you and asked if you had that recipe?" And I said to her "And I said NO, right? Because I had no idea what in hell she was talking about! Well, Anyway, here they are. I FINALLY made them and OMG I love them! They were actually called Pineapple Cheesecake Squares, but since there's coconut, I figured this was a better name, don't you think? I suppose you could leave the coconut out, but that just makes no sense to me. Give them a try!

Crust:
2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. butter or margarine

Combine until fine.
Pat into ungreased 13x9 pan.
Bake at 350 until golden around edges, 14-19 minutes.

Filling:
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese
4 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. milk
2 eggs
16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

Blend cream cheese, sugar, milk & eggs w/ mixer.
Blend in drained pineapple by hand.
Spread over baked crust.

Topping:
2 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c. flaked coconut

Blend butter w/ coconut & sprinkle over top.

Bake for 17-20 minutes at 350.
Cool before cutting into squares.
Refrigerate cut bars until ready to serve.

Tips:
Because there's a LOT of butter in the crust, it'll become very soft and bubbly when you bake it. Just let it bake until it because golden around the edges. Oh, and no need to cool it before spreading the filling on top.
Make sure you let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before you cut it into squares.
When it's time for cutting, I like to loosen the whole batch from the bottom of the pan as much as I can with a large spatula, and then remove half of the batch from the pan at a time. It's just easier to place it on a cutting board and then cut it with a large very sharp knife.

Orange Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

 Whenever we have a family occasion, we collectively decide on a menu, and then we decide who's gonna make what. The texts and emails start flying, all with the same question: "What do you want me to make?"
So, when I asked Jeanie what she wanted me to make for Emma's shower, she told me she had a recipe in mind that she wanted me to try. It's from a book of recipes that all use a 9x13 pan and it's called The Pan That Can. How fun is that?
 And here we are! It has a few extra steps to it, but it's not difficult to make and SO YUMMY. It has the same vibe as those chocolate oranges...you know.. the ones you slam on the table to break apart. So, thanx to my Jeanie for finding the recipe. It was a big hit and definitely a keeper! They're perfect for everything from elegant brunch to a huge birthday bash.
You should try 'em, and then let me know how you liked 'em!


Crust:
1 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 c melted butter

Filling:
3 8oz pkgs cream cheese
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tbs frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
1 tbs finely grated orange peel
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz semi sweet chocolate, cut up
2 tbs butter

Topping:
1 1/2 c sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350F
Line a 9x13 pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Lightly grease foil. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, stir together crust ingredients until well combined. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in thawed orange juice concentrate, orange peel, vanilla, and salt. Pour one cup of cheese filling into a medium bowl. Set both bowls aside.
Place chocolate and butter in a nonmetallic bowl. Microwave on high, 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Stir chocolate mixture into reserved cup of cream cheese filling. Carefully spread chocolate filling evenly over graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully pour remaining cheese filling over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes or just until mixture is set in the center. Remove from oven, cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine sour cream and sugar. Cover and let stand at room temp while bars cool. Gently spread sour cream mixture onto bars. Cool for one hour more. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours before cutting into squares. Sprinkle finished squares with cinnamon.

Tips:
When I made this, it was late at night, so I kinda skipped the steps that involve waiting for it to cool, then doing the topping, then cooling for another hour, etc. I just let it cool completely out of the oven, then topped it with the sour cream, then let it chill in the fridge uncovered for several hours until I was ready to serve. Oh, btw, if you clean your knife by dipping it into hot water before each cut, and use a straight down chopping motion, you'll get much pretty squares.
I didn't have the concentrated orange juice, so I just used 1/2 tsp orange extract + 3 tbs fresh orange juice. I also used chocolate chips instead of the bars of semisweet chocolate. No chopping required!
The original recipe instructed to melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan, but I think it's easier (also less likely to scorch the chocolate) if you use the microwave as I've instructed above. I also took the liberty of rearranging and rephrasing the recipe to make it a little easier to understand.

Revolutionary Berry Cheese Pie

 Every year, at the beginning of summer, I try to come up with a yummy red, white, and blue dessert for the Fourth of July. I decided that this year's recipe should be a pie since, A) I love pie, and B) it's been a while since my last pie recipe. At first, I had thought of making just a straight up blueberry pie, but then I kept adding things and before I knew it, I had come up with this recipe. Obviously, it's all about the presentation! And you KNOW it's also all about the taste! A cheese pie, with a layer of raspberry jam, fresh berries and whipped cream? HEAVEN! Seriously, what's not to love? It's really simple to make too. Make it for your July 4th BBQ! I'm sure everyone will love it!!


1 pillsbury ready made pie crust
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
fresh blueberries
1 cup (or more) seedless raspberry jam
whipped cream or non dairy whipped topping
fresh raspberries

Heat oven to 350°.
Unroll pie crust. Dust lightly with flour. Place crust, floured side down, in a pie plate.
Tuck edges under, then flute to make a decorative edge. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Add eggs. Beat on low speed until well combined.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in blueberries by hand.
Spoon into crust.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set.
Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled.
In a small bowl, using a wire whisk, stir jam until smooth.
Spread jam over cheese filling.
Decorate with whipped topping and fresh berries.

Tips:
I purposely didn't put the amounts of whipped cream or blueberries or raspberries. Basically, if you like a lot, add a lot.
You don't have to follow my design, although, I must admit, it's pretty gorgeous.
 Do any design you like! Maybe whipped cream stars and berry stripes?
Fabulous.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies

So, lets talk about Walt Disney. The man was a true visionary. He was always coming up with new and better ways of doing things, pushing the envelope, and challenging himself and his staff, even when his peers told him he was crazy. If you know me, you know that I love all things Disney. My clothes, my apartment, my car, and even my left shoulder are all decorated with Disney Animation. Now, I'm guessing you're thinking "What does Walt Disney have to do with brownies?" Honestly? Nothing, but stay with me.....
Whenever Walt Disney wanted a better version of an idea, he'd tell his staff of animators to "Plus it!" In other words, make it better! Upgrade! Well, this is exactly what I like to do with recipes, especially brownies! Why make plain brownies when you can come up with a fun, new, and exciting way of making them? How about adding a rich and creamy chocolate chip cheesecake layer on top of your favorite decadent fudgy chewy brownie? Now that's DEFINITELY one of my favorite ways to "Plus it"!

1 box brownie mix or your favorite scratch recipe
2 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbs light cream
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 13x9x2 pan with shortening or butter or cooking spray.
2. Mix brownie batter according to your favorite scratch recipe or box mix directions. Spread in pan. Place pan in oven and bake 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in vanilla and eggs until blended. Stir in sour cream, light cream, and chocolate chips.
4. Remove brownie pan from oven. Pour cream cheese mixture over partially baked brownie batter in pan. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips, if desired.
5. Bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese filling is just set and the edges just begin to brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Chill in the fridge until firm before cutting into squares.

Tips:
To "plus it" even further, try using different kinds of chips! Oh, and if you'd like a more cake like brownie, just add an extra egg to your brownie recipe.