New York Style Cheesecake

I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com, and it is a winner.  The only change I made from the original recipe was to bake at a lower temperature because the first time I made it the edges got too brown.  I also added a glaze over the strawberries of heated strawberry jam mixed with a little lemon juice.  Check out the lack of cracks!  

New York Cheesecake
from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS:

15 graham crackers, crushed 2 tablespoons butter, melted   4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese 1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup milk 4 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 330 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2.	In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3.	In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4.	Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 10 minutes. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

YUM.  This is so good.  Like eat way too much and feel sick after good.  Recipe from A Step in the Journey

Chocolate Peanut Butter Trifle

Prep Time:45 Min Cook Time:30 Min Total Time:45 Min

Serves 15

Ingredients

• Brownies (box or from scratch...usually need eggs, oil, and water)
• 1 large tub of cool whip
• 1 large box of Jello chocolate instant pudding (3 cups of milk)
• 1 bag of Reese's peanut butter cups- I used the holiday ones that have more peanut butter!
• 1 cup of peanut butter
• 8 oz. of cream cheese
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. of milk

Instructions

• 1
  Before we can layer our trifle there is some prep work that must be done...
• 2
  Prepare brownies and chocolate pudding according to package instructions, set aside
• 3
  Set cream cheese out. It needs to be at room temperature
• 4
  In a food processor chop your opened Reese's cups, set aside
• 5
  Once the cream cheese is a room temperature use a hand mixer to whip. Then fold in 1 cup of peanut butter. Once well combined add 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of milk. Continue to whip until "fluffy"
• 6
  Now it's time to LAYER! You can go in any order you would like, my suggestion: broken up brownies, peanut butter fluff, chocolate pudding, cool whip, chopped Reese's...then REPEAT.
• 7
  Enjoy!

Notes

• If not serving immediately, leave in the refrigerator to chill.

Brownies For A Crowd

This is one of my go to recipes that I've been making for a few years.  It is a large recipe for frosted brownies that you bake in a jelly roll pan.  Everyone raves about them!  

Brownies for a Crowd

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

• 8 eggs
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups of butter , melted (yes that is right 2 cups – remember these are for a crowd)
• 1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa (that is what her recipe says and that is what I used)
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour

1. Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl.  Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
2. Add melted butter and blend.  In another bowl, mix flour and cocoa with a whisk until well blended,
3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined.
4. Spread onto a greased jelly roll pan (12 x 17) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes and spread with frosting.

Frosting

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• milk

Blend powdered sugar, butter, and cocoa along with enough milk to make the frosting a spreadable consistency.  Spread over the brownies after they had cooled for 15 minutes.  Keep spreading as the frosting melts making it nice and even on the brownies.  Allow brownies to continue to cool.  Makes 30 good sized brownies.

Cannoli Cups

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  It's been repinned from my page over 350 times, so I figured now was a good time to try the recipe myself!  The cannoli filling is good, but I found it a tad grainy from the ricotta.  I might try a different filling with marscapone the next time I make them.  The wonton wrappers baked up nice and crispy and tasted great with the powdered sugar dusted on before filling.  

Cannoli Cups

Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Yield: 30-35 cups

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 oz.) wonton wrappers
• 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Method

In a bowl, slowly whisk 1 cup of the milk into the cornstarch until smooth. Let sit about 20 minutes.

Transfer mixture into a sauce pan, and then add in the remaining milk and sugar. Heat on medium-low, stirring constantly until it is very thick and smooth (about 7-10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the filling to avoid “skin”, and let cool until the mixture reaches room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then press 30-35 wonton wrappers (you can do this in multiple batches) into a mini baking cup pan to form the “cups”. (Be sure that the corners do not fold in after the pan sits for a minute!) Bake the cups for 10-15 minutes, or until the wrappers are golden brown. Remove and let cool.

After the milk mixture has reached room temperature, whisk in the ricotta and cinnamon until smooth. (You can also do this with an electric mixer on low.) Use a pastry bag to pipe the mixture into the baked wonton cups, or use a spoon to scoop it in. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, then dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate, or serve immediately.

Andes Mint Fudge

I have a lot of boxes of Andes mints and have been looking for some recipes to use them up.  This fudge was perfect!  It was creamy, minty, and super sweet.  What a treat! 

Andes Mint Fudge

from Sally's Baking Addiction

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, divided
• 1.5 cups white chocolate baking chips
• 1 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 2 drops green food coloring
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• 1/2 cup or more chopped Andes mints

Instructions

 

Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Spray paper with non-stick spray and set aside.

 

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1.5 cups chocolate chips with 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, stirring occasionally. Spread melted chocolate mixture into pan and chill for 5-10 minutes.

 

In another saucepan, melt white baking chips and remaining condensed milk, stirring until completely smooth. Remove from the heat and add peppermint extract and food coloring. Spread mint layer over chilled chocolate layer. Chill for 5-10 minutes as you make the final layer.

 

Melt remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips with 1 tsp shortening in the microwave in 30 second increments. Stir until completely smooth. Spread over chilled mint layer. Top with chopped Andes mints. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until fudge is completely set.

 

 

Carrot Cake Cookies

Happy almost Easter!  A fun version of carrot cake in cookie form...

 

Carrot Cake Cookies

from  Craving Chronicles

Ingredients

3/4 cup golden raisins (2 1/2 ounces)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
pinch of cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 + 3 tablespoons cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely grated carrots (2 medium or 4 small)
1 cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Place raisins in a small bowl and add enough hot water to cover. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, walnuts and raisins (drained!) on low speed. Add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Set dough in refrigerator to chill for 15-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.

Working with one baking sheet at a time, drop 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie onto baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake each sheet separately, 13-15 minutes or until centers spring back to the touch. Cool on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, pulse cream cheese and butter in a food processor, scraping down sides with a spatula as needed, until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and pulse until combined.

If making ahead, store cookies at room temperature and frosting in refrigerator. Frost cookies before serving.

Operation Baking Gals Round 19

For Round 19 of Operation Baking Gals, I joined Beantown Baker's team who just happened to be sponsoring one of my friend's husbands this round! We all baked for Richard who has been overseas for almost a year now. His tour will be up next month, and he will get to return home to his wife and 2 kids who have missed him terribly!

The first cookies I included this time were Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Quite a mouthful! I found this recipe on Brown Eyed Baker and thought it would work well for the long trip overseas because it makes a thick and moist cookie.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Brown Eyed Baker

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

The next cookies I included were basic cake mix cookies. I made these last week as sandwich cookies with a cream cheese frosting filling and loved them. I thought they would work well for shipping (without the frosting) because they stayed moist for days.

Devil's Food Cake Mix Cookies

1 box Devil's Food cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients well. Use a medium cookie scoop to drop on parchment lined cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Last, I included caramel corn. This stuff is addicting!

Caramel Corn

from Allrecipes

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 quarts popped popcorn

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.
3. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

I also filled in all the extra space in my flat rate box with candy and nuts. I hope Richard enjoys!

Operation Baking Gals- Round 17

I joined a great organization this month. It is called Operation Baking GALS. Each month, team leaders sponsor people serving in the military. Everyone who joins the team sends a package including homemade baked goods to a specific person.

I joined Beantown Baker's team this round, and we sent packages to Jesse who is serving in Afghanistan. In my package, I included:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Brownies

Then I topped the containers with some candy.

Package all ready to be closed and shipped off!

Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies

My dad loves peanut butter cookies, so I decided to make him some this morning. I have had this recipe from Baking Blonde starred since September 2008. I'd say it was about time to make them! I love the addition of powdered sugar for rolling instead of granulated sugar.

Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies

From Baking Blonde

1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup powdered sugar (or more as needed for rolling)

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place powdered sugar in shallow bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Once combined beat in the white sugar, and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

In a large bowl wisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently add to creamed mixture and mix until almost combined.

Chill dough for 10-20 minutes.

Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Genlty roll the dough balls into powdered sugar and place dough balls on parchment lined baking sheets. Carefully press down on each ball with a glass to flatten tops slightly.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until top is crinkly and edges are set. Cool on sheet for 10 minutes and transfer to baking rack to finish cooling

Hidden Heart Cake

I made this cake from I Am Baker's blog for Valentine's Day. It is supposed to have a hidden heart inside. It was quite the undertaking and the first time I have ever carved a cake. Unfortunately, my heart didn't quite come out in the shape I wanted it to. You can kind of tell it resembles a heart though! Check out hers though... it is amazing! She also has step by step directions to follow if you want to make one. I'll just give the shortened version with my pics here.


First, make a 9x13 pan of red velvet cake. Break it up with a fork and mix in about 1 cup of frosting. Set aside.

Next, make two 2 layer white cakes. Frost in between each layer with white frosting. Put the layer cakes in the freezer for a couple of hours or even overnight.

When the cakes are nice and frozen, use a small bowl to make an outline on the top of each cake. I used a toothpick to make the line.

Next came the hardest part for me. You need to make a pointed well in the center of one layer cake. Mine was too wide at the bottom.

You need to make a well in the second layer cake as well. But this one needs a pointed mound in the middle. Mine was not pointed enough.

Next you fill the wells with the red velvet mixture you made earlier. You should frost around the ring of the bottom layer cake so you know which one needs to go on top. Stack the cakes together with the red velvet meeting in the middle. The cake with the pointed mound in the well will be the top. Frost a crumb coat on the 4 layer cake. Refrigerate or freeze for about 15 minutes.

Then frost the entire cake and smooth. Try to smooth it better than I did!

To decorate, I piped pink borders on the top and bottom of the cake. Then I used cookie cutters to press on the sides of the cake as a stencil.

Then I went over the stencil marks with frosting.

I finished by writing on the top of the cake.

Not quite a heart inside, but you get the idea! Happy Valentine's Day!

Brownie Oreo Trifle

I tried to make this a little healthier by using SF/FF pudding and lite Cool Whip. Who am I kidding? I don't think it makes that big of a difference with the other ingredients!

Brownie Oreo Trifle

Ingredients:

1 9x13 pan of brownies

1 box chocolate pudding (small size if using regular, lg size if using SF/FF)

1/2 cup water

1 can sweetened condensed milk

8 oz cool whip

12 oz cool whip

18 oreos, chopped

6 oreos for garnish

Bake brownies as directed. Cool completely and chop into bite size squares.

Combine pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth. Fold in 8 oz of cool whip until there are no streaks.

Chop 18 Oreos and set aside.

In a trifle bowl, layer half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture, half of the Oreos, and half of the cool whip. Repeat each layer.

Garnish the top with 3 whole Oreos and 6 crushed Oreos with filling taken out.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

These chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes are probably the best thing I have made EVER. I am in love with them. Soooooooooo good if you love the taste of cookie dough.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
From Hello Baker

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Alton Brown’s “The Chewy”

(Recipe from Alton Brown)

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2-1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

**The dough placed in the cupcakes MUST be frozen in order to produce that nice gooey cookie dough center. You DO NOT want the dough to actually bake into a cookie. Also remember to save some of the dough for your mini chocolate chip cookies to be used as decoration at the end!**

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
   
2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
   
3. Pour the melted butter in the mixer’s work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

For the dough center: Place dough in the freezer until it is firm enough to be rolled up into nice little balls. Take dough out, roll them into whatever size you desire (mine were probably as large as How To Eat A Cupcake’s) and then place back into freezer until completely frozen (I believe I did this step the night before when I made the dough).

For cookies: Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Brown Sugar Cupcakes

(Recipe from Cupcake Bakeshop. Makes about 12 cupcakes)

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
3. Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds after each.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
6. Measure out milk and vanilla together.
7. Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
8. Add about one third the milk/vanilla mixture and beat until combined.
9. Repeat above, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture.
10. Place previously prepared frozen cookie dough ball (mine were fairly big) into cup liners, then fill about half to three-quarters full of cupcake batter.
11. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when lightly touched. (Testing by using a toothpick would be insufficient because of the gooey cookie dough in the center).

Cookie Dough Frosting

(Recipe from The Cupcake Review. Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes.)

• 1-3/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Eggless cookie dough (recipe below)

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, unsalted butter, salt, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
2. Add milk and continue mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary. With the mixer running, slowly add remaining 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, mix until well combined.
3. At this point you can mix in the eggless cookie dough. Mix in enough cookie dough to suit your taste. Any cookie dough leftover you can gladly eat! There are no eggs in it so it is safe. Yum!

Eggless Cookie Dough

(Recipe from How To Eat A Cupcake)

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add water and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and salt and stir to combine. Stir in mini chocolate chips (optional).
   
2. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
   

Complete Assembly

This is just a little summary of what you should have done:

1. Make cookie dough balls and place them in the freezer until ready to be used.
   
2. Insert a ball of cookie dough into each cupcake liner before baking.
   
3. Mix vanilla buttercream frosting with eggless cookie dough to create cookie dough frosting.
   
4. Allow cupcakes to cool, then pipe on cookie dough frosting.
   
5. Decorate by sprinkling on mini chocolate chips and topping with a mini chocolate chip cookie.