Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Topping

NOTES

• The cake recipe is modified from Taste of Home. I labeled this recipe "gluten-free" because I actually made it g-free for a friend of mine who was coming for dinner. I simply used g-free grahams instead of regular and it turned out great! Regular grahams would also be just as good if you don't need it g-free. :)
• You need to make the strawberry topping ahead of time (at least 2-3 hours before serving) so it has a chance to cool completely in the fridge. It does not taste good warm but tastes delicious once cooled and lasts for several days so use it on your waffles if you have extra!
• The cake is GREAT for entertaining because it can be made ahead of time. It needs at least 24 hours to chill in the fridge so make it the day/night before you need it.

INGREDIENTS

CRUST:

• 3/4 cup ground pecans
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

SOUR CREAM TOPPING:

• 2 c. (16 oz) sour cream
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

STRAWBERRY TOPPING (modified from The Shiksa):

• 2 c. chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch

DIRECTIONS - Cake

1. Combine pecans, crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of a 10-in. springform pan. Set aside. 
2. For filling, beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat well. Spoon over crust. 
3. Bake at 350° for about 50 minutes or until filling is almost set. Let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, for sour cream topping, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread over cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate 24 hours. 
4. Just before serving, loosen and remove sides of springform pan and serve with the strawberry topping (see instructions below) on the side.

DIRECTIONS - Strawberry topping

1. Put chopped strawberries and sugar into a small saucepan. Add 1/3 cup water and stir. Heat mixture over medium high heat until it boils. Stir, then reduce heat to medium.
2. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water until a thick liquid forms. Pour the liquid into the pan, stirring continuously, and continue to stir until well blended.
3. Cook the strawberry mixture over medium for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Leave as is or puree if you want a smoother topping. Chill in fridge until ready to use (chill at least a few hours).

Strawberry Dream Cake

NOTES:

• I looked and looked for a strawberry cake that didn't use strawberry Jell-O for flavoring. This one did the trick and was delicious!
• Since strawberries are in season, freeze your own fresh ones by hulling them with a hard straw (something similar to the hard straws used in those reusable cold beverage containers like Starbucks) then washing the strawberries. Pat them dry then arrange in a baking dish top side down and freeze until frozen through, about 2 hours. If freezing more than what you need for the cake, store the frozen strawberries in a ziplock bag until ready to use for smoothies, shakes, etc.

INGREDIENTS

• 10 oz frozen whole strawberries (about 2 c.)
• 3/4 c. whole milk, room temp
• 6 large egg whites, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 c. cake flour
• 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

Frosting -

• 10 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
• 12 oz cr. cheese, cut into 12 pieces and softened
• pinch salt
• 8 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced thin

DIRECTIONS:
1. For the cake: adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350. Grease two 9-in round cake pans with butter or shortening (use a LOT) and then flour them really well. You want to be sure the cakes won't stick.
2. Transfer frozen strawberries to a bowl, cover, and microwave until they are soft and have released their juice, about 3 minutes. Place in a fine-mesh strainer set over a small saucepan and firmly press fruit until you have at least 3/4 c. juice. Reserve the strawberry solids for the frosting.
3. Bring the strawberry juice to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6-8 minutes. Cool a few minutes then whisk in milk until combined.
4. Whisk strawberry milk with egg whites and vanilla in a bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until one pea-sized pieces remain, about 1 minutes. Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give batter a final stir by hand.
5. Scrape equal amounts of batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean, 20-25 minutes (do NOT overbake), rotating pans halfway through baking. Cook in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing cakes  (loosen any stuck edges and gently turn pans upside down) from pans and cooling completely, about 2 hours.
6. For frosting, use the stand mixer and mix butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add reserved strawberry solids and salt and mix until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
7. To assemble cake (do this right before serving or up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate but bring to room temp before serving): pat sliced strawberries dry with paper towels. When cakes are cooled, spread 3/4 c. frosting over 1 cake round. Press 1 c. strawberries in an even layer over frosting and cover with additional 3/4 c. frosting. Top with second cake round and spread remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining strawberries and serve.

Carrot Cake

NOTES

• Just in time for Easter, this dessert will impress all. It's so good!
• The pic is of Oren's 1st birthday carrot cake (which Nana made!) but I usually make it as a sheet cake in a 13x9 inch pan which is what the recipe below is for. Should you want to make a layered cake in round cake pans, I would at least double the recipe below, using any leftover batter and frosting for cupcakes.
• Recipe is from Cooking Light.

INGREDIENTS

Cake (for a 13x9 inch pan, see notes above if you want to do the 3-layer like in the picture):

• Cooking spray
• 9 tbsp butter, softened
• 2/3 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs - 2 egg whites & 2 entire eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c. all-p flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 c. lowfat buttermilk
• 2 c. finely shredded carrot

Frosting:

• 1/2 c. (4 oz) block-style cream cheese (low fat is fine), softened
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 3/4 c. powdered sugar, divided

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare cake, coat pan(s) with cooking spray and line bottom with wax paper (you only need to use the wax paper if you are doubling the recipe to do the layered cake; for the 13x9, just grease it well). Coat wax paper with cooking spray, set aside.

3. Place 9 tbsp softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 min or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract.

4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (that's for a 13x9 so less for a round cake pan). Cook until toothpick in center comes out clean or almost clean. Cool in pan 10 min on a wire rack then remove from pan (if doing the 3 layers; otherwise leave in the 13x9 inch pan). Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack. Freeze cake for 30 minutes before frosting to reduce the amount of crumbs that come loose while you frost.

5. To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese, butter,  vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Stir in the remaining powdered sugar, 1/4 c. at a time, until desired thickness is reached. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Spread frosting over top (and sides if doing layers) of cake. Garnish with orange sprinkles if desired. Store leftover cake in the fridge.

Christmas Goodies

NOTES:

• Working from the top around clockwise....

GINGER COOKIES
(click on link to get recipe)


MINI ALMOND JOYS

NOTES

• Recipe modified from Celebrations at Home blog
• My melted chocolate got a little thick so I googled how to thin melted chocolate and added a tsp or two of vegetable shortening which worked great.

INGREDIENTS

• 7 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 c. unsweetened flaked/shredded coconut
• 50ish almonds
• 20 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast almonds over medium low heat in a dry skillet for about 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan every once in awhile until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted. Remove from heat to cool. Be careful not to burn them.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Stir in the coconut, until combined (it will be thick). Freeze the mixture for about 30 minutes so it will be easier to work with.
3. Remove the coconut from freezer and with clean hands, shape about one tablespoon of coconut into tight little balls and place on a cookie sheet.. You may need to wash hands every so often as they will get sticky. Place 2 almonds on top of each ball, pressing them in lightly. Place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate.
4. Find a heat-proof bowl that will sit nicely over a saucepan with the rim of the bowl sitting on the rim of the pan, bowl part sitting down into the saucepan a bit. Fill the saucepan with a few inches of water (should be about 1 inch below the bottom of the bowl) and bring to a simmer.
5. Place the chocolate chips in the bowl above the simmering water and stir every so often as they melt. Once melted, shut heat off but leave bowl over warm water.
6. Remove the candies from the fridge and place one coconut almond ball on a fork. Use a spoon to scoop a bit of the chocolate over the top and then lower the fork into chocolate and spoon over candy to coat. Lift fork and let the chocolate run off a bit. Place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with all candies. See my NOTES above if your chocolate gets too thick.
7. Let candy harden in fridge for 45 minutes or so then freeze and remove as desired or let store at room temp in a sealed container.



MAGIC BARS

NOTES

• This is a modified recipe that Luke's grandma always made at Christmas. They are soo soo good. Cut into small squares as they are pretty rich.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs (put in a zip-lock and use a rolling pin)
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1.5 c. chocolate chips (or use a mixture of chocolate and butterscotch chips)
• 1 1/3 c. flaked unsweetened coconut
• 1 c. chopped nuts of choice (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper and spray lightly.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with fork or lightly sprayed hands/palms.
3. Bake 15-25 minutes or until just lightly browned. Let cool a few minutes on a cooling rack then loosen from sides of pan while still warm. Finish cooling pan on wire rack then remove entire pan of bars to cutting board when cool. Cut into bars.



SUGAR COOKIES
(click on link to get recipe)



CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES (middle)

NOTES

• These cookies have a brownie-like texture and are best eaten when still warm out of the oven. They do freeze fine.
• A favorite Christmas cookie of mine from childhood.
• Recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog

INGREDIENTS

• 2 c. plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (see steps 4 & 5 from the Mini Almond Joys recipe above for how to melt chocolate on the stove)
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar 

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

2. In another bowl beat butter and sugar well, and then add eggs beating until creamy and smooth.

3. Add vanilla and melted chocolate. Beat well.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just to blend.

5. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

6. Lightly grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.

7. Shape heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place at least 1 1/2" apart on baking sheets.

8. Bake at 350º (360 for high altitude) for about 10 minutes (8-9 min for high altitude) or JUST until tops are puffed and cracked. Take out earlier than you think you would. Do not over bake!

PEANUT BUTTER CUPS WITH MINI REESE'S

NOTES

• Tried these the first time this Christmas. I was going to make peanut butter blossoms but wanted to try these instead. A very tasty little candy that freezes well!
• Recipe from Land O Lakes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c.sugar
• 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 30-40 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray miniature muffin pan with no-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Combine sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.

3. Add flour, baking soda and salt; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place each ball into prepared miniature muffin cup. Bake just 10-12 minutes or until just a little golden (they will continue to cook when you remove from oven so take out sooner than you think).

5. Remove from oven; press peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Cool 15 minutes or so. Remove from pan to cooling racks and cool completely.

 

PEPPERMINT FUDGE

NOTES

• This is an easy and delicious fudge that tastes like an Andes mint. Yum!
• My top layer did not "swirl" nice into the green layer like in the original recipe modified from sugarforthebrain.com because my chocolate set too fast. I ended up spreading the dotted chocolate over the green layer and adding some mini chocolate chips on top to make it look prettier.
• Freezes well.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, divided
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 ounces white chocolate (I used white baking chips)
• 1 tbsp peppermint extract
• few drops of green food coloring
• mini choc chips for topping (optional, see NOTES above)

DIRECTIONS

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides.

2. Prepare to do steps 2 & 3 at the same time. In a double boiler (or a make-shift double boiler - see steps 4 & 5 from the Mini Almond Joys recipe above), melt chocolate chips with 1 cup sweetened condensed milk; add vanilla.

3. At the same time, melt the white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water with remaining sweetened condensed milk. Add peppermint extract and green food coloring.

4. For this step, the faster you go the better because the fudge sets very quickly and you won’t be able to do the marble pattern otherwise) Reserve about 4 tablespoons of the dark chocolate mixture and spread the rest into the pan. Add the green peppermint mixture on top. Quickly dollop the remaining dark chocolate mixture over the green and then run a knife at the surface to create a marbled effect (see NOTES above if this is working for you).

5. Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Use the overhang to get the fudge out of the pan. Cut into small bite-size squares. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator or freeze them.

Best Sugar Cookies

NOTES

• I should have posted these when I made them - for Halloween! But Christmas is nearly here and sugar cookies are something I can't go without (of course, I'll use the appropriate color scheme).
• These are sooooooooooo good. The trick is to just barely baking them. Take them out before the edges start to even get a little golden and the bottoms are maybe just a tiny bit golden - they will still be white on top. Then let them cool just for a minute on the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Do not overcoook! Watch them closely.
• Double or triple the recipe if you want extras or a few to give away.
• Sugar cookie recipe modified from a Land o Lakes recipe and frosting is modified from a recipe found on allrecipes.com
• For those cooking at a high altitude like myself, I used 1 tbsp less butter and 1-2 tbsp less sugar. Found that this helps the cookies from spreading too much. Chilling for half hour or so before rolling out also helps.
• These cookies freeze nicely, both frosted and unfrosted.

INGREDIENTS - COOKIES

• 1 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 c. all-p flour
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

INGREDIENTS - FROSTING
(this recipe will make enough frosting for a double batch of the cookies above)

• 4. c powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c. butter (or shortening as in the original recipe)
• Little cream or milk (2-5 tbsp), add slowly
• Food coloring of choice

DIRECTIONS - COOKIES

1. Heat oven to 375°F (I cook at 385 for high altitude). Combine butter and sugars in a large bowl mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour, cream of tartar and baking soda; beat at low speed until dough forms a ball.
2. Chill dough for 30 minutes to make it easier to roll out then roll out on a well-floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with desired cookie cutter and move (nudging a floured metal spatula underneath if necessary) and place on an ungreased cookie sheets. Bake around 5-8minutes (see my second bullet point above for directions on how to cook to perfection).

DIRECTIONS - FROSTING
1. Frost cookies once they've cooled.
2. Cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy.
3 Gradually mix in vanilla and a tbsp of milk at a time until desired consistency is reached (aim for a thicker frosting - it should not fall off a spoon when turned upside down).
4. Mix until smooth and stiff, about 5 min. Add desired food coloring, a few drops at a time. Let cookies sit out in a single layer (cover lightly with foil or plastic wrap) for a few hours while the frosting hardens a bit. Then you can place them in a container, placing wax paper between layers.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with Ginger Pecan Crust

NOTES

• Great dessert for fall and Thanksgiving! It's relatively easy to make and is so much better than the regular old pumpkin pie.
• Recipe is modified from Taste of Home
• You will need a spring form pan or I would suggest cutting the recipe in half and using a pie plate if you do not have a spring form.
• This can easily be made g-free by using g-free ginger snap cookies.
• You make this ahead of time (needs to refrigerate at least 10 hours) and pull out right before serving so it's perfect for those who like to cook after the kids are in bed like me. :)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 20 cookies) plus extra for topping (place them in a ziplock bag and crush with a mallet or use a rolling pin to roll back and forth across the bag)

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened, divided

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Topping of choice: caramel syrup, whipped cream (my favorite is to whip 1 c. of heavy whipping cream with 3 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice...use a chilled mixing bowl and whisk attachment for the best whip).

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Wrap a greased springform pan with two layers of foil (you are trying to make the bottom water proof). See notes above if you don't have a springform pan and want to use a pie plate.

2. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, pecans and butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

3. For filling, in a large bowl, beat 1 package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in remaining cream cheese, one package at a time until smooth. Add remaining sugar and vanilla. Add 4 eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.

4. For this next part you will need 2 more bowls (besides the mixing bowl with your plain filling). In bowl #1, place 2 cups of filling and stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In bowl #2, place 3/4 cup of the pumpkin filling that you just made and set aside. Pour the remaining pumpkin filling in bowl #1 over the crust then top with remaining plain filling left in your mixing bowl. Using a butter knife, swirl the two layers together. Then drop by spoonfuls the rest of the pumpkin filling in bowl #2 by spoonfuls over cheesecake and swirl with the butter knife.
5. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer and refrigerate overnight. If using the springform pan, keep the cheesecake in the pan until ready to serve. Before serving, top with extra crumbled cookie crumbs and make cinnamon whip cream (see NOTES above).
 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese-Filled Muffins (a must make!)

 

 

 

NOTES:

• These are so worth it!! A friend (thanks Emily!) brought these over along with dinner after having my second baby last fall and I have been wanting to make them since!
• The recipe makes 24 regular size muffins but if you're up to it, double the recipe and make enough to freeze. They are great thawed and then reheated just for 10 seconds. Keep them around for the holidays and special mornings....they are so good!
• Recipe from Annie's Eats
• For muffins at high altitude, I have been successful following the recipe exactly but baking at 10-15 degrees hotter and removing from the oven 5-15 minutes sooner.

INGREDIENTS

 

For the filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 c. powdered sugar

For the muffins:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1¼ c. vegetable oil

For the topping:

•  ½ c. sugar
• 5 tbsp flour
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare filling: combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours. The other option, as read in the reviews of the recipe, is to fill a baker's decorating bag with a regular round tip (or use a ziplock bag then cut the bottom corner off) with the cream cheese mixture...I think this would be much less time consuming than the freezing method.
2. Make muffins: preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda and whisk to blend.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
4. Make topping: combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
5. To assemble muffins: fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter (like 1-2 tbsp). Slice the log of cream cheese into 24 equal pieces and place a slice/chunk into each muffin well (or squeeze about 1 1/2 tbsp from your baker's bag or ziplock bag into each muffin well). Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of cream cheese to cover completely. Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are just golden.Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Triple Chocolate Brownies

NOTES

• You won't be disappointed. These were DELICIOUS. Double the recipe and bake in a 13x9 inch pan instead of a square pan.
• The only thing I would have modified is that I should have pulled them out 3 minutes earlier than I did so watch them closely. You want there to still be a few wet chocolate crumbs on a toothpick stuck into the middle of the pan when you take it out.
• Recipe from Annie's Eats

INGREDIENTS

• 5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (use a baking bar)
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (use a baking bar)
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into quarters
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1¼ c sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 c all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Place an oven rack in lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. (Double the recipe and do it in a 13x9 in pan if you want).
2. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. This will take about 10 minutes. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture until incorporated.
4. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula to make an even layer.
5. Bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 30-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 1 1/2-2 hours. I removed the brownies by lifting the foil on either end and transferring to a cutting board. Once cool, I cut into squares and stored in an airtight container. However, they got stale quickly so next time I make them I will probably forgo the foil and just lightly oil the pan then once cool, cut brownies out of the pan as we want to eat them.

(No bake!) Peanut Butterscotch Chocolate Crispy Bars

NOTES

• Recipe from Annie's Eats
• These are SOOO good you will want to eat the whole pan. Best part is they are no bake and come together quickly! Keep the ingredients on hand for a quick summer dessert.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 c. puffed rice cereal
• 1 c peanut butter
• 1 c. honey
• 1 c. sugar
• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 12 oz butterscotch chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the rice cereal and peanut butter in a large bowl (do not mix yet). Set aside. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. Combine the honey and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until boiling. Immediately remove from heat and pour hot mixture over the peanut butter and rice cereal. Mix well with a spoon or spatula until the peanut butter is completely melted and all ingredients are evenly combined.
3. Press the mixture in a even layer in the prepared baking pan.
4. Combine the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth. Pour over the cereal layer and smooth with a spatula. Cover and chill until the top layer is set before slicing into bars.

Strawberry Shortcake

NOTES

• Original recipe from The America's Best Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream

INGREDIENTS

• 2 quarts strawberries (take a sturdy straw & poke up through bottom of strawberry to hull)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) COLD unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2/3 c. half-and-half
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• whipped cream or ice cream for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Slice hulled strawberries (crush some with a potato masher if desired) and stir with 3 tbsp sugar. Let sit out at room temp about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 425.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, 4 tbsp (of the 6) sugar, baking powder, and salt. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and cut into flour mixture with a pastry knife or two butter knives until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. In another bowl, lightly whisk the 1 egg (leave the egg white aside) and add milk. Stir into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until large clumps form. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured counter and knead lightly until the dough comes together.
5. Use your fingertips to pat the dough into a 9x6-inch rectangle about 1 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter (2 3/4-inch), cut the dough into 6 rounds then reform dough and cut 2 more rounds. Place the rounds on a cooking sheet. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle tops with the remaining 2 tbsp sugar (I like using the larger turbinado sugar for the tops).
6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until just lightly browned. Let cook on a wire rack about 10 minutes before splitting in half and topping with strawberries and cream or ice cream then top of biscuit.

Peach Crumble

NOTES

• What a great way to eat all the fresh peaches that are in season! This recipe comes together quick and is soooo good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Recipe modified from Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups sliced peeled ripe peaches
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• Vanilla ice cream, to serve

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Add peaches and toss lightly to combine. Transfer to a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in egg until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the peaches. Pour butter evenly over topping.
3. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes. Serve with ice cream if desired.

Grilled Peaches 'n Berries

NOTES

• This was an easy dessert to make and tastes great with a scoop of real whip cream or vanilla ice cream! The peach cooks perfectly and tastes like a warm peach dessert.
• This is a great dessert for campfires or picnic grilling.
• Recipe from Quick Cooking. The recipe uses 3 peaces and says its for 3 people but if you serve it with ice cream, a half of a peach is plenty for 1 person.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium ripe peaches, halved and pitted
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Place two peach halves, cut side up, on each of three double thicknesses of heavy-duty foil (12 in. square). Sprinkle each with blueberries,brown sugar, butter and lemon juice. Fold foil around peaches and seal tightly.
2. Grill, covered, over medium-low heat for 18-20 minutes or until tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.
3. Serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

Week 46 Dessert: Peach Crumble

NOTES

• Yum! Peach season has begun. Can't get enough of these and this is a tasty recipe, especially when served with vanilla ice cream.
• Recipe modified from Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS

• 6 c. sliced peeled ripe peaches
• 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• Vanilla ice cream, optional

DIRECTIONS
1. Place peaches in a large bowl. Add the 1/4 c. brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon and toss lightly to combine.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, 1 c. brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in egg until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Spread peaches evenly in a greased 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the peaches and pour butter evenly over topping.
4. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes. Serve with ice cream if desired.