Eggnog Cheesecake

We have a rather large family. Any way you slice it, our family is large. And not just because we have 5 children, which makes -OUR- family, quite large. Not to mention that both my husband and I have several siblings. This year, we ended up having 3 Christmas dinners to attend. And for most of them, I ended up cooking. A lot. This is just one of the recipes that really stuck out to me over the Holiday. I had never tasted or even heard of  Eggnog cheesecake, but my mother suggested I try making eggnog fudge. Which I did, and it turned out delicious. But it got me thinking... If I could use eggnog in fudge, and make it so fantastic... Why not experiment with eggnog in some other yummy treats that my family likes. GOOGLE to the rescue! I found a recipe similar to this on allrecipes.com and tweaked it just a little.



What you need:
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup eggnog
2 eggs
1 pinch ground nutmeg -or- Pumpkin Pie Spice

Crust:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, spices and butter. Press into a 9 inch pan.
Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.



Filling:
Preheat oven to 425
Mix together cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, and nutmeg.
Pour mixture into cooled crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 45 minutes, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

I made my cheesecake the night before our last Christmas dinner,  let it cool completely and then covered it with tin foil and put it in the fridge. That kept the top of the cheesecake from drying out and cracking, and it was picture perfect and ready to cut when lunch was over. If you like cheesecake, and you like eggnog, this is a must have for any family get together. Though you might want to make 2, because it will be gone quickly.

Almond Rocca (English Toffee)

  In a previous post, I mentioned that as a child, the women in my family would get together and make candy for each of the individual families within our larger family group. So the past few weeks I have been gathering and testing recipes that match my grandmothers, and adding some of my own favorites.
   After talking to my mother about this a few times, she told me she had a Christmas present for me. Later, when I met up with her, she handed me an old, weathered, thin, long aged box. I knew instantly what it was, and it sounds silly now, but I was SO excited! My mom decided to give me my grandmother's candy thermometer. My grandmother had given it to my mom when she decided to stop making candy. My mom didn't have much use for it, and so now it is mine. It is older than I am, and I am almost afraid to actually use it, but I love it! It may not mean much to anyone else, but it is probably the best Christmas present I will receive this year.

Almond Rocca (English Toffee w/Almonds)

What you will need:
1 Cup 100% Cane White Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
1/2 lb REAL butter ( 2 sticks, no substitutes)
2 Cups slivered almonds
1/2lb bar of regular Hershey's dark chocolate (7 oz.)

Directions:
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE THIS ON A HUMID OR RAINY DAY.
It is also suggested that you do not double the recipe, as it tends to fail.

Evenly spread your almonds out on an ungreased cookie sheet. Try to cover as much area of the pan surface as you can, as the almonds will form a crust between the candy and your pan to help keep it from sticking.

Mix together butter, sugar, syrup and water in a large non-stick frying pan, or thick bottomed pan over medium to medium-high heat. (I used 6 out of 10 on my electric stove, and it was perfect) Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. If you have to use a metal spoon, please use one with a plastic handle, or have a hot pad that you can stir with, as the spoon will get very hot.

When your mixture comes to a rolling boil, continue to stir and keep an eye on the clock. You want to keep the mixture at a rolling boil for at least 10 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes. The mixture will become frothy and thick, almost like melted marshmallows. When you reach the 10 minute mark, keep a very close eye on the candy, as it goes from perfect to burnt very quickly. When the mixture turns a warm amber color it is time to pour it out over your almonds. Spread it out with your spoon.While the mixture is still hot, break your chocolate into small pieces and distribute over the candy and let it melt. Spread it over the candy and let it cool at room temperature.
Do not put it in the fridge to cool, as it will cool to fast and not set up properly.  


Once it is cool, you can break it into pieces and store it in an air tight container at room temperature.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

My two oldest children are going to a small local private school. This week they are having a special 'potluck' lunch today, and then a Christmas party tomorrow. Unknown to them and their classmates, they are being my test subjects for this recipe I tried over the weekend. My children and my husband LOVE peanut butter cups, so when I found this recipe, I knew I had to try it. And it turned out fantastic.

One bit of advice before starting the recipe: Unwrap and freeze your peanut butter cups 2 hours before (or over night). That way when you push them into the hot peanut butter cookie, they will push into the dough instead of melting on contact.

What you will need:

1 3/4 Cup all purpose flour
1/2  teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened (room temp is fine)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40+ miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped (Make sure to take off paper cup from around the candy as well)
Mini cupcake wrappers are optional

Preheat your oven to 375.

Sift together Flour, Salt and Baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, both sugars and peanut butter until well blended and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing well. Shape into small balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.

Bake for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each ball. Cool and carefully remove from the pan.

Quick and Easy 'No Bake' Cookies

When I was a child, the women in our family would set aside one day, close to Christmas, and spend that day together making cookies, candy, and all varieties of sweets. Unfortunately, as life often does, things changed. This tradition ended before I was old enough to learn my grandmother's recipes. So I decided to make a new tradition of my own, that my children can grow up with and hopefully cherish when they are adults. 

This week has found me busily baking, mixing, coating and tasting. And most of the foods I've been making this week have Chocolate in them, or on them. Because, lets face it, Chocolate and Christmas just go hand in hand. 

Between family dinners, School Christmas parties and the children wanting to sample every type of sweet I make, I have been very busy this week. Here is just one of the recipes I made this week:

No Bake Cookies

2 cups of white sugar

4 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup of milk

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

Boil together the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter for two minutes. Add peanut butter and stir until completely blended smooth. Stir in Oatmeal until coated completely. Remove from heat and drop by the spoonful onto foil. Let the cookies cool completely before moving them off of the foil. Store in an air tight container in a cool place.

Mint Chocolate Pie

What you will need:
10-12  Chocolate Mints ( I use "Ande's" brand")
1 chocolate pie shell
1 pkg Cook and Serve Chocolate fudge pudding mix
2 tbsp milk
Whip Cream

Directions:
Put Mints and milk into a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute, stir. If not smooth, microwave for 15 seconds longer and stir smooth. Spread melted mint mixture into the bottom of the pie shell, then set it aside. Make the pudding according to the directions on the back for "Pie Filling". Pour pudding into pie shell and refrigerate for an hour and a half and then cover pie with whip cream. Serve immediately.

Triple Chocolate Brownies

What you will need:
1 pkg Betty Crocker Brownie mix
1 cup chocolate chips
1 container chocolate fudge icing

Follow the directions on the back of the brownie box for "Fudgy" brownies. Before baking add the chocolate chips. When finished baking, remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Ice the brownies while their still warm. Cool completely and slice.

Baked Crab Dip

What you will need:
2 packages of cream cheese, softened to almost room temp
1 1/2 cup imitation crab meat
1 tbsp finely diced garlic

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and then press into a pie pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until it starts to turn a light brown on top. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with home made tortilla chips.

Creamy Bacon Ranch Dip

What you will need:
2 Pkgs room temp cream cheese
5-6 slices of very crispy turkey bacon, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper very finely diced
2 tbsp powdered Hidden Valley Ranch dip

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together well. Cover bowl and let sit for atleast an hour. Room temp is fine if not your not planning on eating it immediately, otherwise let it sit in the fridge. Spread over Ritz crackers or on home made tortilla chips.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

What you will need:
1 package fresh whole mushrooms, washed de-stemmed
2 packages of cream cheese, softened to almost room temp
1 1/2 cup imitation crab meat
1 tbsp finely diced garlic
2-3 tbsp butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Put butter in small increments around the bottom of a cake pan. Take all of your mushroom 'caps' and put them, bowl side up, into the cake pan.

Mix all of your other ingredients together. Fill the mushroom caps, and mound a small amount on top of the mushroom. Once all of your mushrooms are full, put the pan in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Tender Pie Crust

1 1/2 cup flour
Sprinkle of salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup milk

Mix well and press into pie pan. Bake it for 20 minutes or until lightly browned at 350.

You can not roll this crust out, as it will fall apart. It MUST be pressed into the pan. Also, this crust is best cooked before you add the filling.

Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

On this recipe, both the Chocolate chips and the oatmeal are optional. For simple traditional Peanut Butter cookies, just leave them out.

What you will need:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup instant oatmeal (or 2 serving size packages)

Mix all ingredients, form into a ball and lightly flatten. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Let sit for 2-5 minutes to cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir with fork so all ingredients 

are mixed.

In large bowl, combine sugars, and butter. Mix until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth 

and fluffy.

Add 1 cup of dry ingredients at a time to mixture until all is incorporated. Drop cookies onto ungreased 

cookie sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Green Bean Casserole

What you will need:
3 cans of cut green beans, drained
2 cans Mushroom soup
1/3 block of velveeta cheese, cubed
1 pkg French Fried Onions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350degrees.

In a medium sauce pan, mix mushroom soup and cubed velveeta over medium heat. Stir frequently to mix melted cheese and keep it from sticking to the pan. Once the cheese is completely melted, turn off the heat and slowly mix in the green beans, stiring to coat them. Pour the greenbean and soup mix into a large cassarole dish or other glass baking dish and top with french fried onions. We cover the entire top, but some like it just around the edges. Bake for 20 minutes or until the onions are crispy and golden brown. Remove and serve hot.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.
Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

What you will need: 

2 heads garlic

6 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered

Salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup butter

1 (12-ounce) carton sour cream

1 (8-ounce) block sharp white Cheddar, grated

1 1/2 pounds cooked bacon, julienned

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut tops off 2 garlic heads. Wrap in foil and roast for 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle remove the flesh from the garlic heads and set aside.

In a large stockpot, cook potatoes in enough salted water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.

Drain and return to stockpot. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth; adding salt, to taste, pepper, butter, garlic and sour cream. With a spatula stir in cheese and bacon. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.