Pumpkin Cheesecakes for Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkins. Quite possibly the best thing about fall. Yep, pretty sure it is. Besides the fun of pumpkin patches and carving/decorating them, the puree is so fun to cook and bake with--it can go savory or sweet and tastes delicious no matter what! I made these individual pumpkin swirled cheesecakes for our pumpkin carving contest last weekend. The food was great, the time with family and friends was awesome and of course the carving was super fun!

my 2nd place carving--a haunted house, complete with a blinking light inside!

the recipe

makes 24 standard size cupcake cheesecakes

crust

1 cup crushed graham crackers (I used about 14 full graham crackers (20 squares) and used a mini food processor to get fine crumbs)

1/2 cup whole pecans chopped in mini food processor (or approximately 1/4 cup chopped pecans)

1/4 cup butter, melted

filling

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (don't use fat free), softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

topping

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

cinnamon for garnish

Mix together the graham crackers and pecans (I just put it all in my mini food processor and chopped it all together.) Add the melted butter and mix. Place a heaping teaspoon in lined muffin tins. Press down to make an even layer on the bottom of the liner.

Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs. Mix in the pumpkin puree and spices until just combined.

Scoop the filling into the cups on top of the crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the sides are set, but the middle still wiggles a little (but isn't wet). Let set for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Place a dollop on top of each cheesecake and garnish with cinnamon.

Enjoy, and take a bite!

Monkey Bread

One of my favorite food memories growing up was when Dad would tell us on Saturday night that we had to help make Monkey Bread (or Monkey Balls as my sister and I called it.....) for breakfast the next morning! We would help cut the biscuits, then roll into balls and dip in cinnamon and sugar and fill up the bundt pan before pouring over the gooey caramel! The best part though was in the morning waking up to the smell of it baking! I still find some occasions to make Monkey Bread, and it is always a hit when I do! Nowadays, I've turned to a more homemade version of it without using boughten biscuit dough...and a little healthier with the addition of whole wheat flour :)

Monkey Bread

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar, divided

2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup butter, divided
1/4 cup water
1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions
In a bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, 1/2 cup butter (that has been softened in the microwave) and water to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add egg and remaining flour; beat until smooth. Shape into a ball. Do not knead. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

While dough is resting, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside. Also combine remaining 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a small saucepan (but do not heat yet.) Butter either a bundt pan or 8x8 inch square pan.

Once dough has rested, pinch off pieces to make balls 3/4-1 inch in diameter. They don't all have to be perfectly sized :) Roll each ball in cinnamon/sugar mixture and place in prepared pan. Continue rolling dough into balls and rolling in cinnamon/sugar until all the dough is gone. Heat butter and brown sugar on stove until just boiling. Pour over dough balls in pan. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Enjoy, and take a bite!

Grandma's Apple Strudel

Grandma's AMAZING Apple Strudel

Oh, what can even be said for the comforts of familiar food, especially baked goods?? Like I've mentioned before, some of my favorite recipes are ones found in the family recipe book. This is no exception. No one can make Apple Strudel quite alike Grandma could, although many of us try! My aunt makes a pretty good equivalent, and I'd like to think I also make a close replica of Grandma's but there must have been an extra cup of love she put into hers! No matter what, having this brings back so many good memories, so it's one of my favorite things to make!

This isn't a strudel like most people think of a strudel. It doesn't have a crispy, light, flaky crust (like puff pastry), but is more like a pie crust.

Apple Strudel

(when Grandma got a bumper crop of apples)

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup margarine (I use butter), softened

1 egg yolk, beaten with milk added to equal 2/3 cup liquid (save egg white for top crust)

10 apples

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening and butter or margarine with a pastry blender. Add egg yolk/milk mixture and stir until combined. Roll half of dough into a 17x12 inch rectangle which will fit into and up the sides of an 11x15 inch pan. (I divide the dough in fourths to make it in 2 9x9 inch pans to freeze one pan.) Pare and slice the apples, filling the crust.

combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples. Roll out remaining dough and place on top. Seal edges and cut slits in top of dough.

Beat egg white until frothy and brush on top of crust. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 50 minutes, placing a piece of foil over pan for the last 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let cool for 20-30 minutes, then combine powdered sugar and milk to a drizzling consistency and drizzle over top of pastry.

**If you want to freeze on of the strudels, after baked and completely cooled, cover tightly with foil and place in a plastic zip freezer bag.

ENJOY, and take a bite!!

Chocolate and Family Recipes

One of my favorite cookbooks I own (and I have quite the collection!) is one put together by my mom that includes pages and pages of family recipes from my dad's family. When she and my aunts first had the idea to put it together, they "borrowed" my grandma's recipes for a couple of months (she was not pleased--even though she never used them!) , stood over my grandma while she was cooking and write down recipes as she made them, and collected multiple stories, pictures and recipes from family and close friends. It truly is a treasure to have all these recipes that evoke so many good memories of holidays, fishing trips, butchering, and most importantly family time! I know that all of the recipes in this book will be delicious, because I personally know who contributed it! If you haven't done it, I encourage you to collect family recipes...because you may not always have grandma around to make her famous apple strudel anymore!

One of my favorite go-to recipes comes from my Aunt Kelly via this cookbook. It is titled 30 minute brownies but also is known as Texas Sheet Cake. It is SUPER simple and I always have the ingredients on hand. It is a more cakey brownie, but rich and super moist. It is great to take to potlucks or have around when people come to visit. I made them a few weeks ago for my bible study group and they loved them!

30-Minute Brownies

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup softened butter (in my aunt's recipe, it calls for 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup oil...I personally like it better with all butter)

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. soda

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease and flour a jelly roll pan (15"x10"). Sift flour and sugar together in a large bowl. Bring water and cocoa to a boil in a small saucepan.

Pour cocoa mixture over sugar and flour. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, either by hand or with a mixer. Pour in prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool and make the frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

5 Tbsp. buttermilk

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

In saucepan, bring butter, cocoa and buttermilk to a boil. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well. Pour over brownies and spread to cover completely.

Also, my project for tonight is chocolate truffles that I'm making for a get-together with some good friends on Saturday. After the weekend, I will post the details for those :)

Enjoy, and take a bite!