New York Cheesecake

As I was searching for a good birthday cake this year, I found myself falling back on a recipe my sister passed me a few years ago. I thought I would share it.

Crust
1/2 box graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
dash cinnamon

Cake
4 blocks cream cheese, room temperature
4 eggs, separated
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar

Topping
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine crushed crackers, butter, and cinnamon and press into a spring-form pan, pushing crumb against the sides and bottom.

2. Preheat oven to 250-265.

3. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Cream  cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Carefully pour over crust and smooth out. Bake for 1 hour. Immediately turn off oven, but do not open the oven door, and let cake sit for an additional hour.

4. Combine topping ingredients and pour over baked cake. Heat oven to 265 and cook for 10 minutes. Let sit in oven an additional hour. Cake should be slightly jiggly in the middle, but edges should not move.

5. Cool on the counter for 30 minutes and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Note. I have made this in a large 10-inch spring-form pan and in small individual spring-form pans (and mini-pie pans), and I really like the miniature version. It freezes fantastically!

Fudge Brownie Trifle

They served this at the Stake RS activity earlier this month. Really easy and make ahead, looks best in trifle bowl.

2 boxes brownie mix
walnuts or toasted pecans
1 large packet instant vanilla pudding mix
1 small container whipped topping
4 oz cream cheese
2 butterfinger candy bars

Bake brownies according to directions. Add nuts to batter. When cool, crumble 1/2 brownies in bottom of trifle bowl.
Prepare vanilla pudding according to directions and add whipped topping. Spoon 1/2 pudding/topping mix on top of brownies. Repeat layers. Refrigerate overnight. Crush butterfingers and place on top before serving.

Peach Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

From Betty Crocker. I had an amazing Peach Bread Pudding at a restaurant downtown a couple of years ago and have tried to recreate it. The sauce (with vanilla, not whiskey) is divine and makes even a mediocre bread pudding worthwhile.

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
2 1/4c milk
1/2 sugar (use brown for a butterscotch flavor)
1.5t cinnamon
2 large eggs, slightly beaten (or not beaten, if you're lazy like me)
5c 1/2-3/4" cubes of bread
1/2c raisins, if desired (I always substitute frozen, sliced peaches, to taste)

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Mix milk, sugar, cinnamon and eggs in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in bread cubes and fruit. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2qt casserole.
3. Bake uncovered 40-45 min or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge of casserole comes out clean.
4. Make Whiskey Sauce. Serve sauce over warm bread pudding. Store remaining dessert and sauce covered in fridge.

Whiskey Sauce
1/2c butter, melted
2T water
1 egg
1c sugar
2T whiskey or bourbon or 1t brandy extract (or 2T vanilla extract if you're like me)

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat; do not allow to simmer. remove from heat; cool 10 min. Mix water and egg; stir into butter until bleded. Stir in sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil; remove from heat. Stir in whiskey/ vanilla. cool at least 10 min before serving. Store covered in fridge.

O'Henry Bars

Jen requested that I put these on the blog. I got the recipe from Cecily.
O'Henry Bars
1 c. sugar, 3/4c. to 1 c. light corn syrup, 1 c. peanut butter
Bring to boil, remove from heat.
Add: 3 c. rice krispies and 1 c. unsalted roasted peanuts
Spread in greased 9x13 pan
Melt in microwave 1 cup dark chocolate chips and 1 cup butterscotch chips
Spread on top of nut mixture.
Freeze 20 minutes to set. Cut into bars.

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

To reheat this rich sauce in your microwave oven, allow 15 - 30 seconds on high power.

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 C butter or margarine
2/3 C sugar
1 5-ounce can (2/3 C) evaporated milk (I have used low fat evap milk with great results, but non-fat was not as good)

In a heavy small saucepan melt the chocolate and butter. Add the sugar, gradually stir in the evaporated milk. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently over low heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat. Cool slightly. Serve warm over ice cream.

Butter Nut Squash Brownies

They are the healthiest brownies that you will ever eat. My kids love them! They sound weird but they are pretty good. I don’t like them warm, they taste better cold.


1 C nut butter (peanut, almond, roasted cashews, pecan)
½ C honey
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
3 – 4 T cocoa
½ C cooked butternut squash mashed until smooth
½ C chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Mix ingredients well. Pour into greased baking pan, bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

Key Lime Pie

Another favorite! This is the best summertime dessert!

1 can sweetened condensed milk (I use fat free)
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. key lime juice
Graham cracker crust

Combine milk, cream cheese and key lime juice in large bowl. Mix until smooth. Pour into crust (I love the little individual crusts) and freeze.

Makes 1 pie or 12 individual pies.

Macaroons

Cecily was nice enough to say she loved my macaroons, even though I've only made them once (maybe twice?) in my life and I thought they were not that impressive. But, here's my recipe from the Joy of Cooking for all you Samoa lovers who can't afford to subsidize Girl Scout programs in order to sate your sweet tooth (like us- we ration them amongst the adults). Another good chocolate-coconut-sweetened condensed milk cookie is my mom's Ooey Gooey Cookies Recipe.

Coconut Macaroons

Stir together:
2/3c sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1.5t vanilla
1/8 t salt

Stir in:
3.5c flaked or shredded sweetened coconut

Drop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or well greased foil spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are nicely browned (it suggests in the top 3rd of the oven), 20-25 min at 325. Remove and let stand until cool. Carefully peel the cookies off the paper or foil.
Then I like to drizzle them with melted chocolate.

So now I have a question for you. What do you do with the leftover sweetened condensed milk?

Mama Heiss' Ooey Gooey Cookies

My favorite cookie growing up. Below are the amounts I have written down, but I always approximate and put on as many choc chips as I want!

Melt 1 stick margarine on cookie sheet with sides. Pour one box yellow cake mix over it.
Top with:
3c mini marshmallows
6oz choc chips
1.5c coconut flakes
1c chopped nuts (I never do this)
Then drizzle 1 can sweetened condensed milk over it all.
Bake at 350 for 25 min. Cut into squares while still warm.

Mama Heiss' Amazing Mint Brownies

These brownies are one of my favorite holiday traditions. They freeze well and look so elegant. My mom sometimes dyes the icing green if she's feeling festive.
Brownies
Melt together 4 sq unsweetened chocolate and 2 sticks of margarine/ butter.
Add:
4 eggs
2c sugar
1-1.5c flour
1/4t salt
1-1.5t peppermint
Mix all, bake 350 for 25min, let cool completely. Then ice with:
Icing
Beat together:
1/2 softened margarine stick
2c powdered sugar
1t peppermint
2T milk
Then top with:
Chocolate glaze
2sq unsweetened chocolate
2T margarine/butter
Melt together and dribble over icing. Let cool completely to harden, or stick in the fridge for a few minutes.
Cut the brownies into sticks (about one inch by three inches) and serve slightly chilled (or else the chocolate will melt all over your fingers, your chin, etc.).

Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
sugar crystals for rolling the cookies
1 bag rolos

Preheat oven to 375. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Chill for about one hour. Make into 1 inch balls, place rolo inside each cookie and roll in sugar crystals. Bake for 10 minutes.

Just for Cecily: Grandma's (Lunch Lady) Peanut Butter Squares Recipe

I'm not sure if this is the recipe I tried a million years ago, but the one I made turned out really good and this looks very similar. The only thing I am confused on is the 16 ounces of confectioner's sugar for the frosting--in fl oz that would be two cups. Is this what the recipe means??



Ingredients :

Squares:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup margarine
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup uncooked quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon chunky peanut butter
2 heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter


Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk


Instructions :
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, mix the shortening, margarine, flour, brown sugar, oats, baking soda, salt, and peanut butters until well blended and crumbly. Press into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and leave the pan in the oven for 5 minutes longer. To prepare the frosting, combine the butter, vanilla, cocoa, and salt in a medium-size bowl. When smooth, alternately add the sugar and milk. If the frosting is too thin, add a bit more sugar. For thinner frosting, add more milk (just 1 tablespoon at a time). Stir until creamy. Frost the peanut butter squares while warm.

Fudgy Brownies

These are the best recipe I've ever had...

1 cup butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13" baking pan. In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Cool slightly
Add eggs, on at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add flour, vanilla and salt; stir in nuts. Pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack; cut into pieces. Makes about 2 dozen brownies.

Jean Ballou's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

My mother in law makes a killer pumpkin pie with a praline layer at the bottom. The girls at park day were salivating and I've been getting death threats if I don't share it. She doesn't say this below, but you have to be careful that the nuts aren't too big or they will float to the top.

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Pastry
1 & 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C shorting
4-5 T cold water (Frieda says milk)

Praline Layer
1/3 C ground or finely chopped pecans – packed
1/3 C brown sugar
2T soft butter

Filling
2 eggs
1 C pumpkin (canned or fresh cooked)
(to cook a fresh pumpkin – slice in 1/2, scoop out strings and seeds, place unside down on a cookie sheet, cook at 350 for about 60-75 minutes. Once cooled, put in food processor, freeze in 1 to 1 and 1/2 Cups)
2/3 C brown sugar
1T flour
1/4 tsp Clove
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1C Cream (light)

Make pastry: sift flour and salt, cut in shorting until size of peas. Add 1T water/milk at a time, form a ball, flatten on lightly floured surface, roll out and put in pie pan.

1. 9” unbaked pie shell
2. Pre heat over 400 degrees
3. Make praline layer, blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Press gently into bottom of shell
4. Make filling: In medium bowl, with rotary beater, beat eggs til foamy. Add remaining ingredients in order. Beat only until well mixed.
5. Pour into pie shell, bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in filling comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack. May be served with whipped cream

Molasses Cookies

One of my top three favorite cookie recipes. From my mom, of course.

Blend and cream:
1c sugar
3/4 c shortening
1/4 c molasses
1 egg

Add:
2 c flour
1/4 t salt
1t cinnamon
1t cloves
1t ginger
2t baking soda

Mix well. Form balls the size of a golf ball, roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Flatten them slightly with your fingers. Bake 10 min at 350. Mmmmmm- autumn!

Grandma Sigurjonsson's Sugar Cookies

2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Cover and chill about one hour. Grease cookie sheets. Roll out chilled dough to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured board. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes (until lightly browned around the edges).

Raspberry Lemon Bars

2 c flour
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
3/4 butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c sugar
3 T flour
1 t finely shredded lemon peel
3/4 c lemon juice
1/4 cup half and half or cream
1 1/2 c fresh raspberries

line a 9x13 pa with foil, extending foil over ends of pan. Grease foil.

In a large bowl combine 2 c flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt.
Cut in butter til mix resembles coarse crumbs.
Press mix into bottom of pan and bake 350 18-20 min til edges are golden

Meanwhile, for filling, in a med. bowl stir together eggs, sugar, 3 T flour, lemon peel and juice and cream (half and half).
Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle raspberries over top.
Bake 20-25 min until center is set.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Grasp overhanging foil and lift out of pan. Cut into bars.

Pumpkin Stuff

Sorry Amber, that I've not honored your request until now. I've been a complete mooch off this site so far.
I served this dessert at Book Group last October at my house and it's one of David's favorites.

Pumpkin Stuff

1 big can of pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
1c sugar
3 eggs
2t cinnamon
1t nutmeg
1/2t ginger
1/2t cloves

Combine all, place in a 9x13 pan. Top with dry yellow cake mix, then pour 1.5 cubes of melted butter over the top (I usually use less than that, maybe 1 cube?). Bake for 50-55min at 350.

Carrot Cake Extraordinarire (my mom's title)

While I am not a carrot cake lover (it is tasty, but I would rather have variety), my mom swears by this cake. She was always happy when she would get it for her birthday or mother's day or something like that.

1 1/2 c. cooking oil
2 c. sugar
5 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
2 c. carrots, grated
1 c. crushed pinapple, drained
1/2 c. nuts

Beat oil and sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift together dry ingredients. Add with vanilla, carrots, pineapple, and nuts to sugar mixture. Pour into 14x10 baking pan. Bake about one hour at 350. Frost with cream cheese frosting, and pipe those little carrots on if you like.

I think I remember my mom making this in a layer cake a few times. I would just ckeck after 35–40 minutes if that is what you are after.

Blueberry Banana Cheesecake

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. lemon extract or lemon zest
1/2 t. vanilla
6 oz cool whip, thawed
2 c. fresh or partially thawed blueberries (I've only used fresh)
2-3 bananas
pre-made graham crust

Beat first five ingredients well. Fold in cool whip. Fold in berries. Slice bananas into bottom of crust. Top with berry mixture. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.