Slutty Cheesecake Bars

This recipe is so easy to make, and everyone enjoyed them.  I've made them 3 times.  I don't know if Kraft changed the recipe for lowfat cream cheese, which I have always found creamier, but don't use it.  I could taste the chemically-ness of it.  Full Fat...I didn't taste it.  Anyway, chocolate chip cookies, Oreos, and cheesecake? Yes, please.

Slutty Cheesecake Bars

Picture by ALB

by Delish US

YIELDS: 9 SERVINGS Depending on the slice
PREP TIME: 0 HOURS 10 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 55 MINS

INGREDIENTS
1 (16.5-oz.) log refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (such as Pillsbury)
20 Oreo cookies, plus more for topping (I didn't count, I just layered)
2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
Warm caramel, for drizzling (get that sundae squeeze bottle to keep it simple)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°. Line an 8"-x-8" baking dish with parchment paper with a 2" overhang (or spray pan with PAM). Press cookie dough into bottom of baking dish.

Top with a single layer of Oreos, breaking them up to fit, if necessary, and set aside.
Make cheesecake layer: In a medium bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until fully combined. Pour over Oreo layer and smooth top.

Top with broken Oreo pieces and bake until the center is only slightly jiggly, 30 to 35 minutes.

Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

Remove cheesecake bar from baking dish and slice.

Drizzle with warm caramel before serving.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

I have suddenly developed an allergy to eggs. Despite eating them everyday, some things just set off the allergy, and I can't really figure out what.  So for Christmas I wanted a cake, but I didn't want to put in a ton of effort.  This recipe fit the bill.

I typically use 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese. In the past, I found it creamier.  But the last few times I've used it, it seems to be chemically. So back to full fat.

Even still, the crust with the peanut butter and the candy was delicious, and I could easily make this again.  Maybe more peanut butter.  Because peanut butter makes everything better.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Photo by ALB

Serves 8  (more like 12 or 16)

Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used an entire pack of Oreos and put them in the food processor)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Filling
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened peanut butter or Reese’s creamy peanut butter (I used Jif, next time make it a heaping 1/3 Cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Reese’s Baking Cups
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy

Topping
1/2 cup Reese’s Baking Cups
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy

Preparation
1. In a bowl, thoroughly mix chocolate cookie crumbs, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Press evenly into parchment-lined 8x8” baking dish (I used foil sprayed with PAM). Chill dish while making the filling.

2. In a medium bowl, place cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in cream and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

3. Add sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, and salt. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Fold in the 1/2 cup Reese’s Baking Cups and 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy.

4. Pour filling into chilled crust and smooth out the top. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of Reese’s Baking Cups and 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces Candy.

5. Freeze for 3 hours.

6. Allow bars to slightly soften, then slice and serve.

Toffee, Peanut Butter and Caramel Cookie Bars

So I found this recipe sometime between September and November, and they have been talking to me.  Since I don't like having sweets in the house, I thought I'd make them for Thanksgiving, except it was just me and D.  Then I thought I would make them for my work's cookie swap, but someone was diagnosed with meningitis and the days after, I noticed how many women don't wash their hands after using the rest room.  So I didn't want to participate in the Great Meningitis Cookie Swap.

Christmas rolled around and my back started acting up, so cheesecake was out (requires getting out of a chair a lot).  So back to these.

They were really simple to make.  But man was the pan heavy!   I was going to only eat just 1.  I ate 4 over the week. I gave 2 away.  D had some. My brother had some. My dad had some.

I would make again.

I used my hand mixer (seriously, am I the only person who finds a hand mixer easier to use than the Kitchen Aid Heavy As Shit Stand Mixer?).  The butter/sugar takes a bit to blend that way.

Toffee, Peanut Butter and Caramel Cookie Bars

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
12 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
2 c light brown sugar (or dark...whatever you have)
½ c creamy peanut butter (or crunchy...whatever you have)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
1 c old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
2½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt (used Kosher...it's what I had)
2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips
1 cup Heath toffee bits
Cooking Spray

Caramel Filling
11 oz bag Kraft caramel bits (or unwrapped caramel squares)- unwrapping them is a PITA
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
4 Tablespoons butter, doesn't matter if it is softened

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick foil (or spray the hell out of the pan with cooking spray).

Cream butter and sugar together in mixer. Add peanut butter and beat. Add eggs and vanilla.

Add flour, oats, baking powder, and salt.

Stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and toffee.

Cookie Dough 

Press 2/3 of the cookie dough on the bottom of the pan.

Place all filling ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until smooth. Stir in between! (this took 5 30 second/stir increments for me)

Pour caramel mixture evenly over the dough.

Drop the remaining dough on top using your hands. (Like a crumble, a little here, a little there)

Ready for the Oven

Bake for about 30 minutes (mine were 35... next time I'm trying 33).

Fresh out of the Oven

Let cool completely and cut into bars.

From Hugs and Cookies XOXO, with my comments

Caramel Cream Cake

I made this cake for Christmas. Unbeknownst to me, my father went to Sam's Club and bought an Italian Cream Cake. Now (despite not having a picture), the Sam's Club cake was a lot prettier. However, the tastes depend on the person.

The Sam's Club cake was very sweet. So only a small piece was needed. The Homemade Cake...A big piece was fine. There's the comparison.

As for the Caramel Cream Cake in general, I'm on the fence about it. I didn't find it overly sweet. I'm not sure what the "pecan pie filling" was about. The cake was fine, but it was a little tedious to have to break out another bowl, and a hand mixer to beat the egg whites for the batter. Thankfully, I had read the instructions for each part beforehand, so I knew to use my big mixer and the hand mixer. But if I had only had one, and not the other...this recipe wasn't going to happen.

The other thing...growing up, I was not a fan of cake. I liked frosting, so usually, I cut around the cake, and just ate the frosting. I found myself doing it with both cakes.

And Saturday, I told D that this was a cake that could sit in my house, while not feeling tempted. Oddly, I think he agreed because I ended up throwing the cake out on Sunday (yes, over a week after Christmas) because it had mold on it.

So, it was good, but not worth the effort, especially if your dad is going to buy a cake from Sam's Club that you can just eat the frosting off of.  And I have no idea what I'm going to do with 2.5 sticks of shortening.

Caramel Cream Cake

Photo by ALB

This three-layer butter cake has a pecan-pie filling in between the cake layers, a rich cream cheese frosting, and a topping of sweet coconut and chopped pecans. It's a great dessert for holiday entertaining.

Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped sweetened flaked coconut
Pecan Pie Cake Batter (see below)
Pecan Pie Filling (see below)
Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted Garnishes: raspberries, fresh mint sprig

Preparation
1. Stir 1 cup finely chopped coconut into Pecan Pie Cake Batter; spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.

2. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

3. Spread Pecan Pie Filling between layers. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top and sides with toasted pecans and toasted coconut. Garnish, if desired.

Pecan Pie Cake Batter

Yield: Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation
1. Beat 1/2 cup butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well until blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

2. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in pecans.

3. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until blended. Use immediately.

Pecan Pie Filling

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Place a sheet of wax paper directly on surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming, and chill 4 hours.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended; stir in vanilla.

Southern Living, DECEMBER 2006

Sopapilla Cheesecake

So there are some recipes that are pretty stupid easy (at least to me). This would fall into that category.

D and I were having a party, and I always make an "easy" dessert and then another dessert, so this was the easy one.

Anyway it took me about 20 minutes to prepare the whole thing.

The result...At least 5 people said they ate half the pan. I thought they tasted like the cheese Danish you get at 7-11. I also thought I ate half the pan.

Anyway, if you aren't really a great baker, this could be up your alley.

Sopapilla Cheesecake 

Adapted from Pillbury 

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened) (I used Neufchatel, because I find it creamier)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 TBSP Cinnamon
4 TBSP Sugar

Preparation
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Unroll and spread 1 can crescent rolls on bottom of un-greased 9×13 pan (I greased it with PAM). Press all the perforations to seal.

3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Spread over dough in baking dish.

4. Unroll second can of dough. Carefully place on top of cream cheese layer. Pinch seams together.

5 Pour melted butter evenly over top. Mix sugar with the cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (I baked for 25 minutes).

7. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate for easy cutting. Cover and refrigerate any remaining bars.

Orange Creamsicle Cocktails

So awhile back, I came into possession  of Valencia Orange Vodka made by Shady Fruit (meaning the bottle magically appeared on my kitchen counter,  and I didn't ask how it got there).  Now, D and I are big beer drinkers.  However, we don't drink a lot of liquor, and I do my best to skip wine because of that whole "swelled tongue/trouble breathing" thing that has happened all my life, not realizing that was called a food allergy. I thought everybody had those things happen when they drank wine.

Anyway, D and I have been talking about milkshakes, and I remembered I had pinned a Creamsicle Recipe so we could use the orange vodka.

A) For 1 serving, this was almost 1000 calories (so 2000 calories total)
B) I remember why I don't drink liquor...it was gone in 60 seconds.
C) It was extremely tasty, and I really want another one.
D) We have a lot of vodka, orange juice, ice cream and sherbet left.  This will be happening again.


Orange Creamsicle Cocktails

Serves 2
Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 10 min
Adapted from The Chic Site

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 pint orange sherbet, softened
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup orange juice
2 cups ice
4 ounces vodka (whipped cream, cake or regular) (we used Shady Fruit)
lime wedge (didn't use)
orange cocktail salt, kosher salt or sugar for glasses (didn't use)

Instructions
Run the lime wedge around the edge of two tall glasses or four short glasses. Dip into orange cocktail salt. Set aside. (didn't do)

In a blender, combine the orange sherbet, orange juice, 1 cup ice, and 2 ounces vodka. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses up to half way up. Save the remaining mixture for later. Rinse out the blender. (we combined all ingeredients except the ice, and then added ice until we got the right thickness).

In the blender, combine the vanilla ice cream, 1 cup ice and 2 ounces vodka. Blend until smooth. Pour into the glasses, over the orange layer.

Top off each drink with the reserved orange mixture from earlier. Serve with a straw.

Blueberry Lemon Cake

D and I went to see his parents in Mid December.  I was talking to his mother about what I was making for Christmas Dessert (German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake) when she informed me she didn't like Cheesecake.  #&*$! What am I going to make her?  D did some investigating and found out she likes blueberry pie.  Of course, a blueberry pie would have helped our waistlines as neither of us likes it, but I really hate making pies, and D's face seemed to indicate that he wanted no part of that in our house.  So after some research (or googling), I found this recipe.  D said that it sounded good.

It was really easy to make, except the batter was really thick.  The frosting made just enough to cover the cake, so don't keep tasting the frosting or you won't have enough to cover the cake.  Seriously, it made JUST enough.

So the taste?  D's mom said it was good. I thought it tasted like a blueberry muffin with good frosting.  My brother decided it was breakfast cake.  D liked it as well.  Neither D nor I tasted the lemon, but maybe it is the season and they aren't flavorful?  I'm not really sure.

Considering this didn't have my 3 requirements to bake a cake (chocolate, cream cheese or liquor), I thought it was really good.  I need to make it in the spring or summer to test out the lemon.

Photo by ALB

Blueberry Lemon Cake

Source: "Alice's Tea Cup" - Blueberry Lemon Cake printed by NY Daily News
Makes one 8-inch, 3-layer cake (I used 3 9-inch pans, and they were just thinner layers.

Ingredients
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (used regular salt, because Kosher salt didn't go through the sifter)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature (used salted)
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (mixed fresh and bottled)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
4 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 1/2 cups blueberries (used ~3 cups frozen, that were partially thawed)

The Yummiest Buttercream Frosting
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature (used salted)
1 pound confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature (was cold)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
1. To make the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly butter and flour three 8-inch round nonstick cake pans. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together.

2. In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar. Add the lemon juice and zest, and mix until smooth. Add the eggs, mixing them in one at a time until fully combined. With the mixer set to the lowest speed, alternate adding the dry mixture and the buttermilk, and mix until the batter is smooth, scraping the bowl down occasionally. Use a spatula to gently fold in the blueberries.  (The batter was really thick, and I had to use the spatula to even out the batter)

3. Fill the three cake pans evenly with batter and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. (I rotated the cakes at 11:30 minutes and cooked another 11:30). Set aside on a wire rack to cool completely before removing from the pans.

4. To build the cake, spread some of the frosting over the layers, and stack the layers; then frost the sides of the cake.

For Yummiest Buttercream Frosting

With a mixer on medium speed, cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners' sugar a little bit at a time, alternating with splashes of the milk and the vanilla. Mix until the frosting is smooth.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Thanksgiving!  As usual, a holiday in our house that is not traditional.  I'm allergic to turkey, and neither D nor I like ham.  So we usually have unusual meals.  Christmas falls into this category too.  We have had Pastitsio, Tacos, Jambalaya, Sausage, and other oddities.  This year, I decided I wanted a traditional Thanksgiving.  However, D and I both got some weird food poisoning that lasted an entire week, and by the time Sunday before Thanksgiving rolled around, thinking about food was not a priority (I may have told my brother we not even have it).

So back to traditional Thanksgiving.  Our menu got abbreviated, but I REALLY wanted pecan pie.   Then I remembered my dad had asked about cheesecake in August when I saw him.  He doesn't usually ask for anything on the menus (my brother, D, and I plan the menus), so I felt obliged.  And then I remembered I found a recipe that would satisfy my dad and me.  PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE.

First, it was SIMPLE to make, provided you have a food processor.  The recipe was from Heidi's So-Called Life. This was only going to be my 2nd attempt at a cheesecake, and they still intimidate me.  However, she took into consideration everything.

Just make it.

Photo by ALB

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

From Heidi's So-Called Life
Servings: 1-10 depending on what size piece you cut

Ingredients
Crust:
1 ¾ cups vanilla wafer crumbs

Photo by ALB

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
⅓ cup butter, melted

Pecan Filling:
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup dark corn syrup
⅓ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cheesecake Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (used low-fat, because I find it creamier)
1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 eggs
⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine wafer crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9″ springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pecan Filling:
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into crust and set aside.

Photo by ALB

Cheesecake Filling:
Reduce oven to 325°. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour over pecan filling. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Let cool. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Photo by ALB

The IMPORTANT Part from Heidi's So-Called Life 
I always end up having a mushy crust whenever I try to do a water bath for my cheesecakes - I guess I just don't wrap the pan well enough in foil. This time I had a Pyrex dish filled with very hot water on the bottom rack while the cheesecake baked on the top rack, and I did not have a single crack!
(ALB's note- It worked. I had 1 small crack compared to my first cheesecake that had a huge one across the middle!)

Photo by ALB

So good that I had a slice for breakfast on Friday!

Photo by ALB

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

So I never made a cheesecake.  D and I have been married 11 years, and 11 years ago as a present I got a springform pan.  It has sat in the cabinet for 11 years with me wondering if I would get the guts to make a cheesecake. Then I found this recipe.  What's odd is in 2012 I posted a German Chocolate Cake from David Lebovitz on my list of things to try.  I wouldn't have thought about it until I found this recipe.

Any way, D and I were having a party for our anniversary and I showed him this cake and he said ok.  I silently cursed myself for showing him this as it looked complicated and a lot of work.  So I said ok, and then signed us up for a 5K because having a race to do before making this cake, well, just seemed logical...haha. It actually took 2 days to make (started it Friday Night and got everything made but didn't assemble).

It took about 5 minutes to assemble and then at the party I released the springform.  I was super nervous but it came out fine.  Everyone who had some, liked it.  The only issue was the crust was a little hard.  I think this was too thick, based on my lack of expertise in ever making a cheesecake crust.

Cake Sliced: Photo by ALB

I would make again.

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with filling adapted from David Lebovitz
Yield: 10-12 servings

Crust Ingredients
1 package (about 38) chocolate sandwich cookies, finely processed into crumbs (oreos)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (used salted, so didn't use salt)
Small pinch of salt (didn't use)

Ganache Ingredients
3/8 cups heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (Had I read, I would have used half semisweet and half Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chips, but I used 1 oz choc chips and 4 oz of the Ghirardelli 60%)

Cheesecake Ingredients
3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/3 fat)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 eggs, room temperature
3 ounces or about 6 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted and cooled (I used semisweet)

Cake Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/8 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (This is 6TBSP)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/8 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/8 cup plus 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (This is 2.5 TBSP)
3/8 cups warm water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 ounces butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted

Directions
Make the cheesecake crust
Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides). It’s hard to get the crust up that high, but keep pressing the crumbs up from the bottom with a smooth-sided glass (twisting the glass as you do so, so the crumbs don’t stick) and working them around — you’ll want it that high to hold the cake layer. Patience helps with this step.

Make the ganache
Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan (or heat in the microwave for about a minute, watching to ensure it doesn’t boil). Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Pour the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Freeze until the ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes.

Make the cake
While the ganache is freezing, cut a circle of parchment paper and use cooking spray as “glue” to adhere it to a 9-inch round cake pan. Then grease the pan and the paper (Used PAM). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and coarse salt together in a mixing bowl. Beat the dry ingredients on low until combined before increasing the speed to medium and adding the egg, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into the pan.

Place the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 25-30 minutes. Rotate the pan about halfway through so it’ll bake evenly. When you take the cake layer out, leave the oven preheated for the cheesecake. Let the cake layer cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a sheet of wax paper and leaving it to cool completely. Wrap the cake layer and stick it in the freezer to firm it up for assembly.

Make the cheesecake
While the cake layer is baking, mix cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each, and continue mixing until combined. Add the chocolate and continue mixing until combined. Pour mixture into prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 55 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. The top may crack, but it doesn’t particularly matter, since you’ll be covering it anyway. Let the cheesecake fully cool. When almost cool, place it in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

Cheesecake Filling: Photo by ALB

Make the filling
Place the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar, and egg yolks over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened, coats the spoon, and reads 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour this mixture over the coconut mixture and stir until the butter melts. Let the mixture cool completely (I set mine in the fridge once it was almost cool to thicken it some more.)

Everything before Assemby: Photo by ALB

Assemble the cake
Place half of the filling on top of the chilled cheesecake and spread it out. Carefully place the chocolate cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the filling on top of the chocolate cake layer. Decorate with pecans. Chill for 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, loosen the cake from rim of springform pan by wrapping the pan in warm dishtowels. Remove the springform pan and serve.

Final Cake before sliced: Photo by ALB

Butterfinger Nutter Butter Cheesecake Bars

I don't know what exactly I was searching for when I found this recipe. I read it over and thought they looked pretty easy to make, so I'd try them.  Just when?  We were having a party and I like to have little desserts in case someone wants to snack before dessert is served, so these would serve the bill.

Some of the Ingredients: Photo by ALB

They were pretty easy make.

Ready to go in the oven: Photo by ALB

The result?  They were really good albeit a bit overly sweet (duh) so the fact they were cut in small pieces were good.  But they had a good peanut butter flavor with a tad of cheesecake.  And they were so easy, I would definitely make again.

Yum!  Photo by ALB

Butterfinger Nutter Butter Cheesecake Bars

Yield: 36 SMALL SQUARES (I got 25)
From Lauren's Latest

INGREDIENTS
For the crust
16 whole nutter butter cookies
1/4 cup melted butter

For the cheesecake filling
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (used 1/3 fat Cream Cheese)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour
6 fun size Butterfinger chocolate bars

For the topping
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x9 square dish with foil or parchment and set aside. {If you are lining your pan with foil, lightly grease with non stick cooking spray.} Grind nutter butter cookies in a food processor until the consistency of graham cracker crumbs. Pour in melted butter and pulse a few times to mix. Press into prepared dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Stir in egg, vanilla and flour. Finely chop butterfingers and fold into the cheesecake mixture. Pour over top nutter butter crust and bake for 18-22 minutes or until cheesecake has set. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled.

Pour chocolate chips and butter into a small bowl and microwave using the 'melt chocolate' function, stirring every 20-30 seconds. If your chocolate is almost melted, don't put it back into the microwave! Just keep stirring- the residual heat will continue to melt the chocolate completely. {If your microwave doesn't have this function, zap your chocolate at 50% power at 20 second intervals, stirring in between.} Spread melted chocolate overtop of the bars evenly and place back into the refrigerator 5-10 minutes to harden the chocolate. (I did 7). Remove from refrigerator and using the foil or parchment, remove the entire block of bars from the pan. Cut into bars and serve. (I actually cut the bars still on the parchment and then put them back in to the tray to serve later in the day.)

Recipes Notes: If you leave the bars in the refrigerator longer than 10 minutes after you've topped it with chocolate, cutting into the bars might be more difficult and the chocolate is more likely to crack.

Samoa Bundt Cake

I love Samoa Girl Scout Cookies.  When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, of course I had to go look.  It looked kind of hard and involved.

Then I thought about when I could make it.  Thanksgiving, of course.  Because after all, I was only running a half-marathon.  There would be no stress of people coming over, 3 dogs, a long run, or anything else.

So I decided to make Wednesday night.  It actually wasn't hard, just long.

I was worried about making the Dulce de Leche.  I have no interest in boiling a can of Condensed Milk in a crock pot or a pot of boiling water.  I'm sure it works if you keep watching it.  It's the "keep watching" part that I was worried about it.  I found Dulce de Leche at Kroger and the local Mexican Grocer.  I bought that.  That saves a lot of time (between 4 and 10 hours).

Then I got all the ingredients together for the Cakes, and made them.  The Brown Sugar batter was A LOT thicker than the Chocolate Batter.  I was a little worried but it came out fine.

Some of the ingredients

The cake ready to go in the oven

The frosting was simple to make.  My first batch of toasted coconut took 6 minutes like the directions said.  The 2nd batch, after 7 minutes, it still wasn't brown.  I took it out anyway.  I'm not sure what went on there.

Assembling it (after everything cooled) was pretty easy.  I decided to spread the chocolate from the center instead of striping the cake.  That way there was more chocolate.

D, my brother and I ate it on Thanksgiving.  After 10 seconds, I wondered how I didn't have any left and they still had it on their plate.  It was sweet, but not overpowering.  In the morning, I know my dad ate 2 pieces.  So we all enjoyed it.

Final Product: Photo by ALB

Samoa Bundt Cake

From Betsy's Life.

****READ THE ENTIRE RECIPE BEFORE YOU BEGIN****

Ingredients
For the Brown Sugar Batter
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup of dark brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk

For the Chocolate Batter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup + 2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 T cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup boiling water

For the Frosting
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (Substitute canned dulce de leche)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 T vanilla extract
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup toasted coconut

For the topping
1 1/2 cups toasted coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions
Create the Dulce de leche frosting (if using canned dulce de leche skip this step)
Place the whole, unopened can of condensed milk in your crock pot and submerge in at least 3 inches of water.
Cook on medium for 10 hours or on high for 7.
*Alternatively, boil the whole, unopened can on the stove FULLY SUBMERGED AT ALL TIMES for 4 hours.
Let it cool.

To make brown sugar batter
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs, one a a time, beating well after each addition
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, one at a time, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Set batter aside

To make the chocolate batter
Cream sugar and oil together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk
In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture until well combined.
Carefully stir in boiling water

Make the cake
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
Grease and flour a bundt pan well.
This is a marble cake. Pour some of the brown sugar batter into the pan, then top it with some of the chocolate batter.
Alternate until both batter bowls are empty.
Tap bundt pan on the counter a couple times to remove bubbles.
Bake approximately 50 minutes or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. (Original directions said 1 hour but both Betsy's blog and I had finished cake at 50 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool entirely.

Make the frosting
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until desired color is reached (about 6 minutes)
Beat cooled cooked condensed milk (or dulce de leche), butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt for 3 minutes.
Add in 1 cup toasted coconut.
Chill for 1 hour

Assemble the cake
Frost the cake with dulce de leche frosting
Toast remaining coconut and press into the sides and top of the frosted cake
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring frequently.
Place melted chocolate in a pastry bag with a small tip or ziploc bag with a corner cut out about 1/4 inch up from the corner, and drizzle stripes on the cake.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

If you have an hour, and a lasagna/brownie pan, you can make this (and if someone is home while you are on your work commute home so they can take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator).

First, do not use fat-free cream cheese.  Personally, I hate the stuff because it has a chemical tang to it that doesn't taste right.  However, I had opened the 3rd box of CC when I noticed all the boxes said Fat Free.  I may have said a few expletives.  I thought about where this dish was going and should I go to the store and get regular or reduced fat, and decided at a tailgate where lots of beer is consumed, that FF would be ok.

After they were done baking, I tasted one to make sure the tang wasn't too bad.  I could taste it, but decided they were definitely edible and would be 10000 times better had I used the right cream cheese.  I came back from the tailgate with 2 left.  So they couldn't have been all that bad.

Photo by ALB

Because of the incredible ease, I will definitely make these again.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

A classic! A favorite! And incredibly delicious! This simple Chocolate Chip Cheesecake is sure to become your standard.

Photo by ALB

From Mr. Food
Serves: 15

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (16.5-ounce) rolls refrigerator chocolate chip cookie dough

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until well mixed; set aside.

Slice cookie dough rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange slices from one roll on bottom of a greased 9- x 13-inch glass baking dish (I used a metal pan and sprayed the hell out of it with PAM); press together so there are no holes in dough. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over dough; top with remaining slices of cookie dough (this part was a bitch...cut slices, and then roll them into balls and press them in the palms of your hands and then put them on the cheesecake.  Made it much easier.)

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and center is slightly firm.

Remove from oven, let cool, then refrigerate. Cut into slices when well chilled.

Red Velvet Cake with White Chocolate-Amaretto Frosting

My friend J mentioned he wanted a Red Velvet Cake for his birthday. I picked this one out because it looked pretty (minus the peppermint). I found the frosting on another page and picked that because it had alcohol in it.

I have never made a red velvet cake before, because frankly, I don't care all that much for them. They are always on the dry side or what I refer to as "store-bought" cake. This one, I thought, the same. D agreed. I asked my friend A about it, because I know she does make a good RV cake according to her husband, and she thought my other cakes were better too. But it looked pretty. And it didn't stop me from eating the cake. Especially because as I said, I didn't use Peppermint. I used White Chocolate Amaretto Buttercream Frosting, and no matter how overly sweet it is, it is buttercream with amaretto in it.

Red Velvet Peppermint Cake (original title...I didn't use peppermint)

If you want Peppermint, you'll have to check out Southern Living.

Yield: 1 (3-layer) cake

Ingredients
1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix (good luck finding a 18.25 oz box)

3 egg whites
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (9-ounce) package yellow cake mix (used Jiffy yellow cake mix which really is 9-oz))*
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring (used 1 because that's all those small bottles that come in a 4 pack are)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
White Chocolate-Amaretto Frosting (see below)

Preparation
Beat first 4 ingredients according to cake mix package directions.

Beat yellow cake mix and next 6 ingredients according to package directions. Spoon red batter alternately with white batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Swirl batter gently with a knife.

Bake at 350° for 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

Spread Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. (Cake may be chilled up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month.) Garnish, if desired. Serve within 2 hours.

*1 3/4 cups yellow cake mix may be substituted

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe White Cake Mix, Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix, and McCormick Red Food Color.

If cake is frozen, thaw completely before garnishing to prevent crushed candy from running. Do not refrigerate after garnishing.

Southern Living DECEMBER 1998

White Chocolate-Amaretto Frosting

Top your favorite cupcakes with this indulgent White Chocolate-Amaretto Frosting.

Yield: Makes 4 cups
Hands-on:20 Minutes
Total:50 Minutes

Ingredients
2 (4-oz.) white chocolate baking bars
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup almond liqueur

Preparation
Break white chocolate baking bars into pieces. Melt white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. (Do not overheat.) Let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add 5 cups powdered sugar alternately with almond liqueur, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Add white chocolate mixture; beat at medium speed until spreading consistency.

Southern Living DECEMBER 2011

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

I think this is a Pampered Chef Recipe. I got it from my friend Suba. We both agreed before trying it we NEVER needed to know this recipe existed. It is suggested to serve with Pretzels. My friend Kym suggested serving it with a spoon.

So I made it for a party. I put out the pretzels. People skipped the pretzels and just used spoons. Me, I think I should have just slathered it too my hips since that's where it will end up. This stuff is seriously evily good.

Monster Cookie Dough Dip

Photo by ALB

Ingredients 
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened (used 1/3 fat)
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup Oats (regular or quick)
1 Cup Miniature Plain M&Ms (I used regular size)
1 Cup Miniature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preparation
Mix cream cheese, butter, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in brown sugar and powdered sugar, mixing well. Next fold in oats, m&m’s and chocolate chips. Serve with pretzels or graham cracker sticks.

Honeyed Yogurt and Mixed Berries with Whole-Grain Waffles

This was pretty easy to make.  I made it last night, and kept everything separate (yogurt and berries and wheat germ) and popped a waffle into the toaster this morning.  It was pretty sweet, which I love, so I would have it again.

I put everything in a cup (tore the waffle) so I could eat it at the hopeful red lights in the car.  Having 3 more times this week.

Honeyed Yogurt and Mixed Berries with Whole-Grain Waffles

As you enjoy this meal, you also enjoy antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C from the berries; protein and calcium from the yogurt; and protein, fiber, and B vitamins from the waffles.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 waffle, 1 cup fruit mixture, about 1/3 cup yogurt mixture, and 1 teaspoon wheat germ)

Photo by: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner;
Styling: Jan Gautro

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups fresh raspberries (didn't use)
1 cup quartered small strawberries (used 3 cups)
1 cup fresh blackberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 frozen whole-grain waffles, toasted
4 teaspoons toasted wheat germ

Preparation
Drain yogurt in a fine sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth for 10 minutes; spoon into a bowl. Add honey, stirring to combine.

Combine berries, sugar, and juice; let stand 5 minutes. Place 1 waffle on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 cup fruit mixture, about 1/3 cup yogurt mixture, and 1 teaspoon wheat germ. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 377; Calories from fat: 16%; Fat: 6.8g; Saturated fat: 2.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.3g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g; Protein: 11.5g; Carbohydrate: 71.6g; Fiber: 8.3g; Cholesterol: 43mg; Iron: 1.9mg; Sodium: 214mg; Calcium: 345mg

Cooking Light JULY 2003

Death by Oreo Cupcakes

I saw these in January by blogger Lisa.  I put them on my list to try.  I usually make Oreo Balls when I bake with Oreos but decided to try something different.  Yes, you should try these.  But invite me over first.

Death by Oreo Cupcakes

Photo by ALB

by Lisa

CUPCAKES: Enough of you asked for more info on the death by Oreo cupcakes that I mentioned, so I am passing on the recipe. Be warned, they are addicting!! Recipe make 24 cupcakes. What you'll need:

1 pkg regular oreos
cupcake liners

1 pkg chocolate cake mix (and the ingredients that go on the back of the box)

For Frosting: Do not use this full recipe. Either make it all, use half and save the rest for later, or make half a recipe. Trust me on this.  (AL's Note: Used the whole recipe, because I like frosting)
8 oz cream cheese - room temp
8 T butter (1 stick) - room temp
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
2-3 T milk

Add cupcake liners to cupcake pan. Place an Oreo at the bottom of each liner.

Coarsely crush half remaining oreos (I break them up by hand). Prepare cake mix per instructions. Add Oreo pieces to mix. Fill cupcake liners with mix.

Note: I cook for 15 min at 350 deg even though the boxed mix instructions say to cook longer. Not sure if that is a high altitude thing or because of that added cookies to the mix. In any event, I suggest checking after 15 mins. (AL's Note: Baked them according to the back of the box).

Finely crush remaining Oreos (or, if you make half a recipe of frosting, eat 3 cookies and finely crush the rest. just kidding. sort of.). I do this in a food processor.

For frosting, mix cream cheese and butter with vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar. Add milk as needed to get desired consistency. blend in crushed oreos.

Frost cupcakes when cool. Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

So whenever you are PMSing you probably shouldn't get on Facebook and look at a bakery's photo album.  I did and I saw these cookies.  The picture sent me to Evil Chef Mom's Blog.  My friend J invited us to his house for the Fourth of July so I decided to make these.

I hadn't made chocolate chip cookies with a real batter (Peanut Butter Quickies batter is odd) since High School. Back then nothing in our house was real, so my cookies were never crisp since I only had fake butter available back then.  These cookies were crisp.  They were good. I was glad I had a place to take them to so my pants would still fit today.

I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of them.

I made them exactly like the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

From Evil Chef Mom's Blog and  adapted from the Cookiepedia; Mixing, Baking, and Reinventing the classics by Stacy Adimando

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg, plus 1 egg white
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of pretzels, broken into cookie friendly pieces

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Cream the butter and both sugars in medium speed until they are light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and continue to beat on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, beating slowly after each addition, until fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate chips and pretzels in the mixer bowl. Use a spatula to stir them together.

 Portion 2 heaping tablespoons of dough at a time into imperfect balls and place them at least 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.Bake rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Dulce de Leche, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Magic Bars

Sometimes you have those foods in the house that do nothing for you. And then other times you have the foods in the house that you just want to face plant in to.  For me, these would fall into the latter category.  My brother and I made these  over the weekend.  Every time I walked into the kitchen I grabbed a bar.

They were very chocolatey.  You didn't really taste the bacon.  But you did get little bursts of salt in the taste.  My dad thought they were too sweet. So being the good daughter that I am, I ate his portions.

Dulce de Leche, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Magic Bars

Contributed by Grace Parisi
ACTIVE: 30 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS
SERVINGS: 15
MAKE-AHEAD

This is Grace Parisi's sophisticated version of magic bars, that chocolate-coconut bake-sale favorite. Browning the butter gives the crust a nutty flavor; cooking it in a metal baking dish makes it extra crisp. In a touch inspired by pastry chefs' favorite new ingredient, Grace adds bacon to the filling.

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (I happened to have unsalted but would have used salted if that's what I had)

1/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped  (used 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bacon, finely diced
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (6 1/2 ounces)  (used 7 oz bag)
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped (used sliced, not roasted...don't remember if they were salted)
One 16-ounce jar dulce de leche (used 12 oz jar of caramel)
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving up to 1 inch of overhang. Spray the paper with vegetable oil spray. (Didn't use paper...just sprayed the hell out of the pan)

2. In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and browned, about 4 minutes. Scrape the butter into a large bowl and freeze just until solid, about 15 minutes.

3. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sugar, vanilla seeds and egg yolk into the butter at medium speed until blended. Add the flour and salt and beat until moistened crumbs form. Press the crumbs into the prepared baking pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust is set and lightly browned.

4. Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl used to make the crust. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and let cool. In the bowl, toss the coconut with the chocolate chips, almonds and bacon.

5. In another bowl, whisk the dulce de leche with the condensed milk; pour two-thirds of it in the crust. Lightly press the coconut-bacon mixture over the dulce de leche. Drizzle the remaining dulce de leche mixture on top.

6.  Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the bars cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Carefully remove the bars from the pan and peel off the paper. Cut into bars and serve.

Make Ahead: The bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Food and Wine November 2010

Tequila-Lime Sorbet

I found this recipe this week while looking for an Untried Recipe for Tequila.  I didn't really think about making it, to be honest.  However, I've been sick all week and had already cancelled plans for the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo, that I felt I had to have a little tequila.  While driving home yesterday, I reminded myself to put the ice cream maker in the freezer.

How easy!  This was so simple to make.

D thought it was a bit too sweet so he put some salt in his. You could definitely add shots to it and make it more alcoholic.  We both thought you also could replace the lime and tequila with lemon and vodka.

Definitely will have again.

Tequila-Lime Sorbet

Serve this refreshing sorbet after a spicy Mexican meal or summer barbecue as a way to tame the heat and end things on a sweet note. Lime juice, sugar, and water are the main ingredients, but a small splash of tequila livens up the flavors.

Photo by ALB

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients 
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 tablespoons tequila

Preparation 
Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Cool completely.

Combine sugar syrup, rind, juice, and tequila. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon the sorbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 136; Calories from fat: 0.0%; Fat: 0.0g; Saturated fat: 0.0g; Monounsaturated fat: 0.0g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.0g; Protein: 0.1g; Carbohydrate: 32.3g; Fiber: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0.0mg; Iron: 0.0mg; Sodium: 1mg; Calcium: 4mg;

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2000

Cheesecake-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cake

So I found this recipe when my brother and I were looking for a cheesecake recipe. Since he was making Christmas dessert, I put this recipe in the back of my head, and decided I would make it for the dogs' birthday party (no, they didn't eat the cake).

The chocolate cake was simple to make. The chocolate pieces that sunk to the bottom, did stick in the cake pans, but that meant the cook got to try some of the cake.

I really don't know if I would cut the cake in half when I make it again, because it made the cake VERY flimsy.

I didn't use store-bought icing. I made my own (5TBSP Butter, 8 oz Cream Cheese, 2C powdered sugar, sifted--mix). I used 3 batches. I ran out of frosting, so next time use 4.

Sara Lee doesn't sell Cheesecake Bites anymore. So I bought 2 Sara Lee Cheescakes and cut them into bites.

This is where things got dicey...The cakes were flimsy and the Cheesecake bites were a lot of weight. So the cakes cracked, after the first round of frosting. Then the cakes weren't level, so that was an issue. After the final round of icing, I was very upset about the look of my cake because no amount of "glue" would hold the crack together. D told me to drink a lot of Guinness (it was St. Patrick's Day, after all), and that it would look perfect. I drizzled the caramel over the cake and put it back in the fridge (I skipped the cookies). That all ran together, so it was more of a glaze...

Now you're thinking, with all that, why would she ever make this cake again?

This cake served 20 people including 7 kids. My friend C asked me to send the recipe to her mom, because she wants it for her birthday. It was rich. The crunch of the Hershey Bars mixed with the creaminess of the frosting, mixed with the cheesecake...OMG!

So next time I'll skip the 4 layers of cake so it is a little stronger. But I will make again.

UPDATE: Missed the coarsely chopped direction of the cheesecake ingredient...this would have made that part MUCH easier.

Cheesecake-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cake

YIELD: 12 servings
COOK TIME:32 Minutes
PREP TIME:26 Minutes
OTHER:1 Hour, 10 Minutes
COURSE: Desserts, Cakes/Frostings

Ingredients
Unsweetened cocoa (didn't use...but used PAM)
1 (18.25-oz.) package devil's food cake mix
1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons chocolate extract (optional)...didn't use
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 (1.55-oz.) milk chocolate bars, chopped (we tested with Hershey's)
3 (16-oz.) cans homestyle cream cheese frosting (made my own...recipe above)
3 (7.75-oz.) boxes frozen cheesecake bites, coarsely chopped (we tested with Sara Lee)...used 2 Regular SL Cheesecakes
1 (12-oz.) jar dulce de leche caramel sauce (we tested with Smucker's)
Double chocolate rolled wafer cookies, coarsely broken (we tested with Pirouline)...didn't use
Chocolate fudge rolled wafer cookies, coarsely broken (we tested with Pepperidge Farm)...didn't use

Preparation

Grease 2 (9") round cakepans, and dust with cocoa.

Beat cake mix and next 7 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute; then beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Fold in chopped milk chocolate bars. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 32 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool cake in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and chill cake layers at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. (This step enables you to split cake layers with ease.)

Using a serrated knife, slice cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with one-fourth of chopped cheesecake bites. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 layers, frosting, and cheesecake bites, omitting cheesecake bites on top of last layer. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Drizzle desired amount of caramel sauce over cake, letting it drip down sides. Chill until ready to serve. Decorate cake with rolled wafer cookies and remaining chopped cheesecake bites. Store in refrigerator.

Oxmoor House JUNE 2007