Tis the season!

For decorating, for giving, for wonder, for awe, and for baking!
All of the above just happen to be some of my very favorite things.

Finding that *perfect* gift and wrapping it up in beauitful paper with a complimentary bow? -Favorite.
Little baby Jesus who broke the 400 years of silence from God with an infant's cry? -Favorite.
The wonder that stems from knowing that little baby was a Savior - God incarnate - who came to meet us in the middle of our messes, right where we are? -Favorite.
The awe that comes when I think of how I can never earn my way into favor, nor work my way into heaven and that God knew that and made a way for freedom and forgiveness through His Son? -Absolute favorite!

I just can't jump into seasonal recipes (tasty though they be) without commenting on the true Author and Gift of this season. For without Him I am nothing.

Yet with Him I can do all things, for He is my strength. I don't know about you, but life can be HARD! -I can't do it on my own strength, but He carries me through.
I can do some of my least favorite things.
And, of course, I can do some of my favorites.

Decorating for the holidays?
























































































































-Favorite.


Hunting for a tree and putting the trimmings on?




































-Favorite.

Getting those presents ready to debut beneath the tree?


















-You know I love it!


And baking? -For just about any occassion?













-Favorite!

And let's face it. It's this recipe you're here for.

We recently threw a surprise party for a friend (can you guess how old that friend is now? :o), and, in lieu of a traditional birthday cake, I made this chocolate chip cheesecake. We enjoyed it, and hopefully you will too!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (the unsweetened baking kind)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3 8oz packages cream cheese
• 1 14oz can of sweetened, condensed milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 cups mini chocolate chips (depends on how much chocolate you like :o)
• 1 tsp flour

And if you'd like to make the chocolate glaze you'll need:

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of butter (half a stick)
• 1/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp powdered sugar

For the crust, mix together your crumbs, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add in the melted butter and stir to coat the crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 9inch spring form pan and set aside.
Then, beat your cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in your sweetened, condensed milk and beat until combined. Add in your eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Toss however many chocolate chips you'd like to use in a little bit of flour (this helps them to keep from all sinking to the bottom of the cheesecake) and stir in gently. Pour over your crust.
Bake in 300 degree oven for 1 hour. Then turn the oven off and let it cool for another 30min- and hour in the "off" oven. Remove from oven and, once it is completely cool, make the glaze to spread on top. (*Note: If you don't want to make the glaze, but you do want a little extra chocolate, you can always sprinkle some extra chips on top of the cheesecake before you bake it).
For the glaze, scald your cream and butter in a saucepan (or on high in the microwave). Remove from heat (or microwave) and stor in your chocolate chips until melted and smooth. The stir in your vanilla and powdered sugar. Spread on top of the crust and refridgerate 1 hour or overnight.
Yum!
And be sure to stay tuned because next weekend I am having a Christmas bake fest with lots of yummy treats!

So many goodies!

There's a lot I could say about Thanksgiving. Like how I never seem to take the time to really stop and fully think about ALL I have to be thankful for. How I'm usually so busy running from here to there making sure this or that or anything else comes out perfectly that sometimes I lose the true meaning of the holiday.

But what I'll focus on is this: I hope that yours was wonderful. That you shared a meal with someone or lots of someones that mean a lot to you. I hope that even if you're like me (a little belated with your moment of pause), that you do take a time to realiza that you ARE abuldantly blessed.

Oh, and all of that stuff I was running around with? Well...
It started with my husband's Thanksgiving lunch at work the day before Thanksgiving. For which I made green bean casserole (an experiement where I discovered that it CAN work in a crock pot!), cornbread pudding, and pumpkin cream cheese bars*. Then it was on to my part in the Thanksgiving day feast.

*Recipe forthcoming

We had dinner over at my in-laws, so it was one of those fabulous, everyone-bring-a-thing-or-two Thanksgiving meals. Complete with my in-laws dressing up in historically accurate Pilgrim garb. Oh yes, it was pretty much fantastic.

I was incharge of bread....















































And dessert! (Well, half of the dessert)
So I made:

Peanut Butter Pie:
-A fluid recipe that I created that goes a little something like this:

• your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 8oz block cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• a little bit of cool whip
• choclate chips for melting/decorating (if desired)

First, press your peanut butter cookie dough in the bottom of a pie pan and bake until just golden. (You can make a crumb crust too, but this is SO good) Remove from the oven.

If you want to have a chocolate layer, you can melt some chocolate chips with a little bit of butter and whipping cream and spread over the top of your crust. Otherwise, skip this part.

Now, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter. And I'll be honest, I probably added a shot of vanilla in here too (I just can't resist). Then fold in enough coolwhip to make it light and fluffy. Spread over your chocolate layer or your crust and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Delicious!

I also made cream cheese bars.
I'll start with the recipe I made for my husband's work (sans photo). It was a Betty Crocker recipe that I tweaked, but here it is if you'd like to try them. They got rave reviews and many recipe requests.

Betty Crocker Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars:

• 1 package of Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
• 1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 8oz packages cream cheese
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 Tbsp whipping cream
• 2 eggs
• chocolate & caramel topping if desired (I skipped this part)

Mix together your oatmeal cookie mix, cookie crumbs, and pecans. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly and place in the bottom of a 13x9 pan, reserving 1 cup for topping. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Cream your cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. Pour over your crust and sprinkle your 1 cup reserved crumbs on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set.

Cool 30 minutes, refrigerate 2 hours and then cut and serve!

Cream Cheese Bars:
The recipe is for a 13x9, but I wanted 2 different kinds so I just divided the pan. On half I dropped in brownie bites, and on the other half I swirled strawberry pie filling.




















Crust:

• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used honey, but next time I'm trying cinnamon - or half and half)
• 12 Tbsp butter (melted)
• 4 1/2Tbsp brown suagr
• 4 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1/8 tsp salt

Filling:

• 3 8oz blocks of cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Mix together your dry crust ingredients and then stir in your melted butter until your crumbs are coated. Press into the bottom of a 13x9 pan and bake 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream together your cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in egga 1 at a time until well combined, Then add your sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla all at once, mixing until well combined.

If you want plain cream cheese bars, all you need to do is pour this over your crust and bake!
But me? I wanted a variety of offerings, so I made a small batch of brownies (mine were homemade but box would work too) and used a can of strawberry pie filling (per request of my husband who loves all things strawberry). I poured half of my cream cheese filling over the crust. On half of the pan, I dropped 1/2-3/4in. cubes of brownies. On the other half I plopped healthy spoonfuls of strawberry filling. I then topped with the rest of my filling, swirled the strawberry side, and added just a *few* more brownies.

Slide your pan in the oven and bake 30-40 minutes. Just until the edges turn a light golden color and the center is set. Take out and cool and then refrigerate for an hour or 2 before serving.

I hope you enjoy these. I absolutely love them!
Oh! And should you need and idea of what to do with your left over pie filling...

What better way to start you Thanksgiving (or any) morning?

And, of course, here's a shot of us! Happy Thanksgiving (belated) and Merry Christmas!

I owe you...

Big time!

My faithful blog checkers, I am attempting to start this post (I know it probably won't even get finished today) in order to share with you some great recipes I have made as of late. With school back in session, my time is not my own it seems!

But I will try and make it up to you now with some fabulous soup and cheesecake recipes. :o)

First up, Cream Cheese Chicken Soup















We had a bit of chilly weather here, and I was inspired to make this soup. Had I been planning ahead, I probably would have made bread bowls for it, but I wasn't and so I didn't, and it was still delicious.

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cooked and cubed
• 3 cups broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 4 carrots, chopped bite size
• 3-4 potatoes, peeled and chopped bite size
• 1 cup milk
• 4 Tbsp cream cheese
• 1 8oz. block of cream cheese, softened (and yes, I used 1/3 reduced fat and it tasted fine)

Saute onions in butter in the bottom of your soup pot until the onions are clear.
Add in chicken broth, carrots, and potatoes (broth should cover the veggies). Bring the broth to a boil and then simmer about 15 minutes - until the veggies are soft.

Once veggies are cooked, combine the milk and flour together and add that mixture to the soup pot. Chunk the cream cheese in a little at a time, stirring until the cheese melts completely into the soup. Add your chicken and heat through.
Serve and enjoy!

Okay, I don't have a picture for the cheesecake (I baked it late at night and took it the next morning to lunch after church), but I do have a picture of dinner the other night:




















Chicken bar-b-que pizza. I never thought I'd like it, but John LOVES bar-b-que pizza, so I made it. SO good! Just top your regular pizza with some bar-b-que, and eat. Yummy yummy!


But I do have the Brownie Cheesecake recipe for you (sans photo)

• 1 batch (a 9x9 or 8x8 pan will do) of your favorite brownie recipe, cut into small cubes (like 1 inch x 1 inch, or a little smaller)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 8oz. packages of cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla or so

And if you want the chocolate glaze (and I think you do...)

• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2-3 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt your 5 Tbsp of butter and mix in your cookie crumbs and sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan (you can double the amounts and make a 10 inch crust if you'd like).
Then, using a mixer, beat together your cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Stir in brownie chunks (if you use a 13 x 9 recipe, you'll have extra). Pour over crust and bake for 45 minutes.
Once completely cool, make the glaze.
Scald the butter and cream in a saucepan and then pour in the sugar, vanilla, and chips. Stir constantly until chips are melted. Spread over cheesecake and refridgerate until serving.
This cheesecake is absolutely heavenly!
Well, 2 days later and I am finally getting this posted. Enjoy the recipes, and this picture of the blueberry and raspberry jam I made the other night. Scrumptious!

I call this...

I don't have to leave home dinner and dessert. :o)

Not that I don't love to grocery shop. But there is much to get settled here (finally opening all of those lovely wedding gifts from you kind and generous people!) before I head to Florida tomorrow, that a 30 minute grocery trip just didn't sound appealing.

But I digress.

The dinner I made last night is really simple, but is one of my favorite meals ever. Why? Because I L-O-V-E some good hummus! I stole this (concept) from a Lebanese restaurant I ate at up in Michigan.

I call it: Chicken, Hummus, and Rice
(Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts...)

• Chicken (chicken breast, strips, whatever and however much you're going to eat)
• Hummus (I love Sabra, but you are allowed to have your own favorite)
• Rice (I always make saffron rice - you can even find it premade in those yellow packets)
• Soy beans (optional)
• Seasoning

Season and cook your chicken using your preferred method. Me? I season, brown, and bake. Last night I used some seasoning salt and basil, but I've also used garlic, ginger, and other various combinations of seasonings.
While chicken cooks, start your rice. You can use prepackaged, or make and season your own rice. But I swear by saffron rice with this dish. So yummy!
When rice is almost done (the last 5 minutes) add in your soy beans if you're using them. These are not necessary, I just had them in the cupboard.
When everything is done cooking, plate your chicken, scoop out some rice/beans, and plop some hummus on top of the rice. This is when it looks pretty:















This is when you cut up the chicken, mush it all together and eat this delicious meal:



















Enjoy!

Now, I also have a ton of cream cheese in the fridge. We won't go into why (it involves Kroger, a really good sale, and a moment of weakness). So I decided to make chocolate chip mini cheesecakes. This dessert could also be called my coffee grinder can beat up your magic bullet any day (Okay, not really, but my coffee grinder is super versatile).

From this particular recipe, I made 6 cupcake size mini cheesecakes with batter left over. You can double the recipe no problem, and it also works if you want to bake these in mini-cupcake tins.

Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes:

• 1 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar (actually, a little less than this is plenty)
• 1/2(ish) tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• wafers or cookies, or graham cracker crumbs + butter
• mini chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp butter

If you're using a cookie (like a vanilla wafer or half and oreo sandwich), place one in the bottom of each cupcake liner. If you're using crumbs (like me), combine your crumbs with some butter (and maybe a little sugar), and press into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
Oh, and preheat your oven to 350. I always forget that part!
Okay, now you're ready to combine your cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a bowl using an electric mixer. Don't over beat it. Once it's smooth, stir in enough mini chocolate chips to suit your taste (Me? I used my coffee grinder to chop up some big chocolate chips because I didn't have minis).
Scoop batter into cupcake liners filling almost to the top. Bake 15-20 minutes; let cool.
Now for the
Chocolate Glaze:

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate (about 1/2 cup mini chips)
• 2 Tbsp butter

Melt the above ingredients on low until smooth and combined. Spread on top of cooled cheesecakes. Refrigerate. Once the glaze is set, eat and enjoy.

Say Cheese(cake)!

There she is! My strawberry swirl cheesecake: red, white, and blue style. :o)

And let's not forget the dessert stand...




















With cupcakes, cake balls, and M&M's (all red, white, and blue style).



















2 quick things: John decorated 98% of the cupcakes (I iced, he went to town on the red, white, and blue), and that little toothpick thing on top of the cupcake in photo #2 makes me very happy. Can't explain it, it just does. :o)

Hope your 4th was wonderful! God bless the men and women who have served and continue to serve so that we can have the liberties that we do.

Stars and Stripes

Who doesn't love the 4th of July? Cook outs, treats & sweets, fireworks from the F-L-A...

My contribution to this year's cook out (surprise surprise) is the sweets & treats. I am making a strawberry swirl cheesecake, patriotic funfetti cupcakes, and a red, white, and blue version of those cake balls .

I just threw the cheesecake in the oven, as I want it to have some time to cool in there before I have to start dinner tonight. Ergo, not ready for a pic yet, but I promise to upload pretty pictures of all my yummies sometime this weekend. Afterall, what's the fun in decorating things all cute if you don't get to share them with people who shake their head at you because they think you're crazy and/or obsessive? :o)

Here, however, is the recipe for the cheesecake:
Cheesecake!

• 4 - 8oz. packages of cream cheese (yeah, I know... Start by going for a run/hopping on the eliptical)
• 1 1/2cups sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup flour

Now, you can either use a premade graham cracker crust (in which case you might need 2), or you can mix some graham cracker crumbs (I'd say I probably used 2 cups(ish)) with a couple tablespoons of melted butter and pack that down into the bottom of a springform pan (again, I used a 10 inch).
To make the cheesecake filling: Use and electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Now put away the mixer. -I mean it. Cracks in a cheesecake usually come from: a.) overbeating, or b.) not letting it cool properly. I'm just trying to help you make it look pretty.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in the milk. Then add the eggs. Finally, stir in your vanilla, sour cream, and flour all at once and stir until just combined. Pour onto your crust and bake for 1 hour at 325 with a pan of water on the rack underneath your cheesecake. After 1 hour, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in it to cool for about 5 hours. Then store in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy it.
You can make it plain like above and top with chocolate ganache, strawberries, etc. John asked me to make a strawberry swirl cheesecake, so here's what I did (this was off the top of my head, which means measurements are going to be really unprecise):
I hulled and chopped a pint of strawberries into a small saucepan. I sprinkled about half a handful of sugar on top (maybe 3/4 of a handful) of them and added a thin, thin layer of water to the bottom of the pan - just enough that it could boil. Then I turned up the heat until the itsy bitsy water came to a boil. I turned it down to a simmer and mashed the strawberries down. Then I added some cornstarch (while still simmering), probably about a tablespoon, and stirred until thickened.
I put this in the freezer to cool while I mixed up the cheesecake part. Then, I poured half the cheesecake over the crust and dolloped it with some of my strawberry mixture. I poured *almost* the rest of the cheesecake on top, dolloped the strawberry stuff again, but then I dolloped what was left of the cheesecake mixture. Grabbed a butterknife and pulled it through to marble the strawberry and cheesecake mixtures. Then I put it in the oven, where it will be for the next 5 to 6 hours. :o)
And I have to wait until tomorrow to enjoy it... *sigh*
Tonight's dinner isn't too exciting. It's grilled and/or baked chicken (depending on my mood) with some fresh green beans, homemade french rolls and smashed potatoes. I'll post those last 2 recipes a little later, when I have pictures to go with them.
Until then, my friends, enjoy this beautiful 3rd of July!
technically illegal