Pecan Pie Cheesecake

 The marriage you've all been waiting for:

   

THE Pecan Pie Cheesecake.

I've also made this for a friend who is lactose intolerant using vegan cream cheese, dairy free sour cream, and vegan butter. NOTE: You must add more sugar to the cheesecake because something about missing lactose resulted in a less sweet cheesecake. I added an extra 1/3 cup sugar and that solved the issue. 

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
1 3/4 cup Ginger snaps
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter (melted)

Pie Filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup pecans (chopped but not fine)
1 tablespoon bourbon (or vanilla extract)

Cheesecake:
3 eight ounce pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350° Place oven racks so one is at the very bottom of the oven, and the next one as close to middle as you can get it. This will make sense later.

Begin with the crust: Add cookies to a food processor or blender and pulverize them into the consistency of sand. Add crumbs to a bowl and mix in sugar. Then add the melted butter. Mix well and transfer to a lined springform pan (NOTE: you can add parchment paper to only the bottom of your pan and grease the sides, or you can line the whole pan. It’s purely a matter of preference. Press the crumb mix into the bottom and sides of the pan (about halfway to the top).

Place crust in the oven on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and set aside.

Next make the pecan pie: Add the sugar, syrup, butter, pecans and bourbon into the pan. Mix in the beaten eggs. Make sure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed BEFORE you add heat. Otherwise you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Once everything is mixed add heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes. Trust me on this.

Remove from heat and pour the mixture into the crust and set aside.

Finally, you make the cheesecake: First, reduce the oven temp to 325°

Using your kitchen aid or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is a creamy texture. Slowly add sugar and flour. When that is completely mixed, add the eggs one at a time, beating just enough to mix the egg. Next, stir or fold in (by hand) the sour cream and bourbon until completely mixed. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the pecan pie filling.

Bake in the oven for one hour. After one hour, turn off the oven (do not open the oven door). Just turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake there for another hour.

After hour two, remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife around the edges (if you didn’t line the edges of the pan. Cook the cheesecake for at least 30 minutes but overnight is better because the flavors have time to set and develop.

NOTES:

1. The bourbon. The alcohol will cook out. I routinely use bourbon in recipes calling for Vanilla extract if I’m out. I don’t find bourbon changes the taste of the recipe.

2. Bake your cheesecake on a cookie sheet. I do this for two reasons: spills and a barrier between the heat and the bottom of the cake pan.

3. Be aware of your altitude. I notice things take longer to boil/cook at a higher altitude.

4. Instead of a water bath I place a 3 quart casserole dish on the bottom rack of the oven and I fill it with hot water. It stays in the oven until you remove the cheesecake. I don’t do the full water bath method  because it never works for me. I’ve had the water leak into the custard/cheesecake and that my friends will ruin a day. And maybe cause tears if it’s already 3am and you’re still baking for the big holiday dinner tomorrow. Hypothetically.

The purpose of a water bath is to avoid cracks in the cheesecake and to allow for a more even bake. My cheesecakes do not crack. They’re creamy and delicious. And they’ve never baked unevenly.

5. I use a gas oven on convection bake. I have had electric ovens and non-convection ovens and the only thing to you need to know is whether your oven cooks hotter/faster than what a recipe normally calls for, and adjusting for that. Your cheesecake may still be jiggly when you remove it from the oven. That doesn’t mean it’s not done. You cannot check it with a toothpick, so just check the jiggle. If it jiggles everywhere, cook it a little longer. Only the middle should still have some jiggle.

You can also check with a thermometer in the dead center of your cheesecake. If the temp is between 150° and 160° it should be done. You’ll have a small hole in the top, but that’s not end of the world once you cut it. Or put a nut there. Whatever works.

6. Finally, this cheesecake does not need a garnish in my opinion, but if you’d like one that won’t give you diabetes (I’m looking at you Dulce De Leche) I've got a great Bourbon sauce:

Bourbon Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons Bourbon

Melt butter, sugar and heavy cream over low heat. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and SLOWLY add the bourbon. Stir completely. Serve warm. (You can make this without the heavy cream it is just a little runnier).

PS: This recipe makes a HUGE but shallow cheesecake (10” springform pan) or a thicker cheesecake in a 9" springform pan. BUT you can cut the recipe in half without loosing flavor/consistency. I do that and make one smaller cheesecake (6” springform pan), or two small cheesecakes (4” springform pan). I make a full batch, using the 4” pans to give away at Christmas. I can get 4 small cheesecakes from a full batch.

PPS: This cheesecake freezes well. I've eaten it after freezing for about 3 weeks and it was still delicious.

Images from https://stock.adobe.com

Chewy Crispy Flat Cinnamon Rolls

I know I said I wouldn't bore you some weird post about how this recipe was given to my family centuries ago and we only make it on special occasions or when someone dies. But I lied. Sorta.  

I recall my mom making cinnamon rolls and then rolling them out flat in more sugar and cinnamon and baking them until the edges were crispy but they were also chewy delicious.  They were way better than her carrot cake. Just sayin.

So the other day I decided to make them and let me say this, they did not disappoint. Crispy outer edges that were also chewy and just the right amount of diabetes for my liking.  

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 cinnamon rolls

I didn't make my own dough, because time.  So I used the Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls. I did a quick thaw method (preheat oven to 175°, turn off and place frozen rolls on a baking tray and leave for 15-20 minutes (longer if you're not in a hurry) to thaw.   

You can use homemade dough. I'm lazy and when I want a snack, I want it within 30 minutes. 

DO NOT allow the rolls to raise (frozen or homemade). Once the cinnamon rolls have thawed, remove from oven.

Make your cinnamon sugar mixture and set it aside

Heat your oven to 350° this time,

Spread out about 1/4 cup of the sugar cinnamon mixture and place one cinnamon roll in the center, roll it around and flip it in cinnamon/sugar then using a rolling pin roll it flat, about 1/8 inch thick, think the thickness of two thick tortillas stacked on each other, but flatter than pita bread. Flip and make sure both sides are dusted in the cinnamon sugar. 

Place on a lined baking sheet (I recommend parchment paper, but if you don't have that, use non stick spray). Place the now flat rolls about one inch apart. They're not going to expand much. 

Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes. Until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Ducle De Leche and Bourbon Sauce and Rum Sauce

I present you three easy sauces or ice cream, or cheesecake, or pineapple upside down cake, or bread pudding, or to dip apples in, or because it's raining outside and you want to eat it on a spoon or because it's Tuesday. 

 

Dulce De Leche: Heat 1 can Dulce De Leche in microwave safe bowl for 30 to 45 seconds.  spread it on the cheesecake, or add a few drops of milk to thin and pour over cake, ice cream, cheesecake, etc.  

 

Authentic Recipe: https://www.piesandtacos.com/how-to-make-dulce-de-leche-without-condensed-milk/

 

Knock off Dulce De Leche:  Remove label from a can of sweetened condensed milk.  place the sealed can in a large pot of water.  Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 3 hours. CHECK YOUR WATER level every 30 minutes or so and make sure the can is ALWAYS covered with water. I've seen people do this in a slow cooker to but I've never tried it that way. There is also an oven method, but I've never tried that either. At the 3 hour point, turn off the heat and go do something for several hours.  you MUST allow the water AND can cool together. Do NOT remove the can until it's completely cooled.  If you can grab it with your bare hand, and it's not still warm, it's done cooling.  If it's even a little bit warm, go away and come back later.

Rum or Bourbon Sauce:

 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons Bourbon or Dark Rum  

Melt butter, sugar and heavy cream over low heat. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. allow to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and SLOWLY add the bourbon/rum. Stir completely. Serve warm.  (you can make this without the heavy cream it is just a little runnier).

Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

1 loaf stale sliced white bread
4 Tbsp. (½ stick butter) softened
½ cup golden raisins
2/3 cup sugar
5 large eggs
2 cups half and half
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cardamom

Place raisins in bowl and cover with rum. Cover and soak for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350° degrees
Grease with butter a 3 quart casserole dish.

Butter both sides of bread slices, place on cookie sheet covered with tin foil. Toast slices on both sides. Cool.

Combine sugar, eggs, cream, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon and cardamom. Mix well. Break up toasted bread and put into casserole dish. Add drained raisins (either drink the leftover rum or use in rum sauce). Pour egg mixture over bread and stir.

Bake 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold with vanilla ice cream and or rum sauce. (I prefer to cut the crust of my bread, try it both ways and decide which way you like it best!)

Rum Sauce

2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. white or dark rum

Melt butter in small saucepan. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch and stir into butter. Pour in milk, cook stirring frequently until the mixture begins to boil. Continue cooking until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in rum. Serve warm over ice cream or bread pudding.

7 Layer cookies

1 cup butter ( melted)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chocolater chips (semi sweet)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 14oz. can Eagle Brand Condensed Sweetened milk
 

Melt butter and pour in the bottom of an 8x11" pan.  Evenly add the graham cracker crumbs, but leave some room on the sides. Sprinkle with coconut, then the chocolate chips, then the butterscotch chips, then walnuts.

Finally, drizzle the condensed milk ( if you poke a couple of holes in the top of the can with a can opener it makes it easier to drizzle. Once the top is evenly coated, bake for 30 minutes at 350°

Recipe courtesy of Susie

MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

Prepare yourself for the most dangerous cake recipe in the world. Why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night! 

1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
Small splash of vanilla 

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)

Variations: Use peanut butter chips or mini-marshmallows. Serve with ice cream and nuts. Serve with a spoon full of hot fudge over the top for the molten chocolate cake experience. Ohh, or Carmel sauce. The possibilities are endless.  

Imagine how much fun girls will have making these at sleepovers!  

(recipe courtesy of sameratu)

Cobbler

I cook these in a Dutch Oven. However, they can be made in the regular old oven as well.

If using an oven: 375 degrees
Dutch Oven: 12-15 charcoal under/ line edge of lid with charcoal (15-18)

Blueberry:
2 cans Blueberry Pie filling
1 pkg white cake mix
1 can ginger ale
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Peach:
2 cans Peach Pie filling
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 can ginger ale
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Spray dutch oven (or 9x13x2 cake pan) with non-stick spray.

Pour in pie filling and smooth out. Sprinkle cake mix on top. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Pour over can of Ginger Ale and bake. DO NOT MIX!!!

Bake one hour (or until cake mix is done).

Serve warm. Especially good with ice cream!

Bananas Foster

How to Make Bananas Foster

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Bananas Foster is a dessert that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana (US). It's fairly easy to make and very impressive to watch, not to mention delicious. The burst of dancing flames will dazzle the audience, caramelize the bananas and tantalize your guests, while pleasing the eyes and "astonishing" the taste buds all in one shot!

Ingredients

• Two bananas
  
• 1 cup of brown sugar
  
• 1/2 stick of butter
  
• 1/8 of a cup of spiced rum: one shot
  
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract/essence
  
• Vanilla ice cream
  

Steps

1. Peel and cut bananas lengthwise and in half, then set aside.
   
2. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to thaw.
   
3. Set burner to medium to high heat
   
4. Place the butter into the saucepan, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
   
5. Add 1 cup of brown sugar to the melted butter and stir constantly, this should be allowed to cook and caramelize for about 3-5 minutes. Once the brown sugar and butter mixture is the consistency of warm maple syrup, turn the burners to low.
   
6. Add the banana slices. Allow these to soften. The bananas should be completely coated by the sugary mixture.
   
7. Add the vanilla. Once the bananas have reached a more rich color of yellow add the vanilla extract. The vanilla will seem somewhat overpowering until thoroughly stirred in, and allowed to cook. When the smell of vanilla has reduced in strength, add the spiced rum to the mixture.
   

Give about 10 seconds to simmer. After this, take the lighter and carefully light the mixture.

1. Let the mixture burn itself out.
   
2. When the fire has extinguished itself, pour the Bananas Foster (while still warm) over (or next to) vanilla ice cream.
   

Tips

• Have a pan lid to smother unusually wild-FLAMES! (See the image of "leaping" flames!)
  
• Keep a fire-extinguisher / container of water handy just in case!
  
• If using gas, you can flambee by tilting the pan up till the rum drips of the back edge of the pan and catches in the flame. Stand back when doing this and have the rum drip off the far end of the pan.
  

Warnings

• Be sure that no one is standing close when you ignite the mixture.
  
• Be sure that you are not leaning over the pan when you ignite the mixture as well.
  
• Be sure to turn off the cooker hood or take the pan from the stove when you are going to set the rum on fire!
  
• It's not just the flames that can thrill you: it's you or your house afire that can "chill" you! Thrills should not extend to paramedics!
  

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan
  
• Knife
  
• Lighter
  
• Mixing spoon
  
• Measuring cup / spoon
  
• Orange peeler (careful use of a knife will suffice)
  
• Mixing bowl
  
• Fire-extinguisher / container of water
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Chocolate Banana Shake
  
• How to Make Banana Pops
  
• How to Slice a Banana Before It Is Peeled
  
• How to Make Bananas Ripen Faster
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Bananas Foster. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.