Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is another recipe for a Pumpkin Cheesecake. I have to say I prefer this one because I love pie crust. NOt a huge fan of graham cracker crust.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 (8 oz each) pkg cream cheese

3/4 C. white sugar

15 oz pureed pumpkin (I use homemade)

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

2 (8-inch) pastry shells

Preheat oven to 450. Beat cream cheese and sugar together; then add pumpkin and spices. Beat in eggs one at a time, add salt. Beat until creamy. Pour batter evenly into both pastry shells. Bake 50 min or until knife comes out clean when inserted in center.. COOL completely. Top with homemade whip cream!

Glass Block Holiday Jello

(I forgot to take a pic until about half was gone....kids loved it!!)

Glass Block Holiday Jello

4 3-oz. packages assorted Jello (in coordinating colors)

2 packets unflavored gelatin

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Spray 4 small food storage containers (like Tupperware/Gladware/Rubbermaid) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Bring 5+ cups of water to a boil. Combine 1 c. boiling water with 1 package of Jello, stirring until dissolved. Place the dissolved Jello in one of the prepared containers. Repeat with the remaining packages of Jello. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferable overnight.

When the Jello has set, bring another 2 c. of water to a boil. While the water is heating, sprinkle 2 packets of unflavored gelatin over 1/2 c. of cold water. Allow to stand for about 4 minutes. When the water is boiling, pour 1 1/2 c. boiling water over the dissolved gelatin and stir to combine. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Allow to come to room temperature.

Lightly spray a 9x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully cut the colored Jello into cubes and gently toss to combine in the 9x13" pan. Pour the cooled milk mixture over the colored Jello and, if necessary, rearrange some of the colored Jello to make sure it is evenly distributed and not sticking out of the white mixture too far.

Place the 9x13" pan in the refrigerator and chill at least 8 hours. Cut into squares, rectangles, or various shapes with cookie cutters and serve.

cream cheese soup

This was a big hit! and So easy.

here's the recipe.  However I cooked all the veggies and chicken in the crockpot until ready to add the flour and cheese then i put it in a pot on the stove.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 cup diced carrots (about 2 regular carrots or a handful of baby carrots)

3 cups chicken broth

2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced (I like to leave the peels on red potatoes, if using them)

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons flour

1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese

2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn't burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn't leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Tomato Soup

This is a yummy soup. I actually found it off of The Pioneer womans site. Its to die for!!!

Ingredients

• 6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• a couple minced garlic cloves
• 1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice
• 2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon (up To 3 Tablespoons) Chicken Base
• 3 Tablespoons (up To 6 Tablespoons) Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• Black Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Cooking Sherry
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• Chopped Fresh Parsley
• Chopped Fresh Basil

Preparation Instructions

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste.

Adjust other seasonings and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. 

I was being lazy so I bought a loaf of Albertson's garlic bread. It was yummy with the soup. 

-I sent my husband for the sherry and he came back with WHITE WINE so i used it and it still tasted delicious! My 9 year old daughter LOVED it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

16 oz cream cheese

½ C. sugar

½ tsp vanilla

2 eggs

½ C. pumpkin

½ tsp cinnamon

dash of ground cloves

dash of nutmeg

1 ready to use graham cracker crust (or you can make your own)

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer on med until well blended. Add eggs. mix until blended.

Stir pumpkin and spices into 1 CUP of the batter; pour remaining batter into crust. Top with pumpkin batter. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min or until center is almost set. (I did 35 and it was PERFECT!) Refrigerate 2-3 hours. Store in refrigerator. (If you have leftovers). Top with homemade whip cream.

See the finger prints?? Yup Holden got into it before cutting it.

pizza roll

Thaw out 1 Rhoades bread loaf (I used the whole wheat)

ROll out on a cookie sheet like so...

 top with mozzarella cheese and toppings of choice (if using pineapple pat it dry with towels)

 Tuck the sides in and roll. Make sure all sides and secure. Pinch to make sure they are sealed.

brush with egg and sprinkle some parmesan cheese . Bake at 375 for 15-25 min or until browned

 Slice

 and eat with pizza sauce to dunk 

homemade crispies

Cut up some flour tortillas into desired size

Fry until starting to brown

toss in cinnamon/sugar mixture and there you have it! My kids scarfed these down

Mexican Casserole

I found this recipe over at The Sisters Cafe. I have to say it was AWESOME!!!

1 lb. ground turkey or lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves minced

1 packet Taco Seasoning mix (1/4 cup)  (I only used a few tablespoons)

chili powder to taste

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (if you like spice i recommend ones with chilies in them)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8-10 corn tortillas (12 oz package)
3-4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Haas avocado, sliced
sour cream

fresh cilantro

Brown meat with diced onions and garlic over medium heat. Add chili powder, taco seasoning, black beans, tomatoes, and cream of mushroom soup. Stir to combine and warm through. In 9x13 inch pan, place a small amount of meat mixture on bottom (so tortillas won't stick). Place a layer of corn tortillas down, then a layer of the meat mixture, and sprinkle on a little cheese. Repeat with another layer of corn tortillas, a layer of meat mixture... and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve topped with sliced avocado, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.

* When layering to tortillas I found it much easier to rip them in half so you are using 6 halves on each layer. That way the tortillas are spread out a bit more*

-you could EASILY make this into a vegetarian meal by taking out the meat and adding a few different kinds of beans. -

candy corn sugar cookies

Make a sugar cookie recipe. Any recipe.

 I used:

SUGAR COOKIES

*Makes 2-3 dozen sugar cookies (about 2-3 inch size)

 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened to cool room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon) (optional)

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon zest; mix. Add two cups flour, baking powder and salt. Mix. Add remaining flour and mix just until flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft. 

Then split. I split it in 4 and froze the one I wasnt using for later.

So you will have 3 portions. Color one orange, one yellow and leave the other white.

Get a loaf pan. Line with saran wrap. Lay the orange dough in it. Spread it around pretty evenly. Then add they yellow and the white doing the same. cover with the saran wrap thats over the edges and refrigerate until firm. (can freeze if you want it to be quicker)

Take out of pan and sit on cutting board. Cut in half like so...

Then cut in about 1/4" pieces and cut into triangles like so...

Lay on cookie sheet and bake about 5 minutes at 350

Cool on wire racks and frost and put sprinkles on.

Yummy huh??

I used:

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1  8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with mixer until light and fluffy.  Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well.  Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.  This frosts tops and sides of two 8 or 9 inch layers.  (Half of this recipe will frost a 13x9x2 inch cake) 

I cut it in half and it still made a ton. I didnt measure the sugar just added to what seemed right. I did add a bit of milk to it though.

 GOT this idea from GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND BAKE she has some great recipes

Dinner in a Pumpkin

I Have to say I've never tried this before. I googled some recipes and kinda combined them to do what I wanted.

Brown ground beef (or turkey) with some onions and garlic. Drain grease. Put into a pumpkin (remove seeds and guts). Add a can of cream of chicken soup. Add rice. I used a package of wild rice. Add beans. I used some fresh I had frozen. Next time I will cook the beans first. Add a can of mushrooms. Add a can of tomato sauce. Mix all together. Put on cookie sheet and put top of pumpkin on. Bake at 350 2-3 hours until pumpkin is tender. Be careful when taking lid off. Lots of liquid will come pouring out. When serving cut some of the pumpkin with it.

It is delish!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

4 Eggs

2 Cups Sugar

1 (16 oz) can Pumpkin

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 1/4 Cups Vegetable Oil

3 Cups Flour

2 tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Cloves

1/4 tsp. Ginger

1 tsp. Salt

12 oz. chocolate chips (I prefer the milk chocolate It makes a HUGE difference in taste. )

Mix all ingredients together, then fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 400 for 16-20 minutes.