Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp light brown sugar
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1.5 tsp vanilla

Swirl
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 to 1/3 c heavy cream

Filling
2 8oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 c sugar
1/2 c canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 c heavy cream
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 275. Combine ingredients for the crust & press into the bottom of a spring form pan.
Prepare the swirl by melting the chocolate with the cream in a double boiler. Stir until smooth & then set aside, keeping it warm.
To make the filling, cream the cheese & sugar.
Add the pumpkin, spices & cream.
Add the eggs, one at a time.
Pour filling over crust.
Drizzle a spiral pattern with the chocolate on top & draw it through the batter with a knife.
Place cheesecake in larger baking pan with sides & pour 1/2 inch boiling water into pan.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the center is firm & not soupy.
Cool at room temperature, then chill at least 2 hours.

Fudge

1.5 tsp butter
3/4 c butter
1 can Eagle Brand milk
3 Tbsp milk
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
11.5 oz milk chocolate chips
10 oz peanut butter chips
1 pkg butterscotch chips
7 oz Marshmallow Creme
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cherry extract
1 c chopped pecans or walnuts

• Line 9x13 pan with foil. Rub butter all over.
• In large pot melt remaining butter over low heat.
• Add next 5 ingredients.
• Cook, stir constantly until smooth.
• Remove from heat and add butterscotch chips, marshmallow creme and extracts.
• Stir in nuts.
• Spread in pan. 
• Refrigerate until set. 

Pecan Pie

Filling
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup corn syrup (light or dark)
1/3 cup melted salted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 whole eggs beaten
1 cup (heaping) chopped pecans

Mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, vanilla and eggs together in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out one dough half on a lightly floured surface to fit your pie pan. Pour the pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Pour the syrup mixture over the top. Cover the top and crust lightly/gently with foil.

Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and then continue baking for 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the crust or pecans. The pie should not be overly jiggly when you remove it from the oven (though it will jiggle a bit). If it shakes a lot, cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minute or until set. Required baking time seems to vary widely with this recipe. Sometimes it takes 50 minutes, sometimes it takes 75!


Allow to cool for several hours or overnight.

Apple Pie

Filling

8

cups sliced cored peeled apples 

1/2

cup granulated sugar

1/4

cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/4

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1

tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

1/2

cup unsalted butter, softened

1

cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

2/3

cup packed brown sugar

1

tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions

In large bowl, toss Filling ingredients. Pour into pie plate, mounding apples toward center.

In medium bowl, use pastry blender or fingers to mix butter, 1 cup flour and the brown sugar until a crumb forms. Sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top.

• Bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until pie crust and crumb topping are deep golden brown and filling begins to bubble. Transfer to cooling rack to cool.

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

3 cups flour
2 tsp. Ginger, Ground
1 tsp. Cinnamon, Ground
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg, Ground (I used fresh)
1/4 tap salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 cup white chocolate chips

• Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl.
• Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add molasses, egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press about 5-6 white chocolate chips into center of each cookie. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Crust
1 1/4 c Nilla Wafers, crumbled
1/4 c Sugar
1/3 c Cocoa
6 Tbsp butter, melted

Cheesecake
3 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
8 oz sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c cocoa
3 eggs

Ganache
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp heavy cream
chocolate shavings

• Heat oven to 325, Line 13 x 9" baking pan with parchment paper
• Stir together ingredients for crust. Press mixture onto bottom of pan
• Set aside while making filling
• In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese and sugar. Beat on low until fluffy.
• Add sour cream and vanilla. Beat until blended. 
• Stir in cocoa
• Add eggs, 1 at a time.
• Pour over crust.
• bake for 40 minutes.
• Turn oven off, open door & let cool for a few hours
• Once completely cooled, make ganache.
• Add chocolate chips & heavy cream. Microwave for 1 minute & stir. 
• Pour over cheesecake. Add shavings.
• Refrigerate for a few hours before cutting.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

24 OREO Cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)

2 Tbsp.  butter or margarine, melted

1-1/2 pkg.  (4 oz. each) BAKER'S White Chocolate (6 oz.), divided

4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened, divided

1 cup  sugar, divided

1/2 tsp.  vanilla

3  eggs

3 oz.  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

1 tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

• Heat oven to 325 degrees
• Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Melt 5 oz. white chocolate as directed on package; cool slightly.     
• Beat 3 pkg. cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. 
• Add melted white chocolate; mix well.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.     
• Bake 50 to 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate; cool.
• Beat remaining cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended.
• Add melted semi-sweet chocolate; mix well.
• Whisk in COOL WHIP; spread over cheesecake.
• Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls from remaining white and semi-sweet chocolate.     

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake

crust:
9 ounces chocolate cookies (I used chocolate cat cookies from Trader Joe's but you could use graham crackers or teddy grahams as well)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
filling:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used semisweet chocolate chips)
4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (I used Neufchatel cheese)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 4 large eggs
topping:
3/4 cup whipping cream
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Crush the chocolate cookies in a food processor (or by pounding them flat in a plastic bag). Put them in a small bowl and mix with sugar and melted butter, then press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake 5 minutes, then let cool while preparing the filling.

Melt the 10 ounces of chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time, blending until smooth. Fold in melted chocolate and mix until blended. Pour over crust and smooth (I used an offset spatula). Bake about one hour, or until the center is set and appears dry. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Run a plastic knife or spatula around the edges of the springform pan to release the cheesecake. Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make the topping, melt the whipping cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar together in a small saucepan over low heat, until smooth. Pour over the top of the cheesecake and spread so it covers smoothly. Chill until the topping is set, about one hour.

Chex Scotcharoos

6 cups Chex cereal

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

2 cups butterscotch chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter a large bowl, and measure out 6 cups of Chex cereal. Set aside. Butter a 9x13 dish, OR line a baking sheet with wax paper if you would like freeform scotcharoo's.
In a small saucepan, combine the corn syrup and sugar over medium heat. Once boiling, immediately remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter. Pour over cereal and fold together. Pour cereal into the 9x13 dish, or use a large cookie scoop to drop cereal onto wax paper, and use your hands to press together and form them.
Using a microwave safe dish or a double boiler, melt together chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, 1/2 cup of peanut butter and vanilla. If microwaving, heat in 10 second intervals, stirring in between to prevent the chocolate from burning.
Once smooth, pour over cereal, or scoop onto the piles you have created.
Allow to cool completely at room temperature.

Mason Jar Pecan Pies

1 1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/2 C. soft butter
4 large eggs and 1 yolk
1/2 C. sugar, granulated or I like to use granulated Maple Syrup
1 C. Lyle's Golden Syrup or dark Karo
1/2 C. light Karo
2 t. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 T. heavy cream

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Line 1/2 pint large mouth Mason Jelly Jars with pie crusts and trim. Take special care to push the pie dough out into the corners of the bottom of the jars. 
• Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat with the sugar, add the syrups and soft butter and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the salt, cream, and pecans until combined. Spoon into the unbaked pie crust jars leaving 1/8" space at the top. Place a pecan half in the center of each jar of pie. Place the jars on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until done.

Key Lime Pie

4 egg yolks
2 cans Eagle Brand Milk
1 c lime juice
graham cracker pie shell

• Mix ingredients & pour into shell.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate for a couple of hours before eating.

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies on Steroids

1.5 c flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1.5 tsp vanilla
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c milk chocolate chips
1/4 c Heath Bits 'O Brickle toffee bits
1/4 c white chocolate chips
1.5 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c sweetened flaked coconut
1 c chopped pecans
1 c raisins

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in bowl.
• In a 8 quart bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Gradually beat in sugars; beat to combine about 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla.
• Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
• Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, pecans, raisins, mixing well.
• Bake 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.

Candied Spiced Almonds

5 cups sliced almonds, or a 1 pound package*
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin*
1-1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika* - some smoked paprikas are quite hot, if you don't like "hot", just use 1 teaspoon and they will be mildly spiced.
1 teaspoon vanilla
sea salt

•  Place a large sheet of foil on a work surface. Spray with cooking spray or rub a teaspoon of oil over foil with a paper towel.
•  Place sugar in a large non-stick sauté pan and heat over medium heat , occasionally tipping and swirling the sugar until it is all melted into a pale golden syrup.
•   Lower heat immediately and add butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika and vanilla. Stir until well combined and all butter is incorporated into the sugar syrup.
•  Add the nuts and stir gently to coat. Don't worry if you have some clumps of caramelized sugar - they will melt as you continute to sauté the almonds. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring every minute or so until almonds are a delicious golden brown. Watch very carefully as they can go from beautiful to burned very quickly! Turn out onto prepared foil and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Spread out on foil to cool. 
• *Serve over Craisin Avacado Salad

Chocolate Mousse

1/4 c cocoa
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 c milk
1 c heavy cream
Rediwhip
2/3 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c marshmallows
topping of your choice

• Combine cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a double boiler.
• Blend in milk w/ whisk on medium high heat until it starts to boil.
• Stir for 1 minute until mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat, add butter and stir.
• Cover chocolate mixture with plastic wrap & refrigerate.
• Before serving, whip cream until soft peaks form.
• Fold cream into chocolate.
• Fold marshmallows into mixture.
• Squirt Rediwhip on top and add topping.

Caramel-Glazed Apple Cake

Cake
1 c packed light brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1.5 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
5 Granny Smith green apples

Caramel Glaze
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 c granulated sugar
14 c light brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 c heavy cream

• 
  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• To prepare the cake, beat both sugars and oil in a mixing bowl until very well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each addition. 
• Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; Gradually add to egg mixture, mixing just until blended. Stir in apples, pecans and vanilla; pour into pan.
• Bake 50-75 minutes. Let cool in the pan while preparing glaze.
• To prepare the glaze, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in both sugars and salt; cook over medium low heat for 2 minutes. Add cream and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Poke holes in the cake with a skewer or toothpick. Pour on the glaze. Serve warm.

Chocolaty Raspberry Crumb Bars

1 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
14 tsp. salt
2 c. chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. raspberry jam

• Heat oven to 350F; grease 9 x 13 pan.
• Cream butter, flour, sugar & salt until crumbly.
• Press 1 3/4 c. of the mixture into pan using floured fingers; bake for 12 minutes.
• Microwave 1 c. chocolate chips and milk for 1 minute; stir until smooth.
• Spread over hot crust.
• Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture over chocolate layer.
• Drop jam by teaspoonfuls over the top of the chocolate layer.
• Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.
• Bake 25-30 minutes.

Frozen Banana Split Squares

12  ice cream sandwiches

3-4 medium bananas

1/2-1 c. hot fudge sauce

1/2-1 c. caramel sauce

1 c. chopped maraschino cherries or sliced strawberries

8 oz. frozen whipped topping thawed

1 small can crushed pineapple, undrained

2 Butterfinger bars, crushed 

• Line the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish with the ice cream sandwiches, cutting them to fit as necessary.

• Slice the bananas into pieces about 1/4″ thick and arrange over the sandwiches.

• Spread the hot fudge and caramel sauces over the bananas.

• Sprinkle with cherries or strawberries.

• Combine the thawed frozen whipped topping with the can of undrained pineapple and spread over everything.

• Sprinkle with crushed candy bars and freeze for at least 4 hours.
• **This recipe is from Our Best Bites.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 spice cake mixes (18 oz each)
1 large can of pumpkin (29 oz)
1 bag chocolate chips

• mix cake mixes & pumpkin together.
• add chocolate chips & mix.
• Bake at 350 for 14 minutes
  

Pizzookies

chocolate chip cookie dough
vanilla ice cream
carmel syrup
chocolate syrup
ramekins

• Preheat oven to 350.
  
• Fill ramekins about 1/2 full of cookie dough.
• Bake for about 12-14 minutes.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes.
• Top with ice cream & syrups
  

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

Cake
1/2 c cake flour (non self rising)
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 c sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp peppermint extract

Filling
2 pints Peppermint Bark ice cream, softened

Glaze
1/2 c heavy cream
6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp dark corn syrup
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp peppermint extract

Garnish
dark chocolate shavings
sugar

• Cake- heat oven to 400.
  
• Line a 15.5 x 10.5 x 1 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick foil.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt.
• Separate egg whites & yolks into 2 large bowls.
• Beat whites on medium-high until foamy.
  
• Gradually beat in 1/2 c sugar.
• Continue to beat on high just until stiff (not dry) peaks form.
• Using same beaters, beat yolks with the remaining 1/4 c sugar & extracts until thickened, about 3 minutes.
• On low speed, beat in flour mixture until blended.
• Stir in 1/4 of beaten egg whites mixture.
  
• Fold in remaining whites.
• Spread in prepared pan & smooth top.
• Bake 12 minutes or until top springs back when gently pressed.
• Let cool 2 minutes on wire rack.
• Dust a clean towel with sugar & invert cake onto towel.
• Remove pan & carefully peel off foil.
• Starting from the short end, roll up cake in towel & place seam side down on wire rack. Cool completely.
• Filling- unroll cake & spread evenly with ice cream.
• Roll up cake.
• Wrap tightly in nonstick foil & freeze, seam side down, overnight until firm.
• Glaze- In a small saucepan, heat cream, chocolate & corn syrup over low heat until chocolate is melted & glaze is shiny & smooth, 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in extracts.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Unwrap cake.
• Trim ends.
• place cake on a wire rack over waxed paper.
• Pour glaze along top of cake roll, spreading with spatula to cover sides.
• Garnish top of cake with chocolate shavings.
• Freeze cake until firm.
• Makes 10 servings.
• *Great for the holidays.