Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

(8 servings)

 

Ingredients:

Crust:

1¾ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

3 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 stick Salted Butter, melted

Filling:

3 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin

3 large Fresh Eggs plus 1 Egg Yolk

¼ cup Sour Cream

1½ cups Sugar

½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1/8 tsp. Ground Cloves

2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Crust:

In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon.  Add melted butter.  Mix and press into a 9-inch springform pan across bottom and up sides.  Set aside.

Filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add pumpkin, eggs plus yolk, sour cream, sugar and spices.  Once mixed, add flour and vanilla.  Beat together until well combined.  Pour mixture into crust.  Spread evenly and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for one hour.  Remove from oven and let sit on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight.  To serve, remove springform side and slice into 8 pieces.

 
Note:               Serve with whipped cream on top.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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A Couple of Pumpkin Desserts for the Fall

The coming of fall brings back memories of color changing and falling leaves, decorating for Halloween and carving pumpkins.  Well this week is for pumpkins, but not the carving.  Pumpkin desserts are plentiful in the fall.  Most people in the USA think of pumpkin pie and turkey when you mention Thanksgiving in late November.

That may be the most famous pumpkin dessert but there many others.  In fact, pumpkin is used in entrees, side dishes, soups, salads and breads.  But this week I have two great uses for desserts.  You can use fresh pumpkins if you have the time and sources for them, but it is just easier to use the pumpkin found in a can.

I have a recipe for "Pumpkin Cheesecake" in tomorrow's post.  It is one I found that is the best.  I've tried others but they just don't stand up to this one.  I suggest that you make this before Thanksgiving, Christmas or other holidays and some meals arrive.  You always want to test a recipe on yourself and family before trying it on guests.  That goes for the second recipe of the week too.

On Thursday's post the recipe is for "Pumpkin Pudding Cake" and it is terrific.  It is also very easy to make and even easier to eat.

Either one or both would be a great addition to your fall and winter menus.  So be sure to try them.  Then after having tasted each, you'll want to share the recipes with family and friends.  Just give them my "Food Blog" link and let them enjoy these plus the 400 plus other recipes on my site.

In fact, there are other pumpkin recipes under various tabs to check out.  I always make the "Pasta with Sausage and Pumpkin" recipe each fall or winter.

Well, "Happy Cooking" until next week when I'll have some more "Gluten-Free" recipes and information.

Bacon-Cheese Batter Bread

Bacon-Cheese Batter Bread

(1 loaf)

 

Ingredients:

6 slices Bacon, Chopped

1¼ cup All-Purpose Flour

¾ cup Cornmeal

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Cayenne Pepper

¾ cup Milk

½ cup Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup

2 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 large Fresh Egg

2 regular Green Onions, finely chopped

¾ cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper with a whisk.  In another bowl, whisk together the milk, soup, oil and egg.  Now add soup mixture to the dry mixture whisking until just incorporated.  Then fold in the bacon, onions and cheese to the mixture.  Scape finished mixture into a 9x5 sprayed loaf pan and place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.  Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Note:               If you like another flavor of cheese, try it for a different finished taste.

Ideas for Future Efforts

 

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Swedish Rye Bread

Swedish Rye Bread

(4 round loaves)

 

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Active Dry Yeast

1¾ cups Warm Water (110-115 degrees)

¼ cup Brown Sugar, packed

¼ cup Molasses

2 tbsp. Shortening

2 tsp. Salt

2½ cups Rye Flour

3¾ cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tbsp. unsalted Butter, melted

Directions:

In a large mixing, dissolve yeast in ¼ cup of warm water.  Let this sit about 10 minutes.  Now add sugar, molasses, shortening, salt and remaining water mixing well.  Slowly beat in the rye flour until smooth.  Add enough all-purpose flour to form a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes).  Place in a greased bowl turning once to coat all over.  Cover and place in a warm area to let rise until doubled in size (1 ½ hours).  Punch down the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces.  Form these into round loaves and place on greased baking sheets (2 per sheet).  Cover and place in a warm area to let rise until doubled in size (45-60 minutes).  Place baking sheets in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove loaves to a wire rack, brush with melted butter and let cool.

Note:               If you have a mixer with a dough hook, use it instead of the regular beaters.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Enjoy Baking Bread

I'm sorry to say but I completely forgot to do today's blog post.  So I'm making it a short one.

Fall  reminds me of bread baking in our house as a young boy.  My mother baked twice a week year-round but fall is where my memories are best.

So I offer up two different types of baked breads for you this week (I didn't forget the recipes).  The first is a traditional style yeast bread that requires kneading.  It is a tasty "Swedish Rye Bread" recipe.  You can find many different recipes for this bread but I like this one.

Thursday's recipe is for "Bacon-Cheese Bread" which is a batter or quick bread.  A batter or quick bread is usually just stirred up, poured into a loaf pan and baked.  There is a "Pumpkin Bread" recipe in the "Desserts & Baking" recipe tab that is great for this time of the year too.

Enjoy and "Happy Cooking" until next week.

Creamy Brie Cheese Soup

Creamy Brie Cheese Soup

(8 servings)

 

Ingredients:

1½ cups Dry White Wine

¼ cup White Wine Vinegar

4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

12 oz. Brie Cheese, rind removed & cut into 1 inch pieces

1 sprig Fresh Basil

1 sprig Fresh Thyme

1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced

to taste Salt & White Pepper

to garnish Snipped Fresh Thyme

Directions:

In a medium heavy saucepan, bring wine and vinegar to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until deduced to about one cup (about 15 minutes).  Stir in whipping cream, cheese, basil, thyme and garlic.  Cook about 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese has melted and mixture is heated through.  Stir often.  Stain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl discording solids.  Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in bowls with snipped thyme sprinkled over it.

Note:               Recipe is easily doubled and can be served with thin baguette toasts or croutons.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Cinnamon-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Cinnamon-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

(about 5 cups)

 

Ingredients:

4 cups Fresh Pumpkin, peeled, seeded & cubed

2 cups Half & Half

2 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp. Ground Nutmeg

to taste Salt & White Pepper

to garnish Snipped Chives

Directions:

 
Simmer pumpkin in a medium saucepan, covered, in 1 inch of water, over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain well and place in a food processor or blender.  Add the half & half and process until smooth.  Then return to saucepan.  Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Heat to just boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes.  Season to tastes with salt and pepper, pour into bowls, sprinkle with chives and serve.

Note:               This recipe is easily doubled.  Be sure to finely grate the nutmeg if possible.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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