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Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake

February 22, 2012 by

Pumpkin Cheesecake is one of my all time favorite desserts, and I hate having to wait until the fall comes around to enjoy it! Don’t save this recipe just for Thanksgiving, share it all year long!

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (use the bars, not tubs, you can use regular or low fat), softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar (brown sugar is okay, but it doesn’t dissolve as well as white for this recipe)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 medium or largeeggs
  • 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust (you can also make the crust from scratch if you choose)
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed (or I prefer to make real, fresh whipped cream using my own recipe here)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
  3. Add in the eggs one at a time.
  4. Remove 1 cup of creamy batter and spread into the bottom of graham cracker crust.
  5. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the rest of the batter in the mixing bowl and stir gently until blended together well.
  6. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust, making sure not to disturb the previous layer.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set (you want it firm, not shaky).
  8. Allow to cool for at least an hour, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
  9. Cover with whipped topping before serving, or if you decide to make the real whipped cream, make it as close as you can to when you’re going to serve the cheesecake so it remains firm and fresh.

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Filed Under: Cheesecake Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Thanksgiving Tagged With: ,

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

November 15, 2011 by

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix (any brand)
  • 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh walnuts

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and pumpkin spice. Mix all the ingredients well and pour into a 9×13 inch cake pan.
  3. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the top, then drizzle with melted butter or margarine. Top with the chopped walnuts.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until a pick inserted near the center comes out clean with no cake crumbs attached.

 

Filed Under: Cake Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Holiday Desserts, Thanksgiving Tagged With: ,

Zucchini Bread Loaf

November 15, 2011 by

A perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast! Our recipe for this is all from scratch, home made, moist and delicious!

Note: this recipe will yield 2 loaves.

Prep Time:
20 Min
Cook Time:
1 Hr
Ready In:
1 Hr 40 Min

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 1/4 cups white sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  2. Sift the flour, then combine in a mixing bowl with the salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon.
  3. Beat the eggs with the oil, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the sifted mixture to the creamed mixture, and beat well until smooth (but don’t overdue). Stir in zucchini and nuts and mix well. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Filed Under: Bread, Dessert Recipes, Thanksgiving Tagged With: ,

Gobble Gobble Thanksgiving Cupcakes

October 29, 2011 by

Start out by making 24 chocolate cupcakes with store-bought cake mix, as instructed on the box. Then do decorate them with these cute turkeys, follow the instructions below.

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What you’ll need for the decorative part:

  • Nutter Butter cookies
  • Store bought chocolate frosting
  • Bag of mini Chocolate Chips
  • 2 Packages of Fruit Roll Ups (assorted would be best so you can get all the colors for the feathers)
  • 1 box of toothpicks
  1. For the turkey body, push the lower portion of a Nutter Butter cookie into a frosted cupcake.
  2. Place tiny dabs of frosting where you want the eyes to be and stick a mini-chocolate chip and red fruit leather wattle (cut this out of a fruit roll up).
  3. For the turkey’s tail, use a knife to cut out a dozen feather shapes (about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide) from the fruit roll ups, assorted colors would be best.
  4. Lay 6 of the feather shapes on a flat surface and place a wooden toothpick lengthwise atop each so that one end of the toothpick extends about an inch below the feather. Layer another fruit leather feather layer atop each of the 6 shapes, sandwiching the toothpicks between them.
  5. Push the two layers together to make them stick, then fringe the edges of the feather with a knife. Then stick the colored feathers into the cupcake behind the cookie head.

 

Filed Under: Cupcake Recipes, Holiday Cupcakes, Thanksgiving Tagged With: ,

Pumpkin Pralene Cheesecake

March 18, 2011 by

Preparation Time:  15 minutes
Cooking Time:  45 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Pecan halves (optional)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

For Pecan-Praline Pieces and Powder,* line a large baking sheet with foil; set aside. In a heavy skillet place the 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, shaking skillet occasionally until sugar begins to melt. Do not stir. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the chopped pecans; cook about 3 minutes more or until sugar is golden brown and pecans are toasted, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading with a wooden spoon as thin as possible. Cool. Break or chop the cooled praline into 1/4-inch pieces. Set half of it aside. For Pecan-Praline Powder, place remaining broken pieces in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until ground. Store in separate containers in refrigerator or freezer up to 1 week.

For crust, in a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the 1 cup flour. Beat on low to medium speed just until combined.

Pat dough onto bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the side of 9-inch springform pan. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool crust on a wire rack while preparing filling.

For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 3/4 cup brown sugar, and the 2 tablespoons flour with an electric mixer on a medium to high speed until combined. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the coarsely broken pecan-praline pieces, reserving the powder for the topping.

Pour filling into the crust-lined springform pan. Place the springform pan in a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until center appears nearly set when shaken.

In a small bowl combine sour cream and granulated sugar. Spread over top of cheesecake.

Remove springform pan from baking pan. Cool cheesecake in springform pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small metal spatula to loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool 30 minutes more. Remove side of the springform pan. Cool for 1 hour. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle the Pecan-Praline Powder over sour cream topping in center of cheesecake and garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

*Note: Be extremely careful when working with the hot sugar mixture for the Pecan-Praline Pieces and Powder. Total attention must be given as things move quickly when the sugar reaches the proper temperature to caramelize. Store praline powder in an airtight container until serving time. If desired, the praline powder also can be used as an ice-cream topping.

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Filed Under: Cheesecake Recipes, Fruit Cheesecakes, Holiday Desserts, Other Cheesecakes, Thanksgiving Tagged With: ,