Pumpkin Cheesecake with Sweetened Sour Cream

 

 

 

I have tons of recipes but this one is in my “keeper box."  There's something so good about sweetened sour cream on top of a cheesecake…..especially a pumpkin cheesecake.   It's slightly sweet and just a little tangy and that adds a whole new dimension to a traditional rich and creamy cheesecake.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Sweetened Sour Cream

Crust 

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes.

Filling

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

     1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

     1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

     2 large eggs, lightly beaten

    In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Beat  

    in the pumpkin, milk, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add eggs; 

    beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust.

    Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or 

    until center is almost set.

   Topping

   2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream

   1/3 cup sugar

   1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

   In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla until well 

   blended. Spread over the cheesecake and then bake about 5 minutes 

   longer.  Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.  Slice and

   serve. For an added treat, drizzle with melted caramel or sprinkle 

   with cinnamon.  

 

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Sausage and Corn Skillet Dinner

 Sausage and Corn Skillet Dinner

I love skillet meals.  They're so easy to make and they allow you to be so creative with the ingredients. I love to make them up as I go along and usually blend ingredients that I can imagine will be perfect together.  But I can’t take credit for this one.  This recipe was created a few years ago by my friend Marie over at the English Kitchen.  I adapted it just slightly this past weekend and can now say it will be one of my favorite "go-to" skillet meals from now on!

Sausage and Corn Skillet Dinner

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 pound Kielbasa, sliced

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups chicken stock 

1 15 ounce can of creamed corn 

1/2 cup heavy cream,

8 ounce box of Farfalle (bowtie pasta)

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, divided

2 spring onions, sliced both white and green parts

Slice the Kielbasa into rounds.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage and brown lightly on both sides. Transfer to plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.

Using the same skillet and sauté the onions until just softened.  Add the minced garlic and cook until just tender and fragrant. Add the sausage back to the skillet and stir to blend.

Stir in 1 ½ cups of the chicken stock, reserving the remaining half cup.  Add the can of creamed corn, the heavy cream and the thyme and marjoram.  Taste and then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the bow ties and bring to boil on high heat.  Once the mixture begins to boil, immediately lower heat to low and cover the skillet.  

Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce begins to thicken and pasta is tender.   If not enough liquid add a little more chicken stock and remaining cream.  You need enough to allow the pasta to cook in liquid.  Stir in 1 cup of the cheese to melt.  

Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top and remove from heat.  

Cover with a lid and allow the cheese on top to melt.  
Scatter the spring onions over top and serve immediately.

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Apple Raisin Bundt Cake

 Apple Raisin Bundt Cake 

This recipe is straight from my Mom's collection of her favorite desserts. 
I have been wanting to make some of her great old fashioned recipes, so this past week, I got out her old Bundt pan, bought some Gala apples and began to make it. The memories came flooding back instantly. I still remember her shredding those apples and making that thick wonderful batter. And oh my goodness, the house smelled so good while it was baking.  

Apple Raisin Bundt Cake 

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup butter - softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 4 medium Gala apples, peeled and shredded with grater
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 9-inch bundt pan; flour lightly and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl and whisk together. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the two sugars together. Next add the eggs, one at a time; beating until all eggs are mixed in. Add the vanilla and mix just until combined.

Mix in half the buttermilk and half the flour mixture with the mixer on low. Add the remaining buttermilk and flour mixture and beat slowly until flour is mixed in well. Next stir in the shredded apples and the raisins. The cake batter will be very thick.

Pour the batter evenly in the prepared bundt pan. The pan will be very full so you may want to place it on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow of batter that may occur during baking.

Bake for 1 hour and then check for doneness by inserting a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Place the cake on a rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Turn cake out carefully onto a wire rack to cool completely.

• Cream Cheese Glaze:
• 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
  1 cup powdered sugar
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  2-4 tablespoons milk
  
  
  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until it’s soft and smooth and light. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and blend until there are no lumps. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until the glaze reaches the desired thick yet drizzle-able consistency.  
• Pour over the cake when it has completely cooled. Sprinkle chopped nuts over glaze before it sets up.

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Upside Down Peach Cake with Pecans

 Peach Upside Down Cake with Pecans

I love upside down cakes!  Pineapple, plum and when the grocery stores have plenty of fresh peaches and they’re at their sweetest, I always add this to my list of favorite summer desserts. This is just delightful and so easy to make! 

Upside Down Peach Cake with Pecans

1 (15.25 oz.) box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to make it

3-4 fresh ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º degrees and lightly grease a 9-inch springform pans with butter or non-stick spray.  You can also use a 9 inch cake pan if desired. 

Make cake mix according to package instructions.  Set aside. In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.  

Place peeled, sliced peaches in an even layer on top of the butter layer. Sprinkle pecans on top and in between peaches. You can make any design you’d like. I just laid mine in a circle.

Pour the cake mix evenly all over the peaches. If using a springform, make sure you cover the bottom with aluminum foil to prevent leaking.  They will leak!

Place on baking sheet with sides and bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

To remove the cake from the springform pan, run a knife around the edges and release the spring. Place a plate on top of the cake and invert the cake so the peaches are on the top. Remove the cake pan bottom and parchment paper.   For a regular cake pan, simply lay a plate on top and invert.

Slice into wedges and serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream!  YUM!

   

   

Notes:

   

   For a springform pan, remember the brown sugar butter  

   mixture can leak out of the pan while baking and drip onto the  

   bottom of the oven. To prevent a big mess in your oven, line the 

   bottom of the pan with foil and place a baking sheet under the 

   cake. 

   You can also use a 9 x 13 pan! I recommend greasing the pan

   really well with non-stick spray.

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