Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate cookies or chocolate graham crackers

3 pkgs. cream cheese (8oz. each), softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp flour

1/4 cup amaretto or 2 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cpus powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raspberry jam

1 pint raspberries

Instructions:

1. Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 315°F. Coat bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle crushed cookie crumbs on bottom of pan.
2. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, cottage cheese, cocoa powder, flour, amaretto or almond extract, vanilla and salt. Beat on low until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Slowly pour mixture over crumbs in prepared pan. Bake on middle rack 75 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool on a rack and refrigerate overnight.
4. Frosting: In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and cocoa powder until evenly mixed. Add in powdered sugar and milk. Beat on low until smooth and easily spread. Stir in vanilla.
5. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to separate from springform pan, then remove side wall. Gently run a knife between bottom crust and base of pan to separate cheesecake. Place on a cake stand or serving platter.
6. Spread raspberry jam on top, leaving about a 1″ border around the edge. Pipe frosting to make a border around the top and bottom of the cheesecake. Top with raspberries.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) butter, melted

Cinnamon Swirl

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter, melted

Filling:

4 pkgs. (8 oz. each), softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

4 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

Cream cheese frosting, optional

Instructions:

1. Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Stir in melted butter. Press mixture into bottom of a 9″ springform pan.
2. Bake 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, wrap the bottom of the pan with a few layers of foil.
3. Cinnamon Swirl: In another bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. The mixture will be thick and gooey. Set aside.
4. Filling: Beat cream cheese on medium 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Add brown sugar and sugar, and continue beating an additional 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add sour cream and beat until incorporated.
5. Add eggs one at a time and beat on low until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Gently stir in vanilla and salt.
6. Pour 1/3 of the filling over cooled crust. Gently spread 1/3 of prepared cinnamon swirl over filling. Repeat this process until you have poured all of the filling and top with the last of the swirl.
7. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan. Add hot water to roasting pan halfway up the side of springform pan to form a water bath. Carefully place in oven and bake 60-70 minutes. At this point, the cheesecake will be slightly jiggly to the touch, but the edges will be set. Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven 30 minutes. Then remove roasting pan from the oven.
8. Allow to cool completely before removing cheesecake from water bath. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of cheesecake to separate form springform pan, then remove side wall. Place on a cake stand or serving platter.
9. Top with cream cheese frosting, if desired.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Filling:

4 pkgs. (8 oz. each), softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract

8-10 drops yellow food coloring

5 eggs, room temperature

1 cup whipped cream, for topping

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 10″ springform pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine  cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes, then allow to cool.
3. Filling: In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low and beat in heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, flour and vanilla and lemon extracts. Add food color, starting with 8 drops, but adding up to 2 more to achieve desired color. Add eggs and beat on low just until combined.
4. Place springform pan on baking sheet. Carefully pour filling over crust. Bake 60-70 minutes or until center is almost set.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to separate from springform pan, then remove side wall. Gently run a knife between bottom of crust and base of pan to separate cheesecake. Place on a cake stand or serving platter. Top with whipped cream and lemon slices.

Prep: 10 mins | Bake: 5 mins + standing | Makes: 1 dozen

Ingredients:

3 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each)

12 caramels

60 pecans halves

12 girl scout Peanut butter patties / Tagalongs cookies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Quarter each chocolate bar. Place pieces 2 in apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Top with one caramel.
2. Bake 5-7 minutes or until caramel just starts to soften. Immediately press one pecan half on one side for head; press one pecan half onto each corner for four legs. Place on Peanut butter Patty / Tagalongs cookie over the top of each candy, pressing down to secure. Let stand until set.

Prep: 10 mins | Bake: 25 mins | Servings: 9

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2cup whole milk or half and half

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cups boiling water

2 tbsp salted butter, melted

pinch of salt

chopped pecans and vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ square baking pan. Set aside
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, pie spice, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, pumpkin puree, melted butter and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a flexible rubber spatula until combined (batter will be thick).
3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. For the topping, sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the batter. In a liquid measuring cup, combine boiling water, melted butter and a pinch of salt. Gently pour boiling water over the top of the cake batter (do not stir).
4. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean (don’t poke all the way to the bottom of the pan). There should be a wet, pudding like layer under the cake and possible even bubbling up around the sides. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm with chopped pecans and vanilla ice cream.

Notes:

• This cake is best served warm, the day it is made. Leftovers can be refrigerated and are best consumed within a day, reheating individual portions in the microwave as needed.

Prep: 20 mins | Bake: 20 mins | Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large gg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree, blotted dry (see notes)

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup butterscotch chips

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ square pan with foil or parchment paper and grease it. Begin by preparing the pumpkin puree (see notes).
2. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fully combined, about one full minute. Whisk in egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Stir in the chips (I reserve a few to press into the top).
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Press some additional chips on top, if desired. Bake for about 23-28 minutes, until the top is dry and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without raw batter on it, moist crumbs are okay. Place on a rack to cool completely.

Notes:

• Pumpkin Puree: In order to get the proper consistency, and to prevent the bars from being too wet, it is important to remove some of the moisture from the pumpkin puree. Place a double layer of paper towels on a plate. Spread the pumpkin puree on the towel. Place a double layer of paper towel on top of the pumpkin and lightly press down, allowing the paper towels to soak up excess moisture. Repeat this step one more time with fresh, dry paper towels. Allow the pumpkin to sit on the towels until you need it.
• Feel fere to swap the butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips for regular chocolate chips and/ or nuts.

Prep: 15 min | Bake: 50 min | + Cooling Makes: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

S2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar, divided

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

tsp. baking powder

tsp. baking soda

tsp. salt

1 cup (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 cup cherry preserves

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix flour and 3/4 cup sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup crumb misture for topping. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt to remaining crumb mixture. Stir in sour cream, 1 egg and extract until blended.
2. Spread onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and the remaining sugar until smooth. Add the remaining egg; beat on low speed just until. blended. Pour into pan; spoon preserves over top. Sprinkle with th ereserved crumb mixture and almonds.
3. Bake 50-60 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Serve warm or cold.

Total: 10 mins | Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

5 medium oranges or 10 clementines

1/2 cup pomegranate arills

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp orange flower water or orange juice

Instructions:

1. Cut a thin slice from the top and bottom of each orange; stand orange upright on cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut off peel and outer membrane from oranges. Cut crosswise into 1/2″ slices.
2. Arrange orange slices on a serving platter; sprinkle with pomegranate arills. In a bowl, mix honey and orange flower water; drizzle over fruit.

Prep: 10 mins | Bake: 55 mins + chilling | Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup eggnog

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp gorund cinnamon

dash salt

2 1/2 cups flaked coconut, divided

1 extra-servings graham cracker crust (9 oz.) *

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, baet the first seven ingredients until blended; stir in coconut. Pour into crust; sprinkle with nuts and remaining coconut. Bake on a lower oven rack 10 mins.
2. Reduce oven setting to 325°F. Cover top loosely with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes longer or until filling has set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

To prepare a homemade Graham Cracker crust:

Mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar; stir in 1/3 cup melted butter. Press onto bottom and up sides of a greased 9″ pie plate. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Prep: 30 mins | Bake: 45 mins + chilling | Makes: 16 servings

Ingredients:

8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake layer:

2 pkg. (8oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup 2% milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9″-square baking pan with foil, letting ends extend uip and over sides; grease foil.
2. Reserve 1.4 cup crumbled bacon for top. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and bakings soda; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and remaining bacon. Press half of the dough onto bottom of the pan.
3. In a bowl, beatm cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and milk, beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over dough; drop remaining dough by tablespoonfuls over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.
4. Bake 45-50 mins or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before cutting. Lifting with foil, remove from pan. Cut into bars.