Holiday Desserts 2013

This holiday I decided not to bake Christmas cookies but I eventually caved on my sweet-tooth craving and made two cheesecakes.

Philadelphia Dark Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake (from Kraft Foods)

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 TB sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
32 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
8 oz Cool Whip Whipped Topping (DO NOT Thaw)
6 oz bittersweet chocolate (semi-sweet 60% chocolate)
1 cup fresh raspberries

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix graham cracker crumbs, 3 TB sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Edge may become slightly browned. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake at least 4 hours.
Microwave Cool Whip and chocolate in a microwavable bowl on high for 2+ minutes (checking and stirring after 1 minute) or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Cool 15 minutes or until mixture thickens and slowly pour over cheesecake pushing chocolate mixture to edges and allow it to partially run down the sides on the cheesecake.
Garnish with fresh raspberries.


Decadent Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake ((Elaine Edstrom's BH&G prize winning recipe Feb. 2010)

18 chocolate graham crackers, finely crushed (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 TB sugar
16 oz cream cheese, softened (2 - 8oz pkgs, separated)
12-14 oz creamy peanut butter (1 cup) (the good kind)
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 TB milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup peanuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine crackers, melted butter and 2 Tbsp sugar. Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan, set aside.
Beat one package of cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Add peanut butter and 1/4 cup sugar beating until smooth. Fold in 1 lightly beaten egg; set aside.
In saucepan, stir chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth, remove from heat. Cube remaining cream cheese and add to chocolate, stirring to combine. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 2 slightly beaten eggs. Spread half of chocolate mixture into prepared pan. Layer peanut butter mixture over chocolate layer and top with remaining chocolate mixture, spreading each layer to the edges.
Make 45 minutes or until top is set when slightly shaken. Outer edges will be slightly puffed and dry-looking; center will look darker and wet. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack. Use a sharp knife to loosen crust from the sides of the pan, cool another 30 minutes then remove springform rim. Cool completely on rack then cover and chill at least 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with optional peanuts. Makes 16 servings.

Salmon-Potato Cakes (from Better Homes and Gardens Feb 2008)

14 oz fresh-skinless salmon fillets
2 cups refrigerated sour cream and chive mashed potatoes
1/2 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. snipped fresh dill
nonstick cooking spray
5 oz. mixed salad greens
1/2 cup bottles Honey-Dijon salad dressing

Place salmon in a 2-qt square microwave-safe baking dish; cover but vented. Microwave on high for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Break into pieces in a bowl and add mashed potatoes, bread crumbs and dill. Form salmon mixture into 8 3-1/2 inch patties. Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook cakes over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until heated through and browned. Place salad greens on plates. Top with two salmon-potato cake patties each; serve with salad dressing. Serves 4.

503 cal, 31 g fat (7 g sat. fat), 74 mg chol, 851 mg sodium, 31 g carbo, 2 g fiber, 25 g pro, 17% vit. A, 14% vit. C, 9% calcium, 9% iron.

Banana - Chocolate Tea Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TB cocoa
1 tp baking soda
1 tp salt
1/2 tp ground cinnamon
1 tp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, cocoa, soda, salt and cinnamon. Sift together. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture, blending well. Add vanilla. Stir in banana, sour cream, walnuts and chocolate morsels.

Spoon batter into 2 greased & floured loaf/bread pans. Bake @ 350 for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and remove from pans to finish cooling.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
4 tsp Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine mayonnaise with cheese and lather on top of chicken breasts. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake (uncovered) for 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

If using thin chicken cutlets, reduce baking time to 10 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter

Another recipe I found on Pintrest.

1 stick unsalted butter (let sit at room temperature to soften)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Whip until light and fluffy. Store in the refrigerator. Yummy!

Baked Oatmeal

I saw this pin Megan Dietz posted on Pintrest who found a recipe on Urban Nester for gluten free baked oatmeal that was altered from a post on Inspired Taste (I hope I gave credit to everyone). What a wonderful make ahead breakfast dish! I adjusted it to what I had in the house.

2 cups oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries

Mix this all together and spread evenly in a 9 X 13 "brownie" pan that has been well sprayed with cooking oil. Top with two sliced bananas.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk the following ingredients and pour over the dry mixture in the pan (gently jiggle it to spread out the liquid mixture):
2 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bake for 35-40 minutes and eat warm. Wonderful!

Chocolate Frosting

Running with Spatulas has a great chocolate frosting recipe.


Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing:
Ingredients:

• 5 eggs whites
• 1 cup + 2 tbsps of granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups butter at room temperature (chopped into tbsp sized cubes)
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled)

Directions:

1. Put egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and heat on the stove over medium heat.
3. Put mixing bowl with egg whites and sugar over the sauce pan water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. (it will feel smooth between your fingers)
4. Remove from heat and pour into the mixer bowl (or leave in same bowl if using a handheld mixer)
5. Mix on low with the whisk attachment until frothy.
6. Slowly increase speed until soft peaks form.
7. Reduce speed and slowly add one piece of butter at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding another.
8. Once half of the butter is added you can increase mixing speed and toss the rest in.
9. Increase speed and mix on high for 5 mins.
10. Add in the vanilla.
11. Stop mixing and using a spatula slowly fold in the melted chocolate chips until combined.
12. Then change to the paddle attachment and mix slowly to remove air bubbles and until icing reaches desired consistency.
13. If your icing it too soft, toss it in the fridge, but keep in mind that it will behave like butter, so don’t leave it too long or you will end up with hard icing.
14. Toss in a piping bag and pipe!