Cheesecake Meringue Bites

Remember how I said I was going to post a recipe a month over a year ago?? And how I failed fantastically by only posting 2 whopping recipes in that entire time?? Haha, well that shouldn't surprise you! But, you're in luck! I just so happened to take pictures of something I made today just so I could post the recipe... aren't you so glad?? And these just so happen to be an easy and great alternative to traditional cheesecake for showers, parties and whatever! So here you go.. 

Cheesecake Meringue Bites

Crust ingredients

2 cups Graham Cracker crumbs (which works out to be about 32 squares if that's what you have, but I find it cheaper to buy the already made crumbs, which let's face it, is much easier as well!)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter melted

combine cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl then spread evenly over a greased 15-in. x 10-in x 1-in baking pan (I put this in bold because the size is very important and needs to be exact!!), pour melted butter evenly to coat crumbs and mix until all moist. Press firmly into bottom of pan and about a 1/8 inch up sides. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.

Filling ingredients

3 packages cream cheese (8 oz each), softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs, separated!

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large mixing bowl until smooth. Add just the egg yolks  (keep egg whites set aside) one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined with each yolk. Beat egg whites on medium speed in a small bowl until soft peaks form then carefully fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crust and bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes or until center is almost set (check often). Cool on wire rack at least 30-45 minutes and then refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours). Cut into bite sized squares (about 1-in) place in individual baking (muffin) cups and top with whatever you desire! I have used sliced strawberries, chocolate and carmel sauces and a combination of sliced fruit (kiwi, raspberries, etc.), really the choice is up to you! I usually serve a variety of toppings and always on the side (because not everyone likes stuff on their cheesecake!)

Mmmm Scrumptious, creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

Just in time for the holidays!

I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie. I'm sure I'm one of the few that aren't. But a few years ago, I found an alternative that even I can get on board with! 

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

And lucky you, I'm sharing my recipe here! I had the opportunity to make four of these babies a couple weeks ago for my cousin's welcome home from his mission to Guatemala! Missionaries in the Mormon church are gone for 18 months (if they're girls) to 2 years (if they're boys). So Chase has been gone for awhile, and it wouldn't be his mom if she didn't give him one huge shindig of a welcome home party!

Now for the recipe :)

You will need one of these, it is a Springform pan

Ingredients for crust:

25 ginger snap cookies finely crushed (crushed with a can works best, like your can of pumpkin) will come to about 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup or 1/2 a stick of butter, melted

Combine ingredients for crust in a 9 or 10 inch springform pan (I've used anything from an 8 1/2 inch all the way up to a 10 inch, you just may have to adjust the cooking time depending on the size. More for smaller since it's thicker).

All crushed and I used the canned pumpkin to do it

I use the bottom of a glass to press

Ingredients for filling


4 pkgs (8 oz each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup of sugar divided (3/4 cup and 1/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and vanilla with a mixer until well blended (I used my Kitchen Aid this time, but this is the first time I used it since we only got it for Christmas. So a hand mixer has always worked fine for me in the past). Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until barely blended in (do not mix too much here or you will not have the right consistency!).

Seriously, I'm in love with this mixer!!

Remove 1 1/2 cups of the batter you just made, place in small bowl and set aside for later. Stir remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter. 

Here's the separated batter

And then once the pumpkin and spices are mixed in

Spoon a guesstimated half of the pumpkin batter onto your crust, top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter. Repeat layers until all batter is used.

When all finished with your layers, use a butter knife to cut through batter in cross actions to create swirl effect.

This is how it should look before you place it in the oven

Bake 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely at room temperature (about 2 hours). Refrigerate at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. Serves around 16, keep leftovers in the fridge. 

This one turned out PERFECT! This was while it was cooling, before refrigeration

Hope you enjoy, and let me know how it goes if you make it!!

                                            

Due to popular demand ;)

Well it's kinda true... I have had a few ask when I post about making delicious things if they can have my recipes. So I am granting "those few" their wish and I'm going to try and post a few of my best recipes a month. More specific, I'll try and do 2 a month, but we'll see how that goes ;)

These are going to be detailed with pictures and everything, because that's the best way to do it! But I must warn, most of my recipes are a bit complex by normal standards. Because I may not cook that often, but when I do, I do it right ;)

To start off, I want to do one that's proved to be most popular with people I've had over and of course Steve!

It's my made from scratch Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients for crust (don't be alarmed, it is super easy, and unbelievably scrumptious! But you will need a food processor):

1 cup of butter (2 sticks) cubed first and then chilled in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before starting

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp Kosher salt (it's the best for cooking!)

8-10 tablespoons of ice water added one at a time until dough is the right consistency

Directions for crust:

Put the butter, flour and salt in the food processor and pulse lightly until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water that's added. Keep adding the water until the dough barely begins to gather from the sides into larger clumps:

Then transfer to a pastry sheet or other floured surface:

Knead dough slightly (just until it all comes together although it will still be a little crumbly).

Then cut into two equal pieces and place into separate baggies. Once in the bag, knead each of the dough pieces into rounder discs and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (around 20 minutes).

Meanwhile here's the ingredients for the filling (although these may vary depending on your preferences):

1 large chicken breast or 2 smaller ones, cooked and shredded (I prefer to boil it in seasoned broth for around 25-30 minutes (or until it's all white inside) depending on the thickness, since that's the way that shreds the easiest, you can also then use the stock for your gravy)

about this much when cooked (hand shredded is the only way to do it!)

1 can of White Shoepeg Corn (Green Giant is my preference, and of course you can do frozen if you like too)

1 can of Cut Green Beans (Green Giant again, you can also do frozen here as well, it just requires more prep)

Boil together for 10 minutes

1 cup of petite baby carrots

and 2 medium red potatoes sliced into bite-sized pieces

1 can of chicken gravy or if you boiled your chicken you may add some corn-starch to the stock to thicken it up and use about 1 cup of that.

Place all of these ingredients (the cooked chicken, corn, green beans, boiled carrots and potatoes and gravy) into a medium sauce pan and slightly warm over medium low heat until ready to place in your crust.

So colorful!!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take one of your dough discs out of the refrigerator and roll out on floured pastry sheet. Make sure it's large enough to fit into a glass pie dish

Carefully lift dough off pastry sheet and place in your pie dish

 

Pour in filling

   

Take remaining dough out of the refrigerator and roll out big enough to place over the top of the pie. When placed on top, pull edges of crust together so that you can crimp the edges (just do so with your fingers), then make an egg wash (1 egg yolk and a little warm water mixed together) and brush on top with a pastry brush

You then need to vent the pie, I like to cut in an initial for someone

I wonder who "E" is for? ;)

Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown

Wait 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Should serve 6-8 and makes a wonderful Sunday family dinner meal! Serve with a nice green salad and rolls! Hope you enjoy!!

Vegetarian or Vegan? Go to my friend Marci's blog for some great meatless recipes, click here