Friday, January 16, 2009
Thanksgiving alternative!
Mini Pumpkins Pie Cheesecakes
Makes about 18 (or more)
These are great for Fall-related festivities or at Thanksgiving. I made them at Thanksgiving and they were a total hit!
Ingredients:
2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar OR 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, whichever you prefer
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-15 ounce can of pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
18 ginger snap cookies (I use the Murray Old Fashioned ones that come in the 1 pound brown bag)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a muffin/cupcake pan. I would suggest even using two liners per cup. Place a ginger snap cookie flat side down into each well.
Beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in pumpkin pie spice and canned pumpkin. Mix until blended.
Spoon the pumpkin mixture over the cookies, filling each well about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow the cheesecakes to cool completely before trying to remove them from the pan. Serve with whipped cream on top if you want, but they taste just fine without it!
Makes about 18 (or more)
These are great for Fall-related festivities or at Thanksgiving. I made them at Thanksgiving and they were a total hit!
Ingredients:
2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar OR 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, whichever you prefer
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-15 ounce can of pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
18 ginger snap cookies (I use the Murray Old Fashioned ones that come in the 1 pound brown bag)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a muffin/cupcake pan. I would suggest even using two liners per cup. Place a ginger snap cookie flat side down into each well.
Beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in pumpkin pie spice and canned pumpkin. Mix until blended.
Spoon the pumpkin mixture over the cookies, filling each well about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow the cheesecakes to cool completely before trying to remove them from the pan. Serve with whipped cream on top if you want, but they taste just fine without it!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Brinner time!
Breakfast for dinner
Makes 4 servings
You know, some days you just feel like having breakfast for dinner and that's OK. Instead of hoppin' on over to an IHOP, why not make an easy dinner with some pre-made materials. If you've got access to a microwave, oven, and a stovetop, get ready for brinner!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Bake the biscuits per the directions on the back. While the biscuits are baking, beat your eggs in a bowl, add water or milk, and salt and pepper to taste. In a hot skillet, carefully add the olive oil, then the eggs. Make scrambled eggs as usual. If you don't know how to make scrambled eggs, I suggest you learn, unless of course you're a vegan or vegetarian and don't eat eggs. :)
Basically, to make scrambled eggs, you want to pour your eggs into your skillet so it covers the bottom. While the eggs cook, scrap the eggs from the edge to the center, all around the pan, while tilting the skillet so the uncooked egg cooks, until you've got a nice cooked egg "pattie" in the center. Then scramble them up with your spatula.
If you still don't understand this, watch this guy:
I make mine a bit differently, but the technique's the same.
After you've cooked the eggs, place 8 pieces of bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, two or three sheets thick, and cover them with another sheet of paper towel. (This will help make the bacon crispy and wick away the fat.) Microwave for about 5-8 minutes, or until crispy. I would do this in 90 second intervals, so the bacon doesn't burn. If you want to put the bacon in the oven while the biscuits cook, by all means do so, or cook them in a pan, but the microwave is the quickest and easiest way.
When your biscuits are ready, it's time to assemble! Cut the biscuits in half, load on a bit of egg, break the bacon pieces in half, using two half pieces per biscuit. As I love brown ales, especially Newcastle, I figure breakfast and beer make a great combo, especially after a long week. Eat up!
Enjoy,
the cooking herb
Makes 4 servings
You know, some days you just feel like having breakfast for dinner and that's OK. Instead of hoppin' on over to an IHOP, why not make an easy dinner with some pre-made materials. If you've got access to a microwave, oven, and a stovetop, get ready for brinner!
Ingredients:
- 8 pre-made biscuits (I bought a bag of 20 frozen "Southern Style" biscuits)
- 8 eggs
- 1 tbsp water or milk
- a sheet of cut turkey bacon, or normal, pork bacon will do just fine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Bake the biscuits per the directions on the back. While the biscuits are baking, beat your eggs in a bowl, add water or milk, and salt and pepper to taste. In a hot skillet, carefully add the olive oil, then the eggs. Make scrambled eggs as usual. If you don't know how to make scrambled eggs, I suggest you learn, unless of course you're a vegan or vegetarian and don't eat eggs. :)
Basically, to make scrambled eggs, you want to pour your eggs into your skillet so it covers the bottom. While the eggs cook, scrap the eggs from the edge to the center, all around the pan, while tilting the skillet so the uncooked egg cooks, until you've got a nice cooked egg "pattie" in the center. Then scramble them up with your spatula.
If you still don't understand this, watch this guy:
I make mine a bit differently, but the technique's the same.
After you've cooked the eggs, place 8 pieces of bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, two or three sheets thick, and cover them with another sheet of paper towel. (This will help make the bacon crispy and wick away the fat.) Microwave for about 5-8 minutes, or until crispy. I would do this in 90 second intervals, so the bacon doesn't burn. If you want to put the bacon in the oven while the biscuits cook, by all means do so, or cook them in a pan, but the microwave is the quickest and easiest way.
When your biscuits are ready, it's time to assemble! Cut the biscuits in half, load on a bit of egg, break the bacon pieces in half, using two half pieces per biscuit. As I love brown ales, especially Newcastle, I figure breakfast and beer make a great combo, especially after a long week. Eat up!
Enjoy,
the cooking herb
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