Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars by Heather (from Jess's LSU vs. FL game)

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2 cans (8 oz each) crescent dinner rolls

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 Heat oven to 350°F.
2 Unroll 1 can dough. Place in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Stretch to cover bottom of dish, firmly pressing perforations to seal.
3 In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Spread over dough in baking dish.
4 Unroll second can of dough. Carefully place on top of cream cheese layer. Pinch seams together.
5 Pour melted butter evenly over top. Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter.
6 Bake about 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate for easy cutting. Cover and refrigerate any remaining bars.

Aunt Jane's Bread Pudding

½ stick softened butter (not melted) to grease pan

1 quart hot milk (heat in microwave or on stove)

4 lg. eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons flour

½ c light corn syrup

½ tablespoon vanilla

½ loaf stale French bread, cut into 1 inch squares (do not use sliced bread.  Trust me)

½ cup raisins

½ cup crushed pineapples

½ cup whipping cream

½ cup sugar

½ stick butter

Preheat oven to 357*.  Spread ½ stick softened butter in a 9x13 pan (coat sides and bottom)

Mix eggs, sugar, flour, syrup, and vanilla.

Add hot milk.

Stir in raisins and pineapple.

Add bread and let soak 20 minutes.

Pour into pan and bake for 25 minutes.

 Remove and cool for 10 minutes. 

Turn oven to 425* while it is cooling.

Pour whipping cream over the top of the pudding. 

Sprinkle on the ½ cup of sugar.

Top with small pats of the butter all over the top of the pudding.

Return to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, but not more then 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Lemon Bars by Bakerella

I found this recipe on Bakerella and LOVE it.
We've made it several times and never have any leftovers :)

Thanks Bakerella!!!

Lemon Bars

Crust:
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar (plus more for dusting)

Topping:
1 1/2 cup plain sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan

To make crust:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and confectioner’s sugar
• Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.
• Press mixture into bottom of pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make topping:

• While crust is baking, prepare topping.
• In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.
• Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon juice.
• Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• When cool, dust with confectioner’s sugar and refrigerate.
• Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!

Blue Cotton Granola Bars

I really can't wait to buy some oatmeal (and chocolate chips!) to try these out.

Mini Cheesecakes

Next thing to try...maybe for the upcoming MNI on Saturday. Love the TomKat Studio and this recipe and picture came right off her post and onto mine...cause remember, this recipe blog is more just for me then you :)


Mini Cheesecakes
12 Vanilla Wafers
1 tsp Vanilla
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Line muffin tin with foil liners.
Place one vanilla wafer in each liner.
Mix cream cheese, vanilla & sugar on medium speed until well blended.
Add eggs. Mix well.
Pour over wafers, filling 3/4 full.
Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Remove from pan when cool. Chill.
Top with fruit, preserves, nuts or chocolate.
Be creative! (the recipe actually said this)

Candy Cane Swirl Cheesecake...or what will be entering my belly on 12/25

UPDATED:

We has this for Christmas. It was really good. I used choc. instead of peppermint b/c I am not a peppermint fan...that meant it just tasted like a choc. swirl cheesecake. If I make it again (the cheesecake had a good flavor and was easy to make) I will use a caramel kiss or something.

Found this recipe today and I can't wait to try it.
However, I will substitute the candy cane kisses with either cherry ones, chocolate ones, or caramel ones...

Candy Cane Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients for Cookie Crumb Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 cookies) – This is a great place to get kids involved. Put the cookies into a large zip top bag and let the whack it or smoosh it or roll over it with a rolling pin. They’ll love it.
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Ingredients for Candy Swirl Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 42 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses (that’s a whole 8 ounce bag, give or take a couple of Kisses)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Sweetened whipped cream

Instructions for Cookie Crumb Crust:

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Stir together cookie crumbs and sugar. Blend in melted butter.
3. Press crust mixture into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
4. Bake 8 minutes; cool.

Instructions for Candy Swirl Cheesecake:

1. It’s important that you don’t overbeat the cheesecake batter. If you do, it will raise too much in the oven and then become totally hideous when it falls. It will still taste good, certainly, but it will be much less impressive to serve.
2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating each before adding another.
3. Set aside 1/4 cup butter; pour remaining batter into crust.
4. Unwrap Kisses. Place 30 candies and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power for one minute, stir. If necessary, microwave in 15 second increments at 50% power until candies are melted and mixture is well blended when stirred.
5. Gradually blend reserved cheesecake batter with melted candies. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls on top of plain cheesecake batter in crust. Gently swirl with knife for a marbled effect.
6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until center is almost set. Remove from oven to wire rack. Separate pan from edges using a scraper or knife, but allow cheesecake to rest in pan until completely cool.
7. When cheesecake is cool, remove sides of pan. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
8. Garnish with whipped cream and remaining Kisses.
9. Refrigerate leftovers.

Kelly's Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese - at room temp.
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas, sliced
2 packages Chessman cookies (Pepperidge Farm)

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl mix together pudding mix and cold milk for 2 min. Fold in 1/4 of the whipped topping. Mix the pudding into the cream cheese mix until combined.

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with the cookies. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over cookies. Spread with pudding mixture. Put another layer of cookies on top and then top with remaining whipped topping. Chill. For a good banana flavor it's best to make at least a few hours in advance so the flavor can blend!

Chocolate Chip/Peanut Butter Cookies (from K.J.)

This recipe is great. They are fast to make, no planning is needed (you can throw frozen butter in and melt it in the microwave!), and delicious.

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup melted butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 bag of chocolate chips (or a little less, but not a little more)

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl that is big enough to hold all the ingredients (no need for extra dishes)
Add sugars and stir by hand. I don't know why, but the recipe from Kasey says a mixer will make the cookies not come out right. I liked her cookies...I was not playing around with the recipe.
Add eggs through soda, stir well to blend in peanut butter.
Add flour, stir well. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonfuls (I love my cookie scoop from Pampered Chef) onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Cake and Frosting Recipes

Janell shared her cake site with me.
Here is her cake and frosting recipes.
Thanks!

"Pink Stuff"

Hi Jessica, The PINK STUFF is a recipe I got when I lived in Missouri. One of the ladies I worked with made it for Christmas and I fell in love with the stuff. Her name was Ina, so I named it Ina's Pink Stuff. It takes:
1 can Cherry Pie filling (I buy the cheapest one) Chop the cherries
1 Can Condensed Milk
1 Large can crushed Pineapple (drain juice you don't use the juice.)
1 Small container Cool Whip
1 cup crushed or finely chopped pecans
Put cherry pie mix and condensed milk in a bowl. Stir together well. Added crushed pineapple and cool whip. Mix well. Add pecans and again....mix well. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve.
love, Aunt Jeanie

Root Beer Cookies

I have not made these, but I want to try them.

Recipe for Root Beer Cookies:
Makes about 4 dozen

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. root beer extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup water (optional–only use if dough is too dry)
• Root Beer frosting (recipe below)

Cream butter and dark brown sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the root beer extract. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add a little at a time to the creamed mixture. The dough should be slightly sticky, like this:

Chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease several baking sheets, or line them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Roll into small balls (about 1″ diameter). I like to use a mini-ice cream scoop so that the cookies end up evenly sized.

Place them on the pan, leaving a bit of space between the cookies. Gently press the tops of the dough. (If you leave out the water, sometimes the cookies don’t spread very much.) Bake for 6-8 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through.

Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting Recipe:

• 1 cup butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. root beer extract
• a few tablespoons hot water

Beat butter on high with an electric mixer until it is fluffy. Add a little powdered sugar and the root beer extract. Beat until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar alternately with a little hot water until a nice spreading consistency has been reached.

Frost the cooled cookies and let stand for a few minutes to let the frosting set up. (It should dry a bit on the top.) You can leave out the root beer extract and you’ll have a tasty, soft brown sugar cookie. I have substituted maple extract, added pecans, and even made chocolate chip cookies out of this recipe. It’s a keeper.

Sticky Popcorn

Colina M. brought this over as a treat at the playdate today. It was so yummy.

Cinnamon-Spice Berry Popcorn
Yield: 6 Cups
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons light Corn Syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons light margarine
1/2 cup Craisins
6 cups air popped popcorn

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, spices and margarine in Microwave safe container; cook on high heat for 2 1/2 minutes or until bubbily hot.
Add Craisins to popcorn; toss with hot sugar mixture until well coated. Cool mixture before serving or store in airtight container.


I sometimes use less spice because if you use the amount in the recipe it can be a little strong.

Colina

Cupcake Pops

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/back-to-the-sweets-bakerellas-signature-cupcake-pops/


I cannot wait to try these out. Just another reason having a girl around the house would be nice. I might try to form them to look like Easter eggs and bring them to the MOM Easter egg hunt.

Grandma Maxine's Peach Cobbler

Melt a stick of butter in an oblong baking dish. Dump in a large can of peaches. Mix together 1 cup of plain flour and 1 cup of sugar (stir these together so they won't lump) add 1 teaspoon or so of baking powder and about a teaspoon of salt and vanilla....about a capful or so...more or less depending on the strength. Stir in a cup or so of milk....stir until smooth....it will look like pancake batter. Pour over peaches. Bake in a 350 to 375 degree oven about 30 or 35 minutes....until it is as brown on top as you want it. Enjoy.