For those of you who purchased my calendar, here is the one I know you have been waiting for….the perfect cheesecake.  Enjoy!!!

Bailey's Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
2.25 ounces toasted pecan pieces
1 16 ounce package Oreo cookies
1 stick butter, melted

In a skillet over medium high heat, toast pecans until slightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Place Oreo’s in a food processor and process until finely crumbled. Add toasted pecan pieces and process for a few seconds. Combine melted butter and Oreo mixture. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9” spring form pan. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 7 minutes.

4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Bailey’s Coffee Liquor
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add Bailey’s and mix untiled blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix until smooth.

2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, melted

Pour 1/2 of the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan. Drizzle 1/2 of the melted chocolate over the cheesecake. Using a knife, swirl the chocolate over the top. Repeat with the remaining cheesecake mixture and melted chocolate.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cake cool in the oven for one hour with the door closed to prevent cracking. Refrigerate overnight…best made one or two days before serving.

Buon Appetito!!!

Bailey’s Marbled Cheesecake

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Happy Labor Day

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Labor Day is the third largest cookout events in the United States.  Tradition dictates that food cooked on a open flame is synonymous with summer holidays and as Labor Day is the last holiday of the summer, it had better be good!  If planning a backyard cookout then this is the right place. It’s important to take advantage of Labor Day celebrations to mix up some summer time drinks, pop open some Beer, light up the grill or smoker, and have a great cookout with your friends and family!

Here are some delicious recipes for your Labor Day Cookout!

The number one most popular food cooked on Labor Day is Barbecue Ribs…

Memphis Style BBQ Ribs

Labor Day is also known for the end of “hot dog season“…

Perfect Grilled Hot Dog

Perfect Grilled Hot Dog

Some of my favorite salads include Asian Slaw, and Orzo Pasta Salad, or Black Beans, Rice & Avocado Salad…

Orzo Pasta Salad with Weber® Just Add Juice® Citrus Herb Marinade

Orzo Pasta Salad with Weber® Just Add Juice® Citrus Herb Marinade

A cookout is never complete without Watermelon…

Grab and Go Watermelon

Grab and Go Watermelon

or a wonderful Blueberry Cheesecake…

Blueberry Cheesecake

Blueberry Cheesecake

And of course you will need the best Margarita…

The Best Margarita

The Best Margarita

I hope you all enjoy this Labor Day Weekend as you celebrate with your family and friends!

Boun Appetito!!!

“This is all you can eat in one day cake” or Cheesecake Layered Caramel Chocolate Cake

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Lol…you know its going to be great with a title like that…..I really am not a baker, but this one is a gem.  A little time consuming, but definitely worth it…taking the best cheesecake, the best cake, the best candy bar and mixing it all together with the best frosting….YUM!!!!  If you are in need of a new recipe for a summertime outing…make this, sure you be a winner!

Cheesecake Layers:

2 bars (2.05 oz. each) Snickers
1 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
4 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
1 package (4-serving size) vanilla pudding & pie filling (not instant)
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs

Cake Layers

1 box Super Moist dark chocolate cake mix
1 8 oz. container sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

Filling

1 jar (12 oz.) caramel topping (you can also use chocolate or butterscotch)

Frosting

1 package (4-serving size) chocolate pudding, instant
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream

  1. Heat oven to 325°F.  Grease 2 9 inch round cake pans with Mazola pan spray.  Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper; lightly spray paper with Mazola pan spray.  Chop 2 candy bards into small pieces and store in refrigerator for later use.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  Beat in cream cheese until smooth.  Scrape down bowl and beat in eggs one at a time, until well combined.  Add pudding mix, baking powder and 4 eggs; beat well until smooth.  Fold in chilled candy pieces.  Evenly divide batter between 2 pans.
  3. Bake 50-60 minutes.  Cake will puff up during baking and then deflate when removed from the oven.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove cheesecake from pans and place on a cookie sheet or individual plates.  Wrap cheesecake with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 3 hours, or overnight.
  4. Heat oven to 350°F.  Grease 3 9-inch round cake pans with Mazola pan spray.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, mix chocolate cake mix, sour cream, water, vegetable oil and eggs.  Beat with an electric mixer until well combined.  Divide cake evenly into the prepared pans.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool pans on cooling rack 10-15 minutes.  Remove cake from pan and cool completely.
  6. To assemble, place 1 cake layer on serving plate or cake stand.  Spread 1/4 cup caramel topping over top of cake layer.  Place 1 frozen cheesecake layer on top of cake layer; top with 1/4 cup of caramel topping.  Repeat with remaining layers, finally top with remaining cake layer.
  7. In a small mixing bowl add instant pudding mix, milk and heavy cream.  Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until creamy.  Top cake and sides with frosting.  Top with additional candy pieces, if desired.

Cheesecake layered Chocolate CakeYou can change a lot with this one…use other flavored cake mixes, candies, instant pudding for frosting…  “You are only limited by your imagination!”

ENJOY!

Bailey’s Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

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For bosses day (October 16) I was going to make Pete (my boss) a pumpkin cheesecake…just seems to be the season for that, well, good thing he told me he was making one over the weekend to bring to an event (he loves sweets)….so, I had to rethink my strategy. Lately he’s been talking about having a little Bailey’s once in a while after dinner….hummm, I can make a cheesecake with that…so here it is…..if you have never made a cheesecake, it really is very easy…here are a few helpful hints…place a sheet pan in the bottom of the oven and fill with about one inch of water; after cake has finished cooking, leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly open for one hour. Both of these helpful hints will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking….also if you like, whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons (or more) of Baileys for a little topping….Enjoy!

Bailey’s Marbled Cheesecake

2.25 oz. toasted pecan pieces
1 16 oz. package Oreo cookies
1 stick butter, melted

In a dry skillet over medium high heat, toast pecans until slightly golden, about 2-3 minutes. Place Oreo’s in a food processor and process until finely crumbled. Add toasted pecan pieces and process for a few seconds. Combine melted butter and Oreo mixture. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9” spring form pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 7 minutes.

4 8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup Bailey’s Coffee Liquor
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add Bailey’s and mix untiled blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix until smooth.

2 oz. semi sweet chocolate, melted

Pour 1/2 of the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan. Drizzle 1/2 of the melted chocolate over the cheesecake. Using a knife, swirl the chocolate over the top. Repeat with the remaining cheesecake mixture and melted chocolate.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cake cool in the oven for one hour with the door slightly open to prevent cracking. Refrigerate overnight…best made one or two days before serving.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bar’s

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This is one very easy and tasty treat, guaranteed to delight the entire family…made these for my spin class yesterday as a birthday surprise for one of my members…they were a bit hit….enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

COMBINE crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Remove 1 cup mixture and reserve for topping. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cupmorsels over crust.

BEAT cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour over crust and morsels in pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping and remaining morsels.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Crust:
Pan Spray
2 packages Belgian Chocolate Cinnamon Thins or 1 ½ cups wafer cookies
1 ½ cup toasted pecans
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 ½ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup canned solid pack pumpkin
9 tablespoons whipping cream, divided, 4/5
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs
Topping:
Caramel sauce – recipe follows
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Spray bottom and side of a 9 inch diameter spring form pan. Finely grind cookies, pecans and sugar in food processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press crust mixture onto bottom and up sides of spring form pan .
Using an electric mixer (or a stand mixer), beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until light. Transfer ¾ cup mixture to small bowl; cover tightly and refrigerate to use for topping. Add pumpkin, 4 tablespoons whipping cream, ground cinnamon, allspice, orange peel and vanilla to mixture in large bowl and beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Pour filling into crust. Bake until cheesecake puffs, top browns and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around cake pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Bring remaining ¾ cup cream cheese mixture to room temperature. Add remaining 5 tablespoons whipping cream to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine. Pour cream cheese mixture over cheesecake, spreading evenly. Spoon the caramel sauce in lines over the cream cheese mixture. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the caramel sauce into cream cheese mixture.
Release pan sides from cheesecake. Spoon sour cream into a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip. Pipe decorative border around cheesecake and serve.
Caramel Sauce:
1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup boiling water
Dash salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Mix sugar with flour in saucepan; blend well. Add water and salt. Stir while cooking for 6 to 8 minutes. If too thick add additional water. Remove from heat; stir in butter, cream and vanilla.