Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

This post is way late, like almost 2 months late! I made this cheesecake for Thanksgiving this year! It was quite yummy!

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 box of chocolate wafers crushed

2 tablespoons of sugar

6 tablespoons of butter, melted

For the filling:

1 1/2 pounds of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pumpkin pie mix

4 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 cup milk chocolate baking chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap bottom and sides of spring form pan with cooking spray.
2. To make the curst, mix together cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. Press over bottom and partially up side  of spring form pan. Refrigerate while making filling.
3. For the filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugars, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice until well combined. Beat in pie mix and eggs. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup batter.
4. Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds, stir and microwave another 15 seconds. Stir again and mix into reserved batter, microwave an additional 15 seconds.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Dollop tablespoons of the chocolate mixture  over top of cheesecake, swirl with a small knife or spatula. Place in roasting pan, adding enough hot water to come halfway up side of foil.
6. Bake at 350 for 70 to 80 minutes, until just set. Run a knife along the edge of pan. Cool on rack.  Cover, refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Cookie Sandwiches

These cookies are yummy! Sugary, sweet and everything else! This reminds me of a cookie you can get at the mall, at the cookie stand.  I never really was into these cookies, until I saw my sister-in-law have one and then I tried one and fell in love. All that yummy icing in the middle, how can you not resist? I mean, they aren’t so hip friendly, but hey’s it’s a special treat! With Halloween approaching I wanted to make a fun Halloween cookie, so I decided to make these Pumpkin Cookie Sandwiches, Kiley loved them! Don’t mind the pumpkin not looking like a pumpkin, my one year old helped me make them!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tub(16 ounces) of refrigerated cookie dough

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1 jar(7 ounce) of marshmallow fluff

Orange Icing(very easy to make, orange food coloring and vanilla icing)

Green sprinkles

Directions:

1. Mix together cocoa powder and cookie dough . Mix till it’s well blended. Shape into an 8 inch log and wrap in saran wrap, refrigerate over night or for 4 hours.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut dough into /2 inch pieces, you should have 14 slices of cookie. Places 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet, bake for 8-0 minutes or until down. Remove to cool.
3. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth, add marshmallow fluff.  Using a tablespoon place icing onto cookie and make a sandwich.
4. Place vanilla icing and orange food color in  bag and mash together till it’s orange, cut a small corner of the bag and draw a pumpkin on the cookie! Sprinkle some green sprinkles on top of the orange to make the stem.  Keep refrigerated because of cream cheese.

Enjoy!

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Chicken Mole

Two things. I love Mexican food and I love chocolate. Who would think to mix them together and make an awesome dish?  Well someone did! This dish has a spicy yet very light spicy taste to it.  It’s the perfect change to enchildia’s.I served this with a side of white rice and some tortillas! Perfect to wrap together!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder

1/4 tablespoon of cinnamon

1/4 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon of black pepper

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 cup of chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1 slice of bread, cut into small pieces

2 boneless chicken breast, cubed

Directions:

1. In a pan over medium high heat, combine the oil, garlic, cocoa powder, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, salt and bread and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and return to a simmer.
3. Cover the pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Womans Day,  from Rick Bayless.

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Barefoot Bloggers:Outrageous Brownies

The title of these brownies don’t lie. They are OUTRAGEOUS. There is about a pound of butter, 3 pounds of chocolate in them, wow. You gotta really LOVE chocolate to enjoy these!  We don’t like walnuts so I substituted peanut butter chips for the walnuts. You can find Ina’s recipe here.

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Chocolate Brownie Peanut Butter Yum-O Bars

My husband has been super fantastic through my gall bladder surgery. I really was looking forward to making a yummy dessert for Easter weekend, but since I had surgery Thursday, there was no way I was going to be able too.  My wonderful husband is so proud of this dessert! It’s the first “complicated* dessert he’s ever made  and he did an outstanding job! The peanut butter mousse that goes in between the layers of chocolate is so rich, it’s so tasty!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 box(18.2 ounces) brownie mix

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup of confectioners sugar

3 tablespoons of milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line pan with foil. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Mix in melted butter. Press crumb mixture into prepared pan. Bake until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake like brownies(add 1/4 cup of water, 1/3 cup of oil and 3 eggs). Pour batter into crust lined pan, return to oven; bake until brownie is just set and toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
3. With electric mixer in medium bowl beat cream cheese until smooth. Add peanut butter and confectioners sugar, beat until just blended(it will look lumpy). Add milk; beat lightly to loosen mixture. In separate bowl, whip 1 cup of the cream and gently fold into peanut butter mixture. Spread mousse evenly over cooled brownie. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Heat remaining 1/2 cup cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just boiling. Remove from heat; add corn syrup and chocolate chips. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour glaze over chilled mousse and spread to cover completely.  Refrigerate 1 hour.
5. Run a small knife around inside of pan and lift out brownie.  Heat knife under hot running water and trim edges. Slice brownies, rinsing knife after each cut, into 5 strips about 1 1/2 inches wide. Cut each strip into 5 pieces about 1 1/2 inch squares.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Mousse Pie

When I was younger I believe about 4 years old, I was home alone with my father. He decided to give me some chocolate mousse and for some reason I had a horrible allergic reaction to it.  I out grew that allergy as I got older, but for some reason, I still never “melted” for chocolate.  Do I like chocolate now?  To be quite honest, not really.  Yes, you may think I’m crazy, but I never crave for chocolate. I’m a peanut butter girl! My husband on the other hand LOVES his chocolate as does his family.  He would do anything for chocolate, just about! My mother in law makes this great chocolate mousse, so I wanted to share the recipe with you chocolate lovers!

Ingredients:

1 1/2  packages  Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (to yield 3 cups crumbs)
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
4 eggs, separated

Directions:

1. Lightly oil the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Make the cookies into crumbs in a food processor or blender. Mix with the melted butter and press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill for a few minutes.

2. Melt the chocolate. Meanwhile whip 2 cups of the cream with ½ cup powdered sugar. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and add the  two whole eggs and four yolks. Mix well. Fold in the whipped cream.

3. Beat the egg whites and fold them into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the chilled crust. Chill overnight or at least 6 hours.

4. Whip the remaining cream and sugar and spread about half the whipped cream on top of the pie.

Enjoy!

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