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Showing posts from December, 2013

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Cinnamon Eggnog Buttercream

During the holiday season, the house is filled with candies, cookies, cakes and more. While I am always a fan of the traditional desserts, I still like to mix things up, just a little, and create a new variation. This past week, my husband had his department Christmas party at work. When trying to decide what to make for the event, I considered brownies, cupcakes, and cookies, but I just wanted to expand my horizons a little. As I thought more about what to make, carrot cake came to mind. My husband absolutely loves spiced cakes such as carrot cake, but is not a big fan of the rich cream cheese icing. I know, I know. Many of you are rubbing your eyes right now to make sure you read that last sentence correctly but it is true. He does not care for cream cheese icing. Imagine! Anyway, as I began to think about how I could change the recipe, I decided to make a pumpkin spice cake layered with a creamy eggnog buttercream that I developed last year. The result is delicious. Even if you do

Chocolate Lover's Cheesecake

So I have this theory about cheesecake consumers. All connoisseurs of this classic dessert fall into one of two categories; either you enjoy your dessert with a cool, creamy texture  or you love your cheesecake with a dense, thick texture. I am personally of the cool, creamy texture found in my never fail recipe. However, while my husband is never one to complain about my cheesecake, his own personal preference leans to the drier, thick texture in the dessert. In honor of my husband and his cheesecake preference, this recipe was developed. Not only do you get the delicious texture of the cheesecake but you get to savor a rich cookie crust, semi-sweet chocolate chips and a decadent ganache topping. If you love this style of baked cheesecake and you love chocolate, then this is for you! FOR THE CRUST 2 Cups Crushed Oreo Crumbs 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Melted FOR THE FILLING 32 ounces Softened Cream Cheese 1 Cup Sugar 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract 4 Eggs, Room

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pieces Cookies

As you may or may not know, I am a school counselor at a high school about an hour away from my home. This weekend, I was preparing for the first annual Staff Bake Off. The money raised from this friendly competition is going towards my fund for needy children. This year alone we are sponsoring five children in need of a little Christmas cheer. While the students will never know that we purchased the gifts for them, their parents know that we are there to not only support their child's education but also make sure they have time to enjoy the magic of Christmas, no matter what their situation. Because of the wonderful people I work with, this event is definitely going to be a success. When I was thinking about what to make, I considered making a decadent cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust and a thick ganache. Now that will win it, I thought. However, the weather on Sunday was not very good and I was worried that we might end up not having school so I wanted to make something

Spiced Pumpkin Butter Spread

So a few Christmases ago, my cousin from Georgia brought my husband and me some pumpkin butter from a local boutique. I had never eaten pumpkin butter but have grown up loving apple butter, so this could not be much different. But, pumpkin??? I waited for a while before getting around to the jar but once I did, I was hooked. Pumpkin butter is a delicious, thick pumpkin puree cooked down with spices. Imagine spreading a homemade pumpkin pie on your biscuits or toast in the morning. Who wouldn't like that??? I have also used the pumpkin butter to make homemade oatmeal breakfast bars. DELICIOUS! I think one of the greatest things about this recipe is that not only does it use up the pumpkins harvested during the fall, but it also could not be easier. Additionally, this simple recipe makes more than enough to put in small jars for holiday gift giving. I hope you will give this recipe a try. You will be amazed! 10 Cups Pureed Cooked Pumpkin 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon 2 Tablesp