Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars

Cheesecake recipes always grab my attention, but this recipe combines two favorites, cheesecake and sugar cookies.  Love the concept!  I have not made them yet, but once The Captain sees this recipe, it will be the next dessert on the list.

Makes 16 (2") Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 favorite sugar cookie recipe, or 1 (17.5 oz) pkg sugar cookie mix in a pouch by Betty Crocker
• 1 small box (4 serving size) french vanilla instant pudding
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
• 1 stick melted butter = 1/2 cup
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs + plus 3 yolks
• 2 pkg (8oz) cream cheese @ room temperature
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c white granulated sugar
• 2/3 c optional: toffee bits, (pulverized in a blender or food processor)

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Spray 9 X 13 baking pan with cooking spray

In medium bowl mix cookie mix, pudding mix, brown sugar and melted butter together.

Add 1 Tsp vanilla and 1 egg, blend with a spoon.

When dough begins to come together, use your hands to knead the dough then form into a ball.

Press dough into your baking dish, and slightly up the sides

In another large bowl, using your mixer, beat at room temperature . . .  cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and the remaining egg and 3 yolks, add 2 tsp vanilla 

Beat until smooth and creamy.

Spread this cream cheese mixture over top of the cookie dough in your pan.

BAKE 25-30 minutes until center is set.

While bars are baking . . . pulverize the toffee bits in blender
Sprinkle immediately over dish as removed from the oven and still hot.

Let cool . . . 30-45 minutes

Cover then place in refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight.

Cut into 2-3 inch bars to serve.

Keep refrigerated.


Source: http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/cheesecake-sugar-cookie-bars-by-freda.html

Crispy Potato Latkes

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• Latkes—fried, onion-laced shredded potato patties . . . they are a Hanukkah tradition for Layla Schlack.  She tells the story of her tradition along with lots of tips and techniques, including photos of the process . . . click on the link for "How to Make Latkes."

I love these type of potato patties, but have not found a recipe that I really like. Layla's recipe is the real deal and I will be trying it soon.  Seems like her trick of using the potato starch instead of flour or matza meal is the secret to crispy deliciousness.

If you are interested in making these latkes, you will want to read the article.

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• Crispy Latkes 
• by Layla Schlack from Fine Cooking 
  Issue 126

• To learn more, read:
  How to Make Latkes
• 
  

Serves 4 as a side dish

Yields 8 latkes

• 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 large egg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
• Sour cream for serving
• Applesauce for serving

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 200°F. Put a paper-towel-lined rimmed baking sheet on the rack.

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the potatoes into the water, or grate onto a cutting board and then immediately put them in the water.

Line a colander with cheesecloth and set it in the sink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the colander; reserve the bowl of water. Gather the cheesecloth into a bundle and squeeze firmly until the potatoes stop giving off liquid.

Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl and using your hands, mix in the onion, egg, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Carefully pour off the reserved potato soaking water to get to the white gluey starch on the bottom of the bowl. Transfer the starch to the potato mixture and mix it in with your hands.

Add enough oil to a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, to measure 1/8 inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a potato strand dropped in it sizzles vigorously.

Scoop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture onto a slotted metal spatula and use the bottom of the measuring cup to press it until it’s about 1/4 inch thick, letting any excess liquid fall into a small bowl. Don’t worry if the latke is not perfectly round. Slide it into the oil. Make 1 or 2 more latkes for the first batch and fry, flipping once, until they’re golden-brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, stirring it between batches. Serve immediately or cool and freeze for up to 1 week and reheat in a single layer, uncovered, in a 300°F oven.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 180; Fat (g): 8; Fat Calories (kcal): 70; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 4; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Carbohydrates (g): 23; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Sodium (mg): 300; Cholesterol (mg): 45; Fiber (g): 2;

PHOTO: SCOTT PHILLIPS

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

There is something about cream cheese that automatically

wants me to try a new recipe.  When I found this recipe on

Pinterest, it was calling my name!

You can never go wrong with a recipe that comes from

America's Test Kitchen.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
From Cooks' Illustrated

via Joyful Baker

Makes one 10-inch cake, serving 12 to 16

Lemon Sugar-Almond Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Cake
2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/8 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, 
  softened but still cool
1 cup plus 7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated zest plus 4 teaspoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
4 large eggs
5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened


FOR THE TOPPING: 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined and sugar is moistened. Stir in almonds; set aside.


FOR THE CAKE: 

Spray 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon zest at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula. 

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, about 20 seconds, and scraping down beater and sides of bowl as necessary. Add 4 teaspoons vanilla and mix to combine. 

Reduce speed to low and add one-third flour mixture, followed by half of sour cream, mixing until incorporated after each addition, 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat, using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining sour cream. Scrape bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds. 

Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour.

Reserve 1¼ cups batter and set aside. Spoon remaining batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Return now-empty bowl to mixer and beat cream cheese, remaining 5 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, and remaining teaspoon vanilla on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup reserved batter and mix until incorporated. 

Spoon cheese filling mixture evenly over batter, keeping filling about 1 inch from edges of pan; smooth top. 

Spread remaining cup reserved batter over filling and smooth top. With butter knife or offset spatula, gently swirl filling into batter using figure-8 motion, being careful to not drag filling to bottom or edges of pan. Firmly tap pan on counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any bubbles. Sprinkle lemon sugar-almond topping evenly over batter and gently press into batter to adhere.

Bake until top is golden and just firm, and long skewer inserted into cake comes out clean (skewer will be wet if inserted into cheese filling), 45 to 50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and firmly tap on counter 2 or 3 times (top of cake may sink slightly). 

Cool cake in pan on wire rack 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto rimmed baking sheet (cake will be topping-side down); remove tube pan, place wire rack on top of cake, and invert cake sugar-side up. Cool to room temperature, about 1½ hours. Cut into slices and serve.

Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly with plastic wrap. For optimal texture, allow the cake to return to room temperature before serving.

German Chocolate Pecan Pie

What a way to make a good thing better!

We will be making this pie for the holidays :)

ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 4 ounce stick plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 stick chilled and cut into small pieces

1/4 cup ice water

2 large eggs

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) pecan halves, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup sweetened flake coconut

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

directions
In a food processor, pulse the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the chilled butter pieces and pulse until coarse crumbs form, about 5 seconds. Drizzle in the ice water and pulse just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap; flatten to form a disk. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch round; transfer to a pie pan. Cut the excess dough to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Using your fingers, roll the dough edge under and crimp. Prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork; refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line the shell with foil and pie weights or dried beans; bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining 5 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt with the brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until melted and smooth. Whisk the sugar mixture into the beaten eggs. Stir in the nuts and coconut.

Spread the chocolate chips in the pie shell. Pour in the filling and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let the pie cool completely before slicing.

Tip

Keep a baking sheet in the freezer when you're rolling out dough. If the dough gets too soft to handle, just place the frozen baking sheet on top to firm it up again. 

When cooking sugar, use a heavy saucepan to prevent burning. 

To avoid messy oven spills, bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet. 

Sprinkle chocolate chips on the bottom of the crust to create a gooey pie layer.

Source:  Rachael Ray Magazine