Cheesecake? Yes, please.

If you're anything like me, you find yourself making a LOT of treats in December. I'm always looking for new recipes to try and hoping to find some new favorites.  Last month I was in charge of the faculty birthday treats from the PTA at my kids' elementary school, and I decided it was the perfect chance to try out some new ones.  So I pulled out my Bake Sale Cookbook (my favorite cookbook ever) and started searching for mouthwatering treats.  Cheesecake bars sounded like they'd be a hit, and they were.  When I went back to the school later that day to clean up, there wasn't even a crumb left on the platter!

They look scrumptious, right?  If you're looking for some fabulous cheesecake bars for your December treats, I highly recommend this one.  Enjoy!

Cherry Cheese Bars
Base:
1 c walnut pieces, divided
1-1/4 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 butter
1/2 c coconut

Filling:
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling*

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 13x9x2-inch pan.  Chop 1/2 c nuts coarsely.  Reserve for topping.  Chop remaining 1/2 c nuts finely.  For base, combine flour and brown sugar in medium bowl.  Cut in 1/2 c butter until fine crumbs form.  Add 1/2 c finely chopped nuts and coconut.  Mix well.  Reserve 1/2 c crumbs for topping.  Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan.  Bake at 50 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Do not over bake.  For filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in small bowl.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.  Spread over hot baked base.  Return to oven.  Bake 15 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Spread cherry* pie filling over cheese layer.  Combine reserved coarsely chopped nuts and reserved crumbs.  Sprinkle over pie filling.  Return to oven.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Do not over bake.  Cool in pan on cooling rack.  Refrigerate several hours.  Cut into 2-1/2 inch bars.  Makes 3 dozen.

*You can substitute another flavor pie filling for the cherry pie filling.  I didn't want big chunks of cherries, so I used a stick blender to puree the pie filling first.

Christmas Treats

Our Christmas plates this year looked something like this - a few old favorites and a few new things I tried.  I had a definite favorite, but everything turned out delicious.  I was going to dip pretzel rods in caramel and milk chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate, but I ended up buying chocolate covered pretzels and drizzling them with white chocolate instead.  The peanut butter cookie recipe is here.  Here's the rest of the yummy goodness.

Holly's Scrumdiddilyumpscious Pumpkin Bars

Cake:

2 c flour

1-1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 c sifted powdered sugar

Sift together dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients and beat together.  Add dry to wet and beat until combined.  Spread butter in an ungreased 15 x 10 inch baking pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.  For the frosting, mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Spread over cake and enjoy.  I like to use a double batch of frosting (use a whole 8 oz package of cream cheese).  You can also make this in a 9 x 13 for more of a cake dessert instead of bars with a single batch of frosting.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
1 (14 oz) pkg flaked coconut (5-1/3 c)
2/3 c sugar
6 Tb flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
1 pkg (8 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in large bowl.  Stir in egg whites and almond extract until well blended.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased and floured cookie sheets.  Bake 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown.  Immediately remove from cookie sheets to wire racks and cool completely.  Dip cookies halfway into melted chocolate.  Let stand at room temperature or refrigerate on wax paper-lined tray 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  Store in tightly covered container up to one week.

German Chocolate Bars

2/3 c butter, softened

1 pkg German chocolate cake mix

1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tub coconut pecan ready-to-spread frosting

1/4 c milk

In a medium bowl, cut butter into cake mix.  Press half of the mixture (about 2-1/2 cups) in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 pan.  Bake 10 minutes at 350.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer.  Drop frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips.  Stir milk into the remaining cake mixture and drop teaspoonfuls of this batter on top of the frosting.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until cake portions of the surface are slightly dry to the touch.  Cool completely.  Cut into squares.  Cover and refrigerate.

Toffee-Top Cheesecake Bars - my favorite - SO SO SO good

1-1/4 c flour

1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 c butter
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c (8 oz pkg) English toffee bits, divided

Combine flour, powdered sugar, cocoa and baking soda; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Press firmly on bottom of ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  Bake 15 minutes.  In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add milk, eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Stir in 1 c English toffee bits.  Pour mixture over hot crust.  Bake 25 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown.  Remove from oven.  Cool 15 mimnutes.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c English toffee bits evenly over top.  Cool completely. Refrigerate several hours or until cold.  Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter cookies, and I have this great recipe I love. I love them plain, but there's no better food combination than peanut butter and chocolate, so we like to dress them up a little, too. Here are two of our favorites that we like to make for FHE. I love getting the kids involved in the kitchen. They love making these and of course eating them, too!

Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/4 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

You know how to make cookies. Cream the butter and sugars. Add the egg. Sometimes I add vanilla, too. Mix the dry ingredients and mix them in with the wet. I love to add chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate) to make the best chocolate chip cookies EVER. This batch makes about 2-1/2 dozen tablespoon-size cookies.



Peanut Butter Kisses
I know everyone knows how to do this, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway because it's so-o-o delicious. Unwrap kisses and press them into the cookies when they come out of the oven. Don't put them on the cooling rack first unless you want to poke a kiss-sized hole all the way through your cookie. With all the varieties of Hershey kisses available, you can easily find a taste combination you adore.


Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

For this one you need mini muffin tins and mini peanut butter cups. Roll a ball of dough about an inch in diameter. (I use the Pampered Chef small scoop to measure the dough, and the kids roll them into balls.) Place ball in mini muffin cup and press up the sides. Repeat until you run out of dough or muffin cups. Bake at 350 for approx. 10 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, press peanut butter cup into center of cookie. Carefully remove from muffin tins and cool.

Crispy Caramel Brownie Treats

So I'm kind of cheating with this one, but here's a link to the treat we made at our sleepover last night. Six out of seven girls age 10 and under absolutely LOVED this treat. It was fun and easy to make.

Crispy Caramel Brownie Treats

1 brownie mix of choice 9x13 size

3/4 c caramel ice cream topping

3 c mini marshmallows

2 Tb butter

3-1/2 c Rice Krispies cereal

1 c semi sweet chocolate chips

2 Tb coconut oil (or heavy cream)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. As soon as they are done baking, remove from oven and drizzle with caramel ice cream topping. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt marshmallows and butter until puffed up. Stir in cereal until well combined. Quickly place over brownie and gently spread over top. Place chocolate chips into a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour and drizzle over top of brownies. Let cool, then cut into squares. Try not to eat the whole pan in one sitting. (I added that last part.)

We had these yummy things for our oh-so-healthy breakfast the next morning. I'm sure the mom of our sleepover friends appreciates all the sugar I feed her girls while they're here. Hey, we had carrot sticks with dinner.

Picture and recipe courtesy of Jenny Flake of Picky Palate.

Lion House Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love cookies loaded with oatmeal and nuts, but sometimes I crave a basic, no-frills chocolate chip cookie. If you're in the mood for a simple, smooth, chewy and delicious chocolate chip cookie, this is it. Don't forget the milk!

Lion House Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 cups softened butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
5 1/2 Tbs water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
3 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, water, and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add the flour, salt, and soda. Mix well. Gently fold in chocolate chips, mixing only until chips are evenly distributed. (Overmixing results in broken chips and discolored dough.) Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 5 to 6 dozen 3 1/2-inch cookies.

Notes: Be sure to pay attention to the 5-6 dozen yield. If you're making this only for your immediate family, I strongly recommend halving the recipe. These cookies are also great for making ice cream sandwiches. They stay moist for a long time and are even better cooled than warm in my opinion, so they are ideal for making ahead of time for a get-together.

Cinnamon Roll Puffs

This is a perfect FHE treat. It doesn't take long to make, it's fun for kids to do, and it's delicious! You'll need frozen roll dough, cinnamon-sugar, melted butter, and frosting if you want it. No measurements - just eyeball it. :) Start by thawing your roll dough. I usually use the Rhodes jumbo rolls which are about twice the size of their regular rolls. Roll each ball of dough into a snake - not too long and skinny, just a little longer than you want your puffs to end up. (This one is on a tea cup saucer if you want to get an idea of the size.) Roll the dough in the melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar, and finally place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. You can top with frosting or drizzle with glaze. These were drizzled with cream cheese (pink) and choclate frosting that was leftover from someone's birthday cake. And there you have it - cinnamon rolls don't get much easier than that!