Creamy Bacon Cheese Dip

For all of you bacon-lovers out there, here is a wonderful (and quick) recipe for a dip that is sure to be a hit at your next family gathering or party.

Creamy Bacon Cheese Dip

Ingredients
6 ounces of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon of dried mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 Tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
6 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup almonds, sliced and chopped (optional)

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

2. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving.

Note: you can add a packet of ranch seasoning to the dip to give it a slightly different taste.

Fun Fact Friday, Number 379!

The category for today’s trivial imponderable is “food.”  Do you know . . . what is sweetbread?

Hint: it is not bread. No, sweetbread refers to either the thymus or pancreas of a young animal (usually a calf, but sometimes a lamb or pig).

Source: Sorry, Wrong Answer: Trivia Questions That Even Know-It-Alls Get Wrong, by Dr. Rod L. Evans.

Bacon Brittle!

I love peanut brittle, so when I found this recipe for bacon brittle, well, it was a no brainer that I would have to give this recipe a try. And it is not too bad at all.

Bacon Brittle

Ingredients
8 ounces of bacon, cooked
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of butter
3 Tablespoons of light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Course sea salt (optional)

Directions
1. Chop the bacon into small bits, roughly 1/4″ pieces.

2. Butter a rimmed baking sheet (or line it with parchment).

3. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter, and syrup. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F (about 10-15 mintues).

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda, then the bacon bits. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a large spoon to quickly spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. (You can lightly oil the spoon to keep the brittle from sticking.) Sprinkle the brittle with sea salt, if desired.

5. Allow the brittle to cool completely, then break it into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole!

If you are looking for an idea for a quick and easy meal, look no further. This recipe is a definite crowd pleaser.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Ingredients
1 package (7.5 ounces) of Pillsbury biscuits
6 ounces of cream cheese, softened
12 ounces of chicken, cooked and shredded
1/3 cup of Frank’s hot sauce
1/4 cup of ranch dressing
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13″ x 9″ casserole pan with cooking spray.

2. Cut the biscuits into six (6) pieces each and spread them out over the bottom of your casserole dish.

3. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, ranch dressing and Frank’s sauce until combined. Slowly stir in the shredded chicken.

4. Drop the mixture by spoonfuls onto the biscuits. Be sure to cover all of the areas evenly.

5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the cheese and crumbled bacon over the top.

6. Return the casserole to the oven for 10 additional minutes to fully melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and serve.

Cheesy Pizza Rolls!

Here is a wonderful appetizer recipe that I ran across a couple of months ago. Enjoy!

Cheesy Pizza Rolls

Ingredients
1 pound of frozen pizza dough, thawed
1/2 cup of pasta sauce
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup of chopped pepperoni
1/2 pound of Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh basil (optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll your pizza dough into 16″ x 10″ rectangle and brush with the pasta sauce to within a half-inch of the edges.

2. Sprinkle the dough with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and Parmesan cheese. Roll up the dough (jelly-roll style) starting with the long side. Pinch the ends to seal. Cut into eight (8) slices and place cut-side down into a greased 9″ cast-iron skillet or round baking pan.

3. Bake for 20 minutes and then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup). Bake until golden brown (an additional 5-10 minutes). If desired, sprinkle with the chopped basil and crushed red pepper flakes.

Cheesecake of the Month — December 2023!

Here is yet another recipe that “shrieks” holiday! Christmas and cranberries are just meant to go together and this recipe features not just the cranberry, but combines cheesecake with pie to create and exceptionally delicious dessert. And, while not exactly a “cheesecake,” if does feature a “cheesecake” layer, so that counts in my book.

Cranberry Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients
For the pie dough:
1-1/4 cups of flour
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
10 Tablespoons of butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup of ice-cold water
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice

For the cranberry curd:
12 ounces of fresh or frozen cranberries
1-1/4 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup of water
2 teaspoons of orange zest
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
8 Tablespoons of butter, room temperature

For the cheesecake filling:
8 ounces of cream cheese, cold
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of orange zest
2 Tablespoons of orange juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of heavy cream, cold
2 Tablespoons of apricot jam

For the whipped cream topping:
1 cup heavy cream, cold
3 Tablespoons of sugar

Directions
For the pie dough

• Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles small peas.
• Combine the ice-cold water and the lemon juice. Add the ice water and use a rubber spatula to toss together. It will still be slightly crumbly or shaggy but will hold together when squeezed into a ball. If more water is needed add a tablespoon at a time.
• Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press the dough together, folding it over on itself until it starts to hold together. Try not to work the dough too much or it may become overdeveloped and tough.
• Shape the dough into disk 1-inch thick. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and frozen for up to 2 months.
• For a 9-inch pie plate roll the dough until is it 1/8-inch thick and 12-inches round. Fold the dough in half and then half again so that you have a quarter. Place the dough in the pie plate do the corner of the dough is centered. Gently unfold the dough so the pie plate is completely covered, and the dough is overhanging the plate.
• Trim the dough so that there is about a 1-inch overhang all the way around. Fold the dough under so that it rests on the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the dough using a fork or create your own design.
• Refrigerate the prepared dough for at least 45 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and use a fork to dock the bottom of the pie dough. Line the dough with a large piece of foil so that it overhangs the edges of the dough. Press the foil lightly into the dough, so there are no gaps. Fill the foil with pie weights up to the to edge of the dough.
• Bake the pie dough for 35 minutes. The visible edges should be golden brown and the center will be pale. Remove the pie weights and foil, return the pie dough to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. The interior of the pie will turn golden brown.
• Remove the pie crust from the oven and allow it cool to room temperature.

For the Cranberry Curd

• If using frozen cranberries they don’t need to be thawed before making the curd.
• In a small bowl whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks. Place a bowl with a medium-coarse strainer next to the stove.
• Place the cranberries in a food processor and process until they are coarsely chopped. Place the cranberries, sugar, water and salt in a 3 or 4-quart saucepan. Zest the orange directly into the saucepan. Juice the orange and add 1/4 cup of orange juice to the saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes in order to extract as much juice as possible from the cranberries. Strain cranberry mixture through medium coarse strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much puree as possible.
• Whisk eggs and yolks into cranberry mixture in the bowl. Return the mixture to the saucepan, Rinse out the bowl and place a fine mesh strainer over the bowl. Cook the cranberry mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, until the mixture is thickened and registers 175 degrees in multiple spots, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Off heat, stir in butter until incorporated. Strain the cranberry mixture through the fine-mesh strainer. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (Curd can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

For the Cheesecake Filling

• Place the cold cream cheese and. powdered sugar in a large bowl. Zest the orange directly on top of the powdered sugar and cream cheese.
• With a handheld mixer beat the mixture on low speed until the ingredients are combined and then increase the speed to high and beat until the cream cheese mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste the mixture and determine if you want to add additional sugar.
• Add the vanilla extract and orange juice. With the mixer on medium slowly heavy cream and when all the cream has been added increase the speed to medium high. Beat the mixture until the beaters start to leave visible tracks in the cheesecake filling and soft peaks have formed. You know you have soft peaks when you stop the mixture, lift up the beaters and the peaks of the whipped cheesecake slightly fold over. Do not overmix the filling. It is okay to undermix the filling, check for soft peaks and then continue to beat it until the right consistency is achieved.
• The cheesecake filling can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to assemble the dessert.

Whipped Cream Topping

• Place the heavy cream and sugar in a stainless steel bowl. Start by whipping the cream on medium-low speed and then increase it to medium-high just until traces of the beater begin to appear in the cream and there are soft peaks.

Assembling the Pie

• Microwave the apricot jam in a heatproof container for about 15-20 seconds or until it becomes more liquid and is easy to stir. With a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of the baked pie shell with the jam. This step will help keep the pie crust from becoming soggy after the cheesecake filling is added.
• Fill the pie shell with the whipped cheesecake filling. Smooth the top until it is level. Chill the cheesecake for 30 minutes. Add the cranberry curd and spread across the top of the cheesecake filling.
• Top the pie with the whipped cream and serve.

Pizza for Dessert?!

Here is a recipe that is sure to be a hit — it incorporates apple crisp with pizza! Yum!

Apple Crisp Pizza

Ingredients
For the crust:
Pastry for a single-crust pie (9-inch)
2/3 cup of sugar
3 Tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
4 medium apples, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch pieces

For the topping:
1/2 cup of flour
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of oats
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of salted butter, softened

For the drizzle:
1/2 cup of caramel topping

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-inch pizza pan lightly with non-stick spray.

2. Roll the pastry to fit into the pizza pan. Fold under the edges so the pizza gets a raised crust.

3. Combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Add the peeled, diced apples and toss until the flour mix completely covers the apples.

4. Arrange the flour-covered apples in a single layer over the pie crust to completely cover the crust.

5. Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and butter in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well.

6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.

7. Place the pan in the over and bake for 40 minutes or until apples are tender.

8. Remove the baked pizza from the oven and immediately drizzle with the caramel topping. Cut into pizza slices and serve warm (you can serve it with ice cream, if available).

Tips:

• any baking apple is a good choice (Gala, Fiji Braeburn, Granny Smith).
• salted butter brings out the sweetness in this pizza. If you lack salted butter, sprinkle some salt over your regular butter and then use.

Cheesecake of the Month — November 2023!

As the holiday season approaches, here is a cheesecake recipe that combines several of the traditional holiday flavors . . . gingersnap, pumpkin, pecans, and caramel.

Caramel Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake

Ingredients
For the crust:
12 ounces of gingersnaps
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
6 Tablespoons of butter, melted
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 dash of salt

For the filling:
4 packages (8-ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups of sugar
1 can (15-ounce) of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 teaspooon of nutmeg
4 eggs
2 Tablespoons of heavy cream
1 jar (12-ounce) of caramel topping
Extra chopped pecans
Extra crushed gingershaps

Directions
1. In a food processor (or a large Ziploc bag), crush the gingersnaps. Add the chopped pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 10″ springform pan. Chill for 20-30 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin and spices and mix again. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined. Add the cream and mix until just combined.

3. Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Pour 1/2 of the jar of caramel topping over the crust. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the caramel topping. Gently pour the cheesecake batter into the pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it is no longer soupy. The center should still be a little jiggly.

5. Cool on the counter for 30 minutes before pouring the remaining caramel topping over the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least four hours or overnight.

6. When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan and slice. Sprinkle each slice with the extra crushed gingersnaps.

For Peanut Butter and Chocolate Lovers!

Here is a quick and easy recipe for a dessert/candy that is sure to please. Enjoy!

Buckeye Bark

Ingredients
2 pounds (32 ounces) of chocolate candy coating (almond bark)
2 cups of creamy peanut butter
2 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 cup of butter, melted
1 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

Directions
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Melt half of the chocolate (1 pound) and spoon the chocolate onto the parchment lined sheet and spread with a spatula to the desired thickness. Chill in hhe freezer for at least 10 minutes.

3. While the chocolate is hardening, mix together the peanut butter, powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla with a mixer until well combined.

4. Once the chocolate has chilled, press the peanut butter mixture gently on top of the hardened chocolate in an even layer. If you wish, you can chill the peanut butter layer for 10 minutes or simply go straight into the next step.

5. Melt the remaining half (1 pound) of chocolate and pour over the peanut butter layer spreading into an even layer.

6. Chill for at least 30 minutes and then use a sharp knife to cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Cheesecake of the Month — October 2023!

Chocolate AND coffee? What’s not to like. Here is a recipe for a cheesecake that combines these two wonderful flavors. Enjoy!

Mocha Fudge Cheesecake

Ingredients
2 cups Oreo cookies, ground
3 Tablespoons of butter, melted
3 packages (8-ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of instant espresso granules
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1-1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips
1 cup of heavy cream

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degree F. In a medium bowl, combine your cookie crumbs and butter and mix until combined. Freeze until needed.

2. In a medium bowl using a hand mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, and espresso granules until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until fully blended. Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set in the center. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool.

3. Pour the dark chocolate chips into a medium bowl and set aside. Warm the heavy cream until it bubbles (do not boil). Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 4-5 minutes. Whisk until combined and the ganache is dark and shiny. Allow the ganache to cool for 5 more minutes before pouring over the cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator to cool completely before serving. Optional garnish: dust the top of the cheesecake with cocoa powder. Serve each slice with a couple of chocolate covered espresso beans (if desired).