Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake (Southern Living)

I have two favorite cooking magazines: Fine Cooking and Southern Living. They're both foolproof! I made several things from Southern Living's 2011 "Best Fall Baking" issue for Thanksgiving this year, one of which was this incredible pumpkin cheesecake. Everyone raved about it... personally I think half of what makes is so stunningly delicious is the praline topping. Do not skip that part!! As for the "pecan pie glazed pecans" that garnish the top... I suggest buying them pre-made at the grocery store -- Emerald brand is the best :)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients 

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Praline Topping
• Garnishes: coarsely chopped Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. 2. Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)
3. 3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
4. 4. Remove sides and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge. Garnish, if desired.
5. Try This Twist! Sweet Potato-Pecan Cheesecake: Substitute 1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes for canned pumpkin. Proceed with recipe as directed, baking 1 hour or until almost set.

Praline Topping

Ingredients

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute; remove from heat. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Use immediately.

Both of the above recipes are from Southern Living magazine and can be found online at allrecipes.com.

Apricot Cream Cheese Crescents

It's amazing the delicious things that one can do with some cream cheese and any Pillsbury dough. This is basically apricot preserves and a glob of cream cheese rolled up in a Pillsbury crescent roll. It's delicious just like that. Or you can fancy it up a bit with sugar and spices...

Apricot Cream Cheese Crescents

Ingredients:

apricot preserves (about 1 Tbsp. per crescent)*
cream cheese (about 1 tsp. per crescent)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 can/tube large Pillsbury crescent rolls (8)

*strawberry preserves would also rock!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice.

3. Unroll crescent dough from the package.

4. Spread 1 Tbs. apricot preserves over each triangle.

5. Drop 1 tsp. cream cheese near the large end of each triangle. Don't spread. Just leave it in a glob.

6. Sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture evenly over each triangle.

7. Lightly grease a small baking dish (a pie plate works perfectly).

8. Gently roll each crescent, slightly tucking/pinching the ends closed around the cream cheese. They'll be sticky and gooey from the preserves and sugar - that's ok!

9. Arrange the rolls in the baking dish. Bake approx. 15 min or until golden brown on top. You might see/hear the preserves & cream cheese bubbling... that's ok! Just let it cool for a moment before serving.

It's possible to eat these by hand, but better to have a plate and fork :)

Special Saturday Breakfast: Fancy Burrito

Fancy Breakfast Burritos for Two (or Four)

Ingredients:

2 potatoes, diced into 1/2 in. cubes
6 links breakfast sausage, uncooked, sliced into 1/2 in. rounds*
1/2 yellow onion, small dice
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3-4 large eggs plus 1 egg white (separate)
2 Tbs. milk
4 Tbs. Taco Bell Bold & Creamy Sauce
1/2 c shredded pepper jack cheese
2 sheets puff pastry

*Or use 4-6 thick slices of bacon, chopped up.

Directions:

1. Begin to thaw puff pastry sheets. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Steam potato cubes until just soft enough to pierce with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, saute sausage slices in a medium skillet. Once all the pieces are browned on the outside, add olive oil and onion. Cook until onion is soft and sausage is cooked through completely.

4. Add steamed potatoes, cumin, red pepper flakes, and a dash of salt to the skillet. Stir everything together.

5. Whisk together eggs and milk (not including the 1 egg white). Add evenly to the skillet. Allow to set for a moment before stirring. Once the bottom has set, gently turn parts over until all of the egg has cooked. Remove from heat to cool slightly.

6. On cookie sheet lined with foil, place both sheets of puff pastry. The edges will hang over a bit for now. In the center of each, heap even amounts of cooled filling from the skillet. Drizzle the creamy taco sauce over each (about 2 Tbs per burrito). Sprinkle even amounts of pepper jack atop the filling for each (about 1/4 c per burrito).

7. Fold opposite edges of the pastry toward each other, wrapping the burrito shut. Brush egg white along the edges to seal slightly.

8. Bake at 350 until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Slice in half before serving. One half could easily serve one person... or this can be two huge, decadent burritos for two people... which is how we had it :)