Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 cup Nilla Wafer crumbs ( I used Oreo baking crumbs and omitted the cocoa)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup icing sugar (I used less)
1/4 cup margarine melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine and press into springform pan. Bake 8 min at 350 degrees.

3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (I used 1 pkg. no name brand & 2 pkg. Philly. The no name brand did not mix as well, leaving some white cream cheese chunks. These chunks tasted good and made it look like I used white and chocolate chips in the cake!)
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1 cup canned plain pumpkin
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

Increase oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl beat all ingredients for the cake except chocolate chips. Beat well to blend. Stir in chocolate chips, pour into crust. Bake 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 250 degrees. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes more.

For best results in cooling all cheesecakes: leave in oven with oven off and door open for 15-30 minutes, then move to wire rack. With knife, loosen from side of pan.

Cool completely, remove pan ring. Refrigerate for 24 hours or freeze for best flavour and texture. You can eat it before 24 hours if you want, will taste good the next day too!

The Great Pumpkin Loaf

4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine
3/4-1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin (no spice)
1 3/4 cup flour (I used 1 cup white and 3/4 cup whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine cheese, butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cream together well. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Mix in pumpkin. In another bowl combine all 7 remaining ingredients. Stir until mixed well. Pour all at once over batter. Stir just enough to moisten. Spoon into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove to rack to finish cooling.

Mashed Potato Layered Bake

4 large white potatoes, peeled, chopped and cooked
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped and cooked
1 tub (250 g) Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Product, divided (I used plain cream cheese and about 2 tsp. Herb and Garlic Epicure Dip Mix)
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/4 cup Parmesan Finely Shredded Cheese, divided
1/4 cup Cheddar Shredded Cheese, divided

HEAT oven to 375°F. Place white and sweet potatoes in separate bowls. Add half each of the cream cheese and sour cream to the potatoes in each bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mash with potato masher or fork until creamy.

STIR half of the Parmesan cheese into bowl of white potatoes. Stir half of the Cheddar cheese into bowl of sweet potatoes. Alternately layer half each of the white potato mixture and sweet potato mixture in 2-L. clear glass casserole dish. Repeat layers.

BAKE 15 min.; sprinkle with remaining cheeses, continue baking 5 min. or until cheeses are melted.

I divided this recipe between two casserole dishes and froze one. This casserole is suppose to freeze well. Just thaw and bake. Add cheesing topping after baking not before freezing.

Creamy Hash Brown Bake

1 tbsp. margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 10 oz. can of condensed cream of chicken soup (or one recipe of cream soup substitute - see next blog post for recipe)
1/2 cup milk
4 oz. block of cream cheese, softened and cut up
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 kg. package of frozen hash brown potatoes, partially thawed
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Melt margarine in large saucepan on medium. Add onion. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add soup and milk. Stir. Add next 3 ingredients. Heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until cream cheese is melted. Add hash brown potatoes. Stir until coated. Spread evenly in greased 2 quart (2L) casserole. Cover. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour until edges start to brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted. Serves 6.

Double Brownies and Chocolate chip cheesecake bars

I am posting two recipes that are amazing on their own, but today I tried combining them and it made an amazing birthday cake for my sister-in-law!

Double Brownies

Chocolate layer:

2 eggs
1 pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup cocoa

Beat eggs till foamy. Add sugar, flour, and salt. Melt butter and cocoa together. Add to egg mixture and blend well. Spread in greased 9 x 13" pan. Set aside.

Butterscotch layer:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Add flour, salt and chocolate chips. Stir. Spon over chocolate layer in small daubs. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Chocolate chip cheesecake bars

1-2 recipes chocolate chip cookie dough depending on size of recipe

Beat:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Put 1/2 of cookie dough in 8 x 10" pan. Spread filling over top. Crumble remaining dough over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.


Now to combine the recipes use cream cheese mixture between the chocolate and butterscotch layers of the double brownie and bake about 35 minutes till done. If you really like the taste of cream cheese do 1 1/2 recipes of the cream cheese mixture as it's not as strong when put in a 9 x 13 pan.