White Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. plain almonds, processed
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 Tbsp Amaretto
Cake
3 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp Amaretto
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
2 c. white chocolate
1/2 c. half and half
Topping
1 (16 oz) plain Greek yogurt
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. To make the crust combine the cracker crumbs, processed almonds, sugar, melted butter, and Amaretto. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 in. springform pan or a 9x13 for bars. Bake the crust for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese, sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and Amaretto. Melt the chocolate chips with half and half over a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Blend the chocolate mixture with the cream cheese until well combined.

Bake for 55-65 minutes. To make the topping, mix the yogurt, sugar, and almond extract. Set aside until cake is done baking.

Let the cake stand for 5 minutes before spreading the topping on. Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cool for 4 hours or overnight.

 

 

Coconut Dream Bars

This is a simple yet delicious dessert that lives up to its name.

Ingredients:
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of butter, melted
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
2 c. coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 in. pan with parchment paper.

Combine the melted butter and cracker crumbs. Pour them into the pan and pack down. Mix together the chips and coconut and sprinkle over the crust. Next, pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan before cutting.

S'mores Rice Krispies

Do you have left-over s'mores fix'ns from summer camping trips or bon fires? If so, you should make these s'mores rice krispies! They were so tasty, I'm surprised I've never thought of making them before.

Ingredients:
1 pkg marshmallows
1 Hershey's chocolate bar
1/4 c. mini chocolate chips
6 graham crackers
6 c. rice krispies
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

Recipe:
Melt butter and marshmallows. Make sure to save a few marshmallows (or a handful of mini marshmallows if you use them) to cut up into chunks.

Mix in rice krispies, and let it cool for a while so when you add the chocolate it doesn't melt too much.

Break the chocolate bar and graham crackers into small pieces. Dump into the rice krispies/marshmallow mixture. Add half of the mini chocolate chips.

Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Top with remaining chips and left-over marshmallow chunks. Press down into pan and let cool.

Cranberry Apricot Granola Bars

Ingredients:
3 c. oats
1 c. dried fruit (I used craisins and apricots)
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. applesauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. nuts or seeds (I used almonds and sunflower seeds)
3 tbsp flax seed (optional)

Combine the melted butter, sugar, honey, applesauce, and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together the oats, dried fruit, salt, nuts and seeds.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until all the oats are coated.

Transfer mixture to a lined 9x13 pan, and press down until flat and even. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Let the granola cool before cutting into bars.

Taffy Apple Pizza

I made this dessert for my friend's rehearsal dinner, and people were grabbing pieces off the plate even before I got in the door.
Then when I got home I was wishing that I had some leftovers so I just made another batch. It's a really simple recipe and super delicious.

Crust:
1 (about 18 oz) pkg of refrigerated sugar cookie dough

Topping:
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c peanut butter
3 granny smith apples
caramel topping
(optional) 1/2 c chopped peanuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out cookie dough to 1/4 inch on a cookie sheet or circular pizza pan. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes then loosen the cookie from the pan.



Combine cream cheese, vanilla, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Spread over cooled cookie.


Peel, core, and slice apples and arrange over cream cheese mixture.


Drizzle caramel over the top and if you want sprinkle with nuts.

Granola Bars

These are great to snack on. I save all the granola crumbs that I accumulate from cutting these and put them on my yogurt.


3 1/2 c oatmeal
1/2 c raisins or any dried fruit
2/3 c butter melted (I used half butter and half applesauce and it worked out fine, because 2/3 cup is a lot of butter)
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c almonds or other nuts

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately.

Then add all ingredients together and pack into a lined 9 by 13 inch pan.

Cook for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. When done let them cool slightly in the pan. Cut them when they are still a little warm.