Cheesecake

My aunt makes *the best* cheesecake.  She brings it to every major holiday and you guys.  It's to die for.  I can't even.  I don't even put anything on it.  No fruit.  No chocolate.  No toppings.  Nothing.  Plain.  It's perfect.

It's a fussy recipe to make and I'm sorry about that.  If you know me at all you know I love good food that's easy for everyone to make.  This one is a little challenging (for me...but you've got this) and again, I'm sorry.  Cheesecake is finicky but when you get a good one, it's worth the work.  

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

5 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 3/4 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.

Prepare a 10" springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and wrap the outside of the pan in foil.

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and the melted butter together.  Press the graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of the parchment lined springform pan.  Set aside.  

In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, egg yolks, and vanilla on low speed.  Add the remaining eggs one at a time, on low speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition to ensure all of the cream cheese and egg become fully incorporated.  

Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar, flour, and heavy cream.  Blend on low until smooth.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  

Bake at 200 degrees for 3 hrs. 40 minutes.  

Turn the oven off, crack the oven door open and allow it to cool IN the oven for 4-5 hours.

Remove from the oven and cool in the fridge, uncovered, for 24-72 hours before serving.  

Before serving, cut the cheesecake with a hot knife, wiping the knife blade clean between each cut.

*Pumpkin Variation*

Leave out heavy whipping cream.

Add 15oz can of pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling), 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. cloves.

Increase baking time to 4 hrs. 10 minutes.

Overnight Caramel-Pumpkin French Toast Bake

Every time I take this somewhere I am always asked for the recipe!  I serve it with Homemade Caramel Sauce instead of syrup and it is out of this world yummy!  And what's even better is that you make it the night before so all you have to do is pop it in the oven in the morning.

3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups 1-inch bread cubes; any type of bread will work (go for the day-old bread at your favorite bakery)

7 large eggs

2 cups of milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup pumpkin butter (you can make your own using this recipe or use store bought)
 A double batch of Homemade Caramel Sauce, divided

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Cut any kind of bread into 1 inch cubes.  Cut enough to fill a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish quite full.

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, one batch of cooled caramel sauce, and pumpkin butter and mix completely.  Pour egg/caramel mixture over the bread and press the bread down with your hands making sure every piece of bread has a good soaking of egg mixture.  Cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge overnight.  

In the morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Remove saran wrap and add chopped pecans all over the top of the soaked bread.  Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and no longer sopping wet. While it's baking, make your second batch of caramel sauce.  After you remove the french toast from the oven, pour the caramel sauce evenly over the top before serving.

Pumpkin French Toast

Pumpkin!  Breakfast!  Breakfast for dinner!  This is a popular weekend breakfast/dinner in my house during Fall.  You see, I have a slight obsession...ok, who are we kidding, a crazy huge obsession...with anything and everything containing pumpkin.  French toast is no exception.

14 slices whole wheat bread

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

butter and syrup for serving

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.

Dip each side of bread in egg mixture and add to preheated, greased griddle or non-stick skillet.  Flip after 1-2 minutes.  Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

This recipe for pumpkin pie spice is incredibly yummy and WAY cheaper than buying that tiny little jar in the spice aisle.  In fact, I bet if you dig through your spice cupboard you will find that you already own all of the ingredients.

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

Mix all spices together, store in an air tight jar or container.  Makes approximately 5 tablespoons of spice.

Luscious Four Layer Pumpkin Cake

I have a crazy obsession with all things pumpkin!  Fall is my favorite time of year.  Every September-November you can find me sipping Pumpkin Spice Latte's, making pumpkin muffins, cookies, pies, cakes....*sigh*.  Sorry.  You lost me for a minute.

1 package yellow cake mix

1 (15oz.) can pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (8oz.) tub cool whip, thawed

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended.  Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.  Bake 28-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy.  Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice; mix well.  Gently stir in cool whip.  Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers.  (Do not frost top layer.)  Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts.  Refrigerate leftovers.  If there are any.