Month: December 2011

Grape-Nuts Pie

3/4 cup Grape-Nuts Cereal
1/2 cup warm water
3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup (light is ok)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 unbaked pie shell

Combine cereal and water; let stand until water is absorbed. Meanwhile, blend eggs with sugar; add syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Fold in softened cereal. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 for 50 min. or until filling is puffed completely across the top. Cool. Garnish with whipped topping. Sprinkle with additional cereal, if desired. via

Microwave Out Sponge Bacteria

WebMD says: Your microwave may be a powerful weapon in protecting your family against disease-causing germs.

A new study shows zapping sponges and plastic scrubbing pads in the microwave can kill bacteria, such as E. coli, that can cause illness.

“Basically, what we find is that we could knock out most bacteria in two minutes,” says researcher Gabriel Bitton, professor of environmental engineering at the University of Florida, in a news release. “People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave.”

Researchers say disease-causing bacteria and germs from uncooked eggs, meat, and vegetables often work their way onto countertops and cleaning tools, and the dampness of sponges, dish cloths, and scrubbers provide an ideal breeding ground for the bugs.

Christmas Oreo Cheesecakes

(makes 15)

21 Winter Oreo cookies, 15 left whole, 6 crushed (the Oreos with the red center)
16 ounces (1 pound) cream cheese, softened – That’s two blocks of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon green gel food coloring

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a cupcake baking pan with cupcake liners.

Place 6 whole Oreo cookies in a food processor and grind them up. If you don’t have a food processor, put them in a plastic bag and crush them. Set aside.

Put 1 Winter Oreo in the bottom of each cupcake liner.

In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (a handheld mixer works fine), mix the cream cheese on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth.
Add in the sugar and mix until combined, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Then add in the vanilla extract and mix.
Slowly add in the lightly beaten eggs and mix on low speed until the eggs are completely combined.
Now add in the sour cream and fold it in with a spatula.

Add the green gel food coloring and fold it in.

Throw in the Oreo crumbs and fold them in.

Fill an ice cream scooper 3/4 of the way and scoop the batter on top of the Oreo. You want to fill them up to the top.

Bake at 275 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Once you take the cheesecakes out of the oven, you’ll notice that they puff up and there are some cracks. Don’t worry. The cheesecakes will deflate (and look normal) and the cracks will disappear once they’re refrigerated.
Immediately chill the cheesecakes in the refrigerator overnight. (keep them in the cupcake pan)

Once the cheesecakes are chilled and you want to be super festive with red stripes on the top of the cheesecakes: Take a piping bag and cut a small tip. Set aside. Melt red candy melts in the microwave and then fill the piping bag with the melted red candy melts. Pipe the candy melts onto the top of the chilled cheesecakes. via