Category: Kitchen

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

 

Eskimo Kiss

1 POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice

2 quarts of fresh apple cider

8 cinnamon sticks

6 star anise

12 cloves

12 allspice berries, cracked

 

1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan.

2. Heat to just under a boil for 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and cover.

4. Steep for two hours.

5. Strain and serve hot with a cinnamon stick garnish.

VIA

Microwave Peanut Brittle

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup raw peanuts
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

 

PREPARATION:

Combine first 4 ingredients in 2-quart microwave mixing bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes. Add butter. Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes. Brittle should not get too brown. Stir in vanilla and soda until light and foamy. Spread on buttered baking sheet as thinly as possible. Cool. Break into pieces. Soak mixing bowl in warm sudsy water immediately for easier clean-up.

Note: exact cooking times may vary depending on your microwave wattage.

 

NUTRITION:

136 calories, 5 grams fat, 22 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein per serving. This recipe is low in sodium. via