Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake – Perfect for the holidays!

Have a holly jolly Christmas, it’s the best time of the year….Oh sorry I have these Christmas jingles in my head  this time of year and yes I know it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. 😀  I’m hopeless when this time of year comes around! Just imagine your friends and families face when you break out this beauty for desert! I think this is truly one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had.

As you know I am not the best baker around, so when I make a cheesecake that comes out looking at gorgeous as this one..I am a happy camper! You know what it means? It means YOU can do this too!! LOL

My mom gave me a ton of fresh cranberries and I was trying to figure out what the heck to do with them, when of course cheesecake comes to mind. The cinnamony chocolatey graham cracker crust paired with the creamy cheesecake and tartness of cranberries is like a bite of heaven in each mouthful. The cranberry compote is a MUST to save even after the cheesecake is gone. It is great on crackers with a sharp cheddar cheese or to add into your mixed cocktails! YUM

Cranberry Compote:

• 2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• zest of one lemon or orange
• 4 tsp vanilla

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 3/4 cups of graham crackers
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

• 4 – 8 ounces packages cream cheese, room temperature (I used 2 full fat and 2 reduced fat cream cheese and this is crazy rich)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• cranberry compote

Make cranberry compote:
Combine all ingredients except vanilla in large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to food processor and add vanilla. Puree until smooth. Strain into a bowl and cover  Refrigerate at least 6 hours or freeze for 3.

Make crust:
Spray 10-inch-diameter Springform pan (I used 2 pie dishes) with nonstick spray. If using a Springform pan, wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend all ingredients except butter in food processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.

Make filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, half and half and vanilla.

Transfer 1/3 of filling to prepared crust. Dollop 1/3 of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using knife, skewer or toothpick, swirl puree through filling, creating marbled design.

Place springform pan or pie dish in large baking dish or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan or baking dish to come halfway up sides of springform pan or pie dish. Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.

If using  springform pan: Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Remove pan sides.

If using a pie dish: Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 6 hours or 3 hours in freezer.

Serve cake with Cranberry Compote either on top or on the side for dipping each tart bite into!

This recipe is was shared over at:

Thursday’s Treasures

Wicked Good Wednesdays

Strawberry Peach Amaretto Cobbler

The smell, the texture and what peaches represent are so much a part of summer here in California. I received a ton of free peaches from a friends tree and had to get right to work making some goodies. As most of you know I am not a baker, so this is a hard thing for me to do. Muffins, cakes, cobblers…eh, just not me. However I must admit I think this cobbler took the cake in the YUM department. There is not one single crumb left and I just made it last night! (HAPPY DANCE) 

INGREDIENTS 
6 cups fresh peaches,  peeled and sliced
1/2 cup strawberries, cleaned & sliced
½ cup Peach Amaretto Jam or 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup unbleached flour
Juice of 1.5 lemons
1 cup unbleached flour

CRUMB TOPPING
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oatmeal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, cold, cut in 8 pieces

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM 
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9″ X 9″ ( i used 8×8) glass baking pan or 2 quart stoneware baking dish. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss peeled and pitted ripe peaches and strawberries with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 flour and lemon juice. Set aside.
In a food processor combine flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and cinnamon and pulse until blended.
Add cold butter pulsing until the butter is incorporated and looks like coarse meal.

Spread topping ingredients evenly over the peaches and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until peaches are bubbling through and the topping is starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes or more before serving.

TO MAKE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM 

1.    Place a bowl and your beaters in freezer until ready to make whip cream. 

2.    Get hand mixer, bowl and beaters; on medium-high speed add heavy whip cream

3.    As the mixture thickens, slowly add sugar until completely incorporated. 

4.    Add almond extract and cinnamon

5.    Continue mixing until stiff peaks form 

6.    Add on top of cobbler and sprinkle with toasted almonds or pecans. 

Apple Pie Rolls

Does anyone enjoy Fall as much as I do? The crisp clean freshness in the air. The ripe beautifully colored apples. The tart oakiness of freshly uncorked wine….ahhhh, I can smell and taste them all. This recipe was inspired by a favorite, apple pie. Now I must confess, as I have before, a baker I am not. That being said, pie crusts for me come from a box, there I said it, now lets move on. Also, as you may know, I love bite sized finger foods. Now if I could only incorporate a pie with no crust that is bite sized, I’m all over it.

 

Did you know those cool egg roll wrappers could be used for more than savory foods? Frying or baking them and then dusting with cinnamon and sugar make such a quick easy snack…wait…what if I stuff them with something…WAIT…what if that something is APPLE PIE filling? YES! That is the answer and inspiration for these tantalizing fall treasures I call apple Pie Rolls.

These little ditties were featured on Good Day Sacramento on 8/20/12, from our home on live TV. 

 

 

INGREDIENTS 
2 apples 1 granny smith and 1 gala (2 heaping cups worth)
1 large lemon juiced
1/3 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. all spice
1/8 tsp. salt
16 egg roll wrappers
1 egg lightly beaten

 

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1.    Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F

 

2.    Peel and chop apples and add into a medium sized bowl.

 

3.    Add remaining filling ingredients to bowl with apples and stir together until well combined. Allow mixture to sit for about 10 minutes for all flavors to merry and the lemon to coat the apples.

 

4.    Place 1 egg roll wrapper onto a clean surface ( I use a wooden cutting board) and brush edges with a 1 inch perimeter of egg wash.

 

5.    Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the filling across the side of the prepared egg roll wrapper closest to you. You do not want to over stuff these they will explode and they are easily “overstuffable”. *NOTE* I have overstuffed, they taste the same! Just a little messier.

 

6.    Fold both sides toward the middle of the wrapper and brush again with the egg wash.

 

7.    Finish by rolling the end you filled (closest to you) and rolling away from you keeping a firm hold and roll to the end, press gently but firmly to ensure a good seal.

 

8.    Place roll on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprayed with a thin layer of cooking spray. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used.

 

9.    Bake egg rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. During the last 5 minutes of cook time, pull out baking sheet and brush rolls with a little melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Put back in oven for remaining 5 minutes. Serve immediately with sweetened whipped cream.

 

TO MAKE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM

 

1.    Place a bowl and your beaters in freezer until ready to make whip cream.

 

2.    Get hand mixer, bowl and beaters; on medium-high speed add heavy whip cream

 

3.    As the mixture thickens, slowly add sugar until completely incorporated.

 

4.    Add vanilla and cinnamon

 

5.    Continue mixing until stiff peaks form

 

6.    Add in a dish on the side for dipping apple pie rolls in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on Thursday’s Treasures on a great blog Recipes for My Boys, thanks Debi 😀

Banana Coconut Bread

I got this recipe from a great friend, her blog is A Spicy Perspective, and while this recipe is anything but spicy, it is awesomely sweet! When I first saw it I was so excited to try it. Everyone loved it and it is a family favorite in our house to this day. Just like her family, seeing over ripe bananas is a calling that they all hope this bread will come fro it. I hope you make it and try and also visit my friends blog to see her other goodies she has to offer!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1 stick of softened butter
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
2 large or 3 small very ripe bananas, smashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup shredded coconut
¾ cup chopped nuts; almonds, pecan, walnuts etc. (I didn’t use nuts and it was still outstanding)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour a 9X5 loaf pan. (1.5 quart capacity)
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Then add the applesauce, eggs and bananas. Mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dried ingredients. Slowly beat the dry mixture into the wet.
4. Add the coconut and chopped nuts. Mix well.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F and bake another 40+ minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minute in the pan, then flip it out onto a cooling rack.