Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Tonight I had the conversation with my sweet mother in law... what about turkey day? What are we making? Who is bringing what?... I have to admit I had not given it too much thought yet... A small panic hit me I told her I would get back to her tomorrow after church... I needed time to pray about it :)
   Now is research time. I began searching through all my bookmarked thanksgiving recipes and though my recipe box and found this gem. I have not made it for a few years but it is totally a keeper. So much better than plain pumpkin pie!! I know I was a downer on pumpkin pies a few weeks ago too, but they are just not my favorite. This still gives you the tradition pumpkin taste, but also a cheesecake richness as well.. You can not go wrong with cheesecake anything in my book. Make it now so you can convince your family this is one of the desserts hitting your table this Thanksgiving!!!

Printer friendly recipe
Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup whipped cream
 

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream.

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com where it has 5 stars by almost 1200 votes!!! I told you it is good!

Caramel Apple Pie

 I am in California this week visiting my family with my kids.  it is crazy busy when we are here visiting everyone in just a few days. So that is my reason for not posting many new recipes while gone, but today is a great one and can be put to use very soon!!

With thanksgiving in just a few weeks if you are like me you are starting to think about what great things you will serve this year.  This is my new favorite apple pie you have got to give it a try.  when you do let me know what you think.

A few years ago at thanksgiving I was asked to do the pie.  Pies are not my thing I am not a baker...  My B-I-L Matt that is his job he does the rolls and pies every year and they are wonderful, but he was gone so that torch got passed to me.   I searched the internet for days looking for the perfect apple pie.  This one caught my eye from the food network it won the best apple pie award for the year 2003.  I thought that is exactly what I wanted.

 The pie was easy to make it did take some time but if you have made a pie before you know that all good pies do.

 

Ingredients

Printer friendly recipe

Recipe courtesy Marles Riessland

Pie Crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening, chilled
• 1/3 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten

Filling:

• 6 cups apples (Jonathan or Granny Smith)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter

Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 toffee bars or 3 ounces chocolate covered peanut or pecan brittle, crushed

Directions

Pie Crust:
Chill all ingredients, including the flour and vinegar. Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles cornmeal. In another bowl, mix water and vinegar with the beaten egg. Add the liquid mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the flour mixture, tossing with a fork to form a soft dough.
Filling:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Peel and slice apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

peeling the apples

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and add apples. Toss to mix. Add vanilla and cream. Melt butter in heavy skillet. Add apple mixture and cook approximately 8 minutes, to soften apples.

cooking

Turn into pie shell.

Streusel Topping:
Combine the flour and sugar. Mix in butter with fork until coarse crumbs. stir in the crushed toffee bars. Sprinkle over pie.

topping on apples

Add top crust. Seal, flute edge and vent top. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

this was my first pie don't judge

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 45 minutes longer.

 

after done cooling slice and serve vanilla ice cream is great with it.  But lets face it what does ice cream not make better?

I made this apple pie for Thanksgiving this past year, it was so yummy.


Caramel Apple Pie - 2003 1st Place Apple

Recipe courtesy Marles Riessland

Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
hr min
Cook Time:
1 hr 8 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
8 servings

Ingredients
Pie Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening, chilled
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg, beaten

Filling:
6 cups apples (Jonathan or Granny Smith)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purposeflour