Saturday, May 19, 2012

Sweet Fix

I recently made these three different cheesecake desserts for family get togethers and fell in love. If you're looking for something addicting, rich, tasty, and definitely not good for you, here's three recipes you have to try!! Go get your sweet fix!

SNICKERS CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

Preparation: Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover 8×8 pan with bake spray.
Ingredients:
Brownies:
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4oz. unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
Snickers Cheesecake Layer:
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
  • 8 Snickers (fun size, 4.62 oz.), chopped
Instructions:
Brownies:
  1. Place butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl over simmering water. Stir frequently until mixture is melted. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in flour and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is glossy about 1 minute.
  2. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the brownie starts to pull away from the sides of pan. While brownies are baking prepare ice bath. Fill a pan with ices cubes and water ¾ inch deep (yes, this really does help the brownie). When the brownies are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it in the water bath. Allow brownies too cool completely in the water bath.
Snickers Cheesecake Layer:
1. Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Pour on top of cooled brownie and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool to warm then press chopped Snickers into cheesecake layer.
**Make sure if you use a glass pan to lower to temp by 25 deg, I forgot that after the fact. oops.

source: bakersroyale.com

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH CHEESECAKE BARS

INGREDIENTS:
Crust
1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Cookie Dough
5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I found the cookie dough was a bit stiff with this much flour, next time I think I’ll cut it down by 1/8th of a cup)
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Filling
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
For the crust, preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9″-square baking pan (I used a 9″ round pan and cut the final dessert into pie-shaped pieces). Line pan with parchment paper (I used foil), leaving enough to extend over the sides. Lightly coat the parchment paper/foil with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.
For the cookie dough, using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
For the filling, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended. Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.
Bake about 30-35 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.
For chocolate topping, melt 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. (Tip: put the chocolate chips into a zipper bag and heat on 50% power for a few minutes. Cut the corner off the bag and squeeze the bag to make drizzling less messy). Use a teaspoon to drizzle chocolate over top of bars. Cool bars in pan completely, about an hour. (Stick the bars in the freezer for 5 minutes to set quickly if you’re in a hurry).
Using the edges of the parchment paper/foil, remove bars from pan. Cut into bars (clean the knife after each cut) and serve.
source: melskitchencafe.com





Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars


Ingredients


For Base:
Butter, for greasing
2 tablespoon sugar
1/8 tablespoon ground cinnamon
9 graham crackers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted


For the Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions


For the Base:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with butter.  Then place parchment paper over the top, pressing down at the corners.  In a food processor, process the sugar, cinnamon and graham crackers until you have the consistency of breadcrumbs.  Add the melted butter and pulse a couple of times to fully incorporate.  Pour into the lined baking pan and firmly pat down with the bottom of a glass.  Bake for about 12 minutes, or until set.

For the filling:
Add cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar to the food processor and pulse until well combined.  It should have a smooth consistency.  Pour onto the cooked graham cracker base and then sprinkle with blueberries.  They will sink slightly but should be half exposed.

Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the center only slightly jiggles.  Remove from the oven and cool completely before Refrigerating for at least 3 hours.  Once set, remove from pan using the parchment lining and slice into 10 rectangular bars.

source: epicureanmom.com

CAN YOU TELL I LOVE CHEESECAKE!!! HAHA.  I just love all the different ways you can make it instead of having the traditional cheesecake every time, although there's nothing wrong with that.






Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Never Gets Old



I've always loved this song from the moment I heard it on the radio, it never gets old. Thanks to my hubster for makin' me a Paisley fan.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Mother's Day Weekend!

Wow! What a whirlwind of a busy Mother's Day weekend! Friday Keith got here after my parents opened their call and we skyped with Misti, so we just hung out that evening relaxing. Saturday we went to the farmers market downtown, it was a beautiful day outside perfect for walking the downtown streets of Boise and browsing the market. Then we walked over to Boise Fry Company because I told Keith we had to try the bison burger and their popular fries! Oh Keith just loved it as much as little man and I! We sat outside on the patio chowing down on fries and a burger.
Boise Fry Co.- Food Network gave them the title of "Best Fries in the United States"




Then we headed back home to give little man his nap and I took a little one too. Afterwards I told Keith that I wanted to take him to Cost Plus World Market and try some more of their different chocolates. I got some dark chocolate covered wafers with hazlenut inside...delish! Then we headed downtown again and grabbed some fried chicken, salad, and rolls and had a picnic at Municipal Park then walked around the MK Nature Center and the greenbelt  after.


Can you spot the Sturgeon? Keith always insists we see it when we go to the MK Nature Center


Lookin' at the fish!

Like father-Like Son





 It was definitely time to head home after that, it was a very hot and sunny day so the heat wore us out but we definitely had fun. We relaxed by watching Captain America. Sunday morning Keith made me   breakfast in bed- strawberry/banana waffles, bacon and milk. After church we relaxed and all three of us took a nap, then Keith made us swiss steak, rolls, asparagus, and mashed potatoes for dinner. Yum, I love that I have a husband who's a better cook than me :)


 It was another gorgeous day in Boise so we headed to Kathryn Albertsons for a walk. Carson had fun walking part of it and enjoying all the ducks and geese. Afterwards we gave Carson a much needed haircut, he looks all grown up now.


Monday (today)- We headed downtown again (can you tell we love downtown?!) and grabbed some Chick-fil-A at BSU then headed to Julia Davis Park for a picnic in the park and to let the little guy roam the park. I'm glad that park has lot's of huge trees for shade because today is another hot one! Then we decided to go walk around downtown for a bit and ended up at Moon's Kitchen Cafe where I ordered a Strawberry Marshmallow shake.....love my Moon's. Then unfortunately we had to take Keith to the airport so he could catch his flight back to Michigan, but...............he is coming back on FRIDAY PERMANENTLY!!! YAY!!  I could not more excited! So glad I only have to wait 4 days to see him again. It's been so nice having him for the weekend I forgot what it was like. He gave me such a great Mother's Day Weekend, I'm so glad he was able to be home for it.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Called to SERVE.....

My parents have been called to serve in the NORTHWEST SOUTH AMERICA MISSION!!! The papers didn't include a map of which countries the mission covers but we looked it up and we believe it includes; Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, and the mailing address is Lima, Peru--where my dad served his mission!!  We aren't sure whether they will be traveling within all those countries or will just be in Peru, I'm sure they will find out more once the time gets closer. They leave October 1st, 2012. My dad will be the assistant to the Executive Secretary and my mom will be his assistant. My family and I are all so thrilled for the both of them and wish them all of God's blessings as they serve him for the next 1 1/2 years. They both have been such great examples of love, service, and sacrifice and have taught me so much about who I want to become. I am so excited and proud of these two wonderful people I call my parents.





Oh, and Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers and mothers to be. I have such an amazing mother and mother-in-law and am so blessed to be a mother myself. Carson made me a little card and treat in nursery. (hahaha yes he is starting to go to nursery to get used to it because he is too wild for Sunday School, and he loves it!)

Friday, May 11, 2012

happy birthday little blog...and some exciting news!

Happy Birthday to my little blog. My blog turned 1 two days ago! I've been blogging for a whole year! 

In other good news....you know my post about how anxious I was about three things??? Well those three things are all happening today!!! My parents received their mission call in the mail today and my sister Misti got permission from her mission president to skype with us today instead of on Mother's Day so she can see my parents open their call! And....my hubby comes home tonight at 6:30! Who would have thought that all those  things would be happening on the same day! I am even more ANXIOUS now and so EXCITED!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!  What an exciting day!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Sunday Favorite

This is my favorite church cd that I love to play every Sunday. I got it from my parents for my birthday awhile ago, I love it! There's nothing better then listening to hymns sung by the MOTAB. Just thought I'd share if you're looking for a good church cd, it has almost all my favorite hymns. I got it at Walmart but I know they sell it at Desert Book too. :)


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

anxious....




So I'm getting pretty anxious for these next couple of weeks to fly by for a few reasons.

1. My wonderful parents have put in their mission papers and should be receiving their call in 1-2 weeks! I'm so excited for them and their new adventure in serving a mission. They will both be excellent missionaries, as they both went on missions---my dad to Lima, Peru and my mom to Madrid, Spain. So since they both speak Spanish we've been told it will be extremely rare if they do not get called on a Spanish speaking mission. My family has made our bets on where they are going and I chose Santiago, Chile....can't wait to see  where these two are going for the next 1 1/2 years!

2. Keith is finally coming home! Well kinda...he gets to come home next weekend, which is Mothers Day  Weekend!! Yay! But after that he heads back again for 1-2 more weeks and then is permanently back. I can't wait to see my love! I already have our whole weekend planned out! I've missed that guy!

3. Mothers Day we get to skype with my sister Misti on her mission in Paraguay. I CAN'T WAIT!  And then a little over a month after that she is home!! I've already started to think of ideas of what to do to celebrate her return home and I am so excited about seeing her at the airport! 

So these are a few things I'm looking forward to in the next couple of weeks....they're making me so anxious and I just want them to be here already! Oh I'm so impatient!