TWD: Tall and Creamy Cheesecake

The last TWD of 2008 and my favorite dessert of all time! So I was so excited to see the line up for December and this being on there. Anne from AnneStrawberry picked this recipe and I have her to thank for me having my last piece or pieces of cheesecake before the new year, you know when the diet kicks in...(well sort of diet...hehe) So here is why it was so amazing making this cheesecake this time...for Christmas...you ready...I got a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer!! Well me and Jason got it, but he doesn't bake, so it's mine all mine! Muwahahaha...well I do have to bake him goodies with it. So it was extra fun to make it! Well, that is, before we thought it was a "defect".

Here is the story...I got all excited and cleaned my attachments, because this was my first night I was going to be baking with my new baby. I started out making Snickerdoodles for Jason, because that is his favorite cookie and I told him that would be the first thing I make with the new mixer. (so he could benefit ya know??) So I was mixing and mixing and it started to make this funny noise, the paddle was scraping the bowl really bad. I made Jason come in there to check it out, we checked the troubleshooting part in the "owners manual" and tried to figure out why it wasn't working! I was starting to freak out in the nicest way possible. Well, we decided, that was it, we were going to have to take it back. So I cleaned everything up and thought of the bright idea to get on thenest.com and ask my cooking gals. Thanks to nestie nital and nestie moreace01, I would have returned a perfectly good mixer! So I went on to make just the Cheesecake and will make the Snickerdoodles tomorrow night!

One thing I didn't like about this recipe is that you had to put it in some kind of roaster that this little chicky doesn't have. So I skipped the water part and cooked it like I cooked my Pumpkin Cheesecake (posted below) and I think it turned out fine. I seriously couldn't find anything to put my pan down in. Oh well...just another reason to go out and find a roaster!! =]

It's 10:44 and I have just pulled my Cheesecake out of the Oven. I am going to stay up just a little while longer for it to cool and then put it in the fridge.

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

Well, these are two of Jason's favorite things, so when I found this recipe it was a "must bake". I can't recall where I found these, so if it was you comment me and I will put a link to your blog!! =] Jason really liked them and so did I!!
Cookie Mixture:
2-3/4 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, no substitutes
2 eggs
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp brandy extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Sugar Mixture:
1/4 Cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg

Heat Oven to 400 degrees
In a Large mixer bowl, combine all cookie ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often until well mixed (2 to 4 minutes)
In a small bowl, stir together sugar mixture ingredients. Shape rounded teaspoons of dough into 1 inch balls; roll in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly brown.

Makes 24-30 amazingly delicious cookies!

Pioneer Woman's Caramel Pumpkin Pecan Gingersnap Cheesecake

Boy, that's a mouth full. Though I wish I took pictures of this beauty, I didn't....but if you would like to see what this masterpiece looks like you can go to PW's website. I didn't do the Caramel or the Pecan in this recipe. I thought Jason might eat this because I overheard him talking about how he had this really amazing Cheesecake down in Flordia that was Pumpkin and Cheesecake...then he made that face...you know the one, we all make it. When your eyes get big and your mouth starts to water because whatever food you are thinking of, you wish you had it right then and there to eat it. Well I guess Jason didn't think I could make a fru-fru cheesecake, but I did...and he didn't try it. So here goes!

PW’s Caramel Pumpkin Pecan Gingersnap Cheesecake
also known as: PW’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

**Can be halved for a smaller springform pan

Crust:
12 ounces storebought gingersnaps
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I took out)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Dash of salt

Filling:
4 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 jar caramel topping (I took out)
Extra chopped pecans (I took out)
Extra crushed gingersnaps

In a food processor (or large ziploc bag) crush gingersnps. Add chopped pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt, and pulse (or mix) until thoroughly combined.
Press into bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Chill for 20-30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin and spices and mix again. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between each addition. Add cream and mix until just combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until no longer soupy. Cheesecake should still be somewhat jiggly. Cool on counter for 30 minutes.

Cover and chill cheesecake for another four hours or overnight.

Remove rim from pan and slice. Sprinkle each slice with extra crushed gingersnaps.

So there you have it! Enjoy!

TWD: Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies

Well, I didn't get to make the Linzer Sables last week, but I made a point to make these babies! I love sugar cookies, and this will be the recipe I always use! These were delicious! Ulkrike of Kuchenlatein got to pick this recipe this week. I made my dough on Sunday night and left it in the fridge all night and all day on Monday and rolled a few out to make just a couple to get my by this week. I was busy making my Grandmothers Chicken & Noodle recipe, that I will soon post in a few. Of course I forgot to load the pictures on my computer and will have to do it tonight! But I highly recommend these cookies to make. I cut out little Christmas shapes likes Santa, Angel, Snowman and a Tree. I can't wait to make more with the remainder of the dough. This cookbook is full of so many amazing treats, and this month we have so many amazing treats to make! I have had a blast making all the different stuff, if you want to check out the blogroll and what others Sugar Cookies look like, click here.

Will update pictures tonight...sorry...

Grandmas Famous Noodles

You will need:

*Eggs

*Water

*Lots of Flour

*1 Whole Chicken

* Chicken Broth

*Salt and Pepper to taste

Utensils:

*Noodle Cutter

*Mixing Bowl (or for you lucky ones the Kitchenaid Mixer with the Dough Hook)

*Cutting Mat

*Rolling Pin

*Stock Pan

I am going to explain this as best as possible. But you will put 1 Tbls. of water per 1 egg. The batch that is pictured has 8 eggs. So that would be 8 Tbls of water. Then you will start to add flour until it is enough to roll out. You don't want it to be "tacky" anywhere, when you roll it out with a rolling pin, you want it to get it as thin as you can. You will need a noodle cutter (which I can't find anywhere, you might have to order is special, trust me it's worth it!!) When you are done rolling them out and cutting them about 4 to 5 inches long you will throw them on a table with wax paper and let them dry. Let them dry for about a good 5 or 6 hours, make sure that when you store them that they won't stick together and turn into mushy dough. This is what the one we use looks like. Ebay for like 11 dollars. So you will roll out the dough,

My Grandmothers written recipeMe, Trish and Sue starting to make them

See, we have it rolled out with the noodle cutter starting to cut them
Once you've rolled them out you throw them on a table to dry with wax paper under them.

Sue pouring in the broth, she has already cooked and cooled the chicken
Me and Mom testing =) Yes, they were amazing!

You will cook a whole chicken, I did a 5 lb chicken on my second batch back home. (Yeah, make sure to clean it out first...didn't do that...) You will want the chicken to cool before you make the noodles with broth. Keep the stock from the Chicken that you cook and then add chicken broth to it. With the 8 eggs batch I add a 32 oz of Chicken Broth plus half of another. You want the broth to boil before you put in the dried noodles. This sounds funny, but to know if the noodles are ready, you have to take a taste test. Being as this is an old recipe there are no "times" or "measurements" really. So if the noodle comes out tasting to doughy or flour-y, let them cook longer. I cooked my 2nd batch for about 45 minutes to an hour, my noodles were a little thicker than Grandma makes. Once the noodles are done you will throw the cooled chicken in the broth and stir it up and let the chicken warm up. This is NOT Chicken Noodle Soup, this is Chicken and Noodles, it should look soupy. It will of course when you first put the noodles in and for a while after that because the noodles are soaking up the broth. Once your chicken is warmed up, there you have it, Chicken and Noodles, made my Marg McConnell. =)

You can also freeze leftover noodles, I don't know how long though =( and this recipe can feed up to 20 people, but 10 if everyone goes back for seconds and they normally do!

We like to eat them with potatoes on the bottom, like the Chicken and Noodles is your gravy...mmmm oh so good! Enjoy and let me know if you make these wonderful babies!