Velvet Cheesecake

This is supposed to be Red Velvet Cheesecake, but I left out the "red" part because who really needs a bunch of dye?  It tastes incredible either way, and I'd argue even better without the dye because I've always thought red dye tastes funny.  If you ever feel the need to make me a birthday cake, no red icing, please!  This is a chocolatey cheesecake on a chocolate crust with cream cheese icing on top.  Is your mouth watering yet?

Velvet Cheesecake
From Southern Living Christmas Cookbook

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (I used chocolate Teddy Grahams and ground them in the food processor)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar (I left this out)
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream (I always use light)
1/2 cup whole buttermilk (I used low fat)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 1-oz. bottles red food coloring (I left this out)
1 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar; press mixture onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Beat 3 8-oz. packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute.  Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined.  Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm.  Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake.  Turn oven off.  Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes.  Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes.  Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat 1 3-oz. package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.  Spread evenly over top of cheesecake.  Remove sides of springform pan.  

Frappuccino

Welcome to Cafe Lindsay!  I will be your barista today!  I will save you lots of time, gas and money by teaching you how to make your very own Frappuccinos from home.  Sit back and enjoy!

This recipe was a Pinterest find.  I adapted it slightly for my own tastes.  The original recipe is supposed to be like the bottled Frappuccinos, but I blended mine with ice to make it more like what you'd get at the coffee shop.  This makes a coffee base that you can keep in your fridge and enjoy over a few days or serve to all your friends.  You could drink just the base without adding the ice  I put chocolate syrup in mine, but you could also use caramel or chocolate chips...go crazy!

Frappuccino
Adapted from Christina Flis

10 cups fresh coffee
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used a bit less)
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a bit less)
1/2 cup flavored coffee creamer (I used Wal-Mart's creme brulee flavor)
ice
flavored syrup or other mix-ins (I used chocolate syrup)

Brew coffee to your liking.  While coffee is brewing, pour sugars into a pitcher.  Pour hot coffee over sugars and stir to dissolve.  Add creamer and stir.  Refrigerate overnight.

Fill your glass with ice.  Pour syrup over ice to taste.  Fill glass with coffee base.  Pour all into a blender.  Blend until ice is completely crushed.  (You can adjust the coffee/ice ratio to your taste.)

Chocolate Drizzled Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

These are so good!  Take these to a party or you will find yourself slowly munching on them all day long.  The original recipe uses white chocolate, but I had trouble getting white chocolate chips to melt.  I think white chocolate would be really good on these, but maybe you need bark instead of chips?

Chocolate Drizzled Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
From Six Sisters' Stuff

1 bag of pretzels
2/3 cup oil  
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (make your own instead of buying, I didn't use quite this much)
1 cup chocolate chips/chunks

Mix oil, cinnamon and sugar.  Pour over pretzels in a microwave safe bowl.  Stir until evenly coated.  Microwave for 1 minute.  Stir and microwave for 45 seconds more.  Spread onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while still warm.  Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over cooled pretzels. 

Note: I found it easier to work in 2 batches.

Sweet & Spicy Pickles

This picture really serves no purpose other than to make sure you know that your pickles will obviously taste better if they are the Official Pickle of the Dallas Cowboys.  Don't buy any other!  Anyway...these are sure to perk up any boring sandwich or burger and they will last forever in the fridge.

Sweet & Spicy Pickles

1 jar of pickles
Sugar
Hot sauce

Drain the juice from the jar.  (Use the lid to keep the pickles in and allow the juice to run out.  Don't dump the pickles into another container.)  Pour sugar over pickles until the jar is full.  Pour hot sauce over sugar.  Use as much or as little as you like, but these are definitely better if they have a little kick.  Close the jar tightly and shake well.  You can then add more sugar and hot sauce and repeat this process if you like.  Place in the fridge.  These get better over time.  You may want to periodically shake them until all the sugar is dissolved.  Wait at least a day before eating.

Roasted Chickpeas

I've got an interesting snack for you today.  I have seen recipes for this floating around on the internet and thought I needed to give it a try.  These have a very satisfying crunch!  I like that you can season them in whatever flavor sounds best to you and add as much or as little salt as you like.  This is definitely a great, healthy snack!

Roasted Chickpeas

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Olive oil
Seasonings

Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Lay them on a paper towel to dry.  Pinch them to remove the skin.  (This takes a while, but it's kinda fun!)  Pat them dry.  Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and roll them around so they're all covered.  Roast at 400 for about 35 minutes.  Remove from the oven and pour them into a bowl.  Season to taste.  I added salt, garlic and onion powders, basil and oregano.  You could also do a Mexican spice blend with chili, onion and garlic powders, cumin and dried cilantro.  It's all up to you!

Everything Cookies

This is my mama's recipe.  She calls these everything cookies because they have a little bit of everything.  I would argue that they should be called everything but raisin cookies, because I think putting raisins in cookies might be a sin.  Raisins have their place in cereal or trail mix, but not cookies.  I put my own little twist on these by adding butterscotch chips and cinnamon.  Yum, yum!

Everything Cookies

3/4 cup shortening or butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter (I always use reduced fat creamy)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups oats
1-2 cups chips (My mom always uses chocolate, but any kind would be good.)

Beat the shortening/butter and sugars until fluffy.  Blend in the peanut butter and then the eggs and vanilla.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Slowly add it to the mixture.  Add the oats and then stir the chips in by hand.  Drop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Apart from a bowl of cereal, breakfast can't get much easier than this.  And this is certainly a nice break from a bowl of cereal.

Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls
From Six Sisters' Stuff

1 tube of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 can of apple pie filling

Place rolls in greased baking dish.  Top rolls with apples.  Bake according to package directions.  You may need to add a couple minutes to be sure they are done.  Top with icing.