Photographs

Looking at the previous post. I just noticed that the Photographs are really horrible. I need to start taking pictures with something else other than my phone camera. I wish i had a good camera so i can have good picture like other blogs.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I was searching last week a recipe, I don't even know what it was that I was looking for for, but it took me to this food blog, pinchmysalt.com, that had on its front page a wonderful photograph of bite size pumpkin cheesecakes. For two days I went back to that page just to look at the photograph, so when Friday came I decided to make these wonderful looking treats. (I remember now, I was looking at Red Velvet cake recipes) I made one batch and it was way too sweet for my liking so I decided to make another batch, less sweet. Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust

1 c crushed graham crackers

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp melted butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Filling

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 canned pumpkin

1 egg plus 1 egg white

1/4 c packed brown sugar

1/2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Topping

1 c heavy cream

1/4 c powder (confectioner) sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F

2. Butter small muffin tins, set aside.

3. In a bowl mix all the ingredient for the crust and scoop 1 tbsp of the crust into the bottom of the small muffin tins. Press the crust with you fingers so as to have a smooth even surface.

4. In a large bowl, cream together well the cream cheese and the canned pumpkin. Once it is well incorporated, add the eggs and the brown sugar, mix well. Add the maple syrup and the spices.

Mix well.

5. With an ice cream scoop, scoop batter into each muffin tin 2/3 of the way.

6. place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes. Remove from oven place in a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Afterward let the cheesecake set for 1 hour to overnight in the refrigerator.

7. Slowly remove the cheesecake from the tin.

8.For the topping, use a electric mixer to whip together the heavy cream , powder sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until you have soft stable peaks. Scoop a generous heap of topping on each mini cheesecakes.

9. Serve while still chilled and enjoy.

Banana Nut Muffins

Okay so I really did not want to do my reading for today so last night I baked some banana nut muffins. They were really good; they were moist but not too rich, with a great caramel-y top. I got it of TheFreshLoaf, but I altered some stuff. Here it is:

Banana Nut Muffins

Batter:

3/4 c butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 c mashed riped bananas

1 c chopped walnuts

Topping:

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c finely chopped walnuts

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp melted butter

1 tbsp brewed cold coffee

1/4 c uncooked oatmeal

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a bowl cream together the butter and the cream cheese. Add the sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time. Finally, add the vanilla. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

3. In a large bowl fully mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Add the butter mixture into the flour slowly.

4. Add in the mash bananas and bananas gently.

5. Spoon the batter into greased muffin pans, filling about two thirds.

6. In a small bowl mix all the ingredients for the filling. Scoop topping on top of the batter just in the center.

7. Place the muffin pans in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

8. Let the muffins cool for 15 minutes and remove from pans.

9. Enjoy with iced cold milk or hot English breakfast tea.

*I tried this again for a friend's birthday and I did not have cream cheese but I did have cottage cheese and plain yogurt so I use 16 oz of cottage cheese (strained with a cheese clothe) and 1/4 cup of plan yogurt instead. They came out really good and since they were 'healthier' more people tried them and like them.