Pumpkin Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

It's almost "everything pumpkin" season.   Light, fluffy, and delicious.  I love the mixture of caramel, pumpkin and pecans together.   

PUMPKIN CARAMEL PECAN CHEESECAKE

(serves 16)

Crust Ingredients:

*1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

*3/4 cup ginger snaps 

*3/4 cup granulated sugar

*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/2 cup butter, melted

Cheesecake Ingredients:

*3 (8 ounce) cream cheese, room temperature 

*1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree

*3 large eggs, room temperature 

*3/4 cup light brown sugar

*1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (can use vanilla extract if you prefer)

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

*1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

*1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Topping Ingredients:

*1 cup sour cream

*1/4 cup granulated sugar

*1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (can use vanilla extract if you prefer

*1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/2 cup pecans chopped (optional)

*Caramel Sauce (for drizzling over cheesecake)

Crust Directions:

~In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, gingersnap crumbs, granulated sugar and butter together until well mixed.

~Press mixture into a 8-inch springform pan, pressing along the bottom and half way up the sides (sometimes I just spread it along the bottom).

~Refrigerate until ready to fill with filling.

Filling Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~Place a couple layers of paper towels on a plate.

~Place pumpkin puree on paper towels.

~Gently wrap the pumpkin with the paper towels to remove excess liquid.

~Allow to sit wrapped in paper towel for 1 hour.

~In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth.

~Add egg one at a time, mixing well between each addition.

~Add in brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves and mix until smooth.

~Pour filling into prepared crust.

~Bake for 30 minutes. 

~Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes (cheesecake will be slightly jiggly in the center.

~Remove from oven and set aside.

~In a small bowl, whisk sour cream, granulated sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon together until combined.

~Spread evenly over cheesecake.

~Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes.

~Remove from oven and cool completely.

~Before serving drizzle with caramel sauce.

Chicken Pecan Apple Salad

I love salads.   Especially those that have veggies and fruit mixed in them.   

CHICKEN  PEACAN APPLE SALAD

(servings 2)

Ingredients:

*4 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast

*1/8 cup red onion, chopped

*1/4 cup cucumber, chopped

*1 gala apple, chopped

*1/8 cup dried cranberries

*1/8 cup pecans, chopped

*1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

*2 cups spinach

*your favorite dressing (I think fruit vinaigrettes are the best with this salad).

Directions:

~Grill chicken breast until done.

~Remove from grill and slice into thin strips or into bite size pieces.

~In a large bowl, add spinach, onion, cucumber, apple, cranberries, and pecans.

~Toss and divide into to bowls.

~Sprinkle feta cheese crumbles over top of salads.

~Add chicken breasts.

~Drizzle desired amount of salad dressing and enjoy.

Flautas

 I make this sometimes with leftovers from a rotisserie chicken.   

FLAUTAS

(makes 18)

Ingredients:

*4 chicken breasts 

*1 yellow onion, quartered 

*2 teaspoons corse sea salt or kosher salt

*18 soft white corn tortillas or flour tortillas

*1/8 cup vegetable oil

*2 cups queso fresco cheese (i've used feta cheese if I don't have any queso cheese on hand)

*shredded lettuce (buy a couple bags or shred one head of lettuce)

*1 small red onion, diced

*1 medium tomato, chopped

*Mexican Sour Cream (optional)

*cilantro (optional) 

*salsa (optional)

*juice from lime (optional)

Directions:

~Sprinkle chicken with salt.

~Cook chicken and yellow onion with 1 cup water in a slow cooker,  or instant pot  until done,

~Remove chicken and shred.

~Place desired amount of shredded lettuce on plate.

~Sprinkle chopped red onion and tomato over lettuce.

~Heat oil up in large heavy skillet over medium heat.

~Place some chicken, queso fresco cheese, and fresh cilantro down center of tortilla.

~Roll  up tortilla and a toothpick in the center to keep the tortilla rolled.

~Place rolled up tortilla seam side down into hot oil (I do about 4--6 at a time).

~Fry until golden brown.

~Remove toothpick and flip tortilla.  Continue cooking and turning util all sides are a golden brown.

~Place flautas over lettuce.

~Drizzle Mexican sour cream and salsa over flauta.

~Drizzle a small amount of lime juice over sour cream.

~Serve hot.

Candied Jalapeños - Cowboy Candy

Heat and Sweet. You can take the seeds out if you want, to make sure there is less heat.  You can also add hotter peppers or milder peppers if you prefer.  They are really good on burgers and salads or just to snack on.   You can cut this recipe down if you don't want to make so much.

CANDIED JALEPENOS  

(14 pints)

Ingredients:

*9 pounds fresh jalapeño peppers (50-60 peppers), washed and sliced into 1/4 inch thick (use gloves)

*6 cups apple cider vinegar

*12 cups granulated sugar

*6 teaspoons salt (I use pickling salt)

*1 medium garlic bulb, skin off and garlic sliced

*3 teaspoons turmeric powder

*3 teaspoons celery seed

*1/2-1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

~Fill canner with water (about 3/4 full).

~Place canner over a burner over medium-high heat to bring water to a boil.

~Place lids in water and bring to a boil (I do this just before I'm ready to fill the jars).

~Using gloves, slice peppers into about 1/4 inch slices.

~Set peppers aside.

~In a large pot, bring apple cider, granulated sugar, garlic, turmeric powder, celery seed and cayenne pepper to a boil.

~Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4-6 minutes.

~Add peppers to brine and simmer for 5 minutes.

~Add peppers and brine to the jars to within a 1/4 inch from the rim (I use a slotted spoon and fill the jars with peppers first and then use a ladle to put the brine in.

~Insert a knife in and out of the mixture a couple times to remove any bubbles.

~Wipe the jars (especially the top) with a clean damp cloth, to remove and residue (the top must be clean).

~Place lids and rings on jars.  Tighten to finger tip tight.

~Place jars in canner (water should be 2-3 inches above the lids).

~Cover pan and cook for 15 minutes.

~Remove from pan and place jars on a towel on the counter top (towel will protect your counter top and jars).

~The lids with become flat (no bubble) once they seal.  This should happen shortly after removing them from the canner.  If there is still a bubble then it didn't seal.  

~Let sit on towel for 24 hours before moving them.  

~Store for 1 month before eating them to get full flavor.

Sicilian Orange Cake

First time I heard about this cake, I wasn't sure if i'd like it.   I thought with the entire orange in it, it might be a little bitter, but it wasn't.   So moist and yummy.  

SICILIAN ORANGE CAKE

(serves 12)

Cake Ingredients:

*3 large eggs

*1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

*2 level cups all purpose flour

*2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/3 cup butter, softened

*1/3 cup plain greek yogurt.

*1 large seedless orange, washed and cut into large pieces.

Glaze Ingredients:

*Juice from 1 large orange (about 1/2 cup)

*1/3 cup granulated sugar

Cake Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~Line the bottom of a 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper.

~Spray parchment paper and sides of pan with cooking spray.

~Place orange into a food processor, process orange until it is pulp.

~Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.

~Mix in butter.

~Sift flour and baking powder together.

~Mix into egg mixture.

~Mix in yogurt and orange pulp.

~Pour batter into prepared pan.

~Bake for 55-60 minutes.

~Cool cake for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

 

Glaze Directions:

~Place sugar and orange juice into a small pan.

~Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and the liquid is syrupy.

~Drizzle over cake.

~Allow cake to cool completely before cutting.