Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Is there anything more quintessential to Autumn than caramel apple??  Forget the pumpkin - make this cheesecake instead!  It combines all the greatness of cheesecake and apple crisp all into one.  Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Crust:

1 and 1/4 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4 Cup White Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter

Cheesecake:

3 Bricks Cream Cheese (24 oz total)

3 Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Can Apple Pie Filling

Crispy Topping:

1/4 Cup Oatmeal

1/4 Flour

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Butter

1 Jar Prepared Caramel

Instructions:

Step 1: Heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: In a medium sized, heat proof bowl - melt the butter in the microwave.  Once melted, add the sugar and graham cracker crumbs.  Press into Cheesecake pan and set aside.

Step 3:  In a clean mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed until well combined.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition until combined.  Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust.

Step 4:    Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes, or until center is almost set.  Do not turn off oven.

Step 5:   Let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.  

Step 6:  While the cheesecake is cooling, create the crispy crumb filling  by combing the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and butter in a bowl.  Mix with fork until combined and crumbly.

Step 7:  After the cheesecake has cooled slightly (step 5), top with the prepared apple pie filling.  Top the apple pie filling with the crispy crumb mixture and then return the cheesecake to the oven for about 15 minutes.

Step 8:  Remove from oven.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it;  cool completely before removing the rim.  Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

Step 9:  To serve, remove the rim.  Slice into pieces and drizzle with caramel topping to serve.

Butter Rum Apple Bundt Cake

Gotta love fall and everything that comes with it . . .especially all the great apples that are ready to be harvested!  Here is a great bundt cake that you are sure to enjoy.

Butter Rum Apple Bundt Cake

CAKE BATTER

1/2 Cup Butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Rum Extract or 2 Tablespoons Dark Rum

2 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

8 Oz. Sour Cream

2 Med/Large Sized Peeled Apples - chopped fine (use 3 small if necessary)

FILLING:  

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Walnuts

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease and flour your bundt pan.  Prepare the topping mixture by adding the 4 ingredients into a small bowl and stirring with a fork until combined.  Set the topping mixture aside until Step 6.  

Step 2:  Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl and cream it.  Add eggs and beat until well combine.  Add the rum and mix to incorporate.

Step 3:  Next, in a separate bowl - combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Stir to combine.  

Step 4:  Add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and combine.  Add the sour cream, mix to combine.  Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix again until combines.

Step 5:  Fold the apples into the batter.

Step 6:  Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.  Sprinkle with 1/2 the topping mixture.  Add the remaining batter to the pan and top with the remainder of the topping. 

Step 7:  Bake for 50 minutes at 375 F until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

BROWNED BUTTER ICING:

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Milk

1 and 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions:  Add the butter to a saucepan and cook over low heat until browned.  Stir in the milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.  Mix until smooth.

To Assemble Cake:

Turn out the bundt cake onto a plate or platter of choice.  Drizzle the the cake with the icing.  Enjoy!

Roasted Beet and Green Apple Salad

My husband absolutely detests beets.  I can't even begin to describe how much he loathes them.  And I recently realized how much I actually miss and love, love, love beets.  Seriously, my parents grew them in the garden when I was a kid and I always looked forward to eating them.  My college roomie and I shared that love for beets . . . and her parents used to keep us in supply during the harvest months.  Then, I eventually married a man who hates beets.  How did that even happen?   And over time, I quit making them.  Dumb, right?  I didn't think much about it  . . until the other day when we were at a party and beets were being served.  And then I knew I had to make this salad as soon as possible.  I just couldn't wait.  My daughter and I will just need to eat the whole salad ourselves . . . oh darn!

Roasted Beet & Green Apple Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3-4 Medium Sized Beets Roasted

1 Large Tart Green Apple

1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Thyme

1/2 Cup Toasted Walnuts

1/4 Cup Soft Cheese of Choice (goat cheese, whipped cream cheese, or Gorgonzola)

Step 1:  Once your roasted beets have cooled, peel and dice into bite sized pieces.  Add them to a large bowl.  Wash and core the apple.  Dice into similar sized pieces as the dice beet.  Add to the bowl.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In a small bowl, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar and thyme.  Mix together thoroughly with a fork.  Pour over the beets and apples.  Mix to combine.

Step 3:  To serve, dot the soft across the salad and sprinkle with walnuts.  

Refrigerate any leftovers.

Are you unsure about how to roast beets?  Click here to learn more.

Oatmeal, Apple and Raisin Muffins

These muffins are moist, slightly sweet and ring in right around 130 calories each.  Gotta love that!  I found the originally recipe here but of course, had to put my own twist on it.  My hubby and I have eaten these all week for breakfast - very delicious.  Finally a muffin that isn't a cupcake!

Oatmeal, Apple & Raisin Muffins

Yield:  18 muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups Buttermilk

1 Cup Oatmeal

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Medium Apple, Shredded - do not peel

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

2/3 Cup Regular White Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

3/4 Teaspoon Salt

2/3 Cup Raisins

1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (I used almonds)

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit.  Prepare muffin pan(s) by either greasing them really well or lining them with cupcake papers.  Set aside.

Step 2:  In a large bowl, mix together the buttermilk, oatmeal, eggs, brown sugar and shredded apple.  Once combined, add in the remaining ingredients.  Stir until just blended.

Step 3:  Disperse the muffin batter among the prepared pans.  I always use an ice cream scoop to measure out (1 scoop per muffin).  Place in oven and bake 25-30 minutes.  

After completely cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  For a nice treat, when serving - split in half, lightly butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Fruit Crisp

It seems that I have an excess amount of fruit around the house this week.  Totally my fault.  I bought too much. Oh, what a bummer (sarcasm).  And by too much . .. I really mean that I bought more than what my toddler and I can eat.  It makes me really note that it's the teenager who eats most of the fruit around the house.  And she's not here this week.  So, I've opted to make a crisp or crumble out of my surplus of fruit.  

Fruit Crisp
Ingredients:

For the Fruity Part:

6 Cups Fruit (cut into small, bite size pieces) - I used cherries, blueberries, rhubarb and apples

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

1 Tablespoon Flour

1 Tablespoon Red Wine 

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

For the Crisp (Topping) Part:

3/4 Cup Oatmeal

3/4 Cup Cups Flour

3/4 Cup Cups Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter, chilled

1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  You will also need a 8x8 pan with tall sides OR an extra-deep (deep) dish pie pan.

Step 2:  Combine the fruit, flour, corn starch, red wine, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl.  Toss together until all fruit is coated.  Set aside.

Isn't all this fruit gorgeous?  This photo was taken before mixing the dry ingredients with it.

Step 3:  Cut the butter into small pieces.  I usually cut it into tablespoon pats, and then quarter each square.

Step 4:  In a bowl, combine the small butter pieces, oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Step 5:  Stir the fruit again and then pour into the baking dish and level it out.  Then pour on the "topping".  Be sure to spread out the topping all the way to the edges.  Yuuuuuuuum!

Step 6:  Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes, or until fruit is soft and top is lightly browned.  Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.