Apple Cinnamon Squares

Fall is here.  And every year with fall comes all things apple.  And you know I just absolutely love apples.  So last week I whipped up a batch of these delicious apple cinnamon squares.

These are a super yummy treat that are easy to make!  You don't even need a lot of apple, and this recipe uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

Apple Cinnamon Squares
Adapted from: Allrecipes.com
Makes: a 9x9 pan

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped apple
 For Topping:
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x9 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together.
3. Stir in the egg and vanilla.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Add in the chopped apple and stir.
6. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
7. Mix the extra granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle on top of the batter.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the center is set.
9. Allow to cool in the pan and then cut into squares.

Enjoy this yummy fall treat!

Gooey Funfetti Cake Bars

I made these delicious cake bars last week for the wonderful friends who came over to help us move out of our apartment in Florida.  I knew they were going to work so hard (and they did), so I wanted to make sure that I had something special to treat them with.

As I was scouring through my dessert boards on Pinterest, I saw these, and I just knew they would be perfect!  Lots of sprinkles, chocolate chips, and of course, a super gooey center.

They could have been slightly better if I hadn't gotten them a little over done in the oven.  Of course, I set the timer when I put them in, but then I went and worked on packing.  So when the timer went off, it didn't register in my brain until a few minutes later, at which point, I screamed and sprinted into the kitchen, all while Thomas was frantically asking "WHAT???" and looking at me like I was crazy. 

So they were a little crunchy on the outsides (a little crunchier than I'd prefer) but still gooey and delicious in the center.  I will definitely be making these again!!!

Gooey Funfetti Cake Bars
Adapted from: Crazy for Crust (You should really go check out her pictures; my one snapshot does not do these delicious things justice.)
Makes: 16 squares (a 9x9 pan)

Ingredients:
1 box Funfetti cake mix (just the dry mix)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup sprinkles
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (out of a can)
1 cup chocolate chips/chunks (You can use any variety.  I used half white chocolate and half milk chocolate.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a metal 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine cake mix, softened butter, and the egg in a bowl.  Blend with a mixer until a thick dough forms.
3. Divide dough and press 2/3 of it into the prepared pan.  (I used wax paper to help me make it a little more even.)
4. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips/chunks, the sprinkles, and pour the sweetened condensed milk on top.
5. Roll the remaining dough into balls and then smoosh them flat and lay them on top of the mixture.  Try to cover as much of the pan as possible.  (Once again, I used a sheet of wax paper over top to smoosh it all together.)
6. Bake the bars for 30 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
7. Remove from oven, and use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan.  Place on a wire rack to cool before cutting into 16 squares.

Like I said, even slightly burnt, these were amazing!  If you like gooey butter cookies, chess squares, or whatever else they're called, you should try this fun variation!

Brownie for One

I have tried several single serving brownie recipes, and most of them have hardly been worth eating.  This one, however, truly blew me away.  It was delicious!  The consistency was perfect, and the melted chocolate chips added just the right touch.  Oh so yum!

This makes a sizable brownie, so you may want to think about sharing it with a friend.  It would go absolutely wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top too!

So, before I start drooling all over my keyboard, let me just give you the recipe.  It comes from No. 2 Pencil, and she has got quite a few great single serving recipes that you can view here.

Brownie for One
From: No. 2 Pencil

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter (not margarine)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a mug or ramekin, melt the butter.
2. Stir in the sugars.
3. Add the egg yolk and stir.
4. Lastly, add in the flour, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, and stir until completely blended.
5. Microwave for 45-60 seconds.  (Mine took the full minute.)
6. Allow to cool slightly (if you can) before enjoying.

Ooh, this one is so yummy.  I hope you enjoy!  Happy weekend!

Auntie Anne's Copycat Pretzels

 *Sorry about the low quality photos.  It was late when I made these, and I was really impatient to eat them.

Saturday was National Pretzel Day.  And as a foodie, I knew I just couldn't pass up a "holiday" like that.  So, after dinner, I set to work making a very, very small portion of this recipe.  Literally, I eighth-ed it.  Yeah.  The measurements got a little wonky, but it was a perfect amount to not have a ton of leftovers sitting around the house begging me to eat them.

Now, I have had several different soft pretzel recipes over the years.  And I have to say, these were by far the best I've ever had.  I did really like the One-Hour Soft Pretzels I tried a few weeks ago, but they weren't the consistency of a regular soft pretzel.  These, however, were so soft.  They were perfectly flavored.  They were amazing.

My pretzels browned really quickly while baking, and I wanted to make sure they were done in the middle before I committed to taking them out.  So I took one off the baking sheet and tore it in half right out of the oven.  Of course, I tasted it to make sure it wasn't doughy... And ended up scarfing the whole thing down, juggling it back and forth in my hands and blowing on it and still burning my mouth.  It was that good.  I didn't even wait to brush on the butter or sprinkle a little extra salt on top of that one.  These. were. amazing.

Auntie Anne's Copycat Pretzels
Makes: 12 pretzels
Adapted from: Cooking Classy

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
6 tablespoons light-brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup baking soda
3 cups warm water
coarse salt, to taste
6 Tbsp butter, melted

 Directions:

1. Warm the milk to approximately 110 degrees.  Add the yeast and stir until dissolved.  Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium-large bowl, combine the yeast/milk, brown sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup flour, and salt.  Whisk together until blended.
3. Add the remaining 3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  (You can use a stand mixer with the dough hook if you have one; I just did it by hand.)  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Punch the dough down and divide into 12 portions.  (Or if you want smaller pretzel bites or sticks, divide as you see fit.)
6. Roll each portion into a long rope.  Cooking Classy suggests 32-36 inches.
7. Combine the baking soda and warm water in a shallow bowl.  Dip each pretzel rope into the mixture, making sure it gets completely coated.  Place on the prepared baking sheet and shape as desired.  Sprinkle with small amount of coarse salt.
8. Bake for 7-9 minutes, until golden brown.  Melt the 6 tablespoons butter.
9. Brush each pretzel with melted butter and sprinkle with more salt if desired.

You absolutely must try these pretzels.  They are the most delicious pretzels I've ever tasted that I did not buy at Auntie Anne's.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies for One

O. my. goodness.

Last night, I found myself at home alone (which is not normal for the evenings).  And as I was sitting around doing very little of anything, I suddenly needed some peanut butter cookies.  I love peanut butter cookies.  And they're never a cookie Thomas would choose to eat.  Sure, if I make them, he'll probably break down and have a few just because they're there.  But, usually, peanut butter cookies are all mine to eat.

So this recipe is absolutely perfect for me!  It's a single serving cookie recipe.  And, I've done some single serving desserts previously (check out the Recipe Index), but never a traditional cookie, baked-in-the-oven, recipe.

These cookies were perfect!  Seriously.  They tasted amazing and were so soft and moist that they just fell apart in my hands and melted in my mouth.  Depending on what size you make your cookies, you could get anywhere from 2 to 10 cookies from this recipe.  Yes, it's a "single serving" recipe, but if you know what's good for you, you probably shouldn't eat all of the cookies in one sitting.  (Apparently I don't know what's good for me.)  But, oh, it was worth it!

This recipe comes straight from No. 2 Pencil, and she has several single serving recipes of all different varieties.  And if you're into these types of recipes, you should definitely check out the blog.  I have yet to try one of her single serving desserts that I did not like!  You go, girl!

Peanut Butter Cookies for One
From: No. 2 Pencil
Makes: 2-10 cookies depending on size

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, microwave butter until softened (a little melted is fine).
3. Stir in brown sugar, salt, and vanilla.
4. Add peanut butter, and stir until combined.
   
5. Separate the egg white and yolk, and stir in only the yolk.
6. Add the baking soda and flour, and stir one final time.
7. Using your hands, roll the dough into as many cookies as you like and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with a fork.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown.
9. Remove cookies to a cooling rack to cool.
10. Enjoy with a glass of milk for dipping!  Yummy!

Ooh, I could make these again right now.  But, since it's ten in the morning, I guess I will refrain!

Buttercream... Buttercream...

(I almost can't say this word without thinking about that scene from Rush Hour 2 "... buttercream, buttercream, croc skin, buttercream...")

This is a lovely little recipe for a killer butter cream frosting!  My mom makes a fabulous cake icing that is so rich you need a glass of milk with it.  And it has been my go-to icing recipe for a long time.  But, for piping cupcakes, it's a little too rich and heavy.

So, I hopped on Pinterest the other night when I needed a fluffier recipe, and I had some very strict criteria.  Turns out I only had one stick of butter and half a bag of powdered sugar, and my cupcakes needed iced immediately, so no last minute store runs.

After a little searching, I came across this recipe several times from different people, and the photos made it look like the type of icing I was looking for.  And mainly, it met my butter and sugar limitations.  But it turned out to be a really great icing recipe!

This icing was thick and creamy.  It piped on and held its shape really well.  And most importantly, it tasted great but wasn't so powerful that you completely lost the flavor and goodness of the cake underneath of it.

If you're looking for an easy and delicious buttercream recipe, this is it!

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Will ice 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Let the butter come completely to room temperature before starting.  No microwaving it to speed up the process.  You want it softened, not partially melted.
2. Using an electric mixer, whip the butter for about one minute.
3. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.  Begin by mixing on a slow speed (just so you don't zing powdered sugar all over your kitchen), then increase the speed.
4. Continue mixing until all ingredients are completely incorporated and the icing is smooth and evenly textured.
5. Pipe or frost as desired!
6. If you know what's good in life, you'll also add sprinkles!  :) 

Biting into one of these cupcakes was definitely a little slice of contentment!

One Hour to Delicious Soft Pretzel Bites

Yum!  Really.  These pretzel bites are the perfect treat for a Saturday afternoon or a night at home with a movie.  They're ready in under an hour and really easy to make.  What more could you ask for in a home-made snack?!

You can change your toppings to suit your every whim.  If you like your pretzels salty with some cheese sauce or mustard, you got it!  For all you sweet tooth's out there, try cocoa or cinnamon sugar.  I tried out a cinnamon sugar mixture and a cocoa and sugar mixture.  Then the hubs and I chowed down on these with some Oreo Filling Dip.  Yum yum yum!

One Hour Pretzel Bites
Adapted from: Averie Cooks
Makes: about 30 small bites

Ingredients:
1 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/8 cup (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) warm water
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon canola/vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter, melted (for brushing)
Optional Toppings:
Kosher salt and mustard or cheese sauce
3 tablespoons granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Begin by proofing your yeast.  Stir together the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl or measuring cup.  Let it sit for 10 minutes.  (If the yeast foamed up and about doubled, you're ready to move on.)
2. Stir together the yeast mixture, flour, salt, and oil.  Knead for about 5 minutes either by hand or with a stand mixer.  The dough will be firm and smooth.
3. Divide into two lumps and using your hands, roll each one out into a long rope (about the length of your cookie sheet).  No need to flour the counter for this step.  Then cut each rope into 1 inch sections.
4. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray.  Make sure none of the bites are touching.
5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and allow the bites to rest on the stove while the oven is warming up.
6. Bake for about 16-18 minutes, until the pretzels are just barely starting to brown.  You don't want to over cook them because the will turn out hard.
7. While the pretzels are in the oven, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and prepare your toppings.
8. When the pretzels come out of the oven, brush them generously with butter and top with your desired toppings.  *An easy way to top these is to place your topping in a large baggie, then throw the bites into the baggie and shake it all up.
9. Enjoy!  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.  Before eating leftovers, place in microwave for about 15-30 seconds to warm and soften them.  Eat within two days.

 

Blackberry Streusel Bars

These absolutely delicious treats are perfect for days when you want something sweet and tart but not too heavy.  They're a cute and yummy treat for any occasion!  And... you can make them any flavor you want just by using a different jam.  Strawberry, raspberry, apricot... I'm even dying to try apple butter and see how they turn out.  You could make several different flavors and take them all to a party to share!  The possibilities are only as limited as the jam selection at your local store!

Blackberry Streusel Bars
Adapted from: Pampered Chef
Makes: 16 squares

Ingredients:
Crust
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons almonds, finely chopped
Filling
1/2 cup blackberry jam (or your favorite flavor)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Topping
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make crust: Combine all four ingredients for the crust in a bowl and mix well.  It will be very crumbly.  Separate 1/4 cup of mixture to use on top.  
3. Pour the rest of the mixture into a 9x9 baking pan.  I have used a stoneware pan and a regular metal pan, and both worked fine.  Using a sheet of waxed paper, press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan until flat.
4. To make filling: Stir together the jam and 2 tablespoons flour.  Spread evenly over the crust mixture.
5. To make topping:  Stir together the cream cheese and powdered sugar until it is no longer lumpy.  Pipe into the pan.  I piped diagonal stripes about one inch apart, but you can choose your own design if you like.
6. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of crumb mixture on top.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are just slightly golden brown.
8. Cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.

I had been craving this delicious treat for a while, so I even made a little extra personal serving for me!  I ate it warmed up with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream on top, and it was amazing!  Enjoy!

Traditional Boston Cream Pie

Last night we went over to some friends' to have dinner and hang out, and I was tasked with bringing the dessert for the night.  There was really only one thing on my mind to make: Boston Cream.  So I decided to try my hand at traditional Boston Cream Pie.  Which, interestingly enough, is actually a cake.  But it's still called pie.  Hm.  

And since I only needed half of the cake batter for the pie, I used the other half for some sprinkled cupcakes for the kiddos to eat!

I was so happy with how it turned out.  The cake was light and fluffy, and the custard was thick enough to not squish out of the cake.  And I loved the taste of the chocolate icing I used.  I also baked the cake and filled it Thursday night because I wanted the cake to have some time to soak up the custard before we ate it.  Yummy!

It also was not difficult to make because I started with some basic mixes (boxed yellow cake and pudding mix) but altered their recipes a bit to give it more of a made-from-scratch taste.  This recipe is definitely less time consuming than a completely homemade pie. 

Most Boston Cream Pies have a very thin glaze on top.  But you know how much I love my chocolate, so I used one of my go-to chocolate icing recipes that allows you to make a little thicker glaze.  It still flowed down the sides of the cake as it's supposed to, but it firms up pretty quickly so that you get a thicker layer of icing.

Boston Cream Pie
Makes: one 9" pie
***Note: It is easiest to prepare the entire cake mix even though you only need one 9" cake (half of the mix) for this recipe.  I used the whole cake mix and made one 9" round cake and used the rest of the batter for cupcakes.  The ingredients listed below are for making the entire box of cake mix.

Ingredients:
For Cake:
1 "Duncan Hines Golden Butter Recipe" boxed cake mix  *See note below to use a different cake mix.
4 large eggs
7 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
For Custard:
1 box vanilla pudding mix (2 oz.)
1 3/4 cups cold milk
For Icing:
4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
3-5 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven as directed on the cake mix box.  Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan.  (Also prepare a cupcake pan for leftover batter.)
2. Prepare your cake by mixing the cake mix, eggs, softened butter, milk with an electric mixer as directed on the box.
3. Pour half of the batter into the prepared 9" pan.  Use the rest of the batter for cupcakes or whatever you want!
4. Bake as directed for a 9" pan.
5. When the cake is done, remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. While the cake is cooling, prepare the custard by whisking together the pudding mix and the 1 3/4 cups of very cold milk.  Place in the fridge to firm up.
7. When the cake is completely cool, use a serrated knife to cut it in half horizontally.
8. Separate the two layers.  Spoon the chilled pudding onto the bottom layer of cake, spreading it out almost to the edges.  Then place the top layer of cake lightly on top of the pudding.  *This is where I stopped and let the cake to sit in the fridge overnight to allow the pudding to soak into the cake layers a little bit, but this chill time is not necessary.
9. Prepare the icing:  Melt the 4 ounces of chopped milk chocolate and 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave in short increments, stirring in between.  Once it is melted, stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar.  The mixture will form a paste.  Add the HOT water one tablespoon at a time.  Mine usually takes about 4 tablespoons.  You want the icing pretty runny because it will firm up very quickly once it hits the cold cake.
10. Pour icing carefully onto the cake, spreading it around and encouraging it to drip down the sides.
11. Store in the fridge.

**To use a different boxed cake mix, make these changes to the directions on the box:  Add an extra egg.  Use softened butter instead of oil.  Use milk instead of water.  This gives your cake a more homemade taste and just takes it to another level.

I hope you enjoy this traditional decadent dessert! We certainly did!

Deep Dish Cinnamon Chip Cookie for One

I have a confession to make.  Recently I have fallen into a pit.  A "I can't wait until after dinner to have a dessert; I must have a dessert now" pit.  And I fall into this pit just about every day around 2pm.  It's terrible.  I really need to kick this middle-of-the-day super-unhealthy-snack thing.  But it's just so difficult.  I'm home... There's a well equipped kitchen right there... Heck, there's a pantry with canned icing and vanilla wafers right there for all I care!  I'll take anything!

But I have really, really fallen in love with this single serving chocolate chip cookie that I found on No. 2 Pencil via Pinterest.  It's super easy to make and ready in about 5 minutes.  And soooo soooooooo good!  Especially because I really don't mind eating raw egg every once in a while, so I don't cookie my cookie quite all the way through and half of it is basically really warm melty cookie dough.  Yum... I'm about to go make myself another one just talking about it.

But today, I decided to try something a little different.  We all know how much I love cinnamon, and while I was stirring up this cookie today, I ran across a mostly empty bag of cinnamon chips that has been sitting in my pantry for a while now.  And I thought... Ooh, maybe I could make a cinnamon chip cookie!

...So, I did!  I tweaked the chocolate chip cookie recipe a little bit to make it mesh better with the cinnamon chips, tossed it in the microwave.  And could barely make it through the whole 5 photos I took before chowing down on it.  And boy was it yummy!  There is nothing quite like a hot gooey chocolate chip cookie, but this one was close.  The extra sugar, cinnamon, and cinnamon chips were delicious!  I will definitely be making this puppy again.

Deep Dish Cinnamon Chip Cookie for One
Adapted from: No. 2 Pencil

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted (butter, not margarine)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
Splash of vanilla
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Scant 1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon chips

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a ramekin (or mug).
2. Stir in the sugars and vanilla.
3. Add the egg yolk; stir.
4. Add the flour and cinnamon; mix until fully incorporated.
5. Add the cinnamon chips and mix together.
6. Microwave for 50 seconds to 1 minute.  (Adjust time for your microwave, but don't cook it too long or it will become tough.)
7. Let cool for a few minutes before digging in.  This goes really well with a scoop of ice cream too!

Enjoy!

Layered Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

Before I get started on this new recipe, I am super excited to share that my Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Balls recipe was featured on Tasty Tuesdays!  Thank you Alecia for the nomination!  Tasty Tuesdays is a weekly link party that takes place on ten different blogs!  You should check it out sometime for some fabulous recipes!

Thomas' birthday yesterday was quite a success!  Everything turned out really well.  Last night, Thomas opened his presents, then we enjoyed our Chicken Parmesan in front of some Top Gear UK.  And last we had some delicious birthday dessert while watching Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.  That's what Thomas chose to do with his birthday evening.  A nice relaxing night at home!

But, I'd like to tell you a little more about this fabulous birthday dessert!  Thomas absolutely loves cheesecake and crème brûlée, so this year, I found a recipe that incorporated both of those lovely items.

Layered Crème Brûlée Cheesecake:  A rich, elegant cheesecake surrounded by sweet and crunchy Nilla wafer crust and a thick and creamy layer of crème brûlée.  This dessert is amazing!  It's so rich and creamy, and the two layers go perfectly together!  Cheesecake and crème brûlée are delicious on their own, but this dessert takes them to a whole new level!

Layered Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Adapted from: Will Cook for Smiles
Makes: one 9" cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed Nilla wafers
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cheesecake
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
Crème Brûlée
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Extra sugar for torching 

Instructions:

1. Spray a 9" springform pan with cooking spray.  Cover the outside of the bottom with a layer of aluminum foil to prevent leaking, set aside. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. For crust: Crush Nilla wafers and place into a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla; continue stirring until all of the Nilla wafers are moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the greased pan.
3. Cheesecake: Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.
4. Add the vanilla extract and the heavy cream; beat well.
5. Add the eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition.
6. Add the sour cream, sugar, corn starch, and vanilla extract; beat well again.
7. Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan on top of the crust. Place in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, make the crème brûlée.
8. Crème Brûlée: In a saucepan, over medium high heat, combine heavy cream and ¼ cup of sugar. Cook, stirring frequently until just starting to boil. Set aside.
9. Beat the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth and light.  I suggest using a mixer with the whisk attachment.  Pour in hot cream very slowly (if you do it too fast, you will cook the eggs), a little bit at a time.  Continually beat the mixture while adding the cream.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the oven.  Using a large spoon or spatula, very slowly pour the crème brûlée over the spatula onto the cheesecake.  If you do this too quickly, the crème brûlée will break through the cheesecake layer.
11. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the top layer jiggles like Jell-O.  My top layer was a little frothy and browned a bit in the oven, so I covered it loosely with foil to prevent burning.
12. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
13. Once it’s chilled, sprinkle some extra fine or granulated sugar on top, a very thin layer.  Using a cooking torch, move the flame continuously over the surface until the sugar is melted and golden brown.
14. Enjoy!  Store in the refrigerator.

I hope you love this delicious recipe!  We certainly do!

Thomas' 26th

Today is an especially lovely day... It's my husband's birthday!  So the most wonderful thing about today is that I get to celebrate with him the fact that he exists!  

Very quickly, because I know you probably don't care to read pages and pages about how awesome he is, I am just so thankful for him!  I am truly glad that he exists and that he picked me to be his wife.  He has such a great personality and a wonderful heart, and he never fails to make me laugh.  I love the time we have had together so far and I am so glad that I get to spend the rest of my life with such an amazing person!

There, I'm done with the sappiness!  Moving on, here's a little peek at our birthday activities.

I made one of Thomas' favorites for breakfast this morning: banana bread!  For my Banana Bread recipe, click here.

He had to work today (boo), but we got to meet at our local hotdog stand for lunch.  And though I did take a photo of him at lunch (with his hot dog), I will attempt to preserve his manly dignity and not post it all over the internet.

Back at home, his presents are all assembled.  And he'll have to come home quick if he wants to be able to unwrap them himself.  Lolo was all over these things.  I took literally ten pictures of them and only one did not feature Lolo climbing and sniffing around.  She just loves presents (mostly because she wants to chew on the ribbons and play in the boxes).

His birthday dessert is all baked.  We even sampled it last night, and I was pretty pleased with the result.  Thomas' favorite two desserts in the whole world are cheesecake and crème brûlée , so I scoured the internet (a.k.a. Pinterest) for a crème brûlée cheesecake to make for him.  And I finally found a recipe that met my criteria, and here it is:  Layered Crème Brûlée Cheesecake! 

It features a sweet Nilla wafer crust on the bottom, a rich, airy cheesecake layer in the middle and a creamy crème brûlée layer with some broiled sugar!  It is super rich; a small piece goes a long way.  And that's saying a lot coming from a girl who has a "special compartment" in her stomach that makes her magically always have room for dessert!  (A long-running family joke)  It is absolutely delicious, and it will definitely be a dessert I will repeat, but I may make a few changes next time.  The recipe will be posted later on this week (hopefully Tuesday), so watch out for that!  **Update: You can view the recipe here.

So this evening, I'm cooking Thomas' favorite meal: Chicken Parmesan.  Then we'll just hang out and watch a movie or some Top Gear (UK, of course) and eat some birthday dessert!

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Balls

Ok...  I know that title is a mouthful.  But so are these delicious cake balls!  The strawberry cake and the milk chocolate coating are the perfect combination!  

Top them off with some cute sprinkles (like the adorable Valentine's sprinkles I found at the store) or a white chocolate drizzle and you have a finger-food dessert that is great for any time of year!  And they're also perfect for a party since one batch makes about 60 cake balls!  Be ready to share!

Beware though, these are a little intense to make.  It would be absolutely perfect if you had a friend to help share the work, but it is completely possible to make these little beauties on your own.  They are just a little high maintenance but totally worth it!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Balls
Makes: 50-60
Adapted from: Tidy Mom

Ingredients:
1 boxed strawberry cake mix, prepared and baked as directed
1/2 - 3/4 tub of icing of your choice (I used some strawberry and some cream cheese)
about 1 pound milk chocolate
1-2 tablespoons Crisco
White chocolate and/or sprinkles for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare and bake strawberry cake as directed on package.  Allow it to cool completely.
2. Crumble the cake into a large bowl.  Mix in the icing with a mixer, spatula, or your hands.  Make sure you completely combine the icing and cake.
3. Roll the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Place in the freezer for about 1 hour to firm up.
5. Before removing the cake balls from the freezer, melt the chocolate and Crisco in the microwave at 30 second increments until smooth.
6. Use a toothpick to dip cake balls in chocolate and place on waxed paper to dry.  The chocolate will dry very quickly, so make sure to add the sprinkles (optional) quickly.
7. Add white chocolate garnish when milk chocolate has dried (optional).
8. Refrigerate until ready to eat.  These can be served cold or at room temperature.

 *Note:  When dipping the cake balls, I use one toothpick to dip and another to push the cake ball off of the first toothpick.  Then, to cover up the hole, I dab on a little chocolate with a spoon.

I hope you enjoy these delicious treats!  Be sure to have a plan to share some of them, because 60 cake balls is A TON!  Enjoy!