Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

I saw this recipe while scrolling down my Facebook feed. It looked so yummy we decided to make it last weekend. My first reaction was "what do you mean a cinnamon roll cheesecake? How would that even work?" So I took a look and it seemed almost like it shouldn't be able to work, but it looked so tasty... Finally I showed my hubby and of course he said we had to make it. It was easy to make, and the house smelled amazing when we took it out of the oven. The only downside was the unbearable wait for it to cool before we could taste it. Finally came the first bite... it was amazingly good!

Note: the original recipe called for 35 minutes of cooking time, but ours needed an extra 10 minutes. The center should be soft and slightly jiggly when you remove it, but not watery.

Ingredients:

16 oz. of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 Tsp. of vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/3 cup of melted butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

2 Tbsp. of cinnamon

1 canister of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with frosting (for 8 regular sized rolls)

Procedure:

1) Preheat the oven to 325° F. Then beat the softened cream cheese.

2) Add the sugar.

3) Add the sour cream.

4) Add the vanilla extract.

5) Keep mixing until it's smooth.

6) Add the eggs, one at a time until they're full incorporated.

7) Once it's all combined set it aside.

8) In a separate bowl mix together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

9) In a greased springform pan press all the cinnamon rolls until they fully cover the bottom.

10) Spread the cheesecake batter.

11) In a greased springform pan press all the cinnamon rolls until they fully cover the bottom.

12)  Drop spoonfuls of the sugar/cinnamon mixture onto the cheesecake batter.

13) Swirl the mixture in to the cheesecake with a butter knife.

14) Bake for 45 minutes. Or until the edges are firm but the center is still jiggly.

15) Remove from the oven and cool completely. 

16) Top with the icing.  And refrigerate for at least 4 hours. 

Enjoy!

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Then beat the softened cream cheese.

Add the sugar.

Add the sour cream.

Add the vanilla extract.

Keep mixing until it's smooth.

Add the eggs, one at a time until they're full incorporated.

Once it's all combined set it aside.

In a separate bowl mix together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

In a greased springform pan press all the cinnamon rolls until they fully cover the bottom.

Spread the cheesecake batter.

Drop spoonfuls of the sugar/cinnamon mixture onto the cheesecake batter.

Swirl the mixture in to the cheescake with a butter knife.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Or until the edges are firm but the center is still jiggly.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. 

Top with the icing.  And refrigerate for at least 4 hours. 

Now, serve and enjoy!

Elbow Pasta Salad

During the summer my family loves to have barbecues and picnics. It's a good chance to bring everyone together and enjoy some great food. What we serve varies, but one thing everybody always asks me to bring is my pasta salad. Not only is it easy to make, it's nice and refreshing on a hot day and it tastes great as a side with whatever meat you're cooking. This is a must have family recipe!

Ingredients:

8 oz of mayonnaise

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

lunch meat "spam"

2 cups of elbow pasta

1/3 cup of brown sugar

salt (to taste)

1/4 cup of chopped onion

1/4 cup of chopped green pepper

1/4 cup of chopped green apple

Procedure:

1. Put the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the brown sugar.
3. Add the salt.
4. Add the olive oil.
5. Whisk them all together.
6. Chop up your onions and peppers.
7. Chop the lunch meat into small cubes.
8. Before adding in the other ingredients make sure you mixture is blended smooth.
9. Add the onions and peppers into the bowl.
10. Add your lunch meat.
11. Chop up some green apples and add them in. 
12. After cooking and draining, add the elbow pasta into the bowl.
13. Chill in the fridge for an hour and enjoy!

Put the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl.

Add the brown sugar.

Add the salt.

Add the olive oil.

Whisk them all together.

Chop up your onions and peppers.

Chop the lunch meat into small cubes.

Before adding in the other ingredients make sure you mixture is blended smooth.

Add the onions and peppers into the bowl.

Add your lunch meat.

Mix everything thoroughly.

Chop up some green apples and add them in. 

After cooking and draining, add the elbow pasta into the bowl.

Chill in the fridge for an hour and enjoy!

Pecan Pie

I've heard a lot about how good the pecan pie is. So this past Thanksgiving I decided to give it a try and make it! Let me tell you something, it is amazing! I used Ree Drummond's recipe. I didn't make the pie crust from scratch, because truthfully with my one year old asking for attention I didn't have the time. I used a 9' pie crust. You can use light or dark corn syrup, for this recipe I used the light syrup. The baking time varies with this recipe. Mine took exactly 70 minutes, but it could take more or less time. It's worth every second! This is gonna be a regular, at least once a month at my house! Hope you guys loved it as much as my family. Until the next one! 

I left out an egg... it's 3 eggs not 2 ;)

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of light corn syrup
1/3 cup melted salted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 whole eggs beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1 9" pie crust


Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Mix the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, light corn syrup, melted salted butter, vanilla extract and the eggs together in a bowl. 
3. Pour the pecans in the bottom of the pie shell.
4. Pour the syrup over the top of the pecans. 
5. Cover the top and crust gently with aluminum foil.
6. Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 minutes. It's important  not to burn the crust nor the pecans.
7. The pie shouldn't jiggle a lot when removed from the oven. If you see it jiggling a lot it's important to put back the foil and bake it for 20 more minutes, until it sets. 
8. Allow to cool overnight.

Add the granulated sugar.

Add the brown sugar.

Add the salt.

Add the light corn syrup.

Add the melted butter.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add the eggs.

Mix it all up.

Chop the pecans.

Add the pecans to the pie crust.

Pour the syrup over the pecans.

Put the aluminum foil gently over the pie. Bake for 30 minutos

After the first 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 20 more minutes.

If it shakes a lot, you need to put the foil back and bake for 20 more minutes.

Put back the foil to prevent the pie from burning.

Enjoy!!