Taffy Apple Cheesecake Pie

My family is a pie family. Just last night, my husband and I were talking and I was telling him what pies I was planning on taking to my family for Thanksgiving. He mentioned that he loves that my family loves pies, because he'd rather have a slice of pie any day over a piece of cake. And really, I think I'd have to agree!! I think it is my dad who leads the pie obsession in our house. As long as I can remember, my mom has made him a chocolate meringue pie for his birthday. And just earlier this month, everyone made a pie and took it over to my parent's house to celebrate his birthday. I was so bummed that we had to miss out because we had a house full of sickies, but it has made me that much more eager for Thanksgiving. And from the sounds of it, we are going to have more pies there than people!!

I'm sure you all have your Thanksgiving menus down by now, but I wanted to share this pie with you - and just in case you haven't decided what you are going to make yet, you should seriously consider this one. I didn't get the best picture of this pie, so you'll have to trust me that this pie is delicious. It's a caramel apple layer topped by a caramel cheesecake layer. And in between, just a little bit of chocolate. I have really been contemplating bringing this pie on Thanksgiving, and I just might end up adding another pie just so I can have another slice of this. Delicious!

Taffy Apple Cheesecake Pie
adapted from Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off

Makes 1 10-inch pie

Filling

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
4 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
21 caramels, unwrapped (about 5.8 ounces of caramel)
1/2 cup half and half
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped

Crust
1 homemade crust or refrigerated pie crust, baked

Garnish
pumpkin pie spice
whipped cream

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar, stirring constantly. Add apples; cook and stir 12 to 15 minutes or until apples are caramel in color and tender. Set aside. Drain, if necessary.

In top of double boiler or in medium heavy saucepan over low heat, melt caramels and half-and-half until mixture is smooth, stirring frequently. Keep warm.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and egg. Beat until blended.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Fold half of caramel mixture into cream cheese mixture. Add apple mixture to remaining caramel mixture; mix well. Spoon apple caramel mixture into crust-line pan. Sprinkle chocolate over apple layer. Top with caramel cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes or until deep golden brown and filling is set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold. Fold pumpkin pie spice into whipped topping. Pipe or spoon mixture onto pie. Store in refrigerator.

Healthy Banana Cookies

I have to say right up front - I DID NOT LIKE THESE COOKIES.

I understand that a lot of people don't always read through a blog post, and really, that's ok. But I'm known to blog about a recipe that I don't like from time to time, and I have to laugh when I post about a recipe that didn't work, and someone will make it and email me about how horrible it was. So just know, this is one of those recipes that didn't work out for me!

So why post about a recipe that I didn't like? Well, first of all, I would hate for someone to find this same recipe and make it and find that they have wasted their time and ingredients. Also, the main reason I'm posting this, is because I would love for any of you to share your "healthy" cookie recipes with me. My husband is a cookie addict. So I'm making cookies quite often. But we all know that eating cookies every day is probably not the best thing for any of us. So when I saw this recipe, I thought - wonderful! A cookie I can make and not feel too terrible about. But I did not like them at all. The texture was weird, and even though I added a little more sugar and some mini chocolate chips, the sweetness was just all off. But I would love to have a at least semi-healthy cookie recipe on hand for when we just need to fill that cookie craving! So share with me!

Healthy Banana Cookies
adapted from allrecipes.com

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

3 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the oats, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown.

Cookbook of the Month Recipe - Corn Dog Casserole

If you look over at the side bar on my blog, you will first see that it says "I am not a food snob." And this recipe right here proves it!!

First of all, I have to say that I was getting really good at scaling recipes down to 2 servings. I got tired of always having so many leftovers in the fridge. And now, it's dark at 5pm. I usually start making dinner at 5 pm. So now I am either stuck with making extra food so I can photograph the leftovers, or trying to make do with the horrible lighting. Oh, the trials of a food blogger!!

For some reason, as soon as I saw this recipe, I couldn't get it out of my head. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love a good hot dog, and a good corn dog as well. But this sounded so easy, I just had to try it. Corn dog flavor without having to get out the fryer? Of course I'd try it!

And I'm not ashamed to admit that I really liked this. Maybe it's the kid in me. (And I know kids would love this meal!!) You do get that taste of corn dogs all wrapped up in an easy casserole. Maybe it's not what you want to share at your next dinner party, but it sure is a kid and family friendly meal!

Recipe Rating: 4.4 out of 5

Corn Dog Casserole
from Recipes from River View

2 cups celery, sliced
1 cup onions, chopped
1 1/2 pounds hot dogs
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon sage
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
18 oz. cornbread mix
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, cook celery and onions until tender. Place in a mixing bowl; set aside. Cut hot dogs into quarters, then into thirds. Place in a skillet, cook until lightly brown. Fold into celery mixture; set aside. Reserve one cup mixture. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk, sage, and black pepper. Fold in hot dog mixture. Stir in cornbread mix. Add on and a half cups cheese. Spread mixture into a greased 3 quart dish. Top with the reserved hot dog mixture and cheese. Bake uncovered at 350F until golden brown.

Emeril 20-40-60

And the winner of Emeril 20-40-60 is:

Heather said...

Emeril has never let me down! I would love to try these recipes!

And it just happens to be Heather's birthday, so she gets another birthday gift! Congrats, Heather!

Spicy Orange-Glazed Drumsticks

The night I was making this meal, my husband's physical therapist was at our house. I just did what I normally do, taking dinner out of the oven, plating it up, and setting up my little photo spot in the dining room. I've been doing this for so long now that taking a picture of my dinner is nothing strange - I forget that to most people, I would probably look like a weirdo. So, I'm taking pictures of the dinner, and the physical therapist asks if this is what I do at dinner time every night. At this point, I realize how strange this must look to him! I quickly explain that I have a food blog, and that is what the pictures are for, and then I quickly disappear into the kitchen to enjoy my dinner. I'm sure that we food bloggers look like crazy people to most of the world!!

Besides looking crazy while taking pictures, this chicken was so easy and delicious. I wish the glaze would have penetrated the chicken a little more, but there was still plenty of flavor. This is a great dish for a weeknight because it takes only minutes to put together - most of the time is just spent in the oven. It's a great dish for one of those nights when you just feel like you don't have the energy to make dinner!

Spicy Orange-Glazed Drumsticks
from Real Simple October 2009

Serves 4

1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
8 chicken drumsticks, (about 2 1/2 pounds)
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400º F. In a small bowl, mix the marmalade and chili-garlic sauce.

Season the chicken with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes, brushing with the marmalade mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes

After making the only semi-successful pumpkin bread last week, I still had pumpkin and cream cheese on the brain. So when I saw these cupcakes, I knew I had to make them! Find the recipe on my post at Cafe Zupas today!

Ham and Cheese Pan Souffle

Now, I'm no stranger to chiles. I grew up in New Mexico, and I love chiles in everything. And I've cooked with them often. Usually, if I'm cooking with a spicier chile, I'll wear gloves, especially now that I have a baby and I wouldn't want my hands to get spicy and then get all over the baby. But I don't really bother with a mild chile. Well, to me, Anaheim chiles are not usually spicy. In fact, they are usually pretty mild. So I went about making this meal, and at some point, I must have put a finger in my mouth. All of a sudden, my mouth was on fire! At first, I didn't know where it came from. Then I tasted a bit of one of the chiles I used, and I couldn't believe how spicy it was!! I immediately tried to wash it off my hands with no luck. I searched the internet and even asked my Facebook friends for advice on how to get the spice off my hands so that I wouldn't accidentally touch the baby's face or get my fingers in her mouth. There were all kinds of solutions, but nothing that really worked. Luckily, the spice wore off pretty quickly and we were all ok.

And this dish was worth all the chile worry as well. I was afraid it was going to be too spicy to eat, but I actually liked the hearty kick that it had. And the chiles really mellowed out the next day, so the leftovers were perfect. If you are a fan of breakfast for dinner, this is one that you will love!

Ham and Cheese Pan Souffle
adapted from Food Network Magazine October 2009

Serves 4

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt
6 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
8 ounces cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
1 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 Anaheim chili peppers, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 pound boiled ham, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 400. Cover the potatoes with water in a pot; season with salt, cover and boil until just tender, 2 minutes. Drain.

Whisk the egg yolks, cheese, flour, and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Heat a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion and chiles and cook until browned, 4 minutes. Add the ham and cook 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the potatoes to the skillet and cook until golden, 4 minutes. Add the paprika, parsley and garlic and cook 1 minute. Transfer to the same bowl.

Beat the egg whites, 2 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon salt with a mixer until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the whites into the yolk mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Oil the skillet, if dry, and place over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture, cover and cook until the top just sets, 4 to 6 minutes. Top with the filling and transfer to the oven, uncovered, until set, 5 to 7 minutes.