Dessert for a Year: Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

Earlier this month we went to visit my mom for her birthday.  Since we didn't plan on going out for dinner, I wanted to make a dessert for the house.  I knew I wanted to do something with Oreo cookies, since they happen to be my mom's favorite cookie.  I'd saved a few blog posts and ran them past Jason for his suggestion.  As soon as I mentioned these, he was sold.

Thankfully, by mistake, I ended up halving the recipe.  I read the ingredient list, thinking it called for two packages of cream cheese...not two pounds.  It ended up being a good thing.  These were so creamy and rich, that I'm afraid we would have eaten all thirty in one weekend.  For the sake of my waistline, we left them at my mom's house...although Jason has already asked for them again!

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes from Pink Parsley

• 21 Oreo cookies
• 1 lb cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  Line muffin tins with 15 paper liners, placing an Oreo cooking in the bottom of each one.  Crush the remaining Oreos, set aside.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Gradually beat in the sugar until combined.  Beat in the vanilla, then drizzle in the eggs, beating until combined.  Mix in the Greek Yogurt and salt.  Stir in the crush cookies.

Spoon the batter into each lined muffin tin.  Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  Cool in the pans on a wire rack, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely for at least 4 hours.

Dessert for a Year: Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

I've realized that although Jason is getting to enjoy his Dessert for a Year gift, I'm pushing my hand a little more in the decision making process.  For June he asked for a pie.  That three letter word makes me shudder.  I've just never had a lot of success when I comes to pies, but I'm willing to try.  In July. 

See, our A/C has been having a heck of a time keeping up with the house.  I mean, it is only 103 outside on a good day, so I have no idea what the issue is.  But the bottom line is that there was no way I wanted to turn on the oven and bake a pie when the house is hot enough already.  I convinced him to pick ice cream instead.  ((side note: I think I found the recipe, but he approved.  And I think we may have helped the a/c issue so stay tuned for pie in July))

Jason's parents were in for the weekend to help cut back on my calorie consumption, and everyone approved the ice cream.  Well, except Cooper but he was asleep so I guess that doesn't count...  Either way, this turned out to be a rich & creamy ice cream, but not overpowering.  It didn't quite have the cheesecake flavor I thought it would - I thought it had more of the creamy cheesecake texture.  I think next time I may change the fruit to strawberries, just to try something different.  Plus, the grocery store was completely out of blueberries that day so I went for frozen ones.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream adapted from Cooking Light

• 1 cups granulated sugar
• 3oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups reduced fat milk
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries, rough chopped
• 1/8 cup powdered sugar
• 1/8 cup water

In a medium bowl, combine the first three ingredients and beat with an electric mixer.  In a medium sauce pan, heat the milk & half-and-half to a boil.  Remove from heat and gradually whisk into the cheese mixture.  Return it to the sauce pan and heat to 160, stirring constantly.  Place the pan into and ice-filled bowl and chill completely, stirring occasionally.

In a small sauce pan, combine the blueberries, powdered sugar & water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens.  Stir the blueberry mixture & milk mixture together and pour into an ice cream freezer.  Freeze according the the directions for the ice cream maker, pour into a freezer-safe bowl and freeze for an hour, or until firm.

Dessert for a Year: Strawberry Shortcake

I fully intended on making this in May.  I found a recipe, bought the ingredients...and decided to just hang out and relax on Memorial Day instead of spending time in the kitchen. 

Last weekend I grabbed more strawberries (they don't last long with Cooper in the house) and threw these together.  I could easily make this recipe week after week.  The cakes were the perfect texture, with just the right amount of sweetness.  I did cheat and grab a container of Cool Whip, but let's be honest.  There isn't much about Cool Whip I don't like.  And Jason thinks it is awesome, so we were all happy.

Strawberry Shortcakes

• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 4 T sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 4 T sugar
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces
• 1/2 cup cold skim milk
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• Cool Whip (or real whipped cream)

Preheat the oven to 425.  In a small bowl, stir together strawberries and sugar, set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar.  Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbles.  Pour in the milk and vanilla and stir until just mixed.

Drop the mixture in 4 equal spoonfuls on to an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until done.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing.  Place a spoonful of the strawberry mixture on the bottom half of the biscuit, a portion of the whipped cream and the top of the biscuit.  Serve slightly warm.

Source: Pinch My Salt

Dessert for a year: Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

I'll admit, I may have had a bit of a hand in picking this recipe.  We were down to the last weekend in April where I'm actually home and Jason wasn't being very decisive with his dessert choice.  I "suggested" ice cream.  Then I may have "suggested" strawberry.  I could eat ice cream daily.  Fortunately, I don't - the cost and the calories would add up just a little. 

The other problem is that Jason and I don't always agree on what kind of ice cream to eat.  I want chocolate.  Or something with chocolate in it.  Jason would rather just have plain vanilla or Cookies & Cream.  A good compromise, though, usually ends up being strawberry.  It is plain enough for him and has just the right amount of something extra for me.  I've made strawberry before using the recipe that came with the ice cream maker.  It's good, but it is more like vanilla flavored with strawberries and this is actually strawberry ice cream.

When I read the recipe, I wasn't sure what to expect in the taste of the ice cream.  I just couldn't grasp it being sour...but I loved it.  It is just a bit sour, but the sweetness of the strawberries is a perfect balance.  The best part, though, was that it stayed soft.  I've had an issue in the past of the ice cream I make getting very hard in the freezer.  I think it could be because of the low-fat ingredients I use.  I also really want to get a copy of The Perfect Scoop, but I'm thinking it may have a few too many recipes for ice cream that I love and not enough that Jason will love.

Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop via the Foodie Bride

• 1 lb strawberries, hulled & rough chopped
• 1 T vodka
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 T lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, vodka & sugar.  Stir, cover and let set in the fridge for at least an hour.  In a food processor, combine the sour cream, heavy cream, buttermilk & lemon juice and pulse until blended.  Add in the strawberry mixture and pulse until well combined.  Refrigerate for at least another hour.

Freeze according to the ice cream make you are using - mine took about half an hour.

Dessert for a Year: Peach Cobbler

I was at a loss when it came to Valentine's Day this year.  Jason's birthday is the day before so I try to think of something nice, but not too pricey as a gift for him.  Unfortunately, I just wasn't getting very far until I came up with dessert.

Jason is a fan of dessert.  I'd make it more often, but sometimes the ingredients aren't things we have at home and I've maxed out my grocery budget.  And I don't always need dessert sitting around the house.  But for a special occasion, I'll make an exception.  That's when I decided on "Dessert for a Year."  A fellow blogger did "Pie for a Year" for her husband before, so I sort of borrowed the idea from her.  Jason has been instructed to pick out one dessert for me to make each month.  His first choice: Peach Cobber.  With a pie crust type topping - not a crumble.

If you've never looked for cobbler recipes, they can be a little hard to find.  Most of them tend to have the crumble type topping.  So I scoured my favorite website (Myrecipes.com) to find the right recipe.  I can rely on them for good southern food because the recipes come from several magazine publications, one being Southern Living.  If they don't have a good Peach Cobbler recipe, I don't think it exists.

I decided to bake this last when while home with Cooper.  Last Monday.  Why I thought it would be a good idea to throw together a cobbler with a sick kid underfoot, I still don't know.  What was even worse is that Jason waited to have some with me once I got home Monday night from bunko, but I wasn't feeling well.  Then Tuesday he got sick, so we finally tasted the cobbler Wednesday and took the rest of it to my mom's house this weekend. 

For my first "real" cobbler I am pretty happy with the result.  I did divide the recipe in half, since a full 9*13 dish of cobbler is a lot of dessert for our house.

Pecan-Peach Cobbler adapted from Southern Living

• 1 16oz bag frozen peaches, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 8 T flour
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 3/4 t vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 15oz pkg refrigerated pie crust
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/8 cup sugar

Combine the first four ingredients in a Dutch oven, let stand for about 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add in vanilla & butter, stirring until the butter melts.

Unfold the pie crusts.  Sprinkle one half with pecans and sugar, place the other half on top, roll up and slice into 1 1/2" thick strips.

Pour half of the peach mixture into a greased dish.  I used a medium sized oval baking dish, or an 8" square dish would work as well.  Top the peaches with half of the pie crust, worked into a lattice pattern.  Bake at 475 for about 20 minutes.  Top with the remaining peach mixture and pie crusts.  I also added a little extra chopped pecans and sugar for some added crunch.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

I guess it is not like riding a bike.

I can't tell you the last time I baked something that wasn't an entree.  I remember baking cookies before Cooper arrived.  Since then...I'm not even sure I've made anything that sort of resembles dessert.  I've had good intentions - I wanted to bake kolaches as a joke for a friend.  I would have baked a cake for my coworkers birthday, but he requested Baskin Robbins.  And who am I to argue over Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream?

So I really can't remember baking anything since last Christmas.  I felt like Tuesday night was amateur hour in my kitchen.  I planned on baking two Pumpkin Rolls.  And that's where it all went south.  I didn't have enough sugar.  Ok, no big deal...I'll make one Pumpkin Roll and a batch of Pumpkin Pie Bites.  Except I didn't have pie crust.  Because I'm not a pie person.  They usually flop...so why bother?  Never fear, I had a box of phyllo dough in the freezer from, well, a while ago.  Only you're supposed to thaw it out for 5 freaking hours in the fridge!  I took a risk and popped it in the microwave on defrost, rolled them out, had Jason cut out little circles (it tooks some elbow grease) and baked away.

But that's not everything.  Major fail 2: running out of powdered sugar.  WTF!  I clearly remember having about 15 bags of powdered sugar in my pantry at one time because I kept forgetting I had it and bought more.  Apparently that was a long time ago.  Jason was nice enough to run to the store so I could make the Pumpkin Roll filling.

Major Fail 3: it turned out more like donut glaze.  I am still not 100% sure what happened.  First, let me back up.  The cake baked funky and I had to slice off a few inches.  Jason was happy to "test" them out though.  I kept telling myself "I can make this work" but I just couldn't figure out the filling!  I think it is probably because I used fat free cream cheese, but still.  Of course, if I'd had my head on I would have realized that I just needed to keep adding powdered sugar to thicken it up.  Instead I to started pouring the filling on the cake and that crap went everywhere.  I had glaze all over the counter.  I tried rolling the cake and more glaze went on the counter.  In the end I just wrapped it up quickly and put it in the fridge.  I'm going to pour the rest of the glaze on top and serve it that way.  It tastes good...but it just wasn't that pretty.

I think I need to practice baking more often.  Especially considering I'm doing Cooper's birthday cake next week.  This could get ugly.

Pumpkin Pie Bites adapted from Bakarella

• 1 box phyllo dough
• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350.  Roll out about 6 sheets of phyllo dough and cut circles with a cookie cutter, about 4".  Press the dough into a greased mini-muffin pan.  Combine all of the remaining ingredients.  Pour about 1 T in each cup and bake 12-15 minutes.