Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce Topping

This is the perfect Christmas Cheesecake.  It was absolutely amazing!  I was shocked at how creamy this guy was, but also how light it was.  Plus, the beautiful cranberry topping put this cake over the top.  I am going to make this again!  However, I am celebrating Christmas at my aunt's house and she is lactose intolerant.  Maybe cheesecake isn't the best dessert to bring over there...

Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce Topping (adapted from Dash of East)

Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
4 tbsp unsalted butter, browned
16 oz low-fat cream cheese
12 oz goat cheese
1 cup sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a 9 inch spring-form pan.
2. Brown butter in a saucepan: over medium  heat, melt butter and then continue to swirl for a few minutes or until it is lightly browned and fragrant.
3.  In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, oats, and brown butter together.  Press the mixture into the bottom of your pan.  Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove and let cool.
4. Reduce the oven heat to 325.
5.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the goat cheese until well combined.  Scrape down sides and add in the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  Beat until well combined.  Scrape down sides and mix in the eggs one at a time until well combined.  Beat in the vanilla.  Scrape down sides and continue to beat for another minute or two.  Pour mixture over your crust and bake in the oven for about 60 minutes.  Sides should be firm and middle can be slightly wobbly.  Remove and let cool.  Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
6. Make the cranberry sauce: Place the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and spices in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.  Stir and bring to a boil until all the cranberries have popped.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Mixture will thicken.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Top cheesecake with the cranberry sauce.

Enjoy :)

Cookie Dough Dip

This weekend was so great!

I participated in the Color Run Saturday morning and it was a blast!  I started out in a squeaky clean white shirt and then I ended up like this:

I then proceeded to shower as fast as I could while still attempting to get all the color off of me so that I could drive to Chicago and get all dressed up to go downtown for my friend Anna's birthday.  It was a blast!

It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but overall it was a great time! Now, it's back to lesson planning and getting very little sleep, but I am excited.  Tomorrow I am trying out a demonstration on Geometer's Sketchpad.  I am a little nervous because typically technology and I do not get along so well.  However, I am excited because if all goes well, it should be a pretty neat demonstration.

Also, after this super short, fairly random post, I have a cute recipe for a cookie dough dip that I shared with my Education Psychology class.  It was crazy yummy and we dipped graham crackers, animal crackers, and pretzels in this mouthwateringly good dip.  Also, it is a great dessert to make if you are like me and have practically no spare time, but still love to create fun food things.  Cooking and baking is what is keeping me sane right now, and this recipe is definitely one that I will make again as it is so easy to whip up and so yummy to devour!

Cookie Dough Dip (adapted from How Sweet It Is)

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 8 oz low-fat cream cheese
1 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, melt butter in the microwave and then stir in the brown sugar until well combined.  Whisk in the vanilla.  Set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and greek yogurt together.  Beat in the powdered sugar.  Next, beat in the butter and brown sugar mixture.  Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Serve with an assortment of yummy things to dip in this crazy-good dip (animal crackers, graham crackers, pretzels, fruit, your fingers...etc).

Enjoy :)

Healthy S'more Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the past 10 weeks, I have been training for a half marathon.  I decided to simply map out my own half marathon and complete that as my first "race."  There weren't any races around the time that I could do one that were convenient for me to run in, but I still really wanted to work towards this all summer.

This past week, I ran 2 4 mile runs, a 4.75 run, a 3.5 run and then on Sunday, I ran the whole big race: 13.1 miles.

I feel so good for being diligent about this and completing the training.  Running helps me feel great and I love how strong and confident I feel when I am running.

Plus, running means I get to eat all the yummy things I make!

After my run, I spent a ton of time baking because I just was happy and wanted to.  I can't wait to share some of the recipes I tried, but first I have a simple, but amazing treat that is also healthy!

For the Daring Bakers' Challenge this month, I made Homemade Whole Wheat Graham Crackers.  Then, today I made healthy ice cream sandwiches with those crackers!!!

Healthy S'more Ice Cream Sandwiches
makes 5 sandwiches

Ingredients:
10 graham crackers
16 oz light whipped topping
2 Hershey Bars

Directions:
1. Place 5 crackers on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
2. Spread whipped topping on each cracker and then top with the other crackers to create the sandwich.

3. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for about 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds.  Dip the sandwiches or drizzle chocolate over the sandwiches.  Place in freezer for at least 2 hours.
Enjoy :)

These taste just like ice cream sandwiches and then the graham cracker plus chocolate combination is just amazing!!!

July 2012 Daring Bakers' Challenge: Crazy For Crackers

This month's challenge was brought to us by Dana McFalrland.  Dana challenged us to make homemade crackers.  She showed us a bunch of techniques and a variety of fun recipes and examples.  We were encouraged to go after a flavor combo that really represents our style and taste.  I have such a sweet tooth that when I thought crackers, I immediately thought: Graham Crackers! So, I set out to try my hand at some homemade graham crackers...maybe some s'mores are in my future!

Homemade Whole Wheat Graham Crackers (adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures)

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 cup honey

Directions:
1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl beat butter, sugar, and honey together until well combined.  Beat in half the flour mixture until well combined.  Scrape down sides and then beat in the rest of the flour mixture.
3. Shape dough into a rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface and create your cracker shapes with cookie cutters.  Pierce holes in the crackers using a fork, place on a parchment or sillpat lined baking sheet, and freeze for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 and bake crackers for 6-7 minutes.  Turn the sheets around and continue to bake for another 6-7 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Enjoy :)