I decided to bring the desserts for Thanksgiving this year.  I was mostly inspired by some absolutely to-die-for sounding recipes that I wanted to try, and seemed perfect for the occasion.  This was one of them.

The list of ingredients and directions seems long and complicated.  It took me a bit to get to this one, because of that dauntingness.  However, once broken down into the steps, it really wasn't that big of a deal.  It might have helped that I had help (thank you, Boyfriend 'O Mine)!

Let me tell you, even with all of the work- it is so worth it!  Everyone raved over this.  It went so quick I barely was able to get a piece of my own.  Boyfriend O'Mine had to grab a piece and hide it away to ensure he got a slice.   And now he wants me to make another one, and I have to say I am completely okay with that!  It's delicious. 

Ingredients:

for the crust:
1&1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
5&1/3 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2-3/4 cup caramel

for the apple filling:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

for the cheesecake:
8oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

for the topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup caramel


Directions:

To make the crust:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350*F. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.  Toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened and the ingredients are evenly mixed.
3. Transfer to a 9-inch round baking pan.  Press the crumbs in an even layer around the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
4. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden.  Let cool for about 10 minutes.
5. Pour a layer of caramel into the bottom and spread evenly.  Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

To make the apple filling:

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. 
2. Mix in the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Cook for about 1 minute, or until bubbling.
3. Mix in the apple slices and toss well to coat. 
4. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until tender and most of the liquid has been reduced- about 15 minutes.
5. Let cool for a few minutes, and then pour into the prepared pie pan.   Set aside.

To make the cheesecake layer:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. 
2. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth. 
3. Mix in the vanilla, egg and lemon juice and beat until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Spread evenly over the apple filling in the pie pan.
5. Bake about 30 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
6. Remove and let cool to room temperature.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I let mine refrigerate overnight and did the Thanksgiving morning.

To make the topping:

1. In an eclectic mixer with whisk attachment (or, with your hand holding a whisk...), beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  
2. Spread gently over top the cheesecake layer.
3. Drop dollops of caramel on top and swirl in.  My caramel was a little too thin, so I just drizzled it over the top, and the effect was just as pretty.

Slice and serve!


We had some of the apple filling leftover afterwards, so Boyfriend 'O Mine used them as toppings for his waffles Thanksgiving morning.  How yummy is that?!

  Another dessert item I decided to take with me for Thanksgiving were these little cookies.  Okay, they really aren't little, but they sounded interesting none-the-less.  I needed to use up that big ol' can of pumpkin I had opened, and who doesn't like snickerdoodles? 

Ingredients:

for cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
1&1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2&3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon and 3 teaspoons sugar (can be white or brown) mixed together for rolling.


for filling:
8oz cream cheese
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Directions:

for cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. In a medium bowl cream sugar and butter together until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl stir together dry ingredients except cinnamon and extra sugar together.
5. Add to creamed mixture and combine well.
6. Chill dough for about 20-30 minutes.  (I chilled mine overnight and it was just fine)
7. Roll into tablespoon sized balls and then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating evenly.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and soft. 

for filling:

1. Beat all ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.  Adjust sugar to taste (I completely left out the white sugar). 
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  This I also refrigerated overnight with no negative consequences.

to assemble cookies:

1. Remove cream cheese mixture from refrigerator.
2. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture onto the flat side of a cookie.
3. Press another cookie onto it to make a sandwich.
4. I then stored these in the fridge until we ate them!

  Pumpkin pie is a huge staple of Thanksgiving dinners.  Really- how often do you not see pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving?  It's blasphemous! 
 
  I, however, get tired of having the same thing over and over again.  It becomes mundane and boring.  When I signed up to bring a dessert, I knew that a pumpkin pie would not only be expected, but that I might very well get shot if I didn't!  Not wanting to do the same thing again though, I began searching for a twist on the traditional pie that would satisfy the family's desire for pumpkin pie, as well as my desire for something a bit out of the norm, without straying too far.

When I found this recipe, I knew it was the one.  It kept with the traditional pumpkin pie, but gave a bit more pizazz to it.  The addition of gingersnaps was just the kick I wanted.  It went over really well with everybody, and it has been requested that I make more! 

Ingredients:

1&1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps (about 32 cookies)
1/4 cup butter, melted
4oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
1&1/2 cups whipped topping
1 cup cold milk
2 packages (3.4oz each) instant butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter.   Press into the bottom and up the edges of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Bake at 375*F for 8-10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread over crust.  The original recipe I had did not call for it, but I think at this point it needs to be refrigerated for a bit, otherwise the next step does not work very well.  Refrigerate at least until the cream cheese is somewhat set.
3. Beat milk and pudding mixes in a small bowl for 1 minute.  Stir in the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and cinnamon. Spread over cream cheese mixture.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Garnish with additional whipped topping.  I used a homemade whipped topping, and then sprinkled more crushed cookies on top.  I then evenly spaced whole cookies on top.