cheesecake bars

Way more error-proof than making an entire cheesecake. Serves however many pieces you want to cut an 8x8” pan into.

Filling:

• 16 oz. (two bricks) cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

• 1 tsp vanilla

Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs or crushed Oreos (about 1 sleeve)

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 325º. Line an 8x8” square baking dish with foil and grease.

Combine cookie crumbs and butter, and press evenly into baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sour cream/yogurt and sugar, and beat thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each. Add vanilla and beat.

Pour mixture over crust evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the center appears dry and the edges are barely golden.

Allow to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.

pecan pie bars

way easier than a whole pie. serves… however many pieces you slice a 13x9” pan into.

crust:

• 2 sticks salted butter, softened

• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 2 2/3 cup flour

topping:

• 1 stick salted butter

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/3 cup honey

• 2 tbs heavy cream or half and half

• 2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a 13x9” pan with foil and give yourself an overhang.

Cream together the butter and sugar for the crust. Add in the flour gradually and mix until crumbly. Press the crust into the pan and bake for 20 minutes, until it just starts to get golden brown.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, and cream over medium heat. Allow to simmer for one minute, and then stir in the pecans.

When the crust is done baking, pour the topping evenly over the entire pan. Bake an additional 20 minutes.

When time is up, remove the pan and allow the bars to cool. Use the foil to lift, cut, and serve.

carrot cake

A much-requested dessert in my house. Worth the work.

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp baking powder if subbing applesauce for eggs

Wet ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable/canola oil

• 1/4 cup cinnamon applesauce

• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 3/4 tbs vanilla extract

• 4 large eggs (or 1 cup applesauce for vegan)

• 3 cups peeled/finely grated carrots

To finish:

• Cream cheese frosting (1 tub) or homemade below

• optional: candied pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease and flour your bundt pan (I like the Pam with flour for baking).

Combine all dry ingredients. I like to use a whisk so there are no clumps.

In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each (if using applesauce, add very gradually and mix well.) Add the carrots last. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in thirds, mixing well after each addition.

Pour into bundt pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cake will require an additional 5-10 minutes if vegan. Invert onto a plate to finish cooling, and frost once cake is cool to the touch.

Homemade frosting:

• 4.5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

• 6 tbs butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy; slowly add sugar.

Sprinkle with candied pecans to finish.

candied pecans

A semi-healthy snack and they make your house smell like fall.

• 1 egg white (you can throw the yolk out, don’t need it for this)

• 1 tsp water

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• dash salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 cups pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 250º. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper.

Using a fork or a whisk, combine the egg white, water, and vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the pecans to the liquid mixture and stir to coat. Add the sugar mixture and stir again.

Spread the nuts out on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet before moving.

peanut butter fridge fudge

Not really fudge, but that’s the closest thing I can compare it to. Makes…as many pieces as you want to cut it into

• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted (or 1/2 cup unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 cup crushed of: graham crackers, Cheerios, Nilla Wafers, pretzels… whatever you have

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

• 3/4 cup peanut butter (I like smooth but crunchy will work too)

• 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips

• 2 tbsp peanut butter additional (optional for the final step)

Line an 8” square pan with tinfoil or parchment paper.

Combine the butter, crushed whatever, sugar, and 3/4 cup peanut butter in a bowl. Mix well. Either dot with chocolate chips, or melt chips + 2 tbsp peanut butter and smooth/marble over the top.

Refrigerate until set. Let sit at room temp for 10-15 minutes before serving, but store in the fridge.