Mini Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes [MSCC]

So yes, I've made many mini cheesecakes before, each of which have been super successful. This one, I didn't find as successful, but those people (Scott's coworkers) who have had it think that it's good. Okay, I guess so.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes [msc]

YAY! It's my month to host.

It's been super busy month, so I apologize for not getting this up earlier. I've just been working on school and getting everything done before they're due or needed. This semester so far has been about heartbreak, meeting new people, finding a job, doing well in school, and most of school, staying healthy.

This recipe was super easy to make and although there are still a few in the house, I've been controlling myself and not eating as much. My neighbors and roommate however, have been slightly worse at controlling themselves. It's okay though, the more they eat, the less I have to.

I really enjoyed the creaminess of the cheesecake on top, but the nice crunch of the oreo at the bottom and throughout the cake. I do wish that I could make them perfect by somehow making the Oreo cover the entire bottom of the cheesecake, that would have made it even better!

The recipe for this month's Cupcake Club is found on page 104-105 of Martha Stewart's Cupcake book.

Mini Cocoa Strudel Cheesecake

Apparently all my friends seem to be born in April. Or perhaps, I just know lots of people born in this month, but this is one of the birthday dinner parties that I went to...and let's just say I probably gained a couple pounds from all this eating...just for dinner.

Anyways, back to the baking. I made these Cocoa Strudel Cheesecake Bars into cupcake form. Since I had made a half batch of Oreo Fudge Bars...or as the birthday boy liked to call them, Oreo Orgasms, I had left over condensed milk that I used in these.

But let's talk about the cocoa strudel cheesecake instead. It was really delicious.

Cocoa Cheesecake Streusel Bars

adapted from My Baking Adventures

7/8 cup flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 c natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk [half of a can]
1/2 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
Combine flour, sugar, and cocoa in a large bowl and then cut in the butter until crumbly and rather dry. [I used my hands, it's just a lot easier. I melted the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds to melt it only a little bit and then used my hands to mix everything together.]
Press a tablespoon of the mixture into each cupcake liner.
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy and then gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth.

Add egg and vanilla.

Place 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture over crust.

Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the strudel mixture over cream cheese mixture.

Bake 15 minutes until bubbly.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over top as soon as you remove from oven. [I put three chocolate chips on each. Like 2 and then 1 for 21!]

Chill thoroughly.

WARNING.

THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE WHAT WE HAD TO EAT FOR BIRTHDAY DINNER.

LET THE FATTINESS COMMENCE.

[I apologize for the quality of the pictures. I was using a friend's camera...and also everyone was so hungry. We all just wanted to eat.]Thank you to Brandon's parents for a wonderful dinner!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!

[I'm on the bottom right corner!]

Pecan Shortbread Cookies [sms...err smw]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Pecan Shortbread Cookies, was chosen by Lara of The Lab.

Okay, I know its Wednesday and not Sunday anymore, but I promise I have a good reason to why this didn't get made until Sunday.

First, I wanted to make them Saturday, but my roommate had a birthday party that lasted until about 12 and I didn't feel like baking that night
.

So Sunday, I make the cheesecake bars, but then I realized that I didn't have the coconut needed for the topping for the bars. Being lazy, I actually never got to that part, but I hope you enjoy my cheesecake bars and I will make those girl scout cookie cheese cake bars eventually! I promise!

I made these with walnuts instead of pecans...well because that's all the nuts I had here! I hope my roommates and friends at Circle K enjoyed them!

Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Black Bottom Brownies [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Black Bottom Brownies, was chosen by Cynthia of Bakingtherapist.

Sorry for the super short post, but I am running very behind on my 21 items for my beloved boyfriend. This was number one on the list. Chocolate, cheesecake - what's not to love? Since I decided to half the recipe, I put it in a 8in cake pan, but not all the cheesecake layer decided to make it into the pan. That's why my cheesecake layer seems so small. Oh well!

Picture from senior year of high school.
[almost three years ago...damn has it really been that long?]

The next 20 days will be filled with chocolate recipes - nothing too fancy or special, just chocolate in brownies, cookies and fudge! Hope you enjoy them.

Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Chocolate Espresso (Mini) Chessecake [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake, was chosen by Shandy of Pastry Heaven.

Being late and missing a couple of the picks from last month, I decided that I would make this super early - Tuesday!

I had left out the rum - since I am afterall still underage. Also, I left out the hazelnuts in the cookie crust part - I didn't have enough time to get some. I don't think either really made a big difference. I also left out the glaze on top - I made these mini cheesecakes in the nick of time. They were out and ready about 30 minutes before I had to leave.

The crust ended up a bit harder than I wanted it, but overall it was still really good. The cheesecake part was very rich and creamy - so rich and creamy that I kind of didn't want to finish it, but I did! I gave them out to my friends and such, and they all enjoyed it. I think my roommates did too!

Recipe for the cheesecake here! Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Mini Lemon Blueberry Cheesecakes [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa's Sunday's recipe was the Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake with a Crumble Cornmeal Crust chosen by Eliana of a Chica Bakes.

I decided to make these into mini versions of it because I like mini versions of cake and cheesecake. My friend Andrea is leaving for Spain, well she left. The dinner before her leaving was Friday night and I decided to make these cheesecakes.

I made these without mascarpone cheese either. I didn't have the time to go to either Whole Foods or Berkeley Bowl with all the summer school, so instead I decided to look for a mascarpone cheese substitute. I found a recipe of Allrecipes that was one. I'm sure it doesn't taste exactly the same, but it was a lot cheaper to do it this way especially time wise.

I also decided not to make it a Cornmeal crust since I don't have cornmeal, but I did have extra graham cracker crumbs from making my s'mores bars. I made a graham cracker crust for the bottom. I ended up make 50 (!) mini cheesecakes and brought almost all of them to the party. Everyone basically loved it. =]

Make sure to check out the other bakers at the Sweet Melissa Sunday's website.



Like the new signature and blog front? I decided to change it up a little bit!

My Infamous Mini Cheesecakes

Those who know me, know my cheesecakes.
I love my cheesecakes and I like making them. Ever since I made them for Josh's party, they've been my secret and wonderful dessert. Ive made them for Ace of Cakes and other events as well.

Finally, I'll let out my secret cheesecake recipe
Mini Cheesecakes:
(adapted from here)
Ingredients:
1 package of vanilla wafers
24oz of cream cheese, softened
1 lemon, juiced
4 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla
1 c of granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven at 350 F.
Crush at least 30 vanilla wafers for the bottoms. Put as much as you want, but I sometimes put around 2 tsp worth, other times up to 2 tbsp worth.
Bake for 10 mins, or golden.
Mix together the juice, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar. I used a hand mixer, but try not to over mix.
Pour mixture over the baked bottoms. I normally put around 2 tbsp worth in.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Let cool, then place into fridge for at least overnight.

They are so yummy!
Enjoy!
<3 Nina

Baking...Again.

So, today. Today was busy busy busy busy. First I started out today by starting on my mini cheesecakes.
Ingredients were not too bad. Just sugar, cream cheese, vanilla wafers, and eggs. The recipe is one that I have modified from something else, but its pretty good =). Be in awe of the process.

Just some crushed vanilla wafers in the bottom.
Add the wet ingredients, and into the oven they go!
YAY all done!

But today involved a lot more than just mini cheesecakes. I also went to the internship fair. Damn those people, only offering them to juniors, there like maybe 2 that were open for sophomores maybe. =( Maybe I'll just get a job. We'll see.

Then well, being kinda bored, and kinda wanting to use up some of my oats, I made oatmeal cranberry cookies. YUMM!
Be in awe again =).

Ingredients...a lot more than last time.
Mixed together!
Chilled and rolled into ball so they are ready to be baked!
All the cookies in a row, ready to be packaged, and eaten...
Artsy photo with cookies!

<3

Cheesecake Cupcakes

Oh why do I get myself in these situations...

So today started out normal...got up around 10ish and decided that I needed to get started on the massive load that I need to bake for Ace of Cakes!

So I started out with cheesecake cupcakes.

Then I went off to the post office because I needed to send my beautiful box of cookies and stuff to my boy, Brent.

I miss him oh so much =(.

<3