Individual Cheesecakes

I recently made these delicious treats for my family for Valentine's Day and again for New Beginnings. They are so yummy and beautiful.

Crust:

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 TB. sugar

4 TB. unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 - 8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese (I tried nuefchatel and it works great too)

2/3 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. sour cream

Garnish with your favorite fresh fruit, or drizzle with melted chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce.

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Line muffin tins with strips of parchment paper or cupcake liners.

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar, then pour melted butter over and mix with a fork. Press about one tablespoon of crumbs into each cup. Place in the refrigerator to firm up with you mix the filling.

It is very important that all of your filling ingredients be at room temperature before mixing! Beat cream cheese with a mixer until nice and smooth. Add sugar and beat on low until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Don't forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure every little bit is thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until incorporated.

Pour filling evenly into crusts. The recipe claims to make 12, but I always seem to get more out of it. You can fill these almost to the top because they don't expand much while baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes. They will be firm, but the centers will still wiggle a little.

Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a few hours or over night. I leave mine in the muffin tin. Run a knife around between the liner and cup to make them easy to remove. Peel off wrappers to serve. Garnish and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz. cream cheese (softened)

1/4 c. butter (softened)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Whip cream cheese and butter together. Add vanilla and lemon juice, then ad powdered sugar a little at a time until you reach the consistency you desire. *If your cream cheese and butter are not at room temperature, your frosting will be chunky.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin

1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) cool whip

1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping (or you can melt 10 caramels with 1 TB. milk)

1/4 c. chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F.

Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.

Bake 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in cool whip. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

I found this recipe at kraftrecipes.com, and it is so good! I am a sucker for any sweet with pumpkin or cream cheese, yum.

Homemade Oreos

2 pkgs. devil's food cake mix

1 c. shortening

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3-4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cube butter, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cake mix, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Use a cookie scoop, or roll into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet (my m-i-l likes to make these bite-sized and uses a mini-scoop). Bake for 8-10 minutes; do not overbake, take them out at 10 minutes even if they do not look done. Let them cool on the cookie sheet before removing. Use cream cheese frosting for filling. Store between waxed paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator.