Sunday Dinner

I keep forgetting to take pictures before everyone gets to the food. Kristine brought a veggie platter, Kim brought a seven layer dip and I made home made salsa and the rest of the stuff. We had a full house again today, with eleven for lunch. I also made extra dessert from what I won at the baking contest, the cheesecake was a hit here also.

The seven layer dip was really good and I love the pods in the veggie platter. I could sit and eat those all day.

I will try to remember to take my pictures before anyone eats next time, but feeding this many people I have to move my arm fast before someone eats it off. LOL

I WON!!!

OK I have to admit I did not expect to win. I not only won for one of them all three of mine won. Two tied for third place and one won second. It was the Harvest cheesecake that won second. I will have to put the recipe up. I have to email it to the Farmers Market also before I forget.

So in third place was my Friendship pumpkin bread and my pumpkin cake. The cheesecake was second. I won ribbons and Farmers market money.

Harvest Cheesecake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 (8 ounce) packages cream
cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups apples - peeled, cored
and thinly sliced
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter; press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla; pour filling into the baked crust.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss the cinnamon-sugar with the apples to coat. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer and sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped pecans.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes. With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill cake before serving.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons milk
Chopped nuts
DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil until blended. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture, beating until well blended. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. Frost cake. Sprinkle with nuts. Yield: 20-24 servings.

Fall Contest.

Pumpkin cake and Harvest Cheesecake

Well I could not figure out what to bake so I figure I would try a few things. One old recipe, the pumpkin cake, one new favorite, Friendship pumpkin bread and one I have wanted to try but kept putting it off is the Harvest Cheesecake. I made some mini ones for the contest and a large one for the family dinner Sunday. I was going to make some more ginger snaps but I am too tired. So wish me luck everyone, I am going up against some great cooks and some who are professionals. I will let you all know how it goes. I think I am going to jump in the shower and head to bed early.







Oh and the boys are making rock candy. These are my mini cheesecake

Pumpkin Friendship bread

Pumpkin-Pecan Friendship bread
Pumpkin-Pecan Friendship bread I have been waiting to make this for years, about two years ago I started the started and never did anything with it. So this was the year. Now I am going to give the recipe to five people and hope they start their starter and pass this one to two of their friends and keep it going. I am also going to make Rock candy soon with the boys. Danny seen Rock candy on TV last night and I told him it was really easy to make.

Here is the recipe for the bread.

3 C chopped pecans, divided

1 (16oz) can solid-packed pumpkin

1 C starter

4 Eggs

1/2 C vegetable oil

3 C flour

2 t vanilla

1 C sugar

1 C Light brown sugar

4 t cinnamon

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t each...nutmeg...ginger...cloves

Preheat oven to 350 grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Set aside.Reserve 1 cup pecans. Spread remaining 2 cups in single layer in large baking pan. Bake 8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.Combine pumpkin, 1 cup starter, egg, oil and vanilla in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl blend well. Stir into pumpkin mixture just until blended. Stir in toasted pecans. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Sprinkle reserved pecans evenly over batter.Bake one hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack five minutes. remove from pans, cool completely on wire rack, wrap in plastic wrap, Store at room temperature up to one week.

Starter...1 C sugar

1C flour

1 C milk

Combine ingredients in a large resealable plastic food storage bag. Knead bag until well blended. Let bag stand at room temperature five days. Knead bag five times a day.On day six, add 1 cup sugar, one cup flour and one cup milk. Knead bag until well blended. Let stand at room temperature 4 days. Knead bag five times each day.On day 10, pour one cup starter into three bags . Reserve remaining 1 cup starter for recipe, Give remaining bags of starter with recipe as gift.

I almost forgot!

I cannot believe I forgot to tell you all, my daughter Kristine got engaged last night. This is my second daughter and she was born on my 19th birthday. So my anniversary just happens to be on a Saturday so I told them they should get married on my anniversary. I mean why not, she shares my birthday. :)

Cookies

Well we started school today! I made cookies last night to celebrate the first day back to school. I was going to do a 12 week study on the election and I still will, but we left off in June on a study of Folk Tales so I figured I would finish that one off. It just happened to be on John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) so it worked out perfect for the cookies I made. We also sampled eight different apples. Jazz was our favorite.

Well off to get things ready for tomorrow, now that school has started I won't have as much time to bake or blog, but I will try to as much as I can. I did make Chili Verde tonight for dinner, I just forgot to take pictures.