Here are some links and recipes related to this morning's broadcast:
Follow this link for the recipe to Super Cinnamony Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Squares, which won the monthly Kaiser Bakeware recipe contest.
The recipe I started on air, but didn't have a chance to finish, was a working recipe for Pumpkin Chai Mini Cheesecakes. It hasn't won a contest, nor am I certain it's "contest ready."
Pumpkin Chai Mini Cheesecakes
13 packaged pecan shortbread cookies (about 7 ounces)
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese -- at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Heat the oven to 325. Line 18 standard muffin tins (approximately 2 3/4 inches in diameter) with foil liners.
Place cookies in food processor; process until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; use on/off pulses until well combined. (Or crush the cookies in a food storage bag and stir in butter.) Place about 1 Tablespoon crumb mixture in each foil-lined muffin cup; press in bottom of cup to form crust.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl using a hand-held electric mixer) beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the bowl occasionally, about 4 minutes.
Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, and spices (cinnamon through white pepper). Continue blending until and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently, about 1 minute; there should be no lumps. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until just blended. (Don't overbeat once the eggs are added.)
Transfer 2/3 cup of the batter to a small bowl. Add the pumpkin and flour to the small bowl and stir until well blended.
Divide the plain batter amount the muffin cups (about 2 generous tablespoons in each.) Smopth tops with back of spoon. Then divide the pumpkin batter evenly among the cups (about 1 generous tablespoon in each.) EITHER spread pumpkin layer over the first layer OR swirl the two together with a toothpick.
Bake until the centers of the cheesecakes barely jiggle when nudged, 18-23 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Yields 18 mini cheesecakes.
Here are links and information about other contest wins:
Sun-Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Appetizers was a category winner at the 2004 Pillsbury Bake-off contest.
Chips and Dips Cookies won the Wearever AirBake Ultra Extreme Cookie Challenge.
My finalist recipes for Southern Living and Cooking Light will be printed in the January issues of the magazines.
If you try any of my recipes, please let me know how you like them! Just come back and leave a comment!
