I found THE ONE!

If there is just one recipe you take from my collection, I think, by sheer numbers of compliments, this is the one. This dessert went so fast that I didn't even get time to take a proper foodie photo. So sad. But I'm going to take it as a win.

Last night I went to a game night put on by Tyler's family, and there were plus or minus 25 of us there. A group so large we needed to host the event in his parents' church. This photo doesn't even include the whole group, as some of us were following our wandering toddler around, one of us came down with appendicitis and had to leave...it was quite the night.

We played the most entertaining game I think I've ever seen, which Tyler and I have now dubbed "Prize Ball". Be prepared to get your prize fix if you ever come to an event at the Jensen household in the near future. I scored big, winning lots of loot, and even four of the big gifts! I made a trade with Alexia for a sweet Twins hat, too.

  

We ended the night with a game of Guesstures, which was entertaining after all the sugary goodies I brought. Knowing what a large group we'd have, and how gluttonous we can be, especially around the holidays, I opted to bring three different desserts. The classic Chocolate Chip Cookies -- great for all the kids in the group, the leftover Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from Thanksgiving, and the delectable Caramel Apple Cheesecake bars that got rave reviews all night long. THIS is the dessert you must make for your next event. I didn't realize just how many people love cheesecake, but this dessert was a total crowd pleaser. Even my love, who avoids sweets like the plague, ate 4 bars himself! The before and after pics do it no justice.

The part that seemed so stunning to most of my critics was how I just threw this recipe together, a mish-mash of other tried and true recipes, to create a fricken drool-worthy masterpiece. I'm a pretty humble person and I don't usually toot my own horn, but I was blessed with the gift of flavor intuition. I feel lucky that I have the ability to make an (educated) guess on which ingredients will mesh well together. I wouldn't say that this recipe was tricky by any means, but it did turn out fabulous. "What? I can't believe you'd just piece a recipe together and serve it without every trying it before!". I guess it's just confidence in knowing that you're using pieces of recipes that do work. Trust me, I have had some baking disasters. I have cried real tears I've had to start a recipe over from square one when I'm on a deadline. I've even had to bring store bought (gasp!) cookies when mine didn't turn out. It happens. But not this time. So check it out, and save this one to your list!

  

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

For the crust:

1 package graham crackers

3 tbsp sugar

6 tbsp butter, melted

For the cheesecake:

16 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

For the filling:

3 apples, peeled and diced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tbsp flour

1/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

For the crumble topping:

1 c rolled oats

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c flour

1/2 c chopped pecans (optional)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c butter, cubed

Caramel Sauce to top with

Directions:

Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are achieved. Add sugar and butter, and pulse until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a 13x9 baking pan and flatten evenly.

Mix cream cheese until smooth, then add sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape sides of the bowl as necessary. Pour the cheesecake batter into the 13x9 baking pan on top of the graham cracker crust.

Core and dice the apples, then place in a bowl. Add lemon juice, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon, then toss. Place apple mixture evenly on top of the cheesecake batter.

Combine all ingredients for the crumble topping in a large bowl and mix well. Evenly distribute crumble topping over the apples, then bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until the mixture is just slightly jiggly. Let cool completely, then drizzle with caramel sauce just before serving.

Breakfast Goodies -- Kid Approved

I like to indulge in a little spoiling of the children on the weekends. Why? Because I can. For once I have the time to actually make something fun, let alone make breakfast, period. Yeah, I'm that mom who leaves for work before my big kids even open their eyes for the day, so I have no idea what they eat for breakfast or IF they eat breakfast, at that. (I don't think they eat breakfast...) Regardless, weekends are my time to shine, and their time to get fed.

This weekend I decided that I wanted to do something fun with the extra cans of crescent rolls I had in the fridge left over from the pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and I found a can of wildberry filling in the cupboard, too. Lightbulb! I'm making my own fluffy version of a toaster strudel, sans the strudel sauce. And it came out of the oven piping hot, too! None of that still frozen crap happening here...

My recipe was super easy to make, and tastes authentic. Even my picky eaters gave me a garbled, stuffed mouth approval. I call that a win, in a household with 6 kids, half of which either complain at every meal or walk away hungry. Now for the delicious recipe!

Wildberry Filled Breakfast Pastries

2 cans crescent rolls

1 can pie filling (substitute with fresh berries for a healthier twist)

1 egg

sugar in the raw, to top with

Directions:

Roll out the crescent dough on a cutting board, pinching together the seams of two triangles to form a rectangle. Cut each rectangle in half to form two equal squares. Drop 1 tbsp pie filling in the very center of HALF the squares, then place the empty squares on top of the filled squares, lining up the edges carefully. Crimp all edges of the square to seal, forming a pouch. Scramble one egg, and then brush the egg onto the top of each pastry square. Sprinkle each square with sugar in the raw, as desired. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, then place the pastries onto the baking sheet and place into a preheated oven (350 degrees) for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool before serving.

Celebrating a Baby!

One of my beautiful coworkers is having a baby boy in a few weeks, and I had the pleasure of teaming up with another coworker to make a few desserts in celebration of his impending arrival. We definitely over did it on the quantity, but quality was on point.

Anyone who has known me for a while knows how much I love cheesecake, and how hard I tried to perfect making it. I found a winning recipe years ago, and I've been modifying it to fit all kinds of flavors for a while now. It has never failed me. Pssst! Just a little secret....Baking a perfect cheesecake is more dependent on how you bake it rather than the recipe itself. But I love this one because it has very few ingredients and I ain't fancy, you know. But, I'll tell you very important words to remember. Write it in sharpie on your forehead if you have to. WATER BATH. And trust me when I say it's exactly as it sounds. You put your cheesecake batter in a cheesecake pan, but instead of just popping into the oven, you place it onto a baking sheet with shallow sides, and then pour water into the baking sheet. Voila! You've got yourself a beautiful cheesecake that doesn't crack!

Salted Caramel Cheesecake Minis

For the crust:
1 package graham crackers (use chocolate for a more decadent taste)
3 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
16 oz (2 packages) cream cheese
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

For the topping:
caramel ice cream topping
coarse sea salt

Directions:
Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are formed. Add sugar and melted butter and pulse until thoroughly mixed. Line a muffin pan with muffin papers. Place 1 tbsp of crumb mixture inside each muffin paper and firmly pat into the bottom of the papers.

Mix softened cream cheese until there are no lumps, then add sugar, eggs and vanilla and continue to mix until creamy. Scoop cheesecake batter on top of the graham cracker crust, filling papers about halfway. Bake 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheesecake is firm but slightly jiggly.

When the cheesecake is completely cool, drizzle with caramel ice cream topping and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Cinnamon Rolls with an Autumn Flair

"Have babies, they say. It'll be fun, they say." Yeah, this is true...BUT, you also lose yourself and everything you once loved for a time, because well, you need sleep, and hot showers, and maybe even a little time at the gym if you're lucky. Those are the luxuries, even. Don't forget all that time you spend working, commuting, and buying stuff for your five other children. Life is wild -- and cooking, baking and recipe blogging inevitably gets put on the back burner. I'm currently hiding from my laptop-grabbing toddler just to post this recipe. 

With Fall being a season full of comfort food favorites and pumpkin spice flavored everything wherever you go, this recipe is no exception. Combining some breakfast soul food with pumpkin was a no brainer, super easy to make, and who doesn't love cinnamon rolls? I even threw in some pecans for good measure. I'm crazy about nuts! Hell, I'd go so far as to brew a cup of hazelnut coffee and sweeten it with almond creamer and maple syrup to eat specifically with these rolls.

For the rolls:

1 package crescent roll dough

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ginger

1/3 c. brown sugar

For the icing:

1 c. powder sugar

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tbsp. milk (I used almond milk)

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/2 c. pecans (to top with)

Directions:

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Open the can of crescent rolls and unroll onto a large cutting board. Pinch the seams to form a solid slab of dough. Spread the pumpkin mixture evenly onto the flattened dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture and then re-roll the dough back into a log shape. With a large serrated knife, slice the dough into 8 even rolls. Coat a round 8" round pan with baking spray, then place the rolls into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, mix together the powder sugar, melted butter, milk and maple syrup until no lumps remain. Drizzle the warm rolls with icing, then drop the pecans evenly onto the cooling rolls. Enjoy. I know I did!

Apple Cinnamon Crumble Muffins

It's been a long time since I've felt like Betty Crocker. Little Debbie. Suzy Homemaker. Whoever a gal should refer to when she's comparing herself to a kitchen superstar. Today, I truly feel like one. I have missed myself!

Not only did I toss a roast, potatoes, onions and carrots into the crockpot this morning, but I also took on some fresh baked muffins for a late breakfast. And ate three of them myself! All this, after baking chocolate chip cookies last week. It feels so good to be me again after my foodie self went on hiatus.

These muffins even got an A+ rating from my picky eaters, which surprised me because there are nuts in the streusel topping. Nuts, you guys. I was supposed to have ground up some slivered almonds, but I sprung for the pecan bits instead, and didn't even grind them. I thought twice about doing it, knowing the kids might not like it...but then I said "Fuck it...more muffins for me if they don't!". Their loss is my win. Or so I thought.

But, since this classic recipe was such a hit with my kiddos, and I know it's adult-approved, I feel I'd be doing the world an injustice if I didn't share the recipe. Hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!

Apple Cinnamon Crumble Muffins


Muffin Batter
3 c. flour
1 c. oats
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. all spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 whole eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla

Streusel Topping
1 c. oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. butter, cold

Directions
For muffin batter: Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, all spice, and baking soda. Mix gently and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugars, then add eggs, vanilla and applesauce and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.

For streusel: Chop butter into small squares and set aside. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add butter. Using your fingers, mix butter into dry ingredients until a crumble is formed.

Scoop equal size batter portions into muffin papers and top with streusel mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

That dreaded V-WORD

I'm totally stuffing my face like a pig right now. But it's ok because I don't think you can overeat on veggies and chicken, right? That's pretty much all I've eaten today, and I'm totally alright with that. I'm slowly learning to be completely satisfied with generally healthy stuff. If you learn how to cook it, even veggies can be good...even enhance a plain old salad!

See, I think there is a pretty solid stigma against vegetables, but let's face it, today's veggies aren't your grandma's 50's housewife veggies. When I talk about eating my greens, I don't mean that I'm shoveling in a bowl of green peas alongside a scoop of mashed potatoes and a slab of meatloaf. You can make eating the dreaded "v-word" fun...and I don't mean that v-word, though it does come with it's own fair share of critiques on taste and texture. But that's a topic I won't touch on, because well...I'm not qualified to share an opinion on the matter.

One vegetable I've been particularly partial to lately is squash. Ew...squash. Right? Wrong! It's gooooood. Not serving in up like the squash you add brown sugar and marshmallows to on Turkey Day. This is a savory dish with sauteed veggies and chicken. It would be great without chicken, even, but I'm not a vegetarian and I need to get my protein because of all that exercising. This one is a winner and can easily be tweaked to be Asian or Mexican inspired depending on the spices you toss on it.



Spaghetti Squash Sauté
(Serves 4)

[ ingredients ]
1 spaghetti squash
10 mini bell peppers
1 package cleaned and sliced mushrooms
3 c. shredded chicken
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper

[ directions ]
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash lengthwise, brush insides of squash well with olive oil and place face down on a baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes. Scrape inside of the squash with a fork to loosen the spaghetti-like fibers. Place four equal portions onto four plates. Top with warm shredded chicken.

Slice bell peppers lengthwise after removing seeds. Sauté sliced bell peppers and mushrooms in the remaining olive oil with garlic and pepper until tender. Divide into four equal portions and top the squash and chicken with the veggies. For a more Asian flair, add soy sauce. For a more Mexican flair, sauté veggies with 1/2 tsp. cumin and 1/2 tsp. chili powder instead of black pepper. Enjoy!

 Cheesy Broccoli & Chicken Salad
(serves 1)

[ ingredients ]
1 c. Spring Mix
1/2 c. Steamed Broccoli
3/4 c. Shredded Chicken
1/4 c. Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper

[ directions ]
Place spring mix on a plate, topping with warm chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle with cheese.

Easy peasy and oh, so good!

Break Free from Breakfast Boredom!

Breakfast. They say it's the most important meal of the day, yet we find ourselves feeding our families junk from brightly colored boxes that are loaded with sugar. I used to think that I could give my kids something a bit more wholesome by buying the packets of oatmeal, but if you are a label reader, you'll find that they're also in the "not good" category. Coming up with some better options for my family has been a huge priority in the last few years, as I've dealt with my own health issues, food sensitivities, and sugar addiction. 

When I create my recipes, I try to incorporate as many food groups as I can in order to pack as much wholesome deliciousness as possible into each bite. A little fruit, some healthy fats and carbs can give you the energy boost you need first thing in the morning. Make a side of eggs or Shakeology for an added serving of protein, if you can! I have two fantastic recipes to share that should make your taste buds do a little happy dance.

Cranberry-Pear Bake 

(serves 2)

[ ingredients ]

2 pears, sliced (any kind)

2 tbsp. dried cranberries

2 tbsp. chopped pecans

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. maple syrup

[ directions ]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Slice pears and place in a baking dish. 

Top with cranberries and pecans, 

then add maple syrup and cinnamon. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until pears are tender.

Quick Cranberry Almond Oats
(serves 1)

[ ingredients ] 

1/2 c. rolled oats

1/2 c. water

1 tbsp. dried cranberries

1 tbsp. sliced almonds

1 tsp. ground flax

1 tsp. maple syrup

[ directions ]

Combine oats and water, microwave for 1 minute. 

Stir in flax, top with almonds, cranberries, and maple syrup. 

Sometimes I mix this recipe up by changing out the fruit. A few substitution suggestions are:

Blueberry Almond with chia
Banana Walnut with flax

Apple-Cinnamon Pecan with flax

Mango-Coconut with chia

Don't want to use maple syrup? Try agave nectar for a different flavor, or coconut palm sugar.
You have so many options to choose from, and you'll still get your family out the door fast on a busy weekday morning.