Cappuccino Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 (19.5 oz.) package Pillsbury® Mocha Fudge Brownie Mix
• 1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 large eggs, divided
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup Pillsbury® Creamy Supreme® Chocolate Fudge Flavored Frosting

Instructions

• HEAT oven to 325°F. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions using the oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
• BEAT cream cheese, butter, cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour evenly over brownie layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
• BAKE 48 to 52 minutes or until top is lightly browned and filling is set in center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Place frosting into corner of 1-quart heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH 5 to 10 seconds. Cut small corner off bag. Drizzle over brownies. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

Holiday Pumpkin Treats

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold butter
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 (27 oz.) jar None Such® Classic Original Mincemeat
  Or None Such® Brandy and Rum Mincemeat
• 1 (15 oz.) can (2 cups) pumpkin
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• HEAT oven to 425°F. Combine flour, brown sugar and sugar in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts.
• RESERVE 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon mincemeat over crust.
• COMBINE remaining ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Pour over mincemeat. Top with reserved crumb mixture.
• BAKE 15 minutes; reduce oven to 350°F. Bake an additional 40 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Cool. Cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with ice cream, if desired.

Foolproof Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients

• 3 cups (18 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Dash salt
• 1/2 to 1 cups chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

• LINE 8- or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
• MELT chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
• CHILL 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan by lifting edges of foil. Cut into squares.
• MICROWAVE METHOD
• COMBINE chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt in 1-quart glass measure. Cook on HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes or until chips are melted, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Proceed as above.
• VARIATIONS
• CREAMY DARK CHOCOLATE FUDGE: MELT 2 cups miniature marshmallows with chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Proceed as above.
• MILK CHOCOLATE FUDGE: OMIT 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Add 1 cup milk chocolate chips. Proceed as above.
• CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP GLAZED FUDGE: FOLLOW above recipe using 3/4 cup peanut butter chips instead of nuts. For glaze, melt 1/2 cup peanut butter chips with 1/2 cup heavy cream. Stir until thick and smooth. Spread over chilled fudge.

Magic Cookie Bars

Ingredients

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions

• HEAT oven to 350°F. Coat 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
• COMBINE graham cracker crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with fork.
• BAKE 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm; cool on wire rack. Cut into bars or diamonds.
• For perfectly cut cookie bars, line entire pan with foil, extending foil over edge of pan. Coat lightly with no-stick cooking spray. After bars have baked and cooled, lift up with edges of foil to remove from pan. Cut into bars.
• VARIATIONS
• SUBSTITUTE chocolate chips or nuts with candy coated pieces, dried cranberries, raisins, mini-marshmallows or butterscotch chips.

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:For the peach filling:

• 10 ripe peaches, halved, pitted, and each half sliced into 8 slices (about 2 quarts)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 tbsp dark-brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the biscuit topping:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp course or sparkling sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set a 2-quart baking dish aside.
2. To make the peach filling: Place the peaches, cornstarch, both sugars, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss until well combined and set the bowl aside, stirring every so often while you make the biscuit topping.
3. To make the biscuit topping: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together until well-combined. Gently toss in the butter pieces and coat them with the flour mixture. Rub the butter in with your fingers (use your thumbs and first two fingers) until the mixture becomes a little crumbly and the butter forms small clumps (coarse meal with the flour) – you’ll need to use a little pressure to get the cold butter to break up so don’t be afraid to “get dirty”.
4. Whisk the egg and cream together in a liquid-measuring cup. Slowly add this mixture to dry ingredients, mixing with a fork until the dough just comes together – it will be wet and sticky.
5. Pour the peach filling into the baking dish. Using a large ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup drop clumps of biscuit dough (about 1/2 cup each) over the top of the peaches, gently flattening them out slightly with your fingertips. Sprinkle the biscuit dough with the coarse sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack and let cool slightly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Triple-Layer Eggnog Pie

What You Need

10

KRAFT Caramels

1

cup cold milk, divided

1

HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)

1/2

cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans, toasted

2

pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1

cup cold eggnog

1

tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Make It

MICROWAVE caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM (50%) 30 sec. or until caramels are completely melted when stirred. Pour into crust; sprinkle with nuts.
BEAT pudding mixes, eggnog and remaining milk with whisk 2 min.; spoon 1-1/2 cups over nuts. Stir half the COOL WHIP into remaining pudding; spread over pudding layer in crust. Top with remaining COOL WHIP.
REFRIGERATE 3 hours.

Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

Cake mix and instant pudding mix speed the prep of this irresistibly rich crimson-studded pound cake.

Cake

1

box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® golden vanilla or yellow cake mix

1

box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

1

cup water

1/2

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

to 2 teaspoons grated orange peel

4

eggs

1 1/2

cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped (do not thaw frozen cranberries)

Powdered sugar, if desired

Orange Sauce, if desired

1

cup granulated sugar

1

tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

cup orange juice

1/2

cup butter or margarine

         

• 1 Heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• 2 In large bowl, beat cake mix, pudding mix, water, softened butter, orange peel and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fold in cranberries. Spread in pan.
• 3 Bake 57 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• 4 In 1-quart saucepan, cook sauce ingredients over medium heat about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Serve warm or cool sauce with cake. Store cake loosely covered at room temperature and sauce covered in refrigerator.

Seven-Layer Holiday Pasta Salad

Holidays beg for do-ahead food prep. Here's a colorful salad created with you in mind.

2

cups uncooked farfalle (bow-tie) pasta (4 ounces)

2

cups broccoli florets

2

medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1

medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

1/3

cup diced red onion

1

cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2

cup plain yogurt

2

tablespoons sugar

1/2

teaspoon curry powder

1 1/2

cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

1

tablespoon Betty Crocker® Bac~Os® bacon flavor bits or chips

2

tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

         

• 1 Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Place broccoli in boiling water. Cover and cook 1 minute; drain. Immediately rinse with cold water; drain.
• 2 While pasta is cooking, layer tomatoes, broccoli, bell pepper and onion in 2-quart glass serving bowl.
• 3 In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar and curry powder. Stir in pasta. Layer pasta evenly over onion in serving bowl.
• 4 Sprinkle with cheese. Top with bacon bits and parsley. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving but no longer than 24 hours.

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Ham

Zesty mustard and spices balance the sweetness of brown sugar and syrup for a great glaze that tastefully tops baked ham.

6- to 8-lb fully cooked smoked bone-in ham

1/2

cup packed brown sugar

1/3

cup maple-flavored syrup

1/2

teaspoon ground mustard

1/8

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8

teaspoon ground ginger

1/8

teaspoon ground cloves

Dash of ground nutmeg

         

• 1 Heat oven to 325°F. Line shallow roasting pan with foil. Place ham, cut side down, on rack in pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of ham and does not touch bone.
• 2 Bake uncovered about 1 hour 30 minutes or until thermometer reads 135°F to 140°F. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Brush over ham during last 30 minutes of baking.
• 3 Cover ham loosely with foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes for easier carving.

Cardamom Cheesecake Bars

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cardamom, Ground, divided
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into bottom of foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Mix flour, oats, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the cardamom in medium bowl. Cut in cold butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in almonds. Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon cardamom and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add eggs; beat just until blended. Pour over crust. Sprinkle streusel mixture evenly over cheesecake mixture.
3. Bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set and topping is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
4. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Cut into bars. Store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Seven Layer Fiesta Dip

Bring on the chips. Everyone will want to dig into this spicy layered dip



1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1 container (16 ounces) sour cream
1 package McCormick® Taco Seasoning Mix  or McCormick® Mild Taco Seasoning Mix
1 package (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 cup prepared guacamole
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread refried beans in shallow serving dish.

2. Mix sour cream and Seasoning Mix in small bowl until well blended. Spread over refried beans.

3. Top with layers of cheese, guacamole, tomatoes, onions and olives. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: Use McCormick® Guacamole Seasoning Mix to prepare great tasting guacamole.

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

This light and fluffy cheesecake is a perfect dessert for the summertime. It can be prepared in less than 10 minutes and you don't have to turn on your oven.



2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons McCormick® Imitation Strawberry Extract
1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared vanilla crumb crust (6 ounces)

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat cream cheese, sugar and extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon into crust.

2. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Garnish with fresh strawberries or serve with Easy Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows), if desired. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Tips

Easy Strawberry Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup strawberry jam with 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract or McCormick® Pure Almond Extract.

Vanilla Pecan Pie

Cheesecake meets pecan pie in this smooth and decadent seasonal dessert.



1 refrigerated pie crust (from 14.1-ounce package)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 eggs, divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
4 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract, divided
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan pieces, toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare crust as directed on package for one-crust pie using 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Beat cream cheese, 1 of the eggs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly on bottom of crust. Bake 15 minutes.

2. Beat remaining 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Add corn syrup, butter, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla and salt; stir until well blended. Sprinkle pecans evenly over baked cream cheese layer. Slowly pour corn syrup mixture over nuts.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until just set in center. Cool completely on wire rack.

Vanilla-Walnut Pie

This pie is a novel take on two tried and true holiday desserts: pecan pie and cheesecake. A layer of smooth cream cheese is a perfect complement to the walnuts' satisfyingly sweet, nutty crunch.



1 refrigerated pie crust (from 14.1-ounce package)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 eggs, divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
4 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract, divided
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups walnut pieces, toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare crust as directed on package for one-crust pie using 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Beat cream cheese, 1 of the eggs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly on bottom of crust. Bake 15 minutes.

2. Beat remaining 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until very smooth. Add corn syrup, butter, remaining 3 teaspoons vanilla and salt; stir until well blended. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over baked cream cheese layer. Slowly pour corn syrup mixture over nuts.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until just set in center. Cool completely on wire rack.

Vanilla Raspberry Cheesecake

You don't need a springform pan to prepare this cheesecake recipe. Instead you bake it in a 13x9-inch pan and cut it into bars. The bars are made extra-special with raspberry preserves marbled throughout the filling.



1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ginger, Ground
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
4 eggs
1/4 cup raspberry preserves, stirred to soften

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and ginger. Press firmly onto bottom of foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Gently drop small spoonfuls of preserves over batter. Cut through batter several times with knife for marble effect.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Lift out of pan onto cutting board. Cut into bars. Garnish as desired. Store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Golden Clove Glazed Ham

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cloves, Ground
1 ready-to-eat ham (about 8 pounds)
McCormick® Cloves, Whole

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix sugar, honey, water and ground cloves in small bowl. Place ham in large foil-lined roasting pan. Score top of ham in diamond pattern. Place whole cloves in centers and points of diamonds.

2. Bake 1 1/2 hours, basting during last 1/2 hour with spice mixture. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

The Steakhouse Potato

2 large baking potatoes
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon Steakhouse Seasoning from McCormick® Steakhouse Seasoning Grinder
McCormick® Sea Salt Grinder (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Microwave potatoes on HIGH 7 minutes, turning potatoes halfway through cooking time. Cool potatoes slightly.

2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop potato into medium bowl, leaving 1/4-inch edge to form shell. Set shells aside. Add cheese, milk, butter, Steakhouse Seasoning and sea salt, if desired, to cooked potato; mash with potato masher. Fill shells evenly with potato mixture. Place on baking sheet.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Twist additional Steakhouse Seasoning over potatoes, if desired.

Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: For extra-cheesy filling, increase shredded Cheddar cheese to 1/2 cup.

Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Italian Seasoning, divided
1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 package (16 ounces) frozen cauliflower florets, thawed
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Coarse Ground
1 1/4 cups milk
4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, cubed

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning in small bowl. Set aside. Cut up any large broccoli or cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vegetables; toss gently to coat. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle top evenly with crumb mixture.

3. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

Tips

Make-Ahead Tip: Unbaked casserole may be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bake as directed.

Flavor Variation: Substitute 1 teaspoon McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Lemon & Pepper Seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Basil Leaves for the Italian Seasoning.

Pecan Cookie Balls

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; beat until well blended. Stir in flour and pecans.

2. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheets. Immediately roll hot cookies in remaining 2 cups sugar. Place sugared cookies on wire racks to cool. When cool, roll again in sugar.

Tips

Cinnamon Pecan Cookie Balls: Add 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon to the cookie dough, adding with the nutmeg. Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the 2 cups confectioners' sugar for rolling.

Slow Cookers Spicy Mexican Pork Stew

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, well trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 ears frozen corn, thawed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers Chili Seasoning Mix
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place pork, beans and corn in slow cooker.

2. Mix Seasoning Mix, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and onion until blended. Pour over pork mixture; stir lightly. Cover.

3. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Tips

Slow Cooker Tip: For best results, do not remove cover during cooking.

Test Kitchen Tip: Prepare as directed, using 1 cup frozen corn kernels in place of the ears of corn.

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Pumpkin Pie Spice
Whipped cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. For the Crust, mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Press evenly into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

2. For the Filling, beat cream cheese and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Add pumpkin, flour, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice; beat until smooth. Pour into crust.

3. Bake 50 minutes or until top is lightly browned and center is almost set. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack.

4. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired.

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 teaspoons McCormick® Pumpkin Pie Spice, divided
1 tablespoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
Whipped cream (optional)
Spiced Pecans, recipe link below (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugars, 5 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt in large bowl until well blended. Pour into 13x9-inch baking pan which has been sprayed with no stick cooking spray.

2. Mix cake mix and remaining 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in medium bowl with wire whisk. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Drizzle evenly with melted butter.

3. Bake 50 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve with whipped cream and Spiced Pecans, if desired. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Tips

Make Ahead: Prepare as directed. Cool completely; cover. Refrigerate overnight. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. To serve, cut into squares with sharp knife.

Delicious Deviled Eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Mustard, Ground
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Parsley Flakes
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
McCormick® Paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; place in small bowl. Mash yolks with fork or potato masher.

2. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, parsley and seasoned salt until smooth and creamy. Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Sprinkle with paprika.

3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Tips

To hard cook eggs: Gently place eggs in single layer in medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover eggs with 1 inch of water. Bring just to boil on medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand about 15 minutes for large eggs. (Adjust time up or down by 3 minutes for each size larger or smaller.) After 15 minutes, pour off the hot water and rapidly cool eggs by running them under cold water (or place in ice water) until completely cooled. Refrigerate and use within a week.

Decadent Chocolate Pecan Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust (from 14.1-ounce package)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons milk
4 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Allspice, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line 9-inch deep dish pie plate with pie crust. Bake 7 minutes. Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

2. Meanwhile, microwave chocolate chips and milk in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Pour chocolate evenly over crust.

3. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Slowly pour mixture over chocolate layer. Place ring of foil around edges of crust to prevent over-browning.

4. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until filling is puffed and center is still soft enough to move when shaken gently. Cool on completely wire rack.

Microwave English Muffin Bread

 

1 tablespoonyellow cornmeal

1/4 cupwarm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 (.25 ounce) packageactive dry yeast

1 cuplukewarm milk

2 teaspoonswhite sugar

1 teaspoonsalt

1/8 teaspoonbaking soda

1 cupwhole wheat flour

2 cupsall-purpose flour

 

Directions

1. Lightly grease a microwave-safe 9x5 inch loaf pan; sprinkle pan with cornmeal.
2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, salt, soda and whole wheat flour; beat well. Beat in all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. Form into a loaf, and place into the prepared pan.
3. Place in microwave oven uncovered, at 50 percent power, for 1 minute. Let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat 1 or 2 times until loaf has doubled in size.
4. Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, until top is no longer moist. Let stand for 5 minutes in pan. Remove and cool on a rack.

Apricot Almond Bread 2 lb.

 

• 11½ fl ounces (1¼ cups + 3 tablespoons) water, 80°F
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 3¾ cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons dry milk
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- or -
• 2 teaspoons bread machine/fast rise yeast
• 2/3 cup dried apricots, quartered
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

1. Add liquids ingredients and butter to pan.
2. Add all dry ingredients, except yeast to pan. Tap pan to settle dry ingredients, then level ingredients, pushing some of the mixture into the corners. Lock pan into bread maker.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker.
4. Program for recommended select setting BASIC WHITE (1, 2, 3). Program timer if being used. Turn bread maker on. When done, turn off, unlock pan and remove with oven mitts. Shake bread out of pan and cool on rack before slicing.

Make Your Own Twinkies

Suzanne note:  I just couldn't resist posting this..

November 20, 2012
Fear not, Twinkies fans: Food writer and cookbook author Rachel Rappaport at Coconut & Lime was gracious enough to share the recipe for her homemade version, and they're every bit as good as the original. In fact, Rappaport's Twinkies even feature fluffy banana-flavored cream fillings, much like the very first Twinkies ever introduced by Hostess Brands. (For those who prefer the taste of modern-day Twinkies, simply substitute vanilla extract where indicated.)

So don't break out in a cold sweat just yet. Instead, start perfecting Rappaport's recipe, and you'll have your own supply of treats whether Twinkies disappear from grocery store shelves or not.

Level: Easy
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8–12, depending on pan

Ingredients:

2 ½ tablespoons flour (for the cream filling)
½ cup milk (for the cream filling)
½ cup confectioners sugar (for the cream filling)
½ cup cold butter (for the cream filling)
1 teaspoon banana or vanilla flavoring/extract (for the cream filling)
1 D2 teaspoon salt (for the cream filling)
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk, at room temperature
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature

Instructions:

To make the cream filling, mix the flour and milk in a small pan and boil until thick. Cool the mixture, then beat until fluffy.

Add the other four ingredients (confectioners sugar, butter, banana/vanilla extract and salt) one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour. (The cream should be cold and rather stiff when you later pipe it into the cakes, but the act of piping will soften it to the correct consistency.)

Begin making the sponge cake. Preheat the oven to 350 F, and thoroughly grease 8 to 12 wells in a "Cream Canoe" pan (Rappaport recommends the Norpro 3964).

Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. Stir the vanilla extract into the milk in a separate bowl, and set that aside as well.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat the eggs into the batter one at a time, until it is very light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, thoroughly incorporating each addition before adding the next. Pour batter into prepared pans (Rappaport recommends filling them about halfway, as there is plenty of leavening in the batter.)

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cakes are just becoming golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the center cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, invert to a wire rack and cool completely before filling.

Using a pastry bag or cream-filling gun, fill three holes on the underside of each cake with the cream. Slightly overfill the holes, then use your thumb to tamp in the cream.

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Rachel Rappaport is a full-time food blogger, professional recipe developer, food columnist, two-time cookbook author and food photographer.
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