dessert

The Best Damn Bread Pudding & Dad Update.

The day after Christmas was quiet. We were all in a food coma from the most amazing prime rib dinner. The season was finally winding down from a whirlwind of a month. The weather was the coldest I had ever felt it at my parents. The wind caused the power to go out and once the kids became restless we decided it was time to head back home down the mountain. My parents asked my sister and I to walk next door to give them a Christmas card. I went to open my car door and decided to just walk back into the house to say one last goodbye and that’s when I found my Dad on the floor. My Mom was next to him and I immediately knew he was having a stroke. I ran to our car and told Jim to call 911 and ran next to my sister’s car to get her. We were able to get one aspirin in and within minutes the ambulance was there. We acted immediately and I cannot thank the first responders. My parents had no power, all of us were in jammies, and all us were worried about my Dad. We spent the next hours in the emergency room and then he was transferred to ICU. He had good days and he had some bad. He so badly wanted to go home and we wanted him home too. Family dinners are just so uneventful without his sarcastic undertones and seeing him sad broke all of our hearts. After 27 days and several hospitals later he was released. The stroke was on the right side so his left side was effected. He was able to raise his left arm, and eventually able to bend at the elbow but no hand movement. He regained speech, facial expressions and awareness of his left side. However, the hand was still not working. I truly believe that God was not ready for my Dad. He just took my Aunt as another angel in October (who was also a stroke victim) but he had greater plans for my Dad. He was given a second chance and I truly believe that better things are to come. I was not and I am not ready to lose my Daddy. We have our first family vacation coming up at the end of this year to Hawaii and that has helped him. Looking into the future we see him here and he sees himself here.

The second night of his stay in the ICU my sister, Mother and I went to dinner. I had the bread pudding for dessert and kept thinking how much Dad would love to be sharing this with me. We both have a love for the spongy egg-y dessert. When we went back to the hospital I told him what I had and he said that sounded so good to him. I made a promise to bake it for him when he got out. Two days after he was released we had a celebratory dinner at my parents house. My sister and I made: tri-tip with an amazing mushroom wine sauce, mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. We finished dinner with bread pudding. My friend, Janelle, had posted the recipe for Golden Nugget’s Famous Bread Pudding recipe on Instagram. After several texts back-and-forth on modifications and the most sinful vanilla bean sauce it was set. I am so happy that our family was all together. I am happier now than ever in my life watching my Dad’s progress. I am happy that we have him for a lot longer. I am happy for our future and all the memories we haven’t made yet. Add this bread pudding recipe to our ‘happy’ memory bank. We love you Dad!

Golden Nugget’s Famous Bread Pudding.

Golden Nugget's Famous Bread Pudding

Author: Melissa

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

16 ounces half-and-half
8 ounces whipping cream
8 eggs
1 1⁄4 cups sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla
4 1⁄2 slices white bread (I used challah)
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons raisins

Instructions

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a bowl.
Arrange bread in a single layer on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread.
Mix cinnamon and sugar together. Sprinkle over bread.
Sprinkle raisins on top.
Cover with foil and bake in a water bath at 400 degrees for 75 to 90 minutes.

Update: Since I wrote this (I had yet to hit post) God has graced my Dad with another improvement, he can squeeze my Mom’s hand. I cried after we hung up. God is good.

Pumpkin-Apple Spice Cheesecake with Rolled Oat Crumble

No matter what the holiday is I am the one in charge of creating the desserts. Before it was me, it was my Dad and before him, my Grandma. It’s like the passing of the torch per se. I can never bake the same dessert, I wish I could because it would be a lot simpler to just re-create the recipes my family has already approved. But if you know me, you know I like a challenge and a baking challenge is always right up my alley. No matter what the dessert spread always includes: pumpkin pie for my sister because it’s the only pie she likes, there’s apple for my husband because that’s what he likes and typically there’s a cheesecake for my Mom and I. The kids never seem to mind what there is as long as there’s plenty of cookies and whipped cream involved. For Thanksgiving I baked the most amazing pumpkin bourbon cheesecake. For Christmas, I felt that I could jazz that recipe up and create a spin on my favorite, dutch apple cheesecake, creating my newly developed pumpkin-apple spice cheesecake with rolled oat crumble. Doesn’t it sound so heavenly decadent? I mean, the name in itself is a mouthful to say so why not make it the most amazing holiday dessert all wrapped into one?!?

This decadent cheesecake will complete any dessert spread for the holidays and if you’re the giving type, it makes an even better present to give to neighbors and friends alike! You can make this cheesecake as individuals, mini’s or as an 8″.

If you’ve ever baked a cheesecake you know that it takes time. If you’re baking a cheesecake with many layers it will take even longer to prep. Make sure to give yourself enough time for prep and chilling. A good cheesecake needs to rest and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Gingersnap Oat Crust: Gingersnap Cookies, Rolled Oats & Butter

Rolled Oat Crumble: Oats, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar & butter

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Filling: Cream Cheese, Pumpkin, Brown Sugar, Eggs, Flour, Spices & Sour Cream

Pumpkin-Apple Spice Cheesecake with Rolled Oat Crumble

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

Add this decadent cheesecake to your holiday spread or gift to neighbors and friends this holiday season.

Author: Melissa

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Crust:
20 Ginger Snap Cookies
¼ cup Quaker Oats Quick Oats
½ stick Melted Butter
Filling:
2 (8oz.) packages Cream Cheese
1 cup + 2 tablespoons canned Pumpkin Puree
2 Eggs
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Fresh Ground Nutmeg
2 tablespoons Flour
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Apples, thinly sliced and diced.
Crumble:
½ cup All-Purpose Flour
¼ cup Quaker Oats Quick Oats
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
¼ tsp Cinnamon
¼ cup Butter, cold and diced into ½-inch cubes

Instructions

This recipe will make: six 3" individual, three 3" individuals + eight cupcake size, one 8", or 24 mini cheesecakes.
Preheat oven to 350*F
Prepare crust by combining cookies in a food processor. Pulse until a fine crumb is achieved. Toss any large chunks of cookies that didn't process. Add in Oats and melted butter and pulse until combined.
Add two rounded tablespoons of moist crust crumbs into each individual springform pan (1 tablespoon if mini). Use the back of the spoon (or I like to use my fondant rolling pin) to press down the crumbs, to form a crust.
Prepare the filling-
Beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, sugar and spices, flour and vanilla in a food processor until well combined. (You can also use a hand or stand mixer but since my food processor was already out I opted to minimize the dirty dishes).
Pour filling into prepared crusts.
Top each cheesecake with 1-2 teaspoons of diced apples.
For the streusel:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, quick oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter and using fingertips, rub butter into dry mixture until it comes together it small crumbles and pieces of butter are no longer visible. Add 1-2 teaspoons of crumble to each cheesecake.
Bake cheesecakes in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Turn off oven and let cheesecakes sit for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool about 15 minutes. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours minimum or overnight.
For a large (8") Cheesecake- Follow general directions above. Press crust into the botom of a 8" springform pan. Prepare filling (as listed above). Bake cheesecake 1 hour, let cool in oven for 20 minutes and then remove. Cool 15 minutes at room temp and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight before serving.

You can find the limited edition Quaker Oats Old Fashioned Oats 42oz & Quaker Oats Quick Oats 42oz winter canisters exclusively at Target. Pick up a canister for all of your holiday baking and breakfast needs! Plus you can use this coupon to save on your purchase!

fresh raspberry bars {recipe}

My mom made these seriously addictive fresh raspberry bars on the fourth. I was reluctant because I am usually the one in charge of baking but these were to.die.for! The recipe is from Paula Deen and the only thing we changed was baking them in a fluted tart pan for easy removal which was easier than the first go my Mom did on Memorial Day. The crust is a crisp buttery shortbread, a sinful cream cheese center with gooey fresh raspberries and a crunchy oat crumble on top. Nom! Wish there were still some left. Bring these bars to your next pool party or get together, they will not disappoint.

Fresh Raspberry Bars – recipe c/o Paula Deen

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Pinch of salt

2 sticks of butter

For the filling:

1 pint homemade raspberry jam

1 cup fresh raspberries

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

For the topping:

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup quick oatmeal

1 stick of butter

½ cup brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9X13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

For the crust, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until you have ball of dough. Place ball in the prepared pan and flatten making sure it covers the entire bottom of pan. Bake for 20 minutes. While crust is baking prepare topping in the same bowl mixing all ingredients until it is crumbly. In a small mixing bowl mix jam and raspberries together. Once crust is removed from oven let cool for 10 minutes. Then spread cream cheese on crust and spoon berry mixture over cream cheese. Now sprinkle topping mixture over berry mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

maple pumpkin pie cheesecake bars {recipe}

Today I am sharing my recipe for maple pumpkin pie cheesecake bars over at Our-Reflection. These bars are seriously to die for and would make a great addition to your holiday table. Head on over to see the recipe, I hope you try them!

Classically Tart Lemon Bars

I typically post desserts on my cupcake blog but I figured I would post my go-to recipe for gooey classic lemon bars here for all my lovely readers. I love shortbread, I could literally bask on a sheet of buttery sugar dough and die a happy, happy woman. So pair a good shortbread with tart ripe lemons and we’re in business for an

amazingly quick and sinful treat!

Lemon Bars

Recipe Courtesy of: Paula Deen

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting

Pinch salt

2 sticks butter , at room temperature, plus more for greasing

Filling:

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan.

Make the crust by combining the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You may need to dip your fingers into a little flour or confectioners’ sugar to keep the dough from sticking to your fingers. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, when the bars are done.