Thanksgiving Sweets

Fall Cookie Bouquet, Pecan Pie, and Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

 

 

  

After our Thanksgiving meal at mother's we had plenty of good desserts to choose from. After looking at all the desserts I should have just skipped the meal and headed straight to the dessert table. This year I made a cookie bouquet, pecan pie decorated with pastry fall leaves and a peanut butter cup cheesecake to go with all the other desserts.... buttermilk pie, Vermont maple pecan cookies, tea cakes, brownie cupcakes, Italian cream cake, and divinity. Mother's Vermont maple pecan cookies were delicious. I will have to get her recipe to share later. 

I love to make cheesecakes and found this one on line and I believe it is a keeper to be added to my brownie bottom cheesecake, turtle cheesecake, oreo cheesecake and chocolate cheesecake recipes. (See peanut butter cup cheesecake recipe below.) 

Last year my daughter-in-law, Amy, gave me three books, one on cookie bouquets, one on fruit bouquets and one on candy bouquets. Each book is filled with designs on how to create gifts and centerpieces. In February I made my nephew James a candy bouquet and delivered it to him at school. He said all his 2nd grade classmates wanted candy from it. He has picked out a cookie bouquet that he wants for his next birthday.  My son Tony's girlfriend Brittany and I made a fruit basket a couple a months ago. I will post pictures of both later. This Thanksgiving I thought would be a perfect time to make the fall cookie bouquet from the cookie book. I used my sugar cookie recipe instead of the gingerbread recipe called for in the book so the cookies I made were a little soft. I had to "glue" one back together with white melted chocolate but I was real pleased with the way the bouquet looked and most importantly, the cookies tasted good. 

For the pecan pie I used light Karo syrup and followed the recipe on the back of the bottle. You can also get the recipe and see a video on their web site. The fall leaves were from a 2004 Southern Living magazine. (See directions below) 

You would have thought we had enough sweets on Thursday to last us but I also made banana pudding for Friday night and made candy which was just extra crunchy peanut butter between two cheez-its then dipped in chocolate bark. A little time-consuming (especially when you use over half a box of cheez-its) but so good to eat. I keep them in a baggie in the freezer so you can get out a little or a lot when you want.

I hated seeing everyone leave after the weekend but I was glad there wasn't a lot of leftovers for Randall and me to eat. I think I'd better diet for the next few weeks since I am already planning the Christmas sweets. 

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 

             FILLING:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, divided
• 6 peanut butter cups, cut into small wedges (I used the small ones and cut them in half)
  

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter on high for 30 seconds or until softened. Spread over crust to within 1 in. of edges.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour 1 cup into a bowl; set aside. Pour remaining filling over peanut butter layer.
• In a microwave, heat 1/4 cup fudge topping on high for 30 seconds or until thin; fold into reserved cream cheese mixture. Carefully pour over filling; cut through with a knife to swirl.
• Return pan to baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
• Microwave remaining fudge topping for 30 seconds or until warmed; spread over cheesecake. Garnish with peanut butter cups. Refrigerate overnight. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-14 servings.

Note: Reduced-fat or generic brands of peanut butter are not recommended for this recipe

Fall Leaves

Unfold piecrusts on a lightly floured surface. Cut leaves from piecrust using leaf-shaped cutters. Mark leaf veins using the tip of a small paring knife. One (15-ounce) package of refrigerated piecrusts will make about 24 (2- to 3-inch) leaves.To make the tinted egg wash, whisk together 3 large eggs and 2 tablespoons water. Pour mixture evenly into small cups, tinting each with a few drops of liquid food coloring to create different colors. (I painted the leaves using four different colors of egg wash--red, yellow, orange, and green.) For easy cleanup and to prevent the excess egg wash from burning on the baking sheet, paint leaves on pieces of parchment or wax paper. Brush leaves evenly with egg wash, beginning with lighter colors first, and overlaying with areas of darker color. Use a small artist's brush to add accents of bolder color with undiluted liquid food coloring. Crumple 2 (14-inch long) pieces of aluminum foil into 1-inch-wide strips. Coat with vegetable cooking spray, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently drape pastry leaves over the strips of aluminum foil to give them a natural-looking shape; place several leaves on the baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Gently remove leaves, and cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining leaves