Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Peanut butter lovers, this one's for you!  This is my most requested cheesecake ever!  I took this to work once, was asked the recipe, then later requested to bring it to a meeting, which I did. The last time I made it I had to tag that friend for a copy of my recipe with notes because I couldn't find mine.  By putting it on my blog, I should not have that problem ever again....of course, unless I forget that I posted it! But we won't talk about how good our memory cells are or aren't right?

Today we had our monthly potluck at work and I decided to make this one rather than the chocolate one I posted recently.  This cheesecake continues to get rave reviews.  I didn't bring home a single crumb, which was significant because there were a lot of folks taking off today for their 4th of July holiday.  Others were working from home.  Given the number of folks in the office, I was fully expecting to be bringing half, if not more, of the cheesecake home with me. I'm thrilled that my prediction didn't come true.  

This cheesecake is a little extra work but worth every ounce of effort.  Your family, guests, friends or co-workers will love love love it!  I know a few of my followers who will almost lick the screen when they see these photos and read the recipe.  

I can only say it is a very rich, but amazingly yummy cheesecake. Try it, you'll like it!

Quick Peanut Butter Fudge

Here is an easy recipe that I wanted to share just in time for your Christmas Holiday candy making!
This is from a cookbook titled "Friends Favorite Cook Book" published by Koleen Church in Koleen, Indiana. 

My dad gave me this cookbook many years ago as a Christmas gift.  He has always razzed me about being a good cook and his inscription makes me smile.

My best friend is over the moon for peanut butter fudge and this is the recipe I use when I make some for her.  Since we are miles apart, I often send her a "care package" for Christmas.  I bet when she reads this blog entry that she will wonder if she's getting some this year!  Well, I'm not telling so she will just have to wait and see what Santa brings her this year!

The ingredients for this fantastic fudge are simple.  You will need one piece of specialty "kitchen gear", a candy thermometer.  If you don't have one, you can used the old water test method, but these thermometers are inexpensive and ensure the best results. 

Peanut Butter

Nuts!

After searching the shelves at my local market today, I became really frustrated that I couldn't purchase peanut butter that didn't have added sugar at a reasonable price.

I am going to go on a rant here for a bit, but seriously, why does everything you purchase have sugar in it!  I looked at some salad dressing that said no calories, no fat, no carbs, no sugar....seriously?? I didn't believe it.  The Nutritional Label didn't indicate any of those things, all looked good.  But wait!  Buried in the ingredients list was glucose.  Ah ha, I thought so!  We getting fed sugar in so many things where it isn't necessary and we aren't realizing it.   You have to read the ingredients, you sure can't trust the labeling!  Hum....maybe that explaines why most of us can "pinch more than an inch"!

I decided not to let the situation get the better of me and I would have my peanut butter!  I found the isle with the snacks and purchased a 20 ounce jar of Planters Dry Roasted Nuts.  No particular reason for choosing Planters, other than it was on sale and was less expensive than the store brand.

Once home, I pulled out the Kitchen Aid Food Processor, dumped in the peanuts and mere minutes later, I have a large jar lovely peanut butter in the fridge without any added sugar!

Here's how you to can make your own peanut butter (or other nut butters like almond or cashew).

Fit the food processor with the chopping blade and added the entire jar of nuts.

Next Turn it on and let it run.  You will see the nuts being chopped finely and start to creep up the sides of the bowl.  Stop, take off the top and scrape down the sides. 

Start up the processor again.  After a few minutes you will see clumps begin to form.  Dont worry, that's normal.  It won't be long and the magic will happen.

You will see the small clumps form into a ball.  Don't panic, this is normal, just let the machine chug along some more.

In mere minutes, you will see the ball morph into a smooth and creamy bowl full of peanut butter.

Mine was really thick so I thinned it a little with some butter flavored olive oil (which is really yummy).

I put the finished product in a Ball canning jar and tucked it away in the refrigerator. 

...and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Peanut Butter and Chocolate, does it get any better?  
This dessert is nothing short of spectacular and tasty!  This has been a requested treat by those who have sampled it's creamy lusciousness.  Recently, I needed something special to take to work for our Secret Santa lunch and this cheesecake popped to the top of the list.  There was only one small problem.....I hadn't made one for nearly 10 years.  So the search for the recipe was on.  I have folders of recipes and thankfully I had organized them earlier this year and after 10 minutes, I had the recipe in hand and was ready to bake. My current co-workers enjoyed it immensly.  I hope you will give it a try and that you enjoy it equally as well and it becomes your new favorite cheesecake!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 package of Nutter Butter cookies
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts
6 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar


Filling:
4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 cups mini Reese Peanut Butter Cups, chopped into 3/4 inch pieces (1 bag)


Topping:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup heavy cream
15-20 mini Reese peanut butter cups


Directions:

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9" x 2 x 3/4 spring form pan.
In a food processor place the Nutter Butter cookies, peanuts and brown sugar.
Pulse mixture until chopped very fine.
With the processor running, drizzle in the melted butter.

Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
Bake until the crust is set, about 8 minutes.
Cool on a rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.


Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the brown sugar and beat again. The mixture should be smooth.  
Add the peanut butter, vanilla and beat until blended.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.  Add the whipping cream and beat until smooth.
Stir in the chopped peanut butter cup pieces.

Pour the filling into the crust.  Bake until the sides of the cake are set but the center still moves slightly, about 55 minutes.
Shut off the oven and let the cake and oven cool. (I leave mine in overnight)  
The cake may crack, don't worry, the topping hides the imperfections!

Move the cooled cake to the refrigerator.   When completely cool and chilled, add the topping.






Topping:

Chop up the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Cool slightly then add all but 1 Tablespoon of cream.  Stir to mix thoroughly.  Pour over the cool cheesecake (while still in the spring form pan).  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place the peanut butter and 1 Tablespoon of whipping cream in a bowl and microwave until it has a runny consistency.  Place the mixture in a sandwich bag, clip the corner and top the chocolate with a swirled or geometric pattern.  Before the peanut butter mixture sets, cut the mini peanut butter cups in half and surround the outside edge of the pan with the cup halves, lined up end to end.

Keep refrigerated until serving.  Slice it up, grab a fork and dig in!

and that is What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Homemade Butterfinger Candy

Do I have your attention?   I know when I saw another blogger post this recipe, I knew that I absolutely had to try it and share it with you.
I like many different candy bars, but when I buy Halloween candy, I always make sure I have Butterfingers and I usually hold those back until the end, so if I have leftover candy, well....I have something that I like.  There's nothing wrong with that is there??

To make this recipe, you will need a good candy thermometer.  When you make candy having an accurate temperature and controlling the heat so you don't burn the sugar mixture is key.
I know there are new fangled candy thermometers available, but I use the one I've had for the last...cough..ahem...30 years or more and it works just fine.

Because of the need to mix the ingredients quickly, it is essential to have everything measured and prepared and ready to go before starting to cook.  Because the candy is cooked to nearly hard crack it sets up very quickly and you have limited time to stir things together and get them into the pan.  Because of the time constraints,  I have only a few photos.  There just wasn't time to stop the process to snap any pictures. 

I won't lie, getting these bad boys out of the pan wasn't easy, even after liberally greasing the pan as stated in the recipe.  You have to chip away at a corner so you can get enough leverage to pry the entire slab out of the pan and then cut it on your cutting board with long bladed chefs knife.

The extra effort is so worth it.  Be sure you hang on to all those wonderful crumbs because the candies can be crushed and mixed in with good quality vanilla ice cream for a wonderful creamy treat.


Homemade Butterfinger Candy

Ingredients:

1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup (heaping) chopped bittersweet chocolate (chocolate chips work too)

Directions:

1. Butter an 8-inch square pan and set aside.
2. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter, vanilla and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a very clean medium saucepan combine the sugar corn syrup and water.  Combine those ingredients and remove any grains of sugar from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush wet with water.
4. On medium-high heat, cook the sugar until it reaches 290 degrees F., just under hard crack.  While the sugar cooks, warm the peanut butter mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds.  (I did this when the temp was about 280 degrees F. so it was ready to mix in.)
5. When the sugar has reached 290 degrees, quikly add the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine.  The mixture thickens quickly (can't emphasize this enough) so once combined put the mixture into the buttered pan.
6. Let cool beirfly for a few minuteson a wire rack.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let sit for a few minutes.  Using the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter candy.  Please the pan in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.
7. After cooling, run a knife around the edge of the pan then invert.  The candy should pop out.  Mine didn't, and I needed to get my three tined "granny" fork under the edge to pry it out.  Once I did that, the entire slab popped out just fine.
8. Cut the candy into the desired shapes.  Keep any crumbs to use as mix ins for ice cream.

  

and that my friends is What's Cooking at Cathy's.....Enjoy!