Poinsettia Cheesecake Squares Food

BAKED CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8 inch square baking pan.
• To make the crust: In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Gradually blend in flour and walnuts. Mixture will be crumbly.
• Set aside one cup of crust mixture. Press the rest of the mixture into the bottom of baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
• To make filling: in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar. Add in egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla until well blended.
• Spread the filling over warm crust. Sprinkle top with remaining crust mixture. Bake for another 25 to 28 minutes. Let cool on wire racks before cutting.

BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust: Line a 9-by-13-inch rectangular baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Place the vanilla wafers and pecans into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse again until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. (If they come up the sides, that's okay!)
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix again.
• Pour the filling into the crust, smooth the top and bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the oven door and allow the pan to sit in the open oven for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
• For the topping: Add the blackberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water to a saucepan or skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the juices thicken slightly, 4 to 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, make a slurry by stirring together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add the slurry to the berries, return to the boil and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the mixture.
• Pour the blackberries over the cheesecake and place the pan into the fridge to cool and set for at least 2 hours (several hours is better).
• When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil. Slice into 15 pieces with a long serrated knife.

POINSETTIA COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
• Add confectioners' sugar; beat well.
• Beat in the egg and extracts.
• Blend in the flour and salt.
• Form the dough into two disks and wrap them in plastic.
• Chill the dough well.
• Remove one disk from the refrigerator.
• Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into 11/2-inch squares, then cut from each corner of the square almost to the center.
• Turn over every other cut point to the center and press gently, forming a pinwheel (or poinsettia).
• Sprinkle the center of each with red sugar.
• Repeat with the second disk of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place the cookies on greased baking sheets and bake until very lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.

PEACHY CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Peel, core and thinly slice peaches (or chop, your choice) Toss peaches with cinnamon sugar and set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift flour and powdered sugar.
• Add the two sticks of butter, and cut into the flour and sugar until mixture is crumbly and a bit dry.
• I use my hands, as I do not have a food processor.
• Remove two cups of the flour/sugar mixture to use later for the topping.
• Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" pan, evenly, to form the bottom crust.
• Bake crust in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
• While crust bakes, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.
• Pour in condensed milk and beat until smooth.
• Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
• When crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove from oven and place the peaches over the crust in an even layer.
• Any peach juice can be added on top as well.
• Next, pour the cream cheese mixture over the peaches.
• I try and smooth over any peaches that might be"poking" up throught the cream.
• Now sprinkle the reserved flour/ sugar mixture over the cream filling.
• I use a fork to break up any chunks, so the crust lies evenly.
• Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
• Peaches should begin to bubble, and the outer crust should just be starting to brown on top.
• It is better to cut this dessert into squares when it has cooled entirely, but it is absolutely incredible warm, just from the oven!
• Please store leftovers in the refrigerator.

CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the butter, cornstarch, flour and vanilla until smooth. Fold in sour cream. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1 hour or until almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. , Chill several hours or overnight. Top each serving with fruit if desired.

POINSETTIA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and cream cheese until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla; mix until well blended. Stir in flour by hand using a sturdy spoon while adding enough red food coloring to make the dough turn a pretty red color.
• Roll the balls in the red decorator sugar and place them on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Refrigerate the cookies on their cookie sheets until firm, about 10 minutes.
• When the cookies are firm, make three slices across each cookie to make 6 slices like a pie, cutting only about 2/3 of the way through the cookie balls.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies appear dry. Cool on the cookie sheets, then peel away from the aluminum foil.
• Make the icing for the cookies by mixing the confectioners' sugar and water until it reaches a piping consistency. Add a drop of yellow food coloring. Put icing into a pastry bag or resealable bag and cut a small piece off of the corner. Pipe small dots onto the center of the cookies. Allow icing to dry before storing cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies can be stored for up to two weeks.

CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed rectangles of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
• With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Add flour, and mix until just combined; set aside 1 cup for topping. Press remaining dough into bottom and 1/4 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla; mix to combine.
• Spread filling in crust; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.