Candied Apple Pie Cheesecake

I made this for a Jubilee reunion I just went to and received several compliments on it. I think it's a gorgeous holiday dessert; since the holidays are sneaking up on us I thought I would post it. The next time I make it I would like to try topping it with caramel. Mmm…cheesecake.

Prep Time:

15 min

Total Time:

5 hr

Makes:

16 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup crushed NABISCO Ginger Snaps

3 tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided

2 pkg (8 oz each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 cup apple pie filling, divided

1/2 cup pecan pieces, divided

1/2 cup toffee bits, divided

Directions:

HEAT oven to 325°F. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate.

BEAT cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each. Stir in 1/2 each pie filling, nuts and toffee. Pour into crust.

BAKE 35 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with remaining pie filling, nuts and toffee just before serving.

Gina's Tips

This recipe makes two cheesecakes-6 oz store bought crust each or double ginger snaps, butter and 2 tbsp sugar for homemade crusts.

The original recipe calls for walnut pieces but I prefer either pecans or hazelnuts.

Try using chocolate-covered toffee bits or top with caramel instead of pie filling.

Ritz Chicken

My kids refer to this dish as "Crunchy Chicken." They love it every time. I got addicted to this chicken from my good friend Di. We like having Hash Brown Potato Casserole as a side dish with it. It's a complete crunchy meal.

Ingredients:

6 Chicken Breast Cutlets

1 Small Plain Yogurt

Crushed Ritz Crackers (3 per chicken breast cutlet)

4 tbsp Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Season Salt to taste

Butter

MIX crackers, parmesan cheese and season salt to taste—cracker mixture—and place in shallow dish.

PLACE yogurt in shallow dish (separate dish from the cracker mixture).

COAT each piece of chicken in plain yogurt and then in cracker mixture. Place coated chicken on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Drizzle butter on top.

BAKE at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes depending on thickness of chicken used.

Gina's Tips

Choose how much chicken your family will eat and use about 3 crackers per chicken breast cutlet or more for larger chicken breast.

I crush the crackers in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin.

Use the shredded Parmesan cheese rather than the canned grated. I don't measure this out; I just add it until I think there's enough for my liking.

I have only found the big 32 oz plain yogurt at Fry's so I usually make more chicken the next day or use another recipe that uses plain yogurt.

Hash Brown Potato Casserole

My flash on the camera wasn't working so the picture is a little dark.

Ingredients:

1 (30 oz) pkg frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

1 can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)

8 oz sour cream

12 oz shredded cheese

1 tsp salt

½ chopped small onion

2 cups crushed corn flakes

½ cup melted butter

Directions:

PLACE thawed potatoes into 9x13 inch baking dish.

MIX soup, sour cream, cheese, salt and onion together; pour over potatoes. Top with crushed corn flakes and drizzle melted butter all over.

BAKE uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta with Chicken

We ate this last night for dinner and my kids and my husband kept oooing and ahhhing. We usually have a loaf of garlic bread and a green salad with it.

Prep Time:

10 min

Total Time:

25 min

Makes:

6 servings, about 1-1/2 cups each

Ingredients:

3 cups (8 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked

3 Tbsp. KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups (1 24oz jar) tomato-basil spaghetti sauce

8 oz. (1 block) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

COOK pasta as directed on package (adding broccoli, if you choose, to the cooking water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time). Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook 5 min. Turn chicken over; continue cooking 4 to 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).

DRAIN pasta mixture in colander; return to pan and set aside. Add spaghetti sauce and cream cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. Add sauce mixture to pasta mixture; mix well. Transfer to six serving bowls.

CUT chicken crosswise into thick slices; fan out chicken over pasta mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.

Gina's Tips

The original recipe calls for 4 cups broccoli florets but I omit the broccoli because I think the flavor of the dish is better without it. Maybe you can serve it as a side dish instead.

It also calls for only 4 ounces of the cream cheese block but I use the entire 8 ounces.

After cooking the chicken I drain the juices out of the skillet and then add 3 more tbsp Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing. I also cut up the chicken and just stir it into the sauce.

Chocolate Cheesecake

I thought I'd start this month out with my all time favorite dessert—CHEESECAKE! I have always LOVED this dessert. I have tried many different types of recipes: Reese's peanut butter, New York, Rocky Road, cookie cheesecake cups…the one I make the most often is chocolate cheesecake. If you have any other cheesecake recipe types send them over because I would love to try more.

Ingredients:

Crust:

12 graham cracker squares, crushed fine

¼ cup melted butter

½ cup sugar

Filling:

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

½ cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup chocolate chips, melted

Topping:

¼ cup chocolate chips, melted

Directions:

MIX graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Put into 6 oz cake pan or 9x9 inch baking dish.

CREAM cheese until soft. Add rest of ingredients, except chocolate chips. Blend with electric beater until mixed well. Then add melted chocolate chips and blend with beater again until mixed in.

POUR over crumb mixture. DO NOT put on topping until done baking.

BAKE at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until settled and springy to the touch in center. Let cool and then chill for 2 or more hours.

TOP with melted chocolate chips and chill for a few minutes then serve.

Gina's Tips

I use a store bought 6 oz graham cracker crust; the regular or chocolate both taste delicious. You can make this the night before or even freeze it. The more chilled it is the better. You can put the topping on right after it comes out of the oven if you like and then refrigerate it. When it comes out of the oven I give it a shake to see if it is settled enough. As long as it doesn't move too much it's done. For the chocolate chips (including the topping) I really just use as much as I want; I never measure it. If you love chocolate add more, if you don't add less. Some decent substitutes for the topping are Baker's dipping chocolate (the best) or hard chocolate shell.

Food Quote of the Day

"You'll be hungry again in one hour."

–Fortune Cookie Reading