Yule Log

My mother has fond memories of Christmas as a child and the family always having a Yule Log on the big day. I decided to surprise mom this Christmas and make one especially for her. This is the first one I have ever made and to be honest, it was one of the best desserts that I've ever made. There is not a crumb left so I believe it is safe to say that all enjoyed. I used vanilla beans in my whipped cream this time and will never make it with vanilla extract again. Try a Yule log this Christmas and maybe it will become a tradition for your family also. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek...Merry Christmas!

Needed:

2/3 cup flour

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate

2 T water

1 pint whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 vanilla bean-scraped

1/2 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

2 T milk

Preheat oven to 350' . Grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan with butter and line with parchment paper, grease it also (I used my Silpat and still greased it).

Sift flour, soda, and salt together and put aside. Beat eggs on high speed until thick and light, this usually happens in about 5 minutes. Now add in your sugar a little at a time and beat until thick. Melt chocolate and add to the egg mixture with the 2T water. Fold in dry ingredients and mix gently. Pour into a prepared pan and bake for 15-17 minutes. Remove from pan onto a powdered sugar coated tea towel, I use about a cup of powdered sugar to do this. Now roll tightly into a roll and cool completely. Once roll is cooled, unroll it. Now whip your cream on high and when it begins to thicken up, add your powdered sugar and vanilla bean. Whip until thick. Now spread evenly on your unrolled cake. Roll cake bake up and place seam side down and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in fridge. Now is the time to make your icing, Take softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, milk and mix until smooth. Slice two ends off and place on each side of "log". Ice cake all over and then take a fork to make ridges to resemble a log. I sprinkled mine with powdered sugar.

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Cherry Cheesecake

I admit it, I could easily eat a whole "good" cheesecake. This has not been a problem for me because I have never really made a "good" cheesecake. Yes, the pumpkin cheesecake that I make is really "good" but this cherry cheesecake is the one. Now with that being said......This cheesecake recipe is "GOOD" and must not be made very often in our home or I will have to roll every where I go. Give this a try and you will love it, I promise! This is What's Cookin this cold December morning.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup margarine-melted
1/4 cup sugar

Mix all of the ingredients together and then press into a 9-inch spring form pan. Cover bottom of spring form pan tightly with foil since it will be sitting in a water bath to bake.

Now fill a large baking sheet with hot water (I have about 2 inches of water in my baking sheet) and place into a 475' degree oven. This is where your cheesecake will bake.

Filling:

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese-softened to room temperature VERY IMPORTANT
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans-scraped
5 eggs-room temperature VERY IMPORTANT

Make sure that your cream cheese and eggs are room temperature. I have made a lot of cheesecakes and this is the MOST important hint I can give you. Mix your cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Now add in your scraped vanilla beans. Now you will add in 1 egg at a time until you have added all the eggs. Make sure each egg gets mixed in before adding the next. Now pour into prepared pan. Place pan in water bath and bake in a preheated 475' oven for 12 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 350' and continue to bake for 55-60 minutes. Do not be tempted to open your oven before the time is up. Remove from water bath and let cool completely.




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One of the best cranberry sauces I have ever eaten!

The first time I had this cranberry sauce was when I was preggo with Raine. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. My friend, RaeAnne, is a Martha Stewart woman. She even dressed as Martha at a Halloween party we had. I like my cranberry sauce but this one rocks!!! Thank-you RaeAnne and thank-you Martha Stewart!! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek this Thanksgiving, actually the day before.

Needed:

1 bag cranberries
5 ounces dried Calimyrna figs-halved-chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry red wine or cranberry juice


In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients; cook over low heat until most of the cranberries have burst, about 15 minutes.
Transfer cranberry sauce to a small bowl. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.


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Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake

I love being part of the Foodbuzz family! I was picked to receive Duncan Hines coupons last week and I was really happy! I use Duncan Hines products all the time and free coupons are just an added bonus! I really like gooey butter cake so why not add a little pumpkin? Now you have Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake! This would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving buffet. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
2 eggs-I use free range
1 stick of butter-melted

Filling:
1 package cream cheese-softened
1 can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 stick butter-melted
4 cups powder sugar
1 t cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix cake mix, eggs, and butter very well in your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Smooth the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

For the filling in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Now add eggs, vanilla, and butter. Beat together. Next, add in the powder sugar, cinnamon, and mix well. Pour pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake at 350' for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't over bake, the middle should still be gooey when done. Serve with Cool Whip.

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Sweet Potato Cake

Sean's Aunt gave us some sweet potatoes from her garden the other day. I love sweet potatoes baked, mashed or fried. I decided to try out a new recipe and make these babies into a cake. They smelled so good baking that they almost did not make it to the cake. Raine at one time loved sweet potatoes, but now has decided the she doesn't...Good, more for me haha..... The cake on the other hand was a favorite! Make this for Thanksgiving and you are sure to be the most talked about cook, in a good way too. This is What's Cookin on this COLD Fall morning.

Needed:

1 cup butter-room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
16 ounces sour cream
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato-2 medium sweet potatoes
1 vanilla bean
3 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t nutmeg

Sift your dry ingredients and set them to the side. Now combine the dry and wet ingredients together and blend well. Now pour into a greased bundt cake pan. Bake at 350' for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it after 1 hour, my oven took the extra 15 but yours may not. Ice when completely cool with the following icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
2 package full fat cream cheese-softened to room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 vanilla beans scraped
3 T milk

Mix cream cheese until smooth. Now add in your vanilla bean scrapings, and powder sugar. Beat until smooth. Now add in milk a T at a time until it is smooth hand easy to pour. Now pour over cooled cake and enjoy with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk!

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Godiva Pumpkin Spice Latte

I love me some Godiva chocolates! I was offered Godiva Coffee for being a Foodbuzz featured blogger so I was jumping for joy. Fall is the time for coffee on Beaty's Creek because I am a seasonal coffee drinker. I like an iced coffee every once in a while but let it hit 60' and I am ready for my latte. I like my coffee with legs, meaning very strong. I always have 2 extra shots put into my latte when I order out so this recipe might be a tad strong, leave a shot out if you don't want a lot of energy. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek. Notice the cool glass the latte is in???? It is a Tervis smartcup....Love it. It keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. They have lids available too so you can take your cup on the go. Raine will probably be getting a Cinderella one very soon.


Needed:

4 shots of Godiva Pumpkin Spice Coffee
1/4 cup frothed
2 T sugar
1/8 t cinnamon


Make your espresso and place in a warmed mug. Now add your sugar. Top with frothed milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon. That is it, simple and good!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

I know I write a lot of casserole recipes but we really like a good casserole and for the most part, mine are good hee hee. This one came together while thinking about what to have for dinner last night and it turned out to be a winner. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
5 boneless, skinless, chicken breast
2 bags of Green Giant frozen broccoli
1 can corn-drained
1 large can cream of chicken
1 can evaporated milk
Garlic Pepper
Salt and Pepper
1 bag egg noodles-cooked and drained
1 pound cheddar cheese-shredded

First, coat chicken breasts with garlic pepper, salt and pepper and brown on both sides in a well greased skillet over medium heat. Chicken will not be cooked but will be browned. Once browned, slice into strips. Meanwhile mix noodles, corn, broccoli, cream of chicken soup, and evaporated milk together, now pour this mixture into a casserole pan and place chicken on top. Sprinkle 1 pound of shredded cheddar cheese on top and cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 35 minutes at 350' or until hot and bubbly.
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