Butterfly Cheesecake Muffins

Dear sister just had a birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! She wanted to bring something to share at work since she had to be there on her birthday. I said I would make mini cheesecakes for her to bring. We have been making cheesecake muffins for years. You can make so many variations. I have shared a few on the blog already. These I wanted to make special so I set out to make them "springy". Sister loves butterflies so I wanted to use this cute pretzel idea I saw all over Pinterest. But I needed to find a way to make a green topping or field for them to sit on. That is when it came to me I could tint the sour cream topping from the Ultimate Cheesecake recipe. It worked perfectly. It also makes a great flat top on each muffin. This little technique is going to make for tons of other cute cheesecake muffins. Sister said the sour cream topping balances the other sweet ingredients. These little cuties are sweet because hidden inside is an Oreo and a Snickers bar. So with the pretzel and the candy inside and out this little muffin is salty and sweet. They are cute and tasty too! Perfect for any birthday or Easter event. I hope you will find a way to celebrate spring with this recipe.

Butterfly Cheesecake Muffins

Makes 24 to 28 muffins

Ingredients

1 pkg. Oreo thins

1 bag mini Snickers bars

3 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese

3 eggs

1-1/4 cup Granulated Sugar, divided

1-1/8 tsp. Vanilla, divided

16 oz. light sour cream

16 drops green food coloring

1 bag Flipz white fudge covered pretzels

1 bag Easter M&Ms

1 bag peel and eat Fruit Punch Twizzlers, peeled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 1 Oreo thin in paper lined cupcake pan. Place a Snickers on each cookie and set aside. Cream the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until well mixed. Spoon cream cheese over each cookie until cup is 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/8 tsp. vanilla and green food coloring adding drop by drop until desired green color is achieve and sugar is dissolved.

Remove muffins from oven and top with green sour cream mixture. Bake for 5 more minutes, remove from oven and let cool completely. Top each muffin with two pretzels spread just far enough apart for a row of M&Ms in between. Place one color of M&M to make the head of the butterfly. Place three of a different color below for the body. Poke two pieces of Twizzler string near the head for antennas. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Note: Be sure to let the muffins cool completely before decorating. Heat and moisture will affect the candy. Heat will make the coating melt. Moisture will make the candies caulk. For perfect muffins you may want to decorate just before serving.

Linking to:
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Easter, Dad's Birthday and Coconut Baba

WARNING! Long, wordy and lots of photos.

I hope everyone had a very Happy Easter! We had something big to celebrate in our family. Dad's birthday fell on Easter this year. I immediately knew what I wanted to do for him. I would make him a Coconut Baba. My Maw Maw (Dad's Mom) would always make Coconut Baba. I never saw her make it. It was just something she would take from the frig in a covered 9x13 baking pan and unveil at the table after one of her iconic meals. I have never had anything similar any where else. It is a moist yellow cake topped with a creamy coconut layer, then a coconut custard and finished with meringue. We don't have her recipe but Mom would make her own version every now and then. It is definitely a labor of love. Lots of steps involved. Dad said he remembers being the one to crack open the coconuts for Maw Maw. I remember him drilling, beating the coconut with a hammer and even smashing a few coconuts against the garage floor for Mom. See Maw Maw used fresh coconut and simmered it with sugar and the liquid from the coconut. Mom has done this a few times too. But lately we have used store bought sweetened coconut with great success. Warming a bag of sweetened coconut with a can of coconut milk makes a sweet creamy coconut layer. Dad was thrilled with the outcome. He said it tasted like what he remembers. I still wish I had Maw Maw's exact recipe but I am happy I could make our version for Dad's special Easter birthday.

The only problem I had was I needed a deeper cake pan. I found myself dangerously filling the pan to the tippy top. Mom said she thinks Maw Maw used a Jiffy cake mix. I could not find one the day I went to the store. So, I did not use all the custard and meringue for fear it was going to spill over. Jiffy is a smaller cake mix, I think that would help or maybe I just need a bigger pan? Believe me you want to use every bit of these wonderful ingredients.

Now for the Easter garnish. This is totally optional, Maw Maw never garnished her Coconut Baba and it was still delicious. I just got inspired by all the Pinterest desserts featuring little eggs in a nest. I think dear sister's friend "J" would totally approve of using toasted coconut for my nesting material. Mom sure did. She kept asking, "Now how did you do this? What is in the topping?" It is so funny how marvelous toasted coconut is. Coconut is normally quite chewy and not real sweet on it's own. But sweetened and toasted it is like candy! Sweet, light, crispy and still a little chewy. It made a sweet little nest for a few Cadbury eggs. I think this is going to become an Easter tradition.

Coconut Baba

Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix, prepared as directed

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 cup water

Coconut layer:

14 oz bag sweetened coconut

1 can coconut milk (or cream of coconut)

                                                                                                            

Custard layer:

3 cups 2% milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

Dash of salt

5 egg yolks

2 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp coconut extract

1/2 tsp vanilla

Meringue:

5 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp corn starch

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp hot water

Easter Garnish:

Toasted coconut

Cadbury candy coated milk chocolate eggs

Directions

Prepare cake as directed on box in a rectangle 9x13 pan. Meanwhile, combine shredded coconut and coconut milk in a sauce pan, heat until creamy. When cake is done, remove from oven and prick surface of the cake with a fork. Spread coconut mixture over warm cake.

Prepare custard by combining milk, sugar, flour, and salt. Cook until it begins to thicken. Whisk egg yolks together, temper with a little of milk mixture. Add yolk mixture to milk mixture continue cooking until thick and creamy. Add butter and extract. Pour on top of coconut.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating adding sugar, corn starch, extract and hot water. Beat until stiff peaks form. Swirl over custard and bake at 325 degrees until meringue is browned evenly about 20 minutes. Remove from oven allow to cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Easter Garnish:
Toast 3/4 cup of sweetened coconut in a dry non-stick pan over medium low heat. Stir often until golden brown. Remove from heat, continue to stir until cool. Store in an air tight container until ready to garnish. To garnish place a spoon full on top of each piece of cake forming a nest. Place two or three Cadbury eggs in the center of the coconut nest.

Linking to:

Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

My Pinterventures: The Yuck Stops Here!

Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday

It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist

Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays

Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday

Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop

Diamonds in the Rough: Share Your Stuff Tuesdays

My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Hungry Harps: Get Him Fed Fridays

Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Coconut

Almond Cheesecake 2013

This is our Thanksgiving dessert tradition. It is an amazing cheesecake! The almonds create such a rich flavor you won’t believe this is a lower-calorie cheesecake. I posted it last year put forgot to take pictures. So this year I made sure to rectify that situation. I took tons of photos. This is another must try. You will not be sorry.

Almond Cheesecake

Source: 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes by George Geary's

Serves 10 to 12

Crust:                1-1/2 cups almond cookie crumbs

                        3 Tbsp margarine, melted

Filling:               2 (8 oz) packages Neufchatel cheese or light cream cheese,                           softened

                        1 cup lower-fat sour cream

                        1 cup granulated sugar

                        3 eggs

                        3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

                        1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

                        1 tsp vanilla

                        1/4 tsp ground allspice

Decoration:        8 oz lower-fat whipped topping

                        1/4 cup ground almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use a 9-inch springform pan with 3” sides.

Crust: In a medium bowl, combine almond cookie crumbs and margarine. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.

Filling: In a large mixer bowl, beat cheese, sour cream and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in flour, almonds, vanilla and allspice. Pour over frozen crust. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating.

Decoration: Top with whipped topping and dust with a sprinkling of ground almonds.

Variation: Spike the almond flavor with 2 Tbsp almond liqueur.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:  Calories 336.1; Total Fat 19.7 g; Saturated Fat 9.2 g; Polyunsaturated Fat 3.1 g; Monounsaturated Fat 6.4 g; Cholesterol 83.0 mg; Sodium 285.1 mg; Potassium 144.7 mg; Total Carbohydrate 31.3 g; Dietary Fiber 0.8 g; Sugars 23.1 g; Protein 8.0 g. 9 WW PointsPlus.

Notes: I used Italian amaretti cookies for the crumbs. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. This will prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Definitely use the almond liqueur. I used amaretto and added it with the vanilla. This cheesecake can be frozen too. Remove springform ring, wrap in plastic wrap and then foil and place in the freezer. Just allow 24 hours for it to defrost in the refrigerator and wait to decorate just before serving.

NI includes amaretto; however it is calculated with graham crackers not almond cookie. Sparkrecipes did not have a listing for almond cookie.

Linking to:
Mommy On Demand: Create it OR Bake it
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Illinois and Link Party
Dizzy Busy and Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Horrific Knits: Fall Into the Holidays
My Plate of Crumbs: Random Recipe Roundup
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Almond Cheesecake Muffins

The sister just had a birthday Wednesday! We celebrated the entire day. Actually it started the night before. She spent the night at my house and when she woke up we had coffee and Homemade Egg McMuffins. I made Turkey Lettuce Wraps for lunch. Then we moved the party to Mom and Dad’s where we had Seafood Gumbo. I surprised her with these Almond Cheesecake Muffins. I got the idea from a pin I saw on Pinterest. It was a beautiful white frosted cake covered in almond flowers with blueberry and raspberry centers. The pin turned out to be a bogus pin. It did not go to the original source, so I have no idea what kind of cake they decorated this way. But it did serve for great inspiration. I combined my cheesecake muffin recipe with the flavor of an Almond Cheesecake recipe I love. The Pinterest garnish just seemed like the logical topping on the cheesecake. They turned out so cute and delicious. I love the almond crunch in the batter and the garnish. This just may have to become a spring tradition.

Almond Cheesecake Muffins
Makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients

1 pkg. Amaretti (almond) cookies
3 (8 oz.) pkg. neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat)
3 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp. amaretto (almond liqueur)
1/4 cup silvered almonds, toasted and chopped

Toppings:
Lite cool whip
Sliced almonds
Blueberries
Raspberries

Directions

Toast silvered almonds in a dry pan over medium low heat. Remove from heat when almonds are fragrant and slightly brown. Set aside to cool. Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla, all spice, and amaretto; beat until well mixed. Chop toasted almonds and fold in batter. Place 1 Amaretti cookie in paper lined cupcake pan.  Spoon mix on cookie until cup is 2/3 full.

Bake at 350° for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Top each muffin with cool whip, a berry and decorate with a ring of sliced almonds around each berry. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Linking to:
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Mondays
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
Taste and Tell Thursday
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays Link Party
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays-Desserts

Mardi Gras Cheesecake Muffins

These little cheesecakes are decked out in Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. They look like they have been decorated with beads and coins. The first time I made these was for a party my college roommate had for one of the parades. Back then her house was just a block off the parade route. She has since moved but back then we all enjoyed many parades at her house.

This year I made a third of the recipe just so I could share it with all of you. I was able to make 8 muffins. Perfect for a little dessert treat after dinner. I really like this fruit topping. It is very light and colorful. Perfect for any Mardi Gras celebration you might have. I hope you all enjoyed a little Mardi Gras fun this year.

Mardi Gras Cheesecake Muffins

Makes 2 Dozen

Ingredients

1 pkg. reduced fat vanilla wafers

3 (8oz.) pkg. reduced fat cream cheese

3 eggs

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1 bunch of seedless red grapes

2 - 3 Kiwi, peeled and sliced into coins
Cupcake liners (Mardi Gras colors or theme, foil works too)

Directions

Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until well mixed. Place 1 vanilla wafer in paper lined cupcake pan. Spoon mix on cookie until cup is 2/3 full.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Top each muffin with a spoonful of pineapple, a red grape or 2 and a kiwi slice. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

For more Cheesecake Muffins ideas click here.

Linking to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party

The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays-Desserts

Turtle Cheesecake Muffins

I have been making Cheesecake Muffins in some way, shape or form since I was a freshman in college. Last night I made Turtle Cheesecake Muffins for my sister to take to a work Christmas food day. They have all the flavor of Turtle Cheesecake packed in a small disposable wrapper. Perfect for any buffet or food swap. Don’t be alarmed, they will fall as they cool. But it is okay, it is ideal in fact. It makes the perfect little well to fill with toppings.

You can top these muffins with any of the usually cheesecake toppings. Try using cherry or blueberry pie filling or fresh strawberries and a strawberry glaze. All three have been a hit with many of my family and friends. I have also made Mardi Gras themed cheesecake muffins (click here). You just top each muffin with a spoonful of crushed pineapple, a red grape or 2 and a kiwi slice. They are all decked out in purple, green and gold. They look like they have been decorated with beads and coins. The possibilities are endless.

My sister made snicker bar cheesecake muffins at Thanksgiving for work. She placed half of a mini snickers on top of the wafer before filling and baking; then garnished with more chopped snickers after they cooled. Delicious! Let me know if you have tried any other toppings. I am always looking for new ideas.

Turtle Cheesecake Muffins

Makes: 2 dozen

1 pkg. Chocolate Wafers(or Vanilla Wafers)

3 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese

3 eggs

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Toppings:

Caramel sauce

Chopped pecans

Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until well mixed. Place 1 chocolate wafer in paper lined cupcake pan. Spoon mix on cookie until cup is 2/3 full.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Top each muffin with caramel sauce, pecans and chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Linking to:
See Ya in the Gumbo
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays