Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

This is probably one of my favorite desserts! Perfect combination of cream cheese and apples and the caramel on top just adds to it!!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

A dash of allspice

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

1/2 cup caramel topping (Drizzle over cheesecake bars right before you serve them)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9×13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

 

Oreo Cupcakes

This weekend we made these delicious Oreo cupcakes!! Everyone that had them loved them so I think this recipe is definitely a keeper. Every bite has Oreo cookies in it and the frosting tastes just like the cream filling of an Oreo!

Ingredients
1 package Oreo Cookies, regular size
1 package Mini Oreo Cookies, for decoration (optional)
1 package chocolate cake mix (mix according to directions on box)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (go by your preference for this)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Mix packaged cake mix according to directions. Line cupcake tins with liner, place a regular size Oreo cookie in the bottom of each liner. Take 1/2 of remaining cookies and chop coarsely and add to cake mix. Fill the cupcake tins. Bake for 15 minutes (or according to box directions). While cupcakes are baking make the frosting.

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla, then add powdered sugar slowly until blended well. Chop remaining regular-sized Oreos very fine (I put the cookies in the food processor instead of trying to chop them up super fine and it worked out really well).

These were a huge hit for our family and friends. Enjoy!! 🙂

Don’ forget!! Check out our website : http://www.rihomecollection.com

 

Sticky Beer Can Chicken!

From our posts you will be able to tell just how much we love to grill! This recipe combines two of our favorite chicken recipes.

Our Sticky Beer Can Chicken uses one whole roasting chicken and takes it to the next level.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 onions, quartered
• 1 (4 pound) whole chickens
• 1 can of beer

Directions

• In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place 1 onion into the cavity of chicken. Place chicken in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) or grill to 600 degrees F (how we cooked it). When cooking chicken grill should be at about 300 degrees F
• Place open beer can in chicken standing upright on the grill. Grill uncovered over NO direct heat (i.e. turn other burners near chicken on and the one chicken is on completely off and let carry over heat cook chicken. Once chicken is almost done ( about an hour and half later ) turn on the burner that chicken is on and let it brown and get the skin crispy! About two minutes before you remove chicken from grill, take the beer can out and pour rest of beer over and in chicken. Grill for last two or three minutes then take the chicken off the gril and let it stand before serving!! Make this for the family, its sure to be a hit!

Check out our website! http://www.rihomecollection.com

Thanks!!

Dan & Amanda

 

 

 

 

Boursin Cheese Pizza

Dan and I work for a banquet facility here in Rhode Island and one night when we were working they made Boursin Cheese Pizzas for an appetizer. They were sooo delicious that we decided to make our very own!! 

We took some dough and rolled it out to size for individual personal pizzas. We love grilled pizza so thats how we cooked this particular one, but, of course you can bake it in the oven instead! As the grill warms to a high temperature we seasoned one side of the dough with a little salt and pepper and a tiny drizzle of oil. Once the grill is hot enough we turn it down to medium heat and flip the seasoned side of the dough face down on the grill. Cook the pizza for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is golden brown with good grill marks (yes, this part is important!!). Do the same to the other side of the pizza. While the other side of the pizza is grilling, add toppings to your pizza. Start with spreading a layer of Boursin cheese on the crust. Then add caramelized red onions, prosciutto, black olives, and some mozzarella cheese! Close the grill for just a minute to melt the cheese. Delicious!! Enjoy!

 

Don’t forget to check out our Real Estate Business and website : http://www.rihomecollection.com

 

Dan & Amanda 

Addition to First food entry post

It seems as though my first entry was cut short. I had a photo attached (or so I thought). Let’s try this again. So on the last post was the information about the Streusel Apple Pie. I am going to try and attach a photo to this one. Please feel free to comment or leave feedback, we love feedback!

Also, check out our newly redesigned real estate website at www.RIHomeCollection.com

Thanks!!

Dan & Amanda

 

First food entry!

Hi Everyone!

I’m excited to post our first food entry so let’s get right to it. One of my favorite things to make is Apple Pie! It’s one of my specialties!! I love Fall and all of the fall desserts that come with the season. When we made this, Dan request a Streusel Apple Pie and then I decided to take it a step further and drizzle warm caramel over it. This pie was delicious. I have been told this was one of the best pies I’ve ever made. I hope you find this recipe useful! I always tweak things for my liking. For instance, I always add a little more cinnamon because I love this spice and rich flavor it adds.

Here’s the recipe we use. It’s from Pillsbury.com but we always alter it a little!

INGREDIENTS

1 Pie crust (the top will be streussel topping!)

6 medium, peeled apples, thinly sliced (Use Granny Smith Apples for a pie like this to counteract the sweetness of the topping!)

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (We do a dash or so more)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

 

 

Streusel Topping:

 

1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

 

Combine ingredients. Taste and adjust cinnamon to your liking. If mixing in a food processor, 4 tablespoons of uncooked, plain oatmeal adds great texture.Sprinkle Streusel topping over apple pie before baking.

 

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.

2 In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. 

3 Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and streussel topping is golden brown. Cover top of pie with foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving. Drizzle warm caramel over pie before serving!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Cooking for Life

Welcome to Cooking for Life! My name is Amanda. I am a 22 year old recent college grad striving to succeed.  Beside me is my boyfriend, Danny, he is a 28 year old Realtor in Rhode Island. We both enjoy cooking and baking for our family and friends. It’s a hobby of ours that allows us to spend time together doing something that we both love. We have made so many delicious dishes and would love to share them with you! We have been together for over 6 years and we continue to grow closer and stronger.

Our title “Cooking for Life” has a dual meaning to it. As mentioned previously, we love cooking and it truly gives zest to our life. But we can also tell that cooking and baking will one day be more than a hobby. Dan would love to have a family restaurant where he can serve up his best made dishes like Italian classics and his best ever Chicken Pot Pie. I can’t wait to have “Miss Mae’s Bakery” and make tasty confections for all to enjoy.

Also, check out our Real Estate business, RI Home Collection at www.RIHomeCollection.com

Thanks for checking out our blog!

Dan & Amanda