Here’s to another Monday!
I’m feeling pretty accomplished today…
Managed to finish off my holiday baking this morning with 108 mini cheesecakes, clean up the house and get organized for Cash’s party. Finished the night with a Seahawks win! I’m one happy lady.
Now I just have to shop, decorate, make Jell-o {shots} & prep food… all before Saturday. Easy Peasy.
In my family we have a holiday baking tradition. Every year, the weekend following Thanksgiving my mom and I {aunt, cousins, brother, who ever is available & wants to help really} head over to Grandma’s to bake for a whole day. And by this I mean ALL DAY LONG. {it’s awesome!} We usually make 3 kinds of cookies. My grandma is now 87 (almost 88) and she’s still a rockstar when it comes to prepping things before hand. She saves us so much time by getting together ingredients and running cherries, coconut, nuts, graham crackers through the food processor so it’s super easy (and saves time) on baking day.
This year was probably harder than ever for me. Living so far away from family seems to get tough on Holidays and major events {the rest of the time I’m perfectly ok with it, sorry guys}. But this year I was totally on my own, ok I had my two boys but lets be realistic about they’re kitchen skills. The almost 1 year old was very intrigued with all the commotion and hubs is a great taste tester! 🙂
Being a one woman show I chose to spread out the work over 3 days and limiting myself to just the early mornings. Saturday- cherry coconut bars. Sunday- Naniamo Bars. Monday- Mini Cheesecakes.
They are all completed, delicious and ready to share.
Now I can use the rest of the week for as much pre-party prep as possible!!
I would love to share with you, the most time consuming, labor intensive of the three cookies.
MINIATURE CHEESECAKES
Needed: Little muffin tins and tiny paper cups- makes about 60
Step I 2 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers
3 TBSP sugar
3/4 cube butter
Melt butter. add sugar and crumbs and mix for crust, Put scant TSP in paper cup and press with flat glass i.e. a shot glass duh 🙂
Step II 1 lb. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
Mix at med speed for 20 minutes. (yes that says 20 minutes, lets hope you own a kitchen aide stand mixer). Put scant teaspoonful on crust and bake in 325 degree oven for 20 min. Remove from oven and turn oven up to 425 degrees
Step III 1 1/2 cup sour cream
3 TBLSP sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 TBLSP sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix and spread to edges of cakes about tsp.. Decorate with bits of candied cherries rd and green. before baking. Bake 5 min. at 425 degrees.
Remove from paper cups after cooling . freeze separately then put into containers to freeze for later use.
Give them a try… they are definitely delicious!
With that I’m off to bed.
*having some computer troubles, hopefully tomorrow is better*
Have a wonderful week friends
-xo-
Life is Peaches 