lady finger pineapple pie

 Super easy no-bake pie!

Ingredients 

2 packages of pre-made lady fingers
16 oz. Cool Whip, defrosted
16 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 cans crushed pineapple, drained well

Directions

1. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream sugar and cream cheese together. On a low speed, stir in cool whip until cream cheese is incorporated.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a spring form pan with the lady fingers. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the bottom layer of lady fingers and top with 1/2 of the pineapple. Repeat making a second layer and top with remaining pineapple. Chill overnight.

* Recipe passed down to me from my Mom!

ricotta cheesecake with cran-raspberry sauce

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

20 oz. (2 1/2 cups) fresh whole milk ricotta, drained

1, 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat)

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 large eggs, room temperature

zest of 1 lemon or orange

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Cran-Raspberry Sauce:

3 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup granulated white sugar (or more to taste)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

zest of a lemon or orange
 

Instructions

2 days before serving
Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined strainer that has been suspended over a bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator to drain for several hours, or even overnight.

1 day before serving
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray with non stick cooking spray, a 9 inch spring form pan. Carefully wrap the outside of the pan with 2-3 layers of Stretch-tite and then two layers of heavy aluminum foil.
2. In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the spring form pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, place the cream cheese and beat until smooth and free of lumps. Add the ricotta and sugar and beat until smooth (about 2-3 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the cornstarch. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating about 30 seconds after each addition.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until incorporated. 
5. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the spring form pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of your spring form pan. 
6. Bake for about one hour 15 minutes, or until the top of the cheesecake has nicely browned and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken. Remove the pan from the water bath and cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, about 6-8 hours or overnight.
7. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine all the ingredients for the cran-raspberry sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and is bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool. (Note: taste and add more sugar as needed.) Cover and store in the refrigerator. 

*Adapted from JoyofBaking.com

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

For the Cake:
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 lb. carrots, peeled and grated (definitely use your food processor to quickly grate)
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

For the Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch cake pan with vegetable oil spray.
2. Whisk all the dry cake ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugars together in a large bowl (I use my stand mixer for this part) until frothy and the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 1 minute. While whisking, slowly add the oil until the mixture is thoroughly combined and emulsified, about 1 minute. Whisk in the flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the carrots and walnuts.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
5. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
6. Process the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla in a food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar and continue to process until smooth, about 10 seconds, scraping down the bowl and blades as needed.
7. Frost the cake and eat! I like to decorate the sides of the cake with coconut, but you could use chopped walnuts too.

* from America's Test Kitchen