Winner-Winner-Chicken Dinner!

Tis' the season for LOTS of Christmas parties. I attended two in the past week, and my desserts were a hit. I won 'Best Dessert' at the party on Saturday night, a whole $50. WooHoo!

Since I LOVE to share good recipes, I thought I'd share them with you. Don't plan on cutting calories this week. As a matter of fact, wear your elastic pants for these tasty treats. And in January, you can join me on the treadmill!


Chocolate Kahlua Cheesecake

Yields: 1 cake
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 1 hours
Ready In 1 hours
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup butter melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup liqueur coffee flavor, such as kahlua
24 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions
Mix crumbs, butter, and sugar.
Press onto bottom and up the sides partway of a 9-inch springform pan.
Freeze 5 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees F for ten minutes and allow to cool.

Heat in a bowl or pan over boiling water 2/4 cup chocolate chunks until melted and smooth. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream and 1/4 cup Kahlua and stir until blended.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
Add first mixture to the second and blend well.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and vanilla.
Pour over prepared crust and bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Decrease to 275 degrees F and bake another 45 minutes.
Remove from oven to cool: loosen cake from rim of pan and remove.

Melt remaining chocolate. Then add 1/4 cup whipping cream and the 2 Tbsp Kahlua, mixing well. Spread on top of cake and refrigerate six or so hours.



Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Prep Time: 30 min Inactive Prep Time: 1 hr 0 min Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min Level:
Easy Serves:
16 to 20 servings Ingredients
Cake:
Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.

For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.



**Growing-UP Monday! Will resume next week.**