Improv Cooking Challenge: Banana Bread Cookies with Nutmeg Cream Cheese Frosting

.  Karma is a biaaaaatch.  Right?!

If you haven't noticed, I've sat out the last several months of ICC.  Whether it's been for a lack of time or I just plain forgot, I have in no way been a consistent ICC participant.  And guess what happened when I decided to come back?

I BOTCHED!

Fo' reals.

Okay, it wasn't the worst mess up I've ever had.  I mean, I ended up with a finished product.  But it was less than decent.  I won't even use 'good' there.  Let's see, where shall we begin?

The ingredients we were assigned to kick off 2013 were Bananas and Nutmeg.  Easy enough?  Well, you'd think!

Here's what happened.  One, I might have gotten a little over zealous.  I wanted to really twist things up and make this treat a special one.  So I think that may have clouded my judgement a bit.  Oopsies.

Second, I didn't trust my baking instincts!  Who does that anyway?!  I went against my intuition and kept adding in a certain ingredient [ahem, nutmeg] only because the original recipe said to.  FAIL.

So all in all, here's what came of the Banana Bread Cookies with a Nutmeg Cream Cheese Frosting.  The cookies were good enough.  But nothing crazy.  I think I may have overmixed the batter so the cookies [to me] were a bit tough.  Mistake three.  My favorite thing about them though was the bits of chocolate studded throughout.  The cookies only saving grace.  Oh and hey, my bananas were basically green.  So that didn't help.  Mistake four?

But the thing that took me over the edge was the dang frosting.  The overly nutmeggy frosting.  Ugh, makes me mad just thinking about it.  I knew I should have stopped adding in the nutmeg after, say, the second teaspoon but the recipe I based these off of said to keep going.  So I did...  Never again!  Needless to say, the frosting was one of the least favorite things I've ever made.  I like nutmeg but this was just too much.  Mistake five!

If I hadn't made the countless number of errors these cookies might have stood a chance.  But you live and you learn!  And that's what this challenge is all about, testing out that creativity.  Or at least I'll keep telling myself that.

See you next month, ICCers [...hopepfully]!!  .

My Notes:

• As you can tell, I didn't like the nutmeg cream cheese frosting.  So, I adjusted the ingredient amounts below but I would suggest just using the plain cream cheese frosting.  The banana cookies will really shine through that way, too!

Adapted from Cookies and Cups and Sweet Peas Pensee's

Ingredients:

Banana Cookies:

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 c.)

1 c. light brown sugar

1/4 c. canola oil

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 c. quick cooking oats

1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Nutmeg Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese

4 tbsp. butter

2 to 2-1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, light brown sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract, and egg in a large bowl.  Beat until combined.  Add in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Beat on low speed just until combined.  Gently stir in oats and chocolate chips.  
3. Drop batter by scant tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden and centers are set.  Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
4. For frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until smooth.  Frost cookies as desired.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Improv Cooking Challenge: Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake

.  What a crazy busy week for LSM, huh?  Three posts in one week?  We're coming up on the limit.

But for one reason or another [apparently I felt ambitious] I decided to participate in all three clubs this month: SRC, TWD, and featuring in today's post, ICC.  And they all happened to be due the same week.  Go figure.

Most of you have probably forgotten I'm a part of ICC [or maybe you even forgot what ICC is] because it's literally been months since I last participated.  And to be honest, this is probably my most favorite club because it forces you to get those creative juices flowin'.  And who wouldn't have fun with that?!

Anywho, this month's ingredients were a bit tricky...

Zucchini and Brown Sugar

Not gonna lie, I initially thought I would sit out again for this month because it appeared like this would be a savory challenge.  But then I thought 'Hey!  This is called a challenge for a reason!' [and yes, I really did think that].  So here we are!

I wouldn't say I came up with anything ground breaking, but I guess this recipe is a bit different!  I actually had a hard time finding any recipes that used both zucchinis and brown sugar, but thanks to my tried and true Taste of Home Cookbook, I bring you Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake.  Nom, nom, nom.

The cake itself is rather simple, a plain vanilla cake made uber moist due to the addition of the zucchini.  But the fun and flavor comes from the cinnamon-raisin streusel ribboned throughout the bundt.  A simple glaze drizzled across the top serves as 'the cherry on the top.'  And together, these elements make a wonderful, comforting breakfast treat paired perfectly with a piping hot cup of coffee.  Can the weekend be here, already?

Gosh, I love ICC.  Can't wait to see what next month brings!  .

My Notes:

• I omitted the walnuts from the original recipe but after tasting, they definitely are needed.  The cake was still great but it could have definitely used that crunch.  If you don't have to, I wouldn't leave them out.

Adapted from Taste of Home Cookbook

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 c. (about 1-1/2 medium zucchinis) shredded zucchini

1-1/3 c. vanilla-flavored yogurt

3/4 c. sugar

2 egg whites

1 egg

1/3 c. canola oil

3 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. dry bread crumbs

Streusel:

1/3 c. packed light brown sugar

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1/3 c. raisins

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Glaze:

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 to 3 tsp. milk

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.  In a large bowl, beat zucchini, yogurt, sugar, egg whites, egg, oil, and vanilla extract until well blended.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; gradually beat into zucchini mixture until blended.
2. For streusel, combine brown sugar, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and allspice; set aside.
3. Sprinkle bread crumbs into a greased 10-inch bundt pan.  Add a third of the zucchini batter to the pan.  Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture over the batter.  Top with another third of the batter and sprinkle with remaining streusel mixture.  Top with remaining batter.
4. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
5. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency.  Drizzle over cake.

Yield: 14 servings

Improv Cooking Challenge: Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Bars

.  These are legit.

Too legit to quit.

Ha, just kidding.  About the second part.  Not about how scrumptious these [thick] fruity bars turned out.  And boy [or girl], are they thick, uber creamy, and strawberry banana fruity.  Very reminiscent of a banana split...particularly one from Dairy Queen.  Not that I would know though ☺

But I must give credit where credit is due.  First, a shout out goes to Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for choosing the wonderful combination of strawberries and cream for May's ICC ingredients.  Second, I must thank Bakers Royale for coming up with a recipe that I could in no way resist [no matter how hard I tried...or didn't].

So as you can tell, I had a lot of fun with the ICC ingredients this month.  I mean, who wouldn't?  And the major plus about this go around was that I got to include bananas!  WITH STRAWBERRIES!  If you know me at all, you would know that strawberry banana used to [or still is] one of my favorite combinations.  I vividly remember buying Strawberry Banana smoothies from Orange Julius every time I stepped inside the Mall of America.  Now that I think about, maybe I only went 'shopping' so I could get my usual smoothie.  Yes, I would do that.

And like I said, these bars are a strawberry banana fiesta.  The cheesecake itself is packed with a strawberry banana pureed mixture as well as hunks of fresh bananas and strawberries!  GAH!  Oh, and the cheesecake is sandwiched between a thick traditional graham cracker crust and a layer of sugary-buttery streusel.  Hello, heaven.

So if you're feeling that Spring mood, and I'm betting those local farmer markets will be rolling out the strawberries soon, then I highly recommend you try these bars out.  Actually, I demand it .

My Notes:

• According to Bakers Royale, the addition of the pureed banana is the key to making these bars extra creamy.  And I'll admit, these bars are creamy deliciousness.  
• Also like Bakers Royale, I added chunks of strawberries AND bananas throughout the cheesecake before baking.  However, feel free to skip this step.  But I wouldn't recommend that.
• These are best cold, so keep them refrigerated until you're ready to eat.  Which may be all of the time...

Adapted from Bakers Royale

Ingredients:

Crust:

1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling:

6 oz. strawberries (about 1 c. whole strawberries)

4 oz. banana (about 1 banana)
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
Additional strawberries and 1/2 banana, chopped (optional)

Streusel:
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F.  Line 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang.  For the crust, place graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a bowl and toss to combine.  Add in melted butter and mix to combine.  Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool while making cheesecake.
2. For cheesecake, place strawberries and banana in a blender or food processor and pulse until pureed; set aside.  
3. Place cream cheese in the bowl of standing mixer and beat until smooth.  Add sugar, egg and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined and smooth.  Add in pureed strawberry mixture and mix to combine.  Add flour and mix to combine.
4. Pour mixture over crust.  If desired, place chopped strawberries and banana throughout the cheesecake and gently press in.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, for streusel, place flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and using a pastry blender or a fork, cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles crumbled wet sand.  Set aside.
6. Once cheesecake is done baking, remove from oven and sprinkle over streusel.  Bake an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let bars cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 16 bars

Improv Cooking Challenge: Crunchy Sweet Potato Cupcakes

.  Let's just say that this month's ICC was a bit of a debacle.  And because of that, creating this post was a mad rush.  But in the end, I think I prevailed.  Sort of.

Let's first start with what I had to work with...

Potatoes and Cheese

Uhh, huh?  Crap.  First thing that crossed my mind was to skip this month's challenge, this was totally geared towards savory dishes.  But then I thought 'I ain't no quitter'! In those exact words, too.  So my brainstorming adventure began and I must say, I'm glad I took up the challenge. Even though these cupcakes caused me some stress, having something to snap pictures of was well worth it.  And they turned out pretty cute! 

So what we came up with [and I say we because several co-workers took part in this] was a Sweet Potato Cupcake topped with your classic Cream Cheese Frosting.  I'm [not so] secretly hoping that Kristen doesn't kick me out of the club for fudging the lines with sweet potatoes and cream cheese.  That's technically cheese, right?  Right?! 

But from this idea, I wanted to go just one step further.  I had a vision of Sweet Potato Casserole Cupcakes and to bring this idea to fruition, I added a crunchy layer of cinnamon-sugar pecan streusel [exactly like the streusel layer in my French Toast Cupcakes!].  Does that sound good or weird to you?  Well with my new found love for Sweet Potato Casserole, I went with it.

I started with a sweet potato cupcake recipe I found while browsing online, but here's where it all crumbled.  Literally.  I had to make a couple of ingredient adjustments and somewhere along the way, I didn't account for something.  Something I can't quite put my finger on, but what I ended up with was completely caved-in and overflowing cupcakes [somehow magically all at the same time].  The cupcakes were so incredibly delicate that the streusel layer literally sunk into the cupcakes.  But then I also apparently overfilled the liners so we had cupcake tops like no other.  And I am not a fan of cupcake tops.  I like my cupcakes sitting snugly within the liners, plain and simple.  So needless to say, those sad cupcakes marched their way straight to the trash.  Sad [and frustrating] day.

So onto the next sweet potato cupcake recipe!  Second time's a charm, in my book.  Learning from my previous mistakes, I adjusted accordingly and came out with these little guys.  The cupcakes themselves are not overly sweet potato-ey [which may be a good thing for some of you] and if you didn't know any better you could probably mistake them for pumpkin.  Texturely, they didn't quite come out how I would have liked but Hollyann vowed they're still good nevertheless.  Now on to that streusel!  I sadly have to admit that the streusel sank into the cupcakes a bit, but it still lends the cupcakes a hidden sugary, crunchy layer that is unexpected yet perfectly complements the generous helping of creamy cream cheese frosting.  And though these are a bit St. Patty's Day inspired, Hollyann and I wanted to give a nod to March Madness, which is beginning this weekend.  SO!  Hollyann made those adorable little fondant basketballs you see.  Too cute!

The fondant maker!

Aside from the near nervous breakdown, these cupcakes were a joy and true challenge.  So thanks again Kristen, from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, for once again hosting a fabulous ICC.  On to April!

My Notes:

• The original cupcake recipe only made a dozen cupcakes, so I doubled the recipe.  But if you're looking for a dozen cupcakes rather than 24, just halve all of the ingredients below.
• I absolutely fell in love with this frosting.  Not only is it extremely tasty, but it was ridiculously easy to pipe.  I'm not a great piper by any means so this easy-to-use frosting was perfect for me.

Adapted from Picky Palate and Snappy Gourmet 

Ingredients:

Streusel:

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. chopped pecans

5 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Cupcakes:

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. canned sweet potato pie filling

2 eggs

1-1/2 c. buttermilk

Frosting:

2 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. For streusel, combine brown sugar, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and pecans in a small bowl.  Cut in butter with hands until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Heat oven to 350 F.  Line two muffin tins with liners; set aside.  For cupcakes, add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, sweet potato pie filling, eggs, and buttermilk, in a large bowl.  Combine using a large spoon until well mixed (about 15 to 30 seconds). 
3. Fill prepared muffin cups just about 3/4 full.  Top evenly with streusel, making sure to cover the tops.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Let cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
4. For frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until well combined.  Beat in vanilla extract.  Slowly beat in powdered sugar until smooth.  Frost cupcakes as desired.

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Improv Cooking Challenge: Lemon Trifecta Cupcakes

.  Dum. Dum. Dum.

It's ICC time, ladies and gents!

This time around, Kristen, from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, handed the ICC participants these two ingredients...

Lemon and Sour Cream

Not gonna lie, these two ingredients kind of threw me for a loop.  Lemons?  Easy.  You can find an abundant amount of recipes that use this tart little fruit.  But sour cream?  Okay, I can think of a few things here or there, but for one reason or another, I had the most difficult time brainstorming some type of goodie I wanted to make with these two ingredients combined.  I realize most of you are laughing right now at my lack of creativity.  Boo.

Anywho, I finally came across a recipe I had to try over at AllRecipes.com.  The recipe was actually called Lemon Cream Cupcakes, but I had to switch up the name since I adapted the recipe and added in additional lemon flavors.  See, I try to be creative!

And let me tell you, these are cupcakes packed with a citrusy punch!  Whew, are they ever.  But a lemon cupcake, lemon curd filling, and thick lemon icing will do that to ya.  So if you're not a lemon fan, stop reading this post, oh, now.  Because this is a bright, sunshiney, lemony recipe.

But where's the sour cream, hello?  Be patient, be patient.  I'm getting there.  The sour cream is masterfully 'hidden' in the actual batter, making these cupcakes puff up beautifully yet maintaining an [outrageously] soft, pillowy interior.  From what I can remember, I can't recall tasting a cupcake remotely close to the texture this one has.  The insides of this cupcake are truly pillowy, so light and tender.  I really can't think of another way to get this point across.  Just believe me on this one.

And the extra doses of lemon flavor from the lemon curd [is anyone else as obsessed with lemon curd as I am?!] and lemon icing is wonderfully fantastic.  A complete dessert rounded out in lemony goodness.

Well I guess that's all I have to say about January's ICC concoction.  If you're a lemon fan, you'll die for this cupcake.  And if you're not...well, check out my other posts [wink, wink]. 

Can't wait to find out next month's ingredients!  .


P.S. like the name of these cupcakes?!  Well I must give credit where credit is due, so thank you Mr. Nelson for the catchy title ☺

My Notes:

• I must admit that the lemon in the actual cake is not very prominent.  But because of the lemon curd and lemon icing, I felt like this subtleness was very complementary.  Also, these are the kinds of cakes that are best the day they are made because that's when they're most soft and light.  However, they're perfectly good the following day(s), too, but they'll be a bit more dense [funny how that happens...].
• I decided to double the original recipe's icing ingredients [reflected below] because when I made the frosting, I couldn't imagine it frosting all of the 30 cupcakes.  This worked out perfectly because it turned out to be just the right amount for a good helping of the icing on each cupcake.  I will forewarn, that you probably don't want to over-ice the cupcakes [is this possible?!] since the icing is rather lemon-flavor strong.  Also, I found when I put on a bit too much icing, it started to drip down the sides of the cupcakes.
• The original recipe also instructed you to fill each cupcake liner with 1/4 cup of batter, but I'm a huge no-muffin-top proponent when it comes to cupcakes, so I filled each liner just to about 3/4 full [this might actually be 1/4 cup but I didn't measure it, so I'm not sure?].  But the cupcakes rounded out beautifully, so I was very pleased!

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

3-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. sour cream

Lemon Icing:

4-1/2 c. powdered sugar

4 tbsp. lemon juice

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. milk
6 tbsp. butter, softened

Filling:

1 (10 oz.) jar lemon curd

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F and line standard muffin tin with liners.  For the cupcakes, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar (about 3 minutes).  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.  Beat in lemon zest and vanilla extract until combined.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, alternating with sour cream (batter will be thick).
2. Fill liners with batter until about 3/4 full.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan before removing to wire rack.
3. For frosting, in a medium-sized bowl, beat together powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and milk.  Add butter and beat until smooth.
4. Once cupcakes are cooled, use a paring knife to cut out centers of cupcakes, saving the tops.  Add in enough lemon curd to fill the holes and top with saved cake pieces.  Frost cupcakes as desired.

Yield: 30 cupcakes

The Improv Cooking Challenge: Cranberry Eggnog Bread Pudding

.  It's that time of the month again!  No, not that time of the month.  Get your head outta the gutters, it's the holidays! ☺  But you guessed it, it's ICC time!!  And as you know, one of my favorite parts of the months [nerd alert!].  I had such a blast making Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls and Mini Pumpkin Pie Cheesecakes, how could I not look forward to this?!

So what did we have to work with in December?  Well, very festive ingredients for sure...

Cranberries and Eggnog  

Gah.  Love.  

However, I will say that when I first saw eggnog, I had a little [or more than usual] blank in my head. I've only ever done anything with eggnog just last year when I made Eggnog Cheesecake [which I have not posted, but if you would like the recipe let me know and it'll be my next Tried & True Tuesday].  And when I baked with it for the first time, it was also the very first time I had ever tasted eggnog.  So I felt a little behind the eight ball with this ingredient.

I did know that I wanted to do something decadent and rich.  Something perfectly holiday-like.  And what I came up with is just that.  Not bragging, but just puttin' it out there.

My little concoction of Cranberry Eggnog Bread Pudding is absolutely wonderful.  It screams Christmas, winter, and any other word you can associate with this time of the year.  Seriously, it's scrumptious.  I was a tad skeptical thinking this would dish would turn out, but the eggnog worked perfectly as a substitute for heavy whipping cream, giving the bread a little sweetness and extraordinary spice.  The cranberries add a burst of tartness every other bite, complementing the breadiness and eggnoggy flavor juuuuust right.

And the texture of this bread pudding?  I know, for some people bread pudding is just not their thing.  But the combination of bread, liquid, and flavor are just right, not too soggy or too dry.  But landing right in the center, a tender and moist bread pudding.  I will be using the base of this recipe for years to come, it's that memorable.

I realize my blog has been flooded with cranberry treats lately, but what can I say, it's the holidays [that rhymed]!  So you can bet you're favorite present that I'll be throwing out some more cranberry recipes, I can't help it.  I'll try to mix it up a bit for you though.

Anywho, another great ICC experience!  Let's hope it rolls on into the New Year.  Happy eating!  .

My Notes:

• The eggnog flavor in this recipe is by no means over powering.  I was pretty nervous about this happening, because as we all know, the flavor of eggnog is very distinct.  But I really do think the amount I chose to add is just right; however, if you're an eggnog fanatic or not so much, you can adjust the amount of eggnog you'd like to use, just add or take away the same amount of heavy whipping cream to equal 2 cups of liquid.
• I chose to use cherry-flavored cranberries.  I personally adore these but you can use whichever type of cranberry you'd like.
• I used exactly 1 round loaf of cinnamon chip bread from Great Harvest Bread Company [my definite go-to business for any type of bready goodness].  I chose this bread because I thought the extra cinnamon would be wonderful, but you can use what ever type of bread you have on hand.
• Not sure if you took note, but I would like to point out my brand new 2 quart Emile Henry baking dish that I won from a giveaway over at Zoe Bake's.  First, I NEVER win anything, so I was literally jumping up and down when I found out.  And second, this dish is the bomb.com.  It's absolutely beautiful and if you don't know anything about the brand, well...it's one of the best.  It would sure make for some good holiday gifts ☺

 Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:

1-1/2 c. eggnog

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

5 eggs

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

6 c. dried bread cubes

1 (6 oz.) package dried cherry-flavored cranberries

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine eggnog, heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. 

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and cinnamon.

3.  Gradually whisk milk mixture into egg mixture.

4.  Place dried bread cubes into an ungreased 2-quart baking dish.  Sprinkle cranberries evenly over bread, making sure some of the cranberries get into the center of the mixture (I just lifted up a few pieces of bread here and there to get the cranberries evenly spread throughout).

5.  Pour milk mixture evenly over bread mixture, making sure to get all of the top pieces covered.  Press down lightly with the back of a large spoon to moisten bread.  Cover with foil and chill for 1 to 24 hours.

6.  Heat oven to 350F.  Bake, covered, for 1 hour or until top appears evenly set.

Yield: 12 servings

The Improv Cooking Challenge: Mini Pumpkin Pie Cheesecakes

. You all know how much I absolutely adore the baking/cooking challenges I am a part of (i.e., SRC and ICC), right?  Well I am, they're something I look forward to every month because it's a chance for me to really dive into the baking world.  Both being introduced to fellow bloggers and getting to tap into my creative side (no matter how hidden it may be!).

But this time around, I bring you a post I am oh-so-happy about but in the meanwhile, a little gray cloud also hangs.  In my first ICC post, I introduced you all (if you didn't happen to already know her) to Sheryl from The Lady Behind the Curtain.  She was the founder of ICC and the passion she held for the idea simply radiated from her blog.  However, due to personal circumstances, Sheryl had to leave behind both her blog and ICC.  It was a sad moment when I received her e-mail, letting all of the participants know that ICC would no longer be.

So what the heck am I doing with a second ICC post?  Fortunately, Kristen, from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, swooped in to save the day.  Later that same morning, Kristen sent out an e-mail to the ICC participants, offering to continue ICC through her own blog.  WHAAT!?  YESSSS!  As much as we will all miss Sheryl's amazing words, I think I can say for most bloggers that we are so ecstatic that Kristen decided to keep ICC in the mix.

So here I am with my November ICC post, and the secret ingredients?

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese 

Gosh dang it, those are some fab ingredients, huh?  The possibilities are endless and I can't even begin to tell you how many ideas flashed through my mind when attempting to decide what to bake.  But to help myself out, I narrowed down the options to something that would serve a dual purpose: a pumpkin/cream cheese treat for ICC and a goodie that would be perfect in anyone's Thanksgiving spread.  Which brings us to the shining star of this post, my very own Mini Pumpkin Pie Cheesecakes.

So what are these little guys anyway?  Well, they're a combination of pumpkin pie and cheesecake!  The buttery crust and pumpkin flavors from a traditional pumpkin pie and the wonderful lusciousness we have come to love about cheesecakes.  Pretty straightforward, eh?  But trying to figure out exactly how to make these was definitely not straightforward.  I'll tell you that I spent a good amount of time Googling and researching exactly how to put together pie crust and cheesecake.

What type of crust should I use?  Flakey?  Shortbread?  Do I pre-bake the crust?  Or will it end up burning since cheesecake bakes for quite awhile?  How big should I cut the pie crusts?  What types and amounts of spices do I use to get that pumpkin pie flavor?  How long do mini cheesecakes bake?  When do you know to take them out of the oven?

These and about, oh, a bajillion more questions rushed through my mind.  It was a lot to think about but I think after nailing down what recipes I wanted to use, everything went rather smoothly.  If I do say so myself ☺

I absolutely love how this recipe gives you individual servings of dessert.  We all know how much we tend to eat on Thanksgiving [or at least I do...], so these will give you the hit ending to a stuff-you-silly dinner without knocking you into a complete food coma.

Finally, I just want to say thanks again to Kristen for picking up ICC.  I had a great time with this months' ingredients and can't wait for December! .

My Notes:

• The pie crust recipe below yields four individual pie crusts or two double-crust pies.  That's a lot of crust!  But don't worry, you can freeze the remaining dough you don't use [mine is definitely in the freezer] for 2 to 3 months and use it later for something else.
• If you don't have any shortening around, you can use 1 cup of unsalted butter.
• To me, cutting shapes out of pie crust was very intimidating.  But I attempted leaves this go around and I can vouch that it's not hard in the least!  It's actually rather simple and makes any dessert look extra special!
• Since I created this recipe from several sources, you'll have a lot of cheesecake filling left over.  However, you can always use the left over dough and filling to make more mini pumpkin pie cheesecakes.  
• If you don't have the time to make these individual cups, the entire recipe will make enough for a 9-inch pumpkin pie cheesecake.  Make the crust, place it in the pan, pour in the entire cheesecake mixture, and bake at 325°F for 1 hour.
• I initially baked these yummies for 30 minutes at 325°F and thinking they were done, took them out.  But, they definitely were still a little underdone so I popped them back in the oven for 20 additional minutes at 350°F.  So, please note!, my time stated in the recipe is a guesstimate, so make sure to check on your pies around 40 minutes or so just to be safe.

Ingredients:

Crust:

3 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening

1 large egg

4 to 8 tbsp. ice water

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

3/4 lb. (one and a half 8 oz. packages) cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1-1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree

3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

Garnish:

Whipped cream (homemade or store-bought)

Directions:

1.  For crust, place flour in food processor (or large bowl).  Add sugar and salt and process for 20 seconds to combine.  Cut in butter by pulsing (or using pastry blender or fingers) until mixture looks crumbly.

2.  Add egg and drizzle ice water and lemon juice on top.  Turn on food processor for 15 seconds (gently mix crust with fingertips) until mixture just holds together.  Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and gently knead for a few seconds to smooth out dough.

3.  Divide dough in half and pat into flattened disks.  Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight (this is when the dough can be frozen until you need it for something else).

4.  Grease a standard muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Take one disk from the refrigerator and roll out to about 1/8-inch thick.  Cut out circles of dough roughly 1-inch wider than the muffin tin (using a cookie cutter or top of glass).  

5.  Place cut outs into muffin pan, using fingertips to gently form the crust to the pan.

6.  If desired, use the second dough disk to cut out shapes to adorn the cups.  You can also use the remainder of the second disk to make additional mini crusts to fill.

7.  Heat oven to 325°F.  For cheesecake, in a large bowl beat cream cheese with electric mixer on low speed until very smooth.

8.  Gradually add sugar and brown sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time (scrape down sides of bowl as needed).  Add the pumpkin puree and mix until just blended.

9.  Stir in heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

10.  Fill crusts with cheesecake mixture until just barely full.  Bake 45 minutes or until cheesecakes are set and crusts are golden brown.

11.  When cheesecakes are done, turn off heat and prop open oven door to let the cheesecakes cool for 1 hour before removing from oven (do this step, it will help avoid cracks in the top of the cheesecakes).

12.  Garnish cheesecakes with whipped cream before serving.

Yield: 9 mini cheesecakes