Heavenly Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Have you ever eaten something that you could describe as "heavenly"? You know the kind of experience that as you take that first bite, you hear an angelic choir singing and the beam of light shines down as you savor the deliciousness?! I can't even describe how wonderful these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars are, all I can say is that you'll both love & hate me for sharing this amazing recipe! You'll love me because it'll be one of the best things you've put into your mouth, and you'll hate me because you'll want to eat the entire pan! haha!

This is a Paula Deen Recipe, and I originally found it on the Food Network website here. They have many wonderful recipes to peruse through, you'll definitely want to check it out! Here at Achieving Proverbs 31, we're planning a "Week of Apples" on the blog, we hope this recipe will jump start the week, making you want even more. Stay tuned for many more scrumptious recipes and please do yourself a favor and take the time to make the recipe below! :-)

~Lauren
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~Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Streusel topping, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup caramel topping (melted caramel candies work fine as well)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Drizzle some of the caramel over the warm crust.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 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 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

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.

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Perfect Pumpkin Bread

I LOOOOVE anything pumpkin, and tis the season! I frequent Starbucks quite often and love their pumpkin bread. I like to challenge myself to be able to figure out how to replicate some of our favorite foods at home and this one was no exception! I find that it's VERY similar to Starbucks (maybe even better), which of course makes me really happy. :-)
I have a love/hate relationship with Fall, but one of its best qualities is that it truly is such a cozy time of year. I love cuddling up with my hubby in front of a warm fire, drinking coffee and a enjoying a slice of this moist and delicious bread. If you'd rather make cute lil pumpkin muffins, feel free to do that and just reduce the time accordingly. Try it and let me know what you think!!

*~SPICED PUMPKIN BREAD~*


3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional), toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans (or make 24 muffins). Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes (or reduced time for muffins). Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves or 24 muffins.

Serve the day you make them. Wrap the other loaf or muffins in foil and freeze up to one month so that you'll have on hand for unexpected company. Pairs perfectly with your favorite coffee or tea!


Bon Appétit

~Lauren

p.s. I've heard that there's a pumpkin shortage, better stock up so you can make lots of great pumpkin bread/muffins!

"Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit...."

Ok, if the title didn't make you laugh then you're wayy too serious. ;-) I don't know where you live, but here in North Dakota, Autumn arrived EARLY. At first I was somewhat irritated, but now I'm embracing it completely! ;-) I'm ready for cozy warm fires, comfy sweaters, the aroma of baked goods, and everything else that this cozy season entails. The crisp Autumn air has definitely put us in the mood for warm food, I've made two types of chili in the past week if that tells ya anything! In fact, I'm about to share with you a delicious Bean chili recipe, that will make you learn to love beans (even though they might not love you in return) ha ha. It's our family friend's recipe and I want to thank him for allowing me to share it on the blog. I'm going to give you the recipe that will feed an army, no really. Feel free to half the recipe if need be. Otherwise, plan to invite a lot of people over for supper! (or freeze in batches). It's the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, I hope you'll enjoy!



~{Coachman's Scrumdiliumptious Bean Chili}~

2 cans Bush's Baked Beans
2 cans Great Northern beans (no juice)
2 cans Lima beans (or I substituted Canellini beans - no juice)
2 cans Butter beans (no juice)
2 cans Kidney beans -with juice
4 cans Pinto beans with jalepeno (I used pinto beans and sauteed 10 fresh jalepenos)
1 can Hot Chili beans
1 12oz can Tomato Paste
1 lg Onion, diced
2lbs hamburger, or ground turkey (venison works too)
1 pkg Kielbasa sausage, chopped
2 cups brown sugar, to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp Chili Powder, to taste
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
Cayenne pepper (optional)
*Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce - special ingredient, use it to your liking.

* Brown meat & onions in a LARGE pot. Add all the beans. Stir in tomato paste and spices. Mix well. Slow cook for 4 hours or more, stirring occasionally (at least every hour). Better if allowed to set overnight, as the flavors will unite for an even better chili!

Now that you have the recipe for an amazing chili, you MUST have the perfect cornbread muffin to accompany it. I mean, you can't have peanut butter without jelly, nor can you have salt without pepper. As is with chili, you cannot have it without an amazing cornbread muffin! Thanks to Page for this authentic Southern recipe! You. Will. LOVE!

~{Fabulous Southern Corn Bread Muffins}~

1 1/2 cup- Corn Meal (yellow is best)
1 cup- white flour (unbleached, do not use self-rising)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Buttermilk - the secret ingredient!!!
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs honey

Yields: 12 muffins (so....yeah, you'll wanna double batch this, if not triple ;-)

Mix wet ingredients, sift dry and add to wet mixture only until moistened. Let mixture sit for 5min. Heat oven to 400, grease muffin pan and bake muffins for 15min or until tops are golden brown.

*NOTE: I made a double batch and added chopped jalapenos and grated cheese to 12 of my muffins. It makes for a delicious twist to an already perfect muffin. Be creative and try adding chopped bacon, minced green onions, fresh herbs, etc.

P.S. I've heard that including a whole potato (peeled) in the chili can help to...ummm....eliminate the hilarious and oh so common side affect of beans. I did try this, and it worked for SOME, but not all. haha! FYI