Yummy Recipe Wednesday! (Eggnog Cheesecake)

Hello again friends and food lovers. Welcome to another Yummy Recipe Wednesday. As you may know if you frequent my blog, I don’t post many dessert recipes on here. However, the holidays are here and around our place Eggnog is a staple in the fridge during the holidays. Cheesecake also happens to be one of my favorite desserts so I figured why not share this delicious Eggnog Cheesecake recipe. This cheesecake is so creamy smooth and the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg both in the crust and the batter really makes the Eggnog flavor pop. As for the recipe itself, if you don’t have Rum or don’t want to put Rum in your cheesecake you could use 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla in its place. Also keep in mind that you can use a premade crust from the store but if you do, you will have more batter than what will fit in the crust. Give this a try at your upcoming holiday gathering and listen to everyone rave. I get requests to make this every year so be prepared! As always, feel free to leave comments below and be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter, if you aren’t already, so you don’t miss a single new post.

Eggnog Cheesecake

• 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 Cup + 2 Tbsp White Sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, divided
• 3/4 tsp Nutmeg, divided
• 3 Tbsp Melted Butter
• 3 (8 oz) pkgs Cream Cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Eggnog
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tbsp Rum*

*You can substitute 1 Tbsp Vanilla in place of the Rum if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and butter; press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
3. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; place on a wire rack to cool.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C).
5. In a food processor combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth.
6. Blend in the eggs, rum, remaining 1 tsp cinnamon, and the remaining 1/2 tsp nutmeg; pour the mixture into the cooled crust.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
8. Reduce the heat to 250°F (121°C) and bake an additional 45 minutes, or until the center of the cake is barely firm to the touch.
9. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and immediately loosen the cake from the rim; let the cake cool completely before removing the rim.

Yummy Recipe Wednesday! (Parmesan Chicken Bake)

Welcome friends and foodie fans to another Yummy Recipe Wednesday. Today I bring you a recipe that’s perfect for those nights when you’ve had a long day at work and you just don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Not only is this Parmesan Chicken Bake easy to make but it’s also healthier than your traditional Parmesan Chicken since it’s baked and not fried. You still get all the crunchy, cheesy, saucy flavors of Parmesan Chicken without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. My only advice with this dish is if you’re using thick chicken breasts either cut them in half or pound the thick parts flat so everything cooks evenly. Alternatively, you could use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts. Give this a try for yourself and feel free to leave comments below letting me know what you thought and what changes, if any, that you made to the dish. As always, be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter if you aren’t already so you don’t miss a single new post.

Parmesan Chicken Bake

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
• 6 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
• 2 cups Spaghetti Sauce, your favorite kind
• 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Basil
• 1 (8 oz) pkg Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
• 1 (5 oz) pkg Garlic Croutons*

* If using large croutons, lightly crush them into smaller pieces.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil; sprinkle the bottom of the dish with the garlic and hot red pepper flakes.
3. Arrange the chicken breasts in bottom of the dish; pour the marinara sauce over the chicken.
4. Sprinkle the basil over the marinara sauce then top with half the mozzarella cheese and half the Parmesan cheese.
5. Sprinkle on the croutons then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese and croutons are golden brown** and the chicken reads at least 160°F (70°C) on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken breast. Cooking time should be about 35 minutes to an hour, depending on the shape and thickness of your chicken breasts.

** If the cheese and croutons are golden brown before the chicken finishes cooking, cover the casserole with foil and continue cooking until the chicken is done.

Yummy Recipe Wednesday! (Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wontons)

Hello again foodie friends and welcome to another Yummy Recipe Wednesday. Today I bring you a recipe that’s a nice little twist on your classic buffalo chicken dip. Instead of dipping your chips in the buffalo chicken dip you get the dip wrapped up neatly in a crispy wonton shell that you can actually dip into another dip. I know… it’s crazy! I personally prefer these dipped in a little blue cheese dressing but you could also just use ranch or even mix the ranch and blue cheese together with a little hot sauce for a spicy zing. These are great as an appetizer for parties and family get-togethers. We’ve got Christmas and New Years Eve coming up and the Super Bowl will be here in a couple of months as well. Give these a try and your next event and see if they don’t disappear before your eyes. As always, feel free to leave comments below and be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter, if you aren’t already, so you don’t miss a single new post.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wontons

• Vegetable Oil, for frying
• 1 cup Shredded Cooked Chicken
• 1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 Tbsp Ranch Dressing
• 1 Tbsp Butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce, or to taste
• 20 Wonton Wrappers

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350° F (175° C).
2. In a bowl mix together the chicken, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, butter, and hot sauce until well combined.
3. Working one at a time, scoop about 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto the center of a wonton wrapper; moisten the edges of the wrapper with a wet finger then fold the wonton in half diagonally and press to seal.
4. Arrange the wontons on a baking sheet and freeze for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Fry the wontons in the preheated oil until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Yummy Recipe Wednesday! (Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup)

Hello again friends and food lovers. Welcome to another Yummy Recipe Wednesday. Hopefully everyone had a wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving last week. At one of our several Thanksgiving dinners, we had a Slow Cooker Soup Dinner (with a chocolate turkey for dessert) and the recipe I bring you today was one that a family member made. Last year I posted another Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup recipe and while both soups are really good, I think this one edges out the other one as my new favorite. The cream cheese in this recipe adds a nice richness to the soup and the chopped ham really elevates this soup to the next level. This recipe also doubles nicely which is great so you can freeze some of the soup for later. Give this soup a try for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments below and what changes, if any, you made to the soup. As always, be sure to follow @RecipeBlogger on Twitter, if you aren’t already, so you don’t miss a single new post.

Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup

• 3 cups Peeled and Cubed Potatoes
• 1/2 cup Chopped Celery
• 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
• 1 cup Chicken Stock
• 1 tsp Dried Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 pinch Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tsp All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups Milk
• 1/2 (8 oz) pkg Cream Cheese, cubed
• 1 cup Chopped Ham

1. Place the potatoes, celery, onion, chicken stock, and parsley into a slow cooker and season everything with salt and black pepper; set the slow cooker on HIGH, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 2 hours.
2. Whisk the flour and milk together in a bowl until smooth then pour the mixture into the slow cooker and stir until thickened; cook on HIGH for 2 more hours.
3. Mash the potatoes in the slow cooker to your desired thickness and consistency then stir in the cream cheese and cooked ham; simmer the soup until the cream cheese has melted, the soup is thick and creamy, and the ham is heated through, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.