It was my Birthday yesterday! Pina Colada Cheesecake!

I turned 42 and we had some friends over.
I made myself a Pina Colada Cheesecake that I tweaked from a recipe I found in America's Best Recipes. Someone asked for it, so I thought I'd add it here in case someone else wants it.

ingredients

Pina Colada cheesecake:                                                     
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup sugar (I use Splenda and sugar 50%)
1 2/3 cup fine breadcrumbs
1/4 cup sugar (I consider this optional)
1/2 cup melted butter
4 (8oz) packages cream cheese (low fat)
3/4 cup sugar (50% Splenda)

coconut mixture

4 large eggs
1 can 15 oz crushed pineapple, well drained
1 can 15 oz can cream of coconut
1 8 oz carton sour cream (low fat)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice (I used Lime)
1 tsp vanilla (2 tsp used)
1 tsp rum extract or 1/4 cup rum

        Preheat oven to 350.  Warm ingredients to room temperature for best results. 

makes a full 10 inch pan

       Melt 2 Tbsp butter in medium skillet over med heat. Add coconut, almonds, and 1/4 cup sugar; cook stirring constantly until golden. Set aside.
      Combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 sup sugar, if using, and 1/2 cup butter; stir well. Firmly press mixture into 10 inch springform pan on bottom and half way up sides. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.
      Beat cream cheese at medium speed of electric mixture until creamy; gradually add 3/4 cup sugar mix, beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in pineapple and next 6 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared pan.

leave door open

     Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Turn off oven.  Sprinkle reserved coconut mixture over top of cheesecake.  Partially open door and let cheesecake cool in oven for 1 hour.  Let cool to room temperature in pan on wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Carefully remove sides of springform pan.
MAKES 12 servings.

Happy Halloween!!!

So today I had to make cupcakes for my youngest Halloween party. One of the children has diabetes, so I found one of the recipes I make for Meghan who is also diabetic.  They were a hit with most of the kids. One little girl didn't like chocolate?! But the little one with diabetes was happy that someone had thought of him for a change.

Anyways, here's the recipe. I took a pic of the ones that I have here at home, but I forgot to take pics of the ones I took to Joey's class. Duh!! The recipe was out of the Splenda cookbook by Marlene Koch. We use alot of recipes out of this cookbook.


Chocolate Cupcakes
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup Splenda Sugar blend for baking (I didn't have this, so I made it half sugar half Splenda)
2 Large eggs
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

1- Preheat oven to 350. Place paper cups om muffin tins.
2- Put butter and Splenda in a medium bowl, use and electric mixer to cream until light and fluffy
3- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
4- In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk to combine
5- Add 1/2 the flour mix to the egg mix; then add 1/2 the buttermilk and the vanilla.  Mix at low speed and repeat, finishing with the last 1/2 cup of buttermilk
6- Spoon batter into cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

cupcake in a mug  :)

I had some batter leftover and didn't want to put into a liner. So I grabbed a couple of mugs and divided the batter between the two.  Put them into the microwave for 1:30 minutes and there was some good cupcakes. I also had to have whip cream with them, which is in the bowl to the left in the pic.

Snickerdoodle Cupcake

I made the Snickerdoodle cupcakes, from Martha Stewart, that were left over from last week's menu. I had a mishap with my stand mixer and couldn't make them. (my mixer decided it liked my dough hook and wouldn't release it!  Hubby smacked it and it came off for him lol)

I didn't use the 7 minute frosting that she did on hers. I just used a simple butter cream with cinnamon flavoring.

Menu plan Monday

Monday- Smokies and perogies
Tuesday- Ham and mashed potatoes with cornbread
Wed- homemade pizza using this bread maker recipe pizza dough
Thursday- leftovers as this is my crazy day this week lol
Friday - sweet and sour chicken  with rice


I'm also going to be doing some baking. I have been making our own bread, about ever 2-3 day.  I found this recipe snickerdoodle cupcakes on Martha Stewart. I love snickerdoodle cookies, so I should like these. I'll put pics up as soon as I can. I also am trying out some new diabetic friendly recipes for my daughter. I am trying to add another page on the blog for that. Gotta wait til my technically enabled hubby can help lol

Do you realize there are only 131 days left til Christmas??? I looked on my blog and it hit me! The kids go back to school in just over 3 weeks, then there is hubby's bday, then it's Halloween, then Thanksgiving....and Christmas!!!

I am trying to make a handmade Christmas this year which will mean alot more sewing and crafting than usual. The good news is, I shouldn't have to delve out of my stash all that much. As the hubby is so happy(not) to tell me, I have way tooooo many things going on in my craft room. I'll have to put up a pic as soon as I can figure out how to on here. I'm still figuring out where to put everything, but for the most part, everything has a place. Now I just have to get the fabric stash under control. I have 2 full shelves and then some so it will take me a while. Any ideas?? I'll take any right now.

I was fully planning on taking pictures of the banana bread muffins I made, but unfortunately, they were all eaten. That is unfortunately for the blog. They were good! I've made them as low fat and low sugar as I can due to Meg's diabetes.

baking bread

Today I woke up thinking it was supposed to be chilly so I decided to make bread and buns to last the week. WELL.....I'm making the bread, but I don't think it will last the week! LOL The kids can smell bread from a mile away I'm sure!! I'm trying to get the baking done before it gets too warm for the week again. That and I have a few appts this week to deal with.

Joey is going to Capital EX thanks to the Northlands group who send special needs kids for free! Yes I said FREE!! I can't wait to see his face. We've never really taken him to the ex before other than when he was real little and still in a carseat which means I was able to push him around and not have to buy everything he sees. Not that I buy it for him, but he sure wants it! lol He will ahve his wheelchair this year so it should make it a little easier than previous trips out. I won't have an incredibly sore back when we are done.