Valentines Day Cheesecake Bites

I found this lovely recipe at one of my favorite baking blogs, Buns In My Oven. They seemed like the perfect Valentine's Day treat for our work fundraiser to support the American Heart Association.

I followed the recipe exactly and these yummy morsels came out perfect! I used all three toppings; raspberry sauce, caramel, and Nutella.

Click here for recipe (and even prettier pictures!) or see below:

For the crust:
•2 cups Oreo crumbs (just crush the cookies, filling and all, in a food processor or blender
•4 tbsp butter, melted

For the topping:

•6 oz fresh raspberries
•2 tbsp sugar
•Nutella, chocolate, caramel topping (only if you want a variety of toppings, optional)

For the filling:

•2 lbs cream cheese (4 8oz packages), at room temperature

•1 1/2 cups sugar

•Pinch of salt

•1 tsp vanilla extract

•4 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Enlist your children to line the muffin pans with paper liners. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork until the Oreo crumbs are moist. Spoon 1 tbsp of the crust into each paper liner. Press flat with the back of a spoon. Bake for 5 minutes to set the crust. Transfer to a cooling rack.

To make the topping, add the raspberries and sugar to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Set aside.

To make the filling, add the cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer. Beat the cream cheese until fluffy on medium speed. Beat in the sugar until the mixture is smooth. Mix in the salt and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time beating until each is fully incorporated.

To assemble, add 3 tablespoons of filling to each cupcake liner/crust. Dot a 1/2 teaspoon of whichever filling you are using on to the batter 3 times. You should have 3 separate dots of filling, 1/2 teaspoon each. Use a toothpick to lightly swirl the filling in to the batter creating a pretty swirl. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

Bake until the filling is set, about 22 minutes, rotating the pans half way through. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Yield: between 24 and 30 cupcakes

Mom's Chili

1-1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno diced
1 pkg. chili seasoning (Lawrys is best!)
12oz. tomato juice, you can use spicy if you want
1 cup water
1 can diced green chilis
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup el Pato jalapeno salsa
4 cans of beans: pinto, chili, kidney black, or whatever you like for beans. (Some come in a flavored sauce and you don't have to drain them, otherwise drain the others)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and jalapeno. Add meat and brown. Add half of the chili seasoning packet and combine.  Then add the remaining ingredients and continue adding seasong packet to taste. Simmer or cook slow in a crock pot!

Sprinkle with cheese and serve with yummy bread!

Serves 4-6 depending on the size of the bowls!

Cheesecake, Oreos, raspberries, and Nutella...oh my!

Making these cheesecake bites for an American Heart Association Valentine's Day bake sale fundraiser next week. Outcome to follow!