Healthified Pumpkin Cheesecake

I will be back this weekend to post a few creative Thanksgiving craft ideas. To tidy you over and get you in the holiday mood, check out this yummy recipe for pumpkin cheesecake.


Healthified Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons apple jelly

Filling
4 packages (8 oz each) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 tablespoons brandy, if desired
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup frozen (thawed) fat-free whipped topping, if desired
Ground nutmeg, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Coat sides only with 2 tablespoons of the graham cracker crumbs. In small bowl, mix remaining 1 cup graham cracker crumbs and the apple jelly. Press in bottom of pan.

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until completely cooled.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in sugars until smooth. On low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended.

4. In medium bowl, mix pumpkin, brandy, flour and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating until smooth. Pour over partially baked crust.

5. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. With sharp knife, loosen cheesecake from side of pan. Cover cheesecake; refrigerate at least 8 hours.

6. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake again; carefully remove side of pan. Cut cheesecake into wedges; place on individual dessert plates. Top each wedge with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; lightly sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.

Nutritional Information
1 Serving: Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 30); Total Fat 3g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 370mg; Total Carbohydrate 36g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 29g); Protein 11g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 100%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 15%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Lean Meat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 1/2 MyPyramid Servings: 1 c Dairy
*% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Eat Better America

I just found a great site that helps you eating better. EatBetterAmerica has information on nutrition, exercise, health, and recipes. Here is a sampling of one of their recipes, that I know I am going to try tonight.

"Healthified" Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
1 box (10 oz) Cascadian Farm® frozen organic cut spinach, thawed, well drained
2 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fat-free egg product
12 stone-ground wheat crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup Muir Glen® organic Italian herb pasta sauce
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (1 oz)

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4 inch thick.

2. In medium bowl, mix spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon basil and the garlic until blended. Spread about 1 tablespoon spinach mixture over each chicken breast; roll up tightly. If necessary, secure with toothpicks.

3. In small shallow bowl, place egg product. In another small shallow bowl, mix cracker crumbs, 1 teaspoon basil and the pepper. Dip each chicken breast into egg product; coat with crumb mixture. Place seam side down in baking dish.

4. Bake uncovered 20 minutes. Pour pasta sauce over chicken; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted in center of chicken reads 165°F. Remove toothpicks from chicken before eating.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake uncovered 25 minutes. Add sauce and cheese; bake 8 to 12 minutes.

Nutritional Information
1 Serving: Calories 290 (Calories from Fat 100); Total Fat 11g (Saturated Fat 4 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 100mg; Sodium 450mg; Total Carbohydrate 10g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 3g); Protein 38g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 80%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 15%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 5 Very Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2 MyPyramid Servings: 1/2 c Dairy, 4 oz-equivalents Meat & Beans *% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!

I haven't been able to do much crafting in the last couple of week's but I wanted to make sure I did make something special for my niece. I made this cute card using the adorable Itty Bitty Betty - Yummy Frogs digi stamp from Pink Cat Studios.

Following the diaper fold pouch demo from SplitCoast Stampers and the Itty Bitty Betty - Witches Costume from Pink Cat Studios, I also created this container to hold a few pieces of chocolate and a light up pen.

I sure hope she enjoys it!

Sunbeams Blog Hop ~ November 1st

Join the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps DT on November 1st for a fabulous 1-day blog hop featuring their newest line, The Sunbeams!

And don't forget to join in on their weekly sketch challenges at Sweet Stop Sketches. New challenges are posted every Saturday.

A Good Read

With the cold weather upon us in the Midwest, it is the perfect time to curl up and read a good book. What could better than combining a cozy mystery and crafting together!? Here are a few books to get you through those cold winter months:

Tragic Magic by author Laura Childs


The next Scrapbooking mystery takes readers back to New Orleans, where there are spookies, foodies-and crafty killers. Carmela, owner of Memory Mine scrapbook shop, and her best friend, owner of Juju Voodoo, have a big project. Melody Mayfeldt is converting an old mansion in the Faubourg-Marigny district into an unforgettable haunted house for those who flock to New Orleans for a creepy fix. She needs Carmela's crafty touch to make the Medusa Manor come to life in time for the upcoming horror convention. But Melody takes her house haunting too seriously-especially when her flaming body comes crashing through a tower window to 'welcome' them to the job. Sure there's been an increased trend in murder lately, but someone specifically wanted Carmela's client very dead. Carmela's in some deep gumbo again and needs to crop out a killer from the throngs of people flocking to New Orleans. Then maybe it won't be so hard living in the Big Easy.

Inked Up (A Stamping Sisters Mystery) by author Terri Thayer


Halloween is scarier than ever in Aldenville, Pennsylvania, when professional rubber stamper April Buchert discovers a dead body in a "haunted" corn maze. The police suspect the victim's husband murdered her, but April knew the couple, and she and the Stamping Sisters are determined to find the real killer before he catches another in his murderous motif.
Spin a Wicked Web: A Home Crafting Mystery by author Cricket McRae

Soapmaker Sophie Mae Reynolds and police detective Barr Ambrose are back in their third enjoyable adventure in small-town Washington State. Sophie has become involved in the Cadyville Regional Arts Co-op (CRAC), where she is learning how to spin wool from one of the other crafters. Then a fellow member of the co-op is strangled—using Sophie’s first skein of yarn. To make things worse, Barr wants to have a “talk.” While the first two mysteries in this series involved crimes that looked like accidents, this time it is a straightforward murder, and it looks like the killer is going to get away with it. Ultimately, of course, Sophie and Barr sort it all out, and along the way, we learn more about fibers, weaving, and soap lore, and we are entertained by McRae’s clever analogies linking weaving yarn and unraveling the clues that will unmask the murderer. The wide variety of interesting hobbies represented among the co-op members leaves the door open for Sophie Mae to explore additional crafts and more lovably eccentric small-town characters in her future outings.

Cutwork (Needlecraft Mystery) by author Monica Ferris

After an artisan is murdered at the Excelsior, Minnesota, art fair, everyone is on pins and needles. It's up to needlework shop owner Betsy Devonshire to figure out who had designs on the dead designer.

The Divine Influence

You have to check out the Divine Influence blog.


Divine Influence - We created this blog to showcase 'Divine' Crafty Creations from all parts of the globe! Especially picked and showcase by our very own Divine Gals! You will find some crafters are features more than once, this is because it's their 'creation/s' that are inspirational and not the blog that's being featured ;-)


Today's feature is Melissa from Creating from the Heart. I have been a follower of her blog for a while now and really love her designs. Here are a few items that were just published in CardMaker magazine:





If you agree that Melissa's does beautiful work, send her some love via comments on her blog!

Leftover Halloween Candy

I know that Halloween hasn't come yet, but here is a great idea for your leftover candy corn candy. They were a big hit last year at my family's Thanksgiving celebration and would make a great holiday tradition.



Turkey Cookies


1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped chocolate frosting
Candy corn
1 tube (4.25 oz) Betty Crocker® yellow decorating icing
Miniature candy-coated semisweet chocolate baking bits
1 tube (0.68 oz) Betty Crocker® black decorating gel

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms.
3. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
4. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
5. Frost and decorate 1 cookie at a time. After spreading frosting on cookie, add candy corn for feathers. Pipe yellow icing for beak and feet. Add baking bits for eyes; pipe black gel for center of each eye.

Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker website