Mini Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes

Pinterest is my new obsession, and I'm not afraid to admit it. When I get in the "pin zone" I could lose hours lost in yummy looking food, or amazing DIY ventures that make me think that I could even be crafty, even though I don't possess a crafty bone in my body.

I have officially tried two recipes off of Pinterest. This next recipe I pinned late at night, and is from the blog Annie's Eats. I love cheesecake, and raspberries are one of my favorite berries, so this recipe creates a match made in heaven. And in little bites so that I'm not tempted to eat the entire cheesecake. Did I mention I LOVE cheesecake?

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes

Yield: 32 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. sugar

For the raspberry swirl:
6 oz. fresh raspberries
3 tbsp. sugar

For the filling:
2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar.  Stir together with a fork until well blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened.  Press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  (I found that the bottom of a shot glass is the perfect size for this.) Bake until just set, 5 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack.
  
  
• To make the raspberry puree, combine the raspberries and sugar in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth, then pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
• To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy.  Blend in the sugar until smooth.  Mix in the salt and vanilla.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  
  
  
  
  
• To assemble, spoon 3 tablespoons of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner.  Dot a ½ teaspoon of the raspberry puree in a few dots over the cheesecake filling.  Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Bake until the filling is set, about 22 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  (They will look quite puffed initially but will return to normal quickly.)  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.  Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats

Taco Soup

Seriously, there is no better recipe to start a blog with than Taco Soup. It has become my go to winter comfort food, perfect for watching a UK Basketball Game, or taking to a food day at work. And it's easy peasy.

I mean, my kids will even eat this on a good day (shhh, don't tell them there are beans in it!).

I have to thank my boss for giving me the base of this recipe. Enjoy!

Taco Soup

1 lb. lean ground meat, or ground turkey

1 small onion, chopped

1 can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can chili beans (I prefer the hot beans)

1 can sliced stewed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 pkg of ranch dressing mix

1 Tbsp taco seasoning (recipe below)

Brown meat and onions until meat cooked through. Drain meat. Add the ranch seasoning and the taco seasoning to the meat and cook on low a couple minutes.

In a stock pot or soup pot, combine the corn, pinto beans, chili beans, stewed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Make sure you don't drain the liquid off because you will need for your soup. 

Add the meat mixture and cook on low for 2 hours or until ready to serve.

This tasty morsel is perfect with sour cream, shredded cheese and tortilla chips. 

Clean Eating Taco Seasoning (from thegraciouspantry.com)

Ingredients
2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder

Note: This mix has a small amount of “kick” to it. Nothing that will set your mouth on fire, but definitely noticeable. If you want something without the kick, leave out the cayenne and add an extra 1/2 tsp. of paprika.

Directions

Step 1 – Blend all spices in a bowl and use to season any taco meat you are cooking. Use approximately 1 tbsp. per pound of meat.

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