Recipes for the Season

Continuing what I started with my Cooking Challenge idea, I have been stretching my cooking skills during the holidays. I thought I’d pass on the recipes I made.


Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
For our Holiday Meeting (AKA our office Christmas party)
This recipe is originally from my sister Claudia.

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker or chocolate pie crust
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk (you can use low fat or fat free)
1 egg
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

For chocolate glaze:
½ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup whipping cream


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

Arrange raspberries in bottom of pie crust. Slowly pour cheese mixture over fruit. Some may rise, but that’s ok. Bake 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool.

In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with whipping cream; cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Spread over cooled pie, then chill pie for a little while.

I used icing to create our university's logo - here blurred for my privacy - on the top.


Layered Dessert (I actually don’t know what it’s called.)
For Christmas Day

Ingredients:
Box of devil’s food cake mix
Eggs as needed for above
2 boxes (5.1 oz per box) of instant vanilla pudding
Milk as needed for above
1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip



Directions:
Make the devil’s food cake according to the package directions. Cool completely.

In a huge bowl, place 1/3 of the cake into the bottom, compacting with a spatula.

Make one box of the instant vanilla pudding according to the package directions. Immediately pour over the cake base, slowly so the pudding won’t disturb the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and add 1/3 of the Cool Whip. Gently place the remaining 2/3 of the cake over the Cool Whip. Then make and slowly add the second box of the instant vanilla pudding over the devil’s food cake layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and add the remaining Cool Whip. Add crushed chocolate or small amounts of icing to the top.

Cool covered from 30 minutes up to 24 hours, then serve.

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Merry Christmas, Everyone!