OVER THE RIVER and bring dessert... .

What about a pumpkin cheesecake? Or something with cranberries? Like an apple-cranberry crisp. Dead easy.

Over the river
and through the woods.

Let me see that map.

I have a springform pan....hmmm. cheesecake.. thinking good thoughts.
Joe(making list)Nation

Map? "What's a map?" said any person under the age of fifteen, "You just listen to the voice tell you 'Stay to the right.' 'Exit to the right in point 6 miles.'
Joe(ding!)Nation

pumpkin mousse cheesecake with crushed ginger cookie crust

I don't like pumpkin, but I made this and liked it. Co-workers loved it.

There's even a ... Zabar's ..... <thud> recipe online ...

http://zabars.typepad.com/recipes/2009/10/recipe-for-pumpkin-mousse-cheesecake.html

I love the idea of everyone gathering later in the day for desert. Cranberry upside down cake is good and easy. You can start with a cake mix or make a cake batter from scratch (sounds like a lot of scratch baking going on).

Plenty of recipes to choose from here.

You have a springform pan? lol I don't have one but I'll have to get one now.

I ususally make a lot of shortbread cookies. You can make the dough well in advance, roll it into logs, slice and bake just before serving. I like these because they aren't too sweet.

I like to play around with add-ins:

Candided ginger rolled in sesame seeds
Cranberry, lemon zest
Orange zest rolled in crushed hazelnuts
Toasted coconut
Pecans
Dipped in chocolate

Really, whatever sounds tasty will work in a shortbread cookie.

Here's a basic recipe if you decide you want to try it:

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until mixture is smooth. Stir in extract.

Add in any extras.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Shape dough into 3 (8-inch) logs; wrap logs separately in wax paper, and chill 4 hours.

Roll in whatever you might want for a coating, if you want a coating. (Really press it into the dough.)

Cut each log into 24 slices, and place slices 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on wire racks.

Need a mini muffin tin. Usually they come twenty four muffin forms.
Take refrigerator pre made Nestle chocolate chip dough. (or any to your liking) put a piece in, then press in a miniature recees peanut butter cup. Easy, quick, tasty.

Maybe mac11 will let you have some cookies.

Pumpkin Souffle

Bethie: looks so good....

Joe(or maybe...chocolate mousse cheesecake...meeowrrrr)Nation

Oh, gotta be scratch with this crowd. Ever since the Thanksgiving that one of the sisters had catered in to her apartment on Central Park West and 70Th Street
('twas uninspired and tasted like catered food.)

(In her defense, she had thrown a party for 150 people the night before, so they could eat and look out the windows at the inflating of the Macy's Parade balloons.)
So, no mixes...upside down cake....juicy.
Joe(I need a chopper thing.)Nation

I might have two. I used to cook a lot.
Joe(and eat all of what I cooked)Nation

Boomerang: See, now I'm getting inspired.

Make some cookies and a cheesecake.....??
Crushed hazelnuts....lordalmighty good.

Joe(and shortbread, for some reason, always tastes like winter to me.)Nation

I was watching Giada De Laurentiis yesterday on the Food Network. She made a chocolate ricotta hazelnut pie in a tart shell with a hazelnut crust. Actually, the one she made used toasted pine nuts for both the crust and the top. The one online is with hazelnuts. It looked delicious.

recipe

I saw that, JPB. A bit too rich for my taste but she has interesting recipes for sure.

Holy cow....now I'm wondering if I can use that filling ,,,,hmm.
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Joe(I have a hand mixer but no processor)Nation