Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

I promised you some "different" pumpkin pie recipes for Thanksgiving. I found this recipe on the Better Homes & Gardens website (www.bhg.com). It looks very delicious. It could be a great alternative to a traditional pumpkin pie for the holidays.


Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Pie
Prep: 30 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Bake: 64 minutes


Ingredients:

1 recipe Deep Dish Pie Pastry, below
12 oz. cream cheese, softened (1-1/2 8-oz. pkgs.)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate or miniature chocolate pieces
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
Chopped chocolate (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare and roll out Deep Dish Pie Pastry. Transfer pastry to a 9-1/2- to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim crust edge 1/2-inch beyond pie plate. Flute edge high. Line pastry with double thickness of foil. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

2. In medium mixing bowl combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 egg; beat on low speed until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture in cooled pastry shell. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate.

3. In bowl combine pumpkin, brown sugar, and spice. Stir in 4 eggs. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Slowly pour pumpkin mixture on chocolate layer. To prevent overbrowning, cover pie edge with foil.

4. Bake 60 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove foil. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hour. Top with chopped chocolate.

Deep Dish Pie Pastry:In medium bowl, stir together 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using pastry blender or two knives cut in 6 tablespoons shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of flour mixture; gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all flour is moistened (5 to 6 tablespoons total). Form into ball. On lightly floured surface, flatten dough. Roll pastry from center to edge into 13-inch circle. Serves 8.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

I have been having a yen for Pasta Carbonara recently. When I looked up the recipes I saw how many eggs were in it and the fact that you don't really cook the eggs. They are poured over the pasta and are supposed to cook from the heat of the cooked pasta. Well, that doesn't sit well with me especially with all the E-coli issues and other food borne illnesses around. That's why it was so strangely fortuitous that I found a recipe for a Pasta Carbonara Frittata in this month's All You Magazine. This pasta carbonara is at least cooked in a skillet and then put under the broiler. It was really yummy. Of course, I changed it a bit. I used a liquid egg substitute and instead of the turkey bacon, I used Pancetta which is an Italian bacon. I used it because I had it in my refrigerator not for any other reason. I doubt it has less fat or less sodium than turkey bacon. This is a delicious, inexpensive and easy recipe so try it!

Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Prep: 5 min.
Cook: 25 min.
Serves: 4

8 oz. spaghetti
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. turkey bacon
6 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook spaghetti until just tender, about 8 minutes or as package label directs. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Cook turkey bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of fat in skillet.

3. Preheat broiler to high. Whisk together eggs, Parmesan, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Pour over spaghetti and toss to coat. Crumble bacon into bowl and mix well.

4. Place skillet on stove over medium-low heat and add egg-and-spaghetti mixture, spreading into an even layer with a spatula. Cook until bottom is well-browned, about 8 minutes, sliding a spatula underneath frittata occasionally to loosen.

5. Place pan under broiler and cook until top is golden and set, about 3 minutes. Cut frittata into wedges and serve.

Enjoy~!

The Creative Cook