Celebrating 1000 Posts with Oreo Overload Cheesecake Cupcakes

This is my 1000th post. I'm sitting here in shock as I type this, because I just can't believe that I've reached this milestone. It took me four and a half years, but I did it! I don't share fancy recipes, my photos are only mediocre, and I don't have a grand following or a cookbook deal, but still. This space is mine, and I'm incredibly proud of what it's become. It still gives me a thrill when someone takes the time to comment on one of my posts or to pin a recipe on Pinterest, and I just want to thank each and every one of you who visits me here. Thank you so much for caring about what I'm cooking, and for sharing in a hobby that has come to mean so much to me!

A momentous occasion such as this calls for a momentous dessert, does it not? And these cupcakes are nothing if not momentous. I made them for a co-worker's birthday. I've become the cupcake lady at work, and when I asked this co-worker what type of cupcake he wanted, he told me "something dark chocolate-y, cheesecake-y, and Oreo-y." Done, done, and done. I knew these cupcakes were going to be fantastic the moment this idea popped into my head.

Basically, you take a dark chocolate cupcake (that starts from a boxed mix; see above re: the fact that I'm not fancy, plus I just think boxed cake mixes work best for cupcakes because they're so darn difficult to screw up), stuff it with Oreo cheesecake filling, and top it with chocolate Oreo cream cheese frosting. To up the Oreo flavor even more, I used the special edition cookies and creme Oreos. The result is a sweet, creamy cupcake that more than one person said are the best cupcakes I've ever made.

Oreo Overload Cheesecake Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix

Water, oil, and eggs called for on the box

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cheesecake filling:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup Oreo cookies, crushed

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup Oreo cookies, crushed

1. To make the cupcakes, combine cake mix, water, oil, eggs, cocoa powder, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

2. To make the cheesecake filling, use a handmixer to mix together the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Gently stir in crushed Oreo cookies.

3. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Add a tablespoon of the cupcake batter to each liner and top with a tablespoon of the cheesecake filling. Use the remaining cupcake batter to fill the muffin cups to 2/3 full. Bake according to the directions on the box and cool completely before frosting.

4. To make the frosting, combine cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and cocoa powder, adding more powdered sugar as needed to reach desired consistency. Gently stir in crushed Oreos. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and frost the cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

I first tried these scalloped sweet potato stacks at my cooking club's monthly meet-up in August. Our theme was Southern food, and one of my friends brought these since sweet potatoes are so synonymous with the South. They were so delicious that I proceeded to eat more of them than I care to admit, and I couldn't get them out of my head after that. I finally had to ask her for the recipe so I could make them myself.

Sweet potatoes are often paired with sweet ingredients, which is undoubtedly a delicious way to eat them, but I really love them when they're savory as well. In this recipe, sliced sweet potatoes are paired with cheese, garlic, thyme and cream and baked in individual portions in a muffin tin for a simple yet sophisticated side dish. They're endlessly adaptable with whatever cheeses and herbs you like (I used mozzarella for some, and cheddar for some), and they just taste fantastic. They'd be a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table -- or just to your dinner table on any day of the year.

Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

adapted from A Bountiful Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided 

1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, divided
2/3 cup heavy cream 

1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer half of sweet potatoes in a lightly greased 12-cup muffin pan. Sprinkle with a light layer of salt. Then sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme and 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining sweet potatoes. (Potatoes should come slightly above the rim of each cup.)

2. Microwave cream, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme for 1 minute. Pour cream mixture into muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon per cup).

3. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

4. Let stand 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around rim of each cup, and lift potato stacks from cups using a spoon or thin spatula. Transfer to a serving platter.

Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch Rice Bake

People, can we get a HALLELUJAH that the election is finally over? Can we all breathe a collective sigh of relief? Ahhhh. No matter who you voted for, I think we're all happy that we'll no longer be subjected to the phone calls, mailings, and television and radio ads. I am ready to move on with my life, that's for sure.

My son's preschool class also voted on Tuesday, but they voted in a food election: spaghetti vs. macaroni and cheese. Mac and cheese won by a 3 to 1 margin. I hear that mac and cheese had an irresistible platform: a promise to always be creamy, cheesy, comforting and delicious. I don't think spaghetti stood a chance.

If mac and cheese went up against this rice, though? Well, the results might have been very different. Not only is this casserole creamy, cheesy, comforting, and delicious, it's also ranch-y and loaded with bacon. It's simple to make and innovative, too, with the rice cooking directly in the cheese sauce (the rice absorbs the sauce's flavor and thickens it, so there's no need for cream soups in this recipe). It's adaptable, and would be delicious with pimientos and/or broccoli stirred in. It would be very, very hard to beat, in any type of election or at dinner time. Our whole family loved it, especially Andrew, who ate two huge helpings. Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch Rice for President! Stay tuned for 2016.

Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch Rice Bake

adapted from What's Cooking in the Burbs

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

3 1/2 cups milk

1 packet dry ranch dressing mix

1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice

1 cup sour cream

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onions until translucent and softened. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook and stir for 30 seconds.

3. Add flour and mix well for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is bubbling. Stir stock, milk, and ranch seasoning into flour mixture.Turn heat to medium high and add one cup cheese and continue to whisk as mixture comes to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Add rice and lower heat to medium low. Cook until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, then stir in the chicken and bacon.

5. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch casserole. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese evenly over the rice. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Quesadillas

I often wonder if there's a limit to the number of things one can make jalapeno popper-style. I'd like to think there isn't, because I just love the combination so much. I know it hasn't been very long since I shared the jalapeno popper wontons with you, but we enjoyed these quesadillas so much that I just couldn't wait to share them.

These quesadillas couldn't be simpler, and they pack all the flavor of a traditional jalapeno popper: bacon, cream cheese, jalapenos, cheddar cheese. I added chicken to make them more filling. In this version, minced fresh jalapenos are mixed directly into the cream cheese. If you're one of those people who's bothered by crunchy peppers, please feel free to use canned jalapenos instead, or to saute the fresh ones for a couple of minutes first. These were a huge hit with my family, and they're definitely on the "make again soon" list.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Quesadillas

4 strips bacon

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced

4 flour tortillas

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain.

2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add to the same skillet you used for the bacon and cook until both sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for a couple of minutes, then dice it into small pieces.

3. Mix together the cream cheese and the jalapenos. Spread the mixture evenly over the flour tortillas. Top half of each tortilla with a strip of bacon, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, and some of the chicken. Fold the top of the tortilla over the filling and press together gently.

4. Cook the quesadillas in batches in a skillet coated with cooking spray until both sides are browned. Cut into slices and serve.

Baked Spaghetti Lasagna

This recipe has been all over Pinterest and the blogosphere recently, and I just have to add my own voice to all of the others that are saying: IT IS FREAKING DELICIOUS. This is a seriously, seriously good dinner. I'm always looking for fun new twists on lasagna since it's one of Joe's favorite dinners, and making it for him the traditional way is an all-day affair. This baked spaghetti tastes exactly like lasagna, with much less fuss.

Now, be forewarned: this recipe makes a ton of food. Yes, it contains 2 pounds of cheese and 1.5 pounds of pasta. I made the recipe as-is, and not only did we have enough for two separate dinners, we also had enough for lunches for all four of us for at least a week. It makes a lot. It can be easily halved if you're only cooking for a couple of people or if you don't like leftovers.

My personal favorite part of lasagna is the ricotta filling, and this recipe has that and then some. The noodles are mixed up with a ridiculously creamy mixture of ricotta, sour cream, half and half, and mozzarella -- and because I have to be me, I threw some cream cheese in there too. The mixture is poured into a casserole dish (a very large casserole dish) and baked, then each serving is topped with a scoop of meaty pasta sauce. It's stupid how good this is. Just stupid.

Baked Spaghetti Lasagna

adapted from Plain Chicken

1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) spaghetti

8 cups (32 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces ricotta cheese

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup half and half, milk, or heavy cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

3 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound Italian sausage

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Salt and pepper, and any other seasonings, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

2. In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, sour cream, cream cheese, half-and-half, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper, and half of the parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and toss until well coated.

3. Pour the spaghetti mixture into a 9 x 13 pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Top spaghetti with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover dish aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes.

4. While the pasta is baking, prepare the meat sauce. Melt the butter in a large skillet; add onion and sausage and saute until the meat is cooked thorugh and the onion is translucent. Add spaghetti sauce, adjust for seasoning, and simmer until the pasta is ready.

5. Remove the pasta from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut the pasta into squares and top each serving with the meat sauce.