Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

Sometimes when I post, there's a story.  First, a lovely picture and it's recipe.  There is some background as to how and why this recipe came about, if you are curious....read on.

1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

1/2 cup dry biscuit mix
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter

2 cups dry biscuit mix('heart smart/lower fat version is okay)
3/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
2-4 Tbsp. chopped pecans

1. Cream together the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a bowl.
2. Shape the cream cheese mixture into a log, then wrap with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
3. Place the strawberry preserves in a small bowl and freeze while preparing the remaining ingredients.
4. Place 1/2 cup biscuit mix and 2 tablespoons white sugar in a bowl.
5. Cut 2 tablespoons cold butter into the biscuit mix-sugar mixture with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; refrigerate crumb mixture.
6. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
7. Line 6 extra large muffin cups with paper liners.
8. Whisk together 2 cups biscuit mix, 3/4 cup white sugar, milk, egg, and 1/3 cup of melted butter in a bowl.
9. Fill each prepared muffin cup half full of batter. Reserve remaining batter.
10. Divide the cold strawberry preserves evenly over the batter.
11. Cut the cold cream cheese log into 6 equal pieces, and place each piece on top of the strawberry preserves.
12. Top each muffin cup with remaining batter.
13. Sprinkle muffins with the crumb mixture and chopped pecans.
14. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. 

Cook's Notes:
1.  Freezing the cream cheese and jam keeps it from melting into oblivion during the baking process.  DO NOT skip this.
2.  The muffins will sink as the cream cheese cools.  Proteins expand.  The sinking of the cream is normal.

Now, for the story.

I submitted this recipe YEARS ago to allrecipes.com.  When I first became a member I submitted MANY.  Three were published (easy decadent truffles, blue cheese broccoli salad and pesto tortellini salad) and the rest sat in dust.  I am not even sure the dates of my submission but I know we are talking the 90's!!!  I had contacted them in the early 2000's and asked what was the hold up....they responded that they get thousands of submissions and for me to be patient.  I went on with my life.
Now allrecipes.com has really flourished.  Published cookbooks, video tutorials, links to big company sponsors....
A few days ago they emailed me saying I was published again.  This time is was my strawberry cheesecake muffins.  I had created these from going to starbucks and eating one of their pumpkin cheesecake muffins.  After a few failed attempts with oozy cream cheese and learning to FREEZE it beforehand, I came upon a successful recipe finally.  I have only two reviews for it.  The first one was not a good one for I realized I called for using the WHOLE brick of cream cheese when only half should be used.  WHAT was I thinking?  I submitted the second review giving the correction.  Hopefully people will notice that.

This recipe is a rich one, thank goodness it only makes 6.  I plan on giving some away.  You know, calories on someone else's hips other than MINE!  Let me know how it works for you!
 
Enjoy!

Birthday Prep!!

So I am in the midst of food preparation for my Mom's birthday celebration tomorrow evening. Her birthday is really today but since she works odd hours 9-9 (she's a nurse) the festivities will be tomorrow when she is off.

So finally after two years of K-man and I living in our new house, we finally got a living room put together (long story) and when Mom and I were planning what to do for her, I thought it would be nice to 'break-in' the living room with a dinner for them here rather than go to a restaurant (my G-mom also lives with Mom and uses a walker). So I here I am thinking that I'd be putting together my own menu...little did I know that when she realized I was making dinner she was going to request her favorites that I make. (of course this discussion occurred after we went to the grocery store). But I didn't say anything or convince her otherwise....after all it is her birthday and the rule is the birthday girl gets what she wants!!!


The first dish she wanted is an appetizer called Fiesta Cheesecake. It a savory dish that I made for a work party awhile back and instead of making one large cheesecake I made two smaller ones. After the party I gave the second one to Mom and she loved it.

I am giving you the PRE-preparation pictures today and when I do my spread tomorrow night you will get the party-prepped pictures then. K?

Fiesta Cheesecake
9" cheesecake (I used two 6 inch springforms)

1 1/2 cups finely crushed tortilla chips (they make cans of this like bread crumbs now)
1/4 cup melted margarine
2 (8-oz) plus 1 (3-oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 Tbsp chopped jalapeno peppers (I used fresh jalapeno)
1 tsp liquid from the jar of jalapeno peppers (I used lime juice)
red pepper, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika to taste - start with 1/4 tsp each
2 large eggs
8 oz Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
2 oz cheddar, shredded fine
for garnish: 2 Tbsp sour cream, and 1 tsp each finely chopped red, yellow, and green peppers


Combine the tortilla chips and margarine. Press onto the bottom of a lightly-greased 9" springform pan. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Cool.
Beat the cream cheese until light. Add the jalapeno peppers and the 1 tsp of liquid, combine thoroughly. Add the red pepper, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika, tasting to adjust before adding the eggs. Beat in the eggs, one at at time. Stir in the cheeses.
Pour the cheese mixture onto the crust. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and remove the side of the pan. If not serving within a couple hours, cool completely, wrap airtight, and store in the refrigerator (let it stand at room temperature for an hour before serving). Garnish with a dollop of sour cream in the center and the finely-chopped red, yellow, and green peppers.

Notes: The original recipe suggested covering the top with sour cream, but I think it is too pretty for that. Place on a bed of fresh cilantro or parsley, if desired.
"Spicier Nacho" tortilla chips will give the crust a lovely reddish or blue color(depending on the type of chip you bought) A 7-oz bag will yield about 2 1/2 cups of crushed chips.

In making the two pans, I took the opportunity to make one mild cheesecake and one spicy. In both cheesecakes I added a couple of tablespoons of the bell peppers to the total mixture. I felt the cheesecake being called 'fiesta'...I thought it needed some color. I put half of the mixture in one pan, the remainder I mixed in the finely chopped jalapeno and put in the other pan. I used the pepper stems to indicate which is spicier of the two.


Lastly Mom didn't want a traditional birthday cake. Alas, another thing I need to finish tonight. Tune in tomorrow to see what I made for dessert!!!

IT ROCKS!!!