Chocolate Martinis, Drinks, Holiday, Martinis

The BEST Festive Chocolate Pumpkin Martini Recipe

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Chocolate Pumpkin Martini – is the best way to indulge in the taste of pumpkins this season! The temperatures are changing and the days are starting to get shorter. While I LOVE everything about the fall season, some people are not happy that summer has ended. If jeans, sweaters, and boots aren’t enough to make you happy, you might just need a delicious martini to put you in a better mood!

Chocolate And Pumpkin

If you are a chocolate martini kind of person, this chocolate pumpkin martini is for you. If you love the taste of pumpkin, this martini is for you too! And if you love the taste of chocolate and pumpkin together, then you need to try this yummy cocktail tonight!

The chocolate really dresses up the pumpkin flavor and creates a somewhat guilty pleasure with this decadent flavor. And you SHOULD delight yourself with this cocktail because pumpkin is seasonal. That means pumpkin vodka is only around for a few short months. Therefore, you need to get your fix before it’s gone!

Mixing It Up

This Chocolate Pumpkin Martini is easy to make. That’s especially nice since the drink itself is so tempting – you don’t have to wait long to take your first sip!

And you won’t need much for this sweet treat. As with all of my martinis, I try to avoid non-alcohol components in my recipes. This is one of those strong drinks that consists of ALL liquor. Woo hoo! Let’s get mixing!

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Pumpkin Vodka Veil vodka
  • 1 oz Chocolate Liqueur
  • 1 oz Irish Cream
  • Chocolate Sauce for garnish
  • Pumpkin Spice for garnish
  • Sugar for garnish

Instructions

Garnishing The Rim

  • Mix together sugar and pumpkin spice in a 50:50 ratio.
  • Pour pumpkin sugar onto a small plate.
  • Pour chocolate syrup onto a small plate.
  • Dip the rim of the martini glass in the caramel sauce, all the way around so it covers the entire glass.
  • Repeating the chocolate rimming process, dip the rim into the pumpkin sugar, making sure to cover the entire rim.

Making The Martini

  • Fill cocktail shaker 2/3 with ice.
  • Measure all drink ingredients and add to cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well.
  • Pour into garnished martini glass.

Perfect Halloween Cocktail

Halloween is quickly approaching. Normally, Halloween brings about trick or treating and costume parties! In the year of Covid, who knows what is acceptable these days. The rules change constantly so it’s hard to keep up with what is allowed and what is considered a no-no.

I just got a t-shirt that says, Liquor – the glue holding this 2020 shitshow together. It has to be the best t-shirt ever made because it’s 100% true! What we would have done without alcohol during this pandemic? Where would I have shopped during the lockdown? And better yet, how would I have developed my mixologist skills? I guess those are the silver linings of this crazy time.

Regardless of what you are doing for Halloween this year, you can make this awesome chocolate pumpkin martini. Perhaps you have a small get together with family – serve up a big batch of this cocktail. Just keep it away from the kiddos.

And speaking of kiddos, if you take them trick or treating, mix up a chocolate pumpkin martini beforehand and pour it into a travel mug. The kids get candy and you get a buzz! It’s the perfect way to cope with sugared-up children!

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More Autumn Drinks

Once you’ve tried this amazing drink, I encourage you to try some more.

These are my original martini recipes and I give them the stamp of approval!

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Caramel Martini

S’Mores Martini

Snicker Licker Martini

Don’t forget to send me a “Cheers” with a shout out in the comments. A picture would be great!

ENJOY!!

chocolate pumpkin martini is a festive autumn drink that is perfect for a chilly fall night or any evening of the year
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The BEST Festive Chocolate Pumpkin Martini Recipe

The only thing better than a pumpkin pie martini is the CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN Martini! That creamy chocolate taste with the scrumptious pumpkin flavor. This fall cocktail is perfect for a chilly, weekend night of staying in or having a fun get together!
Course Drinks
Keyword dessert martini, martini
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 person
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Pumpkin Vodka Veil vodka
  • 1 oz Chocolate Liqueur
  • 1 oz Irish Cream
  • Chocolate Sauce for garnish
  • Pumpkin Spice for garnish
  • Sugar for garnish

Instructions

Garnishing The Rim

  • Mix together sugar and pumpkin spice in a 50:50 ratio.
  • Pour pumpkin sugar onto a small plate.
  • Pour chocolate syrup onto a small plate.
  • Dip the rim of the martini glass in the caramel sauce, all the way around so it covers the entire glass.
  • Repeating the chocolate rimming process, dip the rim into the pumpkin sugar, making sure to cover the entire rim.

Making The Martini

  • Fill cocktail shaker 2/3 with ice.
  • Measure all drink ingredients and add to cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well.
  • Pour into garnished martini glass.
  • ENJOY!
    chocolate pumpkin martini is a festive autumn drink that is perfect for a chilly fall night or any evening of the year
Appetizers, Beef, Hamburg, Meat, Skillet, Stovetop

Cheeseburger Quesadilla Is Better Than A Burger

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A Cheeseburger Quesadilla might just be considered better than a burger. The taste is the same, but the presentation is much more fun! Combining America’s iconic meal into a cheese-a-licious quesadilla just makes this dish a must-try!

Ground beef cooked up and seasoned up with your favorite burger condiments. Next, you layer the meat on a tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese, then get it nice and crispy in a hot skillet. You can add whatever your favorite burger toppings are inside. Perhaps bacon? Pickles? Onions? Whatever you crave on your burger will make an excellent addition to your cheeseburger quesadilla.

Better Than A Burger

My son’s favorite food is burgers. He’s been obsessed for a little over a year now and the obsession is still going strong! He would eat them every day, if allowed. Although I do love a good cheeseburger, I am not up for eating them on a daily basis. However, if we change up the presentation of a yummy burger, I am more likely to circulate them into the dinner rotation more often.

This Cheeseburger Quesadilla is a great way to get your burger fix in a different way. They offer a crispy texture which you don’t get in a typical burger. Additionally, they still have all the cheesy flavor and are scrumptious like a good burger should be.

All About The Cheese

A cheeseburger without the cheese would just be a burger. Who eats plain burgers? I never understood why anyone would opt to skip the cheese. Growing up, we would go to barbeques in the summer and, of course, burgers and hot dogs were served. The hosts would always ask everyone who wanted a cheeseburger and who wanted a hamburger. I never understood why anyone would choose the latter! And if I somehow got jipped out of my beloved cheeseburger and was left with just a hamburger, I was not a happy camper!

Making a great cheeseburger comes with some variables. Cheese is the biggest one and since it’s very subjective based on personal taste, here are 3 of the most common cheeses for our favorite American dish:

American

The most popular cheese for cheeseburgers is American cheese. Although American cheese is not a fancy cheese and has a mild taste, it melts beautifully on the burger. Did you know that most (if not all) fast food restaurants use American cheese on their burgers? It’s true! Hey, 25 million people per day (just at McDonalds) means that American cheese is a great option, when making burgers at home.

Cheddar

Another popular choice for an appetizing burger is cheddar cheese. Cheddar has a stronger flavor. As a result, it has more of a bite. Personally, the bolder the cheddar, the more I’m in love. The extra sharp cheddar cheese is never quite sharp enough for me!

Cheddar cheese can be either a yellow or white color that range from mild to sharp. The more mild the cheddar, the better for melting. The mild cheddar is similar to American cheese in that respect. And if you have picky eaters who prefer a more more bland flavor, they will likely prefer mild Cheddar cheese.

Swiss

Another popular cheeseburger cheese is Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese has a bolder flavor than American cheese and it still melts splendidly. This cheese is known for being a white color with a semi-hard texture. However, the most notable characteristic of Swiss cheese are the holes in each slice of cheese. Although, I love the taste of Swiss cheese, I was always wary of it because it looked as if a mouse had nibbled on it. Maybe that’s just me, but it still makes me wonder…

Regardless of the strange appearance, Swiss cheese is a popular cheese for topping burgers. Most people pair Swiss cheese with sauteed mushrooms on their burgers. The flavors come together and really bring a regular cheeseburger to a whole new level of amazing!

Ingredients

Cheeseburger Filling

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Onion finely diced
  • 2.5 tbsp Mayo
  • 2.5 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Relish
  • 2.5 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3.5 cups Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Flour Tortillas 10″
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Special Sauce

  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 4 tbsp Relish
  • 1 tsp Vinegar White
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

Making Special Sauce

  • Mix all special sauce ingredients together.

Cheeseburger Filling

  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat.
  • Once beef is cooked, drain grease. Add onions to skillet and cook until softened.
  • Add mayo, mustard, ketchup, and relish, and worcestershire sauce to ground beef and stir to combine. Salt & pepper to taste.
  • Transfer beef mixture to bowl. Wipe out skillet and return to stove.

Making Cheeseburger Quesadilla

  • Butter each tortilla on one side.
  • Place tortilla in pan, top with half of the meat and half of the cheese, then top with another tortilla (buttered side out).
  • Cook for a few minutes on medium high until tortilla is browned and cheese starts to melt.
  • Flip quesadilla & continue cooking until that side is browned and cheese is fully melted. When flipping the quesadilla, use a big spatula.
  • Repeat the same process with the remaining quesadilla.
  • Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges with a pizza cutter and top with your favorite toppings.

Easy Dinner

A cheeseburger quesadilla is a quick and easy dinner that you can serve in a pinch or planned out in your weekly meal plan. All you need is some ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken) and the regular condiments that can be found on the door of your frig for years on end. Oh, right, you also will need CHEESE! And, of course, tortillas. Easy, right? The entire meal cooks quickly and is a family favorite. The only thing they will complain about is the fact that you don’t make this yummy dinner more often!

More Party Food To Love

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

Crab Rangoon

Ham & Cheese Calzones

Cheeseburger In Paradise

And of course, you need a yummy drink to wash down the game food. A snicker licker martini goes with anything because it’s basically like drinking your favorite candy bar! Try it out, you won’t be sorry:

Snicker Licker Martini

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Cheeseburger Quesadillas

Yummy goodness of a cheeseburger, but in a quesadilla! Perfect for party food, appetizer, lunch, snack, or dinner idea!
Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch, Snack
Keyword appetizers, easy dinner, lunch ideas, party food
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Cheeseburger Filling

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Onion finely diced
  • 2 tbsp Mayo
  • 2 tbsp Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 2 tbsp Relish
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3.5 cups Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Flour Tortillas 10"
  • 2 tbsp Butter

Special Sauce

  • 1/2 cup Mayo
  • 4 tbsp Relish
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tsp Vinegar White
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

Making Special Sauce

  • Mix all special sauce ingredients together.

Cheeseburger Filling

  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat.
  • Once beef is cooked, drain grease. Add onions to skillet and cook until softened.
  • Add mayo, mustard, ketchup, and relish, and worcestershire sauce to ground beef and stir to combine. Salt & pepper to taste.
  • Transfer beef mixture to bowl. Wipe out skillet and return to stove.

Making Cheeseburger Quesadilla

  • Butter each tortilla on one side.
  • Place tortilla in pan, top with half of the meat and half of the cheese, then top with another tortilla (buttered side out).
  • Cook for a few minutes on medium high until tortilla is browned and cheese starts to melt.
  • Flip quesadilla & continue cooking until that side is browned and cheese is fully melted. When flipping the quesadilla, use a big spatula.
  • Repeat the same process with the remaining quesadilla.
  • Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges with a pizza cutter and top with your favorite toppings.
Soup

Thick And Creamy New England Seafood Chowder

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Seafood Chowder is a delicious and hearty soup. The creamy goodness of shrimp, scallops, clams, and potatoes cooks in less than 30 minutes. It is easy to make and really hits the spot!

With so many nutrients and flavor, this will be your go-to chowder during the chilly months. I do love tasty canned clam chowders for a quick and easy meal – usually lunch. However, with this easy to cook seafood chowder, you can make your very own mouthwatering seafood chowder from scratch. It is really much, much better. And you will amaze yourself at your culinary skills.

Chowder Vs Soup

Technically this creamy comfort food is not a soup, but a chowder. So what makes a soup a chowder? The easy answer is that a chowder is thick and somewhat chunky base versus a soup that is has a thin liquid consistency.

Soup usually consists of a chicken broth and vegetables along with meat and has a thin consistency. However, chowders like this seafood chowder are made with cream or milk and consists of potatoes, shrimp, scallops, and clams. Further, chowders are generally thickened by adding a roux to them. While soup is comforting, a chowder is liquid comfort food at it’s best!

Shellfish Lovers

This seafood chowder is a favorite among creamy soup lovers and shellfish lovers alike. I really like fish. However, I really LOVE shellfish! I could eat shellfish multiple times per week. I mean, who doesn’t love the sweet taste of scallops, lobster, an crab meat? And then there are clams, mussels, and shrimp to consider as well. All of the above have their own flavors that make for spectacular dishes.

New England is famous for it’s shellfish. We really are spoiled when it comes to delicious seafood chowders because the shellfish needed to make this creamy masterpiece is readily available year round.

You can mix and match your favorite shellfish in this chowder to create a different bowl each time you make it. For instance, if scallops are expensive, you might consider opting for lump crab meat or lobster meat. Although neither of those options are considered inexpensive, you might get lucky if you catch the sales at the right time!

How To Make

If seafood chowder seems intimidating to make at home, you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy this is to cook. As previously mentioned, this delectable dinner comes together quickly. You can actually get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes! Therefore, you can serve this up any night of the week – even the busy nights!

Furthermore, if you want to make your life even easier, you can skip the dishes by serving this seafood chowder in bread bowls. Because no bowls equals less cleanup!

Here is what you will need for this amazing seafood chowder:

Ingredients

  • 6 slices Bacon
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tbsp Garlic minced
  • 1/2 Onion diced
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • 5 tbsp Flour
  • 2 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 cans Cream of Bacon Soup
  • 2.5 cups Light Cream
  • 2 cans Chopped Clams
  • 2 cans Diced Potatoes
  • 1 lb Shrimp small, deveined, cooked
  • 1 lb Bay Scallops

Instructions

As was previously stated, this yummy dinner will be quick and easy. Check out what you need to make this delicious seafood chowder:

  • Heat a large stockpot over medium heat.
  • Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy (about 6 to 8 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Melt butter in the stockpot.
  • Add garlic and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in thyme for about 1 minute.
  • Whisk in flour until lightly browned (about 1 minute).
  • Gradually whisk in cream, vegetable broth, clam juice, and cook. Whisking constantly, until slightly thickened about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add 1 can of cream of bacon. Stir frequently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Stir in clams, scallops, and shrimp until heated through.
  • Add potatoes.
  • Add 2nd can of cream of bacon. Stir frequently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add more cream or milk, if too thick.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Garnish with crumbled bacon.

More Soups To Try

If you love soup, chowder, and creamy dishes, you need to try the following recipes. They are really easy to make so you can make them any night of the week, even if you are pressed for time, you can make these yummy dinners!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Turkey, Kale, & Brown Rice Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

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New England Seafood Chowder

The BEST New England Seafood Chowder Recipe. An easy to make creamy chowder loaded with scallops, shrimp, clams, and potatoes.
Course Dinner, lunch, Soup
Keyword hearty soup, homemade soup, seafood
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 6 slices Bacon
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tbsp Garlic minced
  • 1/2 Onion diced
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • 5 tbsp Flour
  • 2 cups Light Cream
  • 2 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 cans Cream of Bacon Soup
  • 2 cans Chopped Clams
  • 2 cans Diced Potatoes
  • 1 lb Shrimp small, deveined, cooked
  • 1 lb Bay Scallops

Instructions

  • Heat a large stockpot over medium heat.
  • Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy (about 6 to 8 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Melt butter in the stockpot.
  • Add garlic and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Stir in thyme for about 1 minute.
  • Whisk in flour until lightly browned (about 1 minute).
  • Gradually whisk in cream, vegetable broth, clam juice, and cook. Whisking constantly, until slightly thickened about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add 1 can of cream of bacon. Stir frequently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Stir in clams, scallops, and shrimp until heated through.
  • Add potatoes.
  • Add 2nd can of cream of bacon. Stir frequently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add more cream or milk, if too thick.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Garnish with crumbled bacon.
  • ENJOY!
Cheesecake, Dessert

How To Make The BEST Pumpkin Cheesecake For Thanksgiving

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Pumpkin Cheesecake. Did you even know there was such a thing as pumpkin cheesecake? Well, of course there is such a thing! Everything these days incorporates pumpkin between mid-August and the end of November after all. Why should cheesecakes be left behind?

Learn how to make the BEST pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving. Or better yet, learn how to make this tempting dessert for any day of the year. Why should we deprive ourselves of this pumpkin delicacy?

Thanksgiving Desserts

If you only eat pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and are afraid that the pumpkin cheesecake will take it’s place, you can have both! Okay, maybe that would be overdoing things a tad, but it is Thanksgiving after all. Why not have TWO pumpkin desserts? However, if you really feel it is excessive, and need to choose between the two awesome pumpkin options, you need to serve a pumpkin cheesecake every so often. I mean, come on, it’s PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE!

The creamy, cheesecake texture blends perfectly with the taste of pumpkin. It’s a must-have fall dessert. My mouth is watering just thinking about the yummy taste. What better day to indulge than Thanksgiving?

Pumpkin Everything

Everyone knows that apples and pumpkins are staples in the fall season. Some people think there is a Team Apples and Team Pumpkins. It’s as if they think others can’t like both! As crazy that seems, usually people do tend to side with one or the other. Personally, I’m on Team Pumpkin. I used to think everything would taste better with the pumpkin flavor. However, these days, products literally flavor EVERYTHING with pumpkin! I’ve seen pumpkin flavored baloney. Um…I love pumpkin, but that’s going much too far even for me.

I prefer to stick with pumpkin lattes, pumpkin breakfasts such as pancakes, and pumpkin desserts for food options. And to go even further, I love anything creamy with pumpkin flavoring like pumpkin whipped cream and, of course, pumpkin cheesecake!

How To Make

Ingredients

The Crust

  • 1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs approx 12 whole graham crackers
  • 6 tbsp Butter Melted
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

The Filling

  • 3 8oz Cream Cheese Packages Softened
  • 1 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
  • 15 oz Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
  • 2 tbsp Flour
  • 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
  • Transfer to a 9″ springform pan with 3″ tall walls using a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

  • In a large bowl, beat 3 packages of softened cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (and no lumps), scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together pumpkin pie mix, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
  • Add pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture and continue mixing on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour, turn off oven, prop oven door slightly and let cheesecake stay in oven for additional 45 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating.
  • Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight).
  • Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of cheesecake to release from the springform mold.
  • Add whatever toppings you desire (whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, etc).

More Thanksgiving Ideas

Yes, we know that a roasted turkey with all the fixings like stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, butternut squash, cranberry sauce and gravy are the Thanksgiving staples. I’m sure your guests would be disappointed if you didn’t serve what they are expecting.

You can still surprise your guests with some unexpected items without taking away the staples. Try sprucing up your drink selection to include a delicious pumpkin pie martini or a caramel apple sangria. Who would refuse one of those drinks to start with on Thanksgiving? Certainly not anyone I know!

After your guests have a drink in their hand, give them some yummy appetizer options like a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus. The turkey probably isn’t ready to serve just yet anyway, might as well make the most of the time and the fact that it’s a holiday of eating and drinking. Live it up! Your guests will thank you.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Chocolate Pumpkin Martini

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Pie meets Cheesecake and it's delicious!
Course Dessert
Keyword autumn desserts, cheesecake, fall cheesecakes, fall desserts, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie cheesecake, thanskgiving desserts
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

The Crust

  • 1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs approx 12 whole graham crackers
  • 6 tbsp Butter Melted
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

The Filling

  • 3 8oz Cream Cheese Packages Softened
  • 1 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
  • 15 oz Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
  • 2 tbsp Flour
  • 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
  • Transfer to a 9" springform pan with 3" tall walls using a large spoon to press crumbs into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temp.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling

  • In a large bowl, beat 3 packages of softened cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (and no lumps), scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together pumpkin pie mix, eggs, sour cream, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
  • Add pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture and continue mixing on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • Transfer filling into pre-baked crust and bake on the middle rack at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour, turn off oven, prop oven door slightly and let cheesecake stay in oven for additional 45 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool to room temp before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating.
  • Serve when fully chilled (at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight).
  • Before serving, carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan by running a blunt knife along the sides of cheesecake to release from the springform mold.
  • Add whatever toppings you desire (whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, etc).
  • Enjoy!
Appetizers, Chaucuterie Board

Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board Is The Ultimate Appetizer Guests Crave

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A Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board is visually stunning and tastes delicious. Consisting of cheeses, salted meats, olives, breadsticks, crackers, or whatever your heart desires! Your guests will be impressed with your artsy food display and their taste buds will be tantalized.

Holiday Appetizer

If you aren’t sure what to serve at a holiday gathering, consider a festive charcuterie board. Charcuterie boards can consist of whatever you please. If you haven’t invested in one yet, you use any platter or purchase a specific charcuterie board with all the things. However, most people expect to see cheese on a charcuterie board. Because let’s face it, cheese pairs well with just about everything. And who doesn’t love cheese?

For Thanksgiving appetizers, a huge hit is always a cracker and cheese platter with different varieties of crackers, and, of course, cheeses. I always loved serving my cheese plates with pepperoni and olives to give it more of an appeal.

Nowadays, charcuterie boards are so trendy and have really allowed cheese plates to be taken to a whole new level of awesome. I love to turn a regular cheese plate into a fantastic display of salted meats, sweet treats, bringing in spreads, and of course the basics of crackers and cheeses. And for this yummy Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board, this is anything, but a basic appetizer.

Cheeses

The cheese is the standout on any charcuterie board. I love to mix up different colored cheeses as well as different tasting cheeses. A must have is always an Extra Sharp NY Cheddar Cheese. The sharper, the better! Seeing that this is a white colored cheese, I love adding in an orange color like Cheddar Cheese and/or Monterey Jack Cheese which is a marble color cheese. Seeing that I’m a huge fan of Gouda cheese (also an orange-color), I felt compelled to include this cheese into the amazing Thanskgiving Charcuterie Board.

These are my favorite ways to select the perfect cheeses. However, if you prefer different cheeses or a different way of organizing your platter, go for it! Other amazing offerings are brie, blue cheese, flavored cheese (buffalo, habanero, etc etc etc).

Salted Meats

Salted meats are probably everybody’s favorite types of meat. Well, maybe not their absolute favorite because a great steak surely beats pepperoni and cheese! I should rephrase my statement to say that salted meats are everyone’s affordable types of meat.

Salted meats can mean a few different things. Back in the day, people would preserve meat with salt or brine in order to extend the life of meat. After refrigeration came about, salting meat was not as widely used as before. However, there are still many types of meat that we know and love today that are cured with salt such as the popular meats called pepperoni, proscuitto, salami, chorizo, and bacon.

Any of these meats would add an amazing taste and texture choice on a Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board. These salted goodies are not the healthiest choices of meat, but for a holiday appetizer, they will be eaten in small quantities and are, therefore, perfectly fine to indulge in! Further, these aren’t salted meats that guests eat on a regular basis. What better day to dig into delicious meats with yummy cheeses and all the other must-haves than on Thanksgiving?? The biggest eating day of the year!

Additional Pairings

Besides cheese, crackers, and meats, you can offer whatever sweet, spicy, savory items you desire! Mixing and matching is ideal as it gives your guests plenty of options that they will love. Let’s face it, not every person has the same tastes as everyone. Therefore, variety is key for the perfect Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board!

Some other delightful offerings to add to your cheese, crackers, and meat board could be:

  • Olives
    • Black
    • Kalamata
    • Spanish
    • Stuffed olives
  • Spreads
    • Fig
    • Hummus
    • Flavored Cream Cheese
  • Crackers
    • Triscuits
    • Wheat Thins
    • Breadsticks
  • Veggies
    • Roasted Red Peppers
    • Artichokes
    • Marinated Mushrooms
  • Fruit
    • Cranberries
    • Figs
    • Apples
  • Nuts
    • Walnuts
    • Almonds
    • Pecans

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Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board Is The Ultimate Appetizer Guests Crave

A Thanksgiving Charcuterie Board is visually stunning and tastes delicious. Consisting of cheeses, salted meats, olives, breadsticks, crackers, or whatever your heart desires! Your guests will be impressed with your artsy food display and their taste buds will be tantalized.
Course Appetizer, lunch
Keyword appetizers, holiday
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 people
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 3-4 types Cheeses different flavors and colors are appealing
  • 2-3 types Salted Meats like Prosciutto, pepperoni, salami
  • 2-4 Spreads Figs, hummus, flavored cream cheese
  • 1 handful Roasted Red Peppers
  • 2-3 handfuls Olives black, kalamata, spanish, stuffed olives
  • Breadsticks and assorted crackers

Instructions

  • Remove the cheese from the fridge 15 – 30 minutes before serving.
  • Arrange the cheeses on different areas of the charcuterie board or large platter.
  • Next, add the salted meats like proscuitto and pepperoni to fill in more of the charcuterie board.
  • Then, start working in the spreads, olives, roasted red peppers, and fruits (if using).
  • Add the breadsticks and crackers so as to fill in the entire board/platter.
  • Rearrange any items as necessary to achieve the desired wow factor.
  • ENJOY!
Drinks, Holiday, Martinis

The Nutty Caramel Martini Is The BEST Autumn Cocktail

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A Caramel Martini is just what the doctor prescribed for the parents in 2020 to deal with the chaos of back to school this year. Okay, maybe doctors aren’t actually prescribing this as a way to cope with how education is being handled this year, but do you really think they would recommend against a deliciously tasty martini like this? I think not!

Back To School

It’s back to school time and you know what that means – it’s crazy time for the first couple of weeks. Okay, maybe more like the first 4 weeks of getting used to the new routines, schedules, appointments, sports, homework, and chillier weather! However, isn’t it the best time of year? I love it! It’s like starting a brand new year months before the new year starts. Almost like you get 2 new years to start over, each year.

And let’s face it, in 2020, we need a serious do-over asap! So let’s cheers to the new school year this year and make some yummy cocktails! If that sounds like a plan to you, follow me. I have really made the most of Quarantine 2020 and turned into a very skilled mixologist. Read about my most favorite new martini, the caramel martini. It’s perfect for the autumn season which then leads into the holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and yes, New Year’s!

Caramel Vodka

With so many flavored vodkas these days, mixing up yummy drinks couldn’t be easier. On the other hand, with so many choices of vodka flavors, liqueurs, and mixes, it can make things complicated when you want to find that PERFECT drink. You can live vicariously through my experience and try out the cocktails I mix up. They are tried and true. This way you can whip up a delicious martini without having to spend unnecessary money and time, experimenting with different concoctions.

Mixing It Up

Just a few key ingredients is all that stands between you and the nutty caramel martini which I consider the best autumn cocktail this year. Don’t forget to garnish the glass. That added caramel flavor with the tiny almond bites are too good to skip!

Here is everything you need to make the perfect caramel martini:

Ingredients

Instructions

Garnishing The Rim

  • Pour crushed almonds onto a small plate.
  • Pour caramel syrup onto a small plate.
  • Dip the rim of the (must have) martini glass in the caramel sauce, all the way around so it covers the entire glass.
  • Repeating the caramel rimming process, dip the rim into the crushed almonds, making sure to cover the entire rim.

Making The Martini

  • Fill cocktail shaker 2/3 with ice.
  • Measure all drink ingredients and add to cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well.
  • Pour into garnished martini glass.

Perfect Fall Drink

When you think of autumn tastes, you probably think about apples and pumpkins, right? You might also think about other fruits like cranberries, figs, and pears. All are great tasting flavors that pair well with cooler weather and savory dishes. Another flavor that might not immediately come to mind is caramel. Now, you’re thinking, mmm caramel, a caramel apple sounds good right now. I knew you would think that! Let’s face it, caramel is a great taste any time of the year. That rich tasting flavor that is sugary-sweet, yum! It is the perfect taste for cooler weather.

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The BEST Autumn Martini is the Caramel Martini

A simple recipe sometimes makes the best martini! This delicious Caramel Martini won't have you missing pumpkins or apples. It has a nutty flavor that is addictively tasty!
Course Drinks
Keyword dessert martini, martini
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 person
Author jenahoward

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Caramel Vodka Veil vodka
  • 2 oz Rumchata
  • Caramel Sauce for garnish
  • Crushed Almonds for garnish

Instructions

Garnishing The Rim

  • Pour crushed almonds onto a small plate.
  • Pour caramel syrup onto a small plate.
  • Dip the rim of the martini glass in the caramel sauce, all the way around so it covers the entire glass.
  • Repeating the caramel rimming process, dip the rim into the crushed almonds, making sure to cover the entire rim.

Making The Martini

  • Fill cocktail shaker 2/3 with ice.
  • Measure all drink ingredients and add to cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well.
  • Pour into garnished martini glass.
  • ENJOY!

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