Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake by Amber McQueen

2- 8oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1- 9" graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch cloves
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup whipped topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a Large bowl, combine cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup batter and spread into the bottom of crust; set aside. Add pumpkin and spices to remaining batter. Stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over batter in crust. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Allow to cool. Refrigerate over night. Cover with cool whip. Delicious!

Peppermint Patties by Alicia

1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon shortening
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
6 Starlight mints, unwrapped and crushed in a Ziploc with a rolling pin (optional)

Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl of a standing electric mixer and beat in the shortening on medium speed. In a small bowl stir together the water, corn syrup, lemon juice, and extract, then beat it into the sugar mixture until combined.

Knead the mixture into a ball (it will be very stiff), then use the bottom of a glass pie plate and firm, even pressure to flatten the ball between sheets of wax paper into a 9-inch disk that's about 1/4 inch thick (if you try doing this with a rolling pin, you will be much more frustrated, I assure you). Place the disk (with the wax paper) on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm, around 15 minutes.

Place the frozen disk on a cutting surface, remove and reserve the wax paper, and cover the cookie sheet with parchment. Use a 1-inch round cutter to cut out patties, moving them to the parchment as they're cut. Gather the scraps into a ball, use the pie plate and wax paper to flatten it again, and cut more rounds until all of the filling is used. Freeze the rounds for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Coat the patties one at a time, balancing each on a fork and dipping (use another fork as needed to flip the patty in the chocolate), then shaking excess chocolate and scraping the bottom of the fork against the edge of the bowl before returning the coated patty to the parchment. Make a ridged pattern one each patty by pressing a fork into the chocolate and lifting it straight up. Reheat the chocolate as necessary until all the patties are coated, then allow them to sit until set, about 1 hour.

Pot de Creme by Keri

1 egg
6 oz. chocolate (chips)
2 Tbs. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup scalded milk

Blend the first 5 ingredients in a blender then pour hot milk slowly into the blender. Let set in fridge.

Hot Fudge by Angie and Chelsie

1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup evaporated milk

Melt butter and chocolate chips together. Add remaining ingredients and boil on medium heat for about 10 minutes stirring often. Store in the refrigerator.

Choc-alot Brownies by McKenzi

1 chocolate cake mix
1 small chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
sprinkle with chocolate chips

Bake according to cake mix directions, but check on it a little early.

Healthy-ish Cookies by Nicole

1 c. butter, softened

1 34 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 large eggs

3 c. flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 c. milled flaxseed

1/2 c. flaked coconut

2 c. rolled oats

2 c. craisins

1 c. dark chocolate chips (I use a little more....maybe 1 1/4 - 1 1/2)

dash of sea salt

1-2 TB milk (or water)

Preheat oven to 350 (325 convection). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Cream together butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well after each one. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Then use that bowl to combine the remaining ingredients (except for the milk). Fold in (or use the lowest setting to stir in if you are using an electric mixer). If the mixture is a little dry, add some milk or water (I add about 3 TB milk). Bake for 12-14 minutes (I bake for about 11 minutes on convection).

French Silk Torte by Alicia

Cookie Crust

(Side Note: You can omit crust, just pour cake directly into greased pan and bake)

Nonstick cooking spray

8 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreos (18-20 cookies), crushed

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cake

2 cups chopped semi-sweet chocolate

¾ cup butter

1/3 cup cocoa powder

5 eggs

1 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Ganache topping

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chopped

Preparation:

Make the Chocolate Cookie Crust: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper and lightly spray parchment and sides of pan.

Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor; process to very fine crumbs. You should have about 2 cups. Transfer to a small bowl. Add melted butter and, using a spatula, stir until well combined.

Pour crumb mixture into prepared pan and press evenly with the back of a spoon into bottom and up sides, leaving about 1/2 inch between the top of the crust and top of the pan. Transfer to freezer until crust is set, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to oven and bake until dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

For the Cake: raise oven temp to 350F. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over the lowest heat. Mix in the cocoa powder until smooth and set aside for a few minutes to cool. While the chocolate is cooling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour until they are completely combined and foamy. Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate until the color is uniform and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick pulls out moist crumbs when inserted near the center of the torte. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife or inverted spatula along the edges of the torte and loosen the sides of the pan. Cool for 5 minutes and remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake on a serving platter and cool completely before serving.

While it is cooling make the ganache by heating the cream until small bubbles appear on the sides. Pour chocolate in and allow to sit, off the heat, for about 5-10 minutes. Stir until smooth and pour over cake. Allow to set in the refrigerator

Garnish with berries, chocolate shavings, peppermint candies, whipped cream…

Makes 10-12 servings.