Caramel Apple Banana Cheesecake

Terry, one of Walter's co-workers had a birthday. I asked him what kind of cake he wanted, and he gave me a recipe for a caramel apple cheesecake. Then, he asked if I could add bananas. As you all probably know, I have a bad track record with cheesecakes. However, I gave it a shot, and it turned out great!

Caramel Apple Banana Cheesecake



Terry found the recipe here at Razzle Dazzle Recipes. It was actually surprisingly easy for a cheesecake, and it was apparently very good. I wanted to get a picture of it cut, but I did not. I was told that it was very sweet, which surprises me absolutely none. I added bananas to the recipe per his request, which I am sure only added to the sweetness.

Ingredients
-24 cinnamon graham crackers
-10 Tablespoons butter, melted
-1 cup sugar, divided
-1 21-ounce can apple fruit filling
-2 bananas, sliced thin
-16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese, softened
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup caramel topping
-2 Tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make crust, crush graham crackers and combine with butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until combined and press into 9-inch greased springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
3. Measure 1/2 cup of apple pie filling and set aside. Spoon remaining filling into crust. Layer 1/2 of bananas on top of filling
4. Beat together cream cheese, remaining sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add eggs and beat well. Pour over apple filling.
5. Bake 35 minutes or until center is nearly set. Cool.
6. Mix reserved apple filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan. Heat about 1 minute.
7. Arrange apple banana slices and around outside edge of cheesecake. Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Caramel Krispie Treats

Rice Krispies are a staple of childhood. Believe it or not, this was my first time making them in my adult life.

Caramel Krispie Treats



This recipe is pretty standard, as far as I can tell. I used the recipe on the side of the Rice Krispies box, and I doubled it for good measure (any leftovers can be sent to the office). Of course, I am sharing the standard recipe, not the doubled. These only exist because of an impulse buy I made a couple of weeks ago. I was in the grocery store and saw these:




And I picked them up, knowing that I could make SOMETHING with them that would be delicious. They also had a chocolate variety, but I was not as excited about those, so I did not grab any. I apologize that the picture is just of the empty bag--I forgot to photograph them until I had already melted the mallows.

These tasted like caramel corn--but better, in my opinion (and Walter's). I am going to be bringing them to my father-in-law's 50th birthday party tomorrow.

Ingredients
-3 Tablespoons butter (I used 4 Tablespoons)
-6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
-1 10-ounce bag marshmallows or 4 cups mini-marshmallows (I, of course, used 1 10-ounce bag of caramel swirl marshmallows)

Directions
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Stir in marshmallows and melt, stirring often, until completely smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in Rice Krispies. Stir mixture until fully combined.
4. Press Rice Krispie treats into a foil-lined, greased 9 x 13 pan.
5. When cool, cut treats into squares and serve.