Key Lime Pie

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs Or Chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted
• 2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
• 1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, combine the yo and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Zucchini Bread

3 cups of shredded zucchini
1 2/3 cups sugar (can substitute Splenda or alternate sweetener)
2/3 cup vegetable or 1 1/3 cup apple sauce
2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of all purpose white flour
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

topping 1/8 cup of halved nuts and 2 tablespoons dry oatmeal

Pre-heat oven to 350. Position oven rack to low position. The pans will need to be placed in the center of the oven. Grease or spray oil on the bottom of 2 loaf pans.
Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Add in oil (or apple sauce) vanilla and eggs and mix completely. Add in zucchini and nuts and fold until completely incorporated.
Pour into loaf pans and sprinkle topping if desired.
Bake loaves 50 to 60 mins or until tooth pick placed in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 mins before loosening sides of bread and removing from pans. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate and store up to 10 days.

May be frozen for up to 2 months.

****this is a personal favorite for this time of year and one of my own recipes.*****

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients needed:
• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely ground pecans
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• One 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin purée
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the cracker crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in the melted butter. Line a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides. This can also be made in cupcake molds but the baking time would be considerably less.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and the nutmeg in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Make sure that the batter is free of cheese chunks. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time and beat just until blended. Add the pumpkin and cream and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the pan, and place it on a baking sheet.

Bake until the center is nearly set, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

Carefully run a sharp knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Remove the sides of the pan. Cool completely on the rack before covering tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled before serving, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.

Pizza Dough

1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons of honey
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups of white or whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, honey, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase t he speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky,add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F. Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out. Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza
dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.