It's almost Thanksgiving time! I made this delicious peanut butter chocolate cheesecake. The crust is made of cocoa powder, ground peanut butter chips, vanilla wafer. And the marble kind of cheesecake contains 2 flavors: peanut butter and chocolate! Yum!
Note: As promised, here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
* CRUMB CRUST(recipe follows)
* 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sugar, divided
* 1/2 cup dairy sour cream
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 3 eggs
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1-1/3 cups REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips(reserved from crust)
* 1/4 cup milk
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Prepare CRUMB CRUST.
2. Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and flour; beat until blended.
3. Beat cocoa, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and oil with 1-1/2 cups cheese mixture in medium bowl. In small microwave-safe bowl, place 1-1/3 cups peanut butter chips and milk. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted when stirred. Gradually add warm peanut butter mixture to remaining vanilla batter; beat on high speed 5 minutes.
4. Spoon peanut butter and chocolate mixtures alternately over prepared crust. Gently swirl with knife or spatula for marbled effect.
5. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening oven door, decrease temperature to 250°F. and continue to bake 30 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes without opening door. Remove from oven to wire rack; with knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely; remove side of pan. Refrigerate until serving time. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake. 12 servings.
CRUMB CRUST
1-1/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips, divided
With knife or food processor, chop 1/3 cup peanut butter chips (reserve remaining chips for cheesecake batter). In medium bowl, stir together
crumbs, cocoa, powdered sugar and butter. Stir in chopped peanut butter chips. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan or 9-inch square pan.
I drove all the way to the gym during the lunch time today. When I got out of my car and was ready to grab my gym bag, I found out that I left my gym bag at home! So no gym workout today. 
Summer has passed so fast that I feel that I did not even get a chance to enjoy any of it. Part of it is due to my several weeks of work trip down in Florida. However, autumn is my favorite season. All leaves have started to change colors and it is really beautiful. The temperature drops to around 40F degrees (5'C) to 50F degrees (10'C). Autumn is definitely here and it is time to bake some apple desserts! Expect some bakery posts from me soon!
Labor weekend has past and usually it means that summer is over. Fortunately, we still have nice sunny and warm weather so far to make up for the cool summer this year. Apparently, a flock of wild turkeys feel the same way and wander just outside my office to pick up seeds dropped from the bird feeder on the trees. Some of them were so curious about their own reflections on the window and they even pecked on the window while we stared at them inside! Of course, they got so scared when my co-workers decided to stand up from his seat to take a closer look. :) Made some more pies, cakes, and ice cream on the Labor Day weekend and I will post pictures soon!
I cannot believe my eyes! It is only October, not even Halloween yet. I don't like those cold white ice from the sky! Way too early for that.
Came back from DC late last night. The trip was great and I really needed it. It has been almost 12 years since my last time there as a summer intern for several months. One of my friends there showed me around and things changed so much that I barely could recognize most of the places. None of the bars or restaurants we used to hang out with after the work exist there anymore. And the neighborhood surely changes a lot. 
My friend and I used to walk from UDC to Dupont Circle to catch the Metro. It is nothing like what I used to remember. There are so many new condos and constructions going on that the whole area is just different. Lots of young people, even young family with kids and strollers, walk around the park, which you would never see back then. Even the National airport (before it was named as Regan airport) has expanded so much that I could not find the right terminal anymore. Guess I am getting old! LOL.
The leaves really start to change colors and head to the peak. It is just so beautiful to see all kinds of colors on different trees. And some of my co-workers start to bring in the extra apples from the apples in their yards. I guess it is time to make some apple pies!
