Early Segway?

Slow Cooker Cheesecake...?

slow cooker pumpkin cheesecake

Perfectly cooked, this firm cheesecake never sports any cracks in the top the way oven-baked cheesecakes do. If you don’t have a springform pan you can use a straight-edged casserole lined with greased foil so the cake is easy to lift out. 
Originally published October, 2009 
By LeeAnne Wright 
Photography by Edward Pond

SERVES:8 slices

TIME:Prep time: 20 minutes, In the slow cooker: 4 hours on high

Crust

• 12 gingersnap cookies
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 3 tbsp packed brown sugar

Filing

• 2 packages cream cheese (8 oz. block style)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup canned pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice

Topping

• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

1. Pulse the gingersnap cookies in food processor until they are fine crumbs. Mix in the melted butter and brown sugar.
2. Press the crumbs onto the bottom of a well-greased, 7-inch springform pan. Chill until ready to fill.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
4. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the pan.
5. Cover bottom of pan with heavy duty foil coming up above the sides of the pan. Cover top of pan with another sheet of foil forming a dome and seal the foil edges shut. You want to make sure you prevent water and steam from leaking in.
6. Place in slow cooker and add boiling water until it reaches one inch up the side of the pan. Set cooker to high and cook for 4 hours. It will be slightly jiggly in the centre but will firm up as it cools. The cheesecake texture improves when refrigerated overnight.
7. Mix sour cream and brown sugar together. Spread over top of cheesecake and serve.

Dutch Apple Bread

Here we replaced butter and whole eggs with canola oil and egg whites, substituted buttermilk (or yogurt) for sour cream, and used half as many nuts as traditional apple bread recipes.

2 loaves, 8 slices each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

STREUSEL

• 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon frozen apple-juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

BREAD

• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar, or 1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, divided
• 1 cup buttermilk, or nonfat plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped peeled apples, (2 medium)

PREPARATION

1. To prepare streusel: Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon and pinch of salt in a small bowl. Stir in walnuts. Drizzle apple-juice concentrate and 1 tablespoon oil over dry ingredients and rub in with your fingers until crumbly. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
3. To prepare bread: Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or 1/4 cup Splenda), beating until stiff peaks form.
4. Combine buttermilk (or yogurt), 3 tablespoons oil and vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup sugar (or 1/4 cup Splenda), all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in apples, then the beaten whites. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Sprinkle with the reserved streusel. Bake the loaves until lightly browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and finish cooling on the rack.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Wrap well and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

NUTRITION

Per slice: 193 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 258 mg sodium; 128 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (17% daily value).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Savory Breakfast Muffins

If you're tired of sweet breakfast muffins or just looking for a savory breakfast, try these--you'll love the smoky flavor from the Canadian bacon and the fresh-tasting combination of red bell pepper and scallions.

READER'S COMMENT :

"These "savoury scones" are very popular in New Zealand and are part of the staple down there. We eat them with butter and they are plain, that's the way they are supposed to be. North American's are so used to sweet and over the top...

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, (about 1 bunch)
• 3/4 cup diced Canadian bacon, (3 ounces)
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil and butter in a medium bowl. Fold in scallions, bacon, cheese and bell pepper. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just moistened. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full).
4. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.

• Reheat & Run
• Bake muffins on weekends and enjoy the leftovers for grab-and-go weekday breakfasts. Wrap leftover muffins individually in plastic wrap, place in a plastic storage container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, remove plastic wrap, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.

NUTRITION

Per muffin: 217 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 50 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 3 g fiber; 339 mg sodium; 113 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (25% daily value), Fiber (13% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 meat, 1 fat