Don’t be intimidated by this dessert’s fanciful appearance. Roll cakes may look elaborate, but if you follow the instructions and roll up the hot cake as soon as it is removed from the oven, the dessert will construct perfectly and slice into beautiful pinwheels when served. Store in the refrigerator and serve at all of your holiday dinner parties this season!

Ingredients

 3/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 c granulated sugar

2/3 c LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 c powdered sugar, sifted

6 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or deep cookie sheet; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

4. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

This pumpkin cheesecake recipe is not only delicious, it is fool proof. It yields a perfectly creamy, dense and rich treat: everything a cheesecake should be. And with the added pumpkin, this dessert is a great alternative to the classic pumpkin pie. Serve this at your next holiday get together and wow your guests with your culinary expertise!

Ingredients

For crust:
8 graham crackers, crushed
5 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

For filling:
24 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
5 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter and sugar. Press the crumb mixture in the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

2. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

3. Reduce oven to 300° F.

4. Combine all of the filling ingredients with an electric mixture.

5. Pour the filling into the springform pan and place in the center of the oven.

6. Bake for 1 hour. After the hour of baking, turn the off and leave cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Allow to cool completely then refrigerate overnight.

Servings: 24 Serving size: ¼ cup + ½ c. raspberries Calories: 60

photo courtesy of The Oaks at Ojai

Ingredients:
16 oz. silken tofu
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 c. decaffeinated coffee
¼ c. agave

Directions:
In a food processor or blender, puree the tofu until smooth. Place the chopped chocolate cocoa powder, and coffee in a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the agave. Stir until smooth. Add chocolate mixture to tofu and puree until well blended. Put in bowl and chill at least two hours. To serve, scoop 1/4 cup of mousse into serving dish and surround with fresh berries.

About the Source:
The Oaks at Ojai is an affordable fitness destination spa that includes overnight accommodations, three delicious and low-calorie meals a day, choice of 16 fitness classes per day and evening entertainment and seminars. The Oaks offers 46 guest rooms, including private rooms and suites, double lodge rooms and double cottage rooms. A charming 1920s hotel-turned-spa in the peaceful town of Ojai, The Oaks offers a variety of activities that allows guests to choose how to work out and take off excess pounds. Activities range from hiking, power walks and in-line skating, belly dancing, hula hoping, yoga, qi gong, water aerobics and other work out classes. A full menu of relaxing and therapeutic spa services is available as well as private consultations with a variety of health experts. The Oaks at Ojai is located at 122 East Ojai Avenue. For more information, visit The Oaks at Ojai online at www.oaksspa.com or call (800) 753-OAKS (6257).

Ingredients:
– Bread Pudding
3 c milk
3 c unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 c sweetened coconut flakes
1 loaf French bread, 1-inch cubes
3 eggs
3/4 c sugar
2 T vanilla extract
1 T butter

– Mango Sauce
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1 vanilla bean, cut open

Directions:
Bread Pudding: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk, coconut milk, coconut flakes and bread in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl and then add to bread mixture. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with butter. Spoon the bread mixture into the pan. Bake on the upper rack of oven until the bread pudding has set and is golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.

Mango sauce: Simmer ingredients for 10 minutes. Remove vanilla bean. Blend in a food processor until smooth. Serve pudding on a bed of mango sauce.

Pairing: Sauternes, France

Frosting:
6 oz. cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter, soften
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 10 inch bundt or tube pan.
2. In a large bowl cream oil, applesauce, beaten eggs, pumpkin and vanilla together.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger powder and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix until just combined, stir in chopped nuts.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a plate
7. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and the grated rinds smooth. Gradually confectioners’ sugar, and mix well. Add orange juice until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. Drizzle over bundt cake.

About: This recipe is courtesy of Ms. Martine Sicard. For more yummy recipes, please visit her website.