• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Its a Hero

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Sponsor and Advertising
  • Categories
    • recipes
    • brews + food
    • wellness
    • events
    • dairy-free
    • money saving tips
    • Explore Ohio
    • Family Travel
    • tips + tricks
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • giveaway
    • printables
  • Instagram Links

baking

Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes

July 30, 2020 by Rachel 28 Comments

The build up of anxiety over the last several months have been nothing but anxiety inducing. My anxiety baking has taken on a personality of its own, with its greatest feat being these Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes. The recipe itself is of moderate difficulty. The cheesecake combines traditional baking and candy-making. But it’s not overly difficult!

crumble cheesecakes

Why have I been anxiety baking?

First, I need to vent about something. I’ve watched countless friends and acquaintances share their photos of parties and get togethers on social media. And it’s exhausting. For those of us who have stayed on the sidelines, distancing, taking every possible precaution? We’re utterly spent and emotionally drained.

I desperately want to see my friends and family. And I long for the days of going out for a drink or a cup of coffee. But the reality is that we are living in a pandemic. And those times should look very different than ‘normal’ life. And, for me and many others, it has. But that doesn’t change the fact that here in the United States, we cannot seem to get our Covid cases under control. The complete distrust in health officials and partisan politics have led us into a horrible place.

What our family life has looked like lately

For those who aren’t familiar with our day-to-day in this house, we have gone very few places since March. When schools shut down, I decided to do everything in my power to help flatten the curve. My kids and I spend most of our time doing arts and crafts, watching movies, playing games, cooking, baking, and playing in the yard. There have been no playdates. There have been no outdoor dinners. And they have only seen the inside of a store once (Target, with my two littlest in a wagon and my oldest walking beside me as I picked up a couple of ‘musts’).

So, for now, my reality looks like this: Expect a lot more anxiety baking. You can also expect to see us transitioning to full-time distance learning (perhaps even full-on homeschooling). We will continue to do our best to avoid being a statistic — for ours and your health.

salted caramel crumble cupcakes

But now, Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecake!

My anxiety is your reward, friends! Here are my ‘tips’ for this delectable dessert: Instead of making your own caramel sauce, grab this one from Amazon.

Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecake

cheesecakes

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • ¾ Cup of graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ cup of unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 2 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup of sugar
  • ½ cup of sour cream
  • ¾ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of salted caramel sauce

Crumble Topping Ingredients

  • ½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
  • ½ cup of unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 ¼ cup of flour
  • Salted caramel sauce for drizzle

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Using a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until combined.
  3. Using a tablespoon, scoop the crust into the cupcake liners.
  4. Using a flat bottomed round cup, press the cup into the crust to make a firm crust.
  5. Set aside.


For the cheesecake:

  1. Using a hand mixer, beat together the sugar and cream cheese until combined and smooth.
  2. Beat in the sour cream, salted caramel sauce, vanilla and salt until combined.
  3. Beat in 1 egg at a time until combined.
  4. Scoop 2 ½  tbsp of the cheesecake mixture into the crust.
  5. Bake in the oven for 17-22 minutes or until the edges are firm and a really light golden brown starts to form.
  6. Allow the cheesecakes to cool for a few hours in the fridge.
    salted caramel crumble cupcakes

For the topping:

  1. Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl.
  2. Using your fingers, mix ingredients together until combined and crumble like topping the cupcake.
  3. Top the cheesecake with the crumble.
  4. Drizzle the caramel sauce on top.
  5. Enjoy!
    crumble cheesecakes



      © Rachel

      PIN FOR LATER

      PIN ME - Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes
      PIN ME - Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes
      PIN ME - Salted Caramel Crumble Cheesecakes

      Filed Under: baking, desserts, easy recipes, recipe, recipes Tagged With: baking, desserts, easy recipes, recipes

      Vegan Chocolate Tart (gluten free / dairy free / Vegan )

      July 8, 2020 by Rachel 23 Comments

      Having two kids with dairy intolerances has its challenges. For one — it can feel impossible to make a dessert that kids enjoy. But the reality is that gluten free and dairy free desserts are way easier to make than you may think! In fact, this vegan chocolate tart, which is both dairy free and gluten free, is incredible and enjoyed by all ages!

      vegan tart

      Vegan and Dairy Free Doesn’t Have to be Difficult

      Incorporating dairy free or vegan dishes into your diet is actually way easier than you would think. Mostly everything has a vegetable or nut substitute. And, in meals where appropriate, a ‘cheesy’ flavor is easy to replicate!

      If you’re looking to incorporate more vegan options into your diet, there are a few things you should always have on hand! My suggestion is to stock up on cashews, nutritional yeast, and Ajoyo almond milk.

      Lick the spoon! — It’s Vegan!

      We’ve all seen desserts that look too decadent to eat. This is one of those. But it’s easier to make than you would think! Simple ingredients and a simple process. And absolutely nothing to stop you from licking the batter off the spoon!

      vegan ingredients

      Your family and friends will never know this vegan chocolate tart is also gluten free

      Gluten Free + Vegan Chocolate Tart

      vegan tart

      Gluten Free / Egg Free / Dairy Free

      Ingredients

      Tart Crust

      • 1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
      • 1/2 cup of whole almonds
      • 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
      • 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
      • 1 tablespoon of corn flour
      • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter alternative ( or for non-vegan, unsalted butter)
      • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

      Tart Filling

      • 7 tablespoons of dark chocolate, chopped
      • 1/2 cup of vegan whipping cream
      • 4 tablespoons of AJOYO Unsweetened Almond Milk, room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon of instant coffee
      • 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
      • 1 tablespoon of corn flour
      • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
      • 1/4 cup of sugar
      • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
      • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

      Instructions

      For the base / crust:

      1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
      2. Place the buckwheat flour and almonds in a Vitamix or food processor and grind to form a firm powder.
      3. Add the powder to a bowl. Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix it together by hand until everything is well combined.
      4. Spray tart tin with cooking spray. Place the crust mixture on the tart tin and spread evenly with a spoon or hands.
      5. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (until cooked through).
      6. Remove and set aside to cool.

      For the filling:

      1. Warm a medium saucepan over low heat.
      2. Add the vegan cream, chopped chocolate, coffee, cocoa powder and sugar to the saucepan. Stir until all of the chocolate melts.
      3. Add AJOYO Unsweetened Almond Milk to the saucepan and stir in the corn flour until it is completely dissolved. Cook and continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken (about 5 minutes).
      4. Remove the saucepan from heat, and add the salt, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the pan. Mix thoroughly.
      5. Let filling cool for roughly 15 minutes before pouring it into the cooled tart base.
      6. Spread the filling evenly and place in fridge for 6 hours to chill.
      7. Serve with your choice of fresh fruits! ENJOY!
      © Rachel
      vegan chocolate tart
      vegan tart

      Tell me — what’s your favorite vegan substitute?!

      PIN FOR LATER

      PIN ME - CHOCOLATE TART RECIPE
      PIN ME - CHOCOLATE TART RECIPE

      Filed Under: baking, brews + food, dairy-free, desserts, recipes, vegan Tagged With: brews + food, dairy-free, desserts, easy recipes, gluten free, recipes, vegan

      Easy 4th of July Apple Galette Recipe — VEGAN!

      June 28, 2020 by Rachel 27 Comments

      As things really hang in limbo with the reopening of everything, the kids and I have been still hanging at home. But this has left a lot of time to try new recipes. Lucky for me, I have three little taste-testers — and one big one! Creating a vegan apple galette recipe just in time for the 4th of July was a huge success!

      tart dessert

      While not everyone agrees on meals I make (mostly because kids are picky, y’all!). They will always agree on dessert! And, can you blame them? Nope!

      So I’m sharing this delicious (and vegan!) Apple Galette recipe — just in time for the upcoming 4th of July holiday! It’s sweet, a little tart, and a whole lot of delicious!

      Apple Galette

      APPLE GALETTE RECIPE
      Prep Time 30 minutes
      Cook Time 30 minutes
      Additional Time 2 hours
      Total Time 3 hours

      Ingredients

      Crust

      • 1 cup of whole wheat flour OR all purpose flour
      • 1 Tablespoon of powdered sugar
      • 6 Tablespoons of cold butter / butter alternative
      • 1/4 Cup of water, ice cold
      • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
      • 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
      • 1 teaspoon of AJOYO Unsweetened Almond Milk (for brushing)
      • 1 teaspoon of sliced almonds (optional)

      Filling

      • 2-3 apples, sliced and cored
      • 4 Tablespoons of powdered sugar
      • 1/2 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
      • 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

      Instructions

      To make the crust:

      1. Place the flour, salt, sugar, and butter into a bowl and give this a mix, breaking the pieces of butter into smaller chunks, rubbing into the flour.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE PROCESS
      2. Add the apple cider vinegar and ice cold water to the mix. Gently start mixing it with the dry flour until it starts to form a ball.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE PROCESS
      3. Once the dough is well mixed, wrap it with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE PROCESS

      To make the filling:

      1. Place the sliced apples in a large bowl. Toss the apples with cinnamon, powdered sugar, and lemon juice until well-coated.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE PROCESS

      To assemble:

      1. Preheat the oven 350 degrees.
      2. Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll out until relatively round and thin.
      3. Sprinkle half of the sugar on the rolled crust.
      4. Place the sliced apple filling in the middle of the rolled crust and spread it evenly leaving a half a centimeter edge.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE PROCESS
      5. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the filling.
      6. Take a small edge and fold it over the filling. Repeat this step taking small sections of the dough until the galette is formed.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE
      7. Brush the folded over crust with AJOYO Unsweetened Almond Milk and sprinkle the sliced almonds on top.
      8. Bake the galette for about 30 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown. 
      9. Let it cool before serving.
        APPLE GALETTE RECIPE
      10. ENJOY by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
      © Rachel

      As you can see, this recipe can easily be modified to be made into a fully vegan recipe. Some of my favorite butter alternatives are coconut oil and avocado oil, but I wouldn’t recommend either of those for this particular recipe. Instead, try and use the Country Crock Plant Based Butter Sticks! They have the same density and consistency of milk-based butter, which definitely helps in this recipe.

      PIN ME - APPLE GALETTE

      Tell me — what’s your favorite apple recipe?!

      PIN FOR LATER

      pinterest pin - apple galette recipe vegan
      Vegan pie

      Filed Under: baking, brews + food, celebration, dairy-free, desserts, food, holidays, picnic, recipe, recipes Tagged With: baking, brews + food, celebration, dairy-free, desserts, easy recipes, food, holidays, recipes

      Boozy Red, White, and Blue Popsicles Recipe

      June 23, 2020 by Rachel 18 Comments

      Is it even the 4th of July if you’re not donning red, white, and blue and eating an array of themed foods? No — no it definitely isn’t! If I’m being honest, I am a tad bit obsessed with themed foods. For my eldest child’s first birthday party I used puns and themed foods for literally every. single. thing. While it’s been increasingly difficult to be that ‘extra’ with each subsequent child, I still go all-out for the important parties!

      And, even though we’ll be homebound for this Independence Day, we’ll be holding our own little backyard celebration. Complete with mocktails, cocktails, and snacks of all kinds!

      Boozy 4th of July Popsicles

      My favorite part, by far, is my delicious Boozy 4th of July Popsicles. Patriotic and the perfect adult frozen treat! Sure, there will be other goodies — like red, white, and blue kabobs! And even other adult beverages (helloooo, red wine!). But these “Adult Bomb Pops” are just too perfect.

      Boozy 4th of July Popsicles

      But the best part of this recipe? Is it’s EASY! No blender required and nothing over the top. Just simple, straightforward fun!

      Boozy 4th of July Popsicles

      I’m OBSESSED! And you will be, too! If you need a recommendation for freeze pop ziploc bags, check these out here.

      Yield: 3 pops

      Boozy 4th of July Popsicles

      Boozy 4th of July Popsicles

      An adult version of the kid-favorite, BOMB POPS! Easy, unique, and FUN!

      Prep Time 5 minutes
      Total Time 5 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 1 bottle of Red, White & Berry Smirnoff Ice
      • 3 ounces of Vodka
      • 3 teaspoons of patriotic sprinkles
      • 3 ziploc popsicle bags

      Instructions

      1. Pour 1 ounce of vodka into each of the Ziploc Popsicle Bags.
      2. Pour Red, White, and Berry Smirnoff Ice into bag until fill line.
      3. Add a teaspoon of patriotic sprinkles.
      4. Seal the bag and shake before freezing overnight.
      5. ENJOY RESPONSIBLY!
      Category: brews + food

      Tell me — what’s your favorite boozy beverage?!

      PIN FOR LATER

      PIN ME - Boozy 4th of July Bomb Pops Popsicles
      PIN ME - Boozy 4th of July Bomb Pops Popsicles

      Post may contain affiliate links.

      Filed Under: baking, brews + food, celebration, desserts, drinks, easy recipes, recipe, recipes Tagged With: alcoholic beverages, baking, celebration, desserts, drinks, easy recipes, recipes

      The Perfect Summertime Grilled S’mores Recipe

      June 20, 2020 by Rachel 34 Comments

      With Summer plans in limbo for everyone, we’re all scrambling to find fun things to keep our families busy. What better time to get creative with Summer recipes, am I right?

      All three of my kids are in this really picky ‘grilled cheese’ phase. You know the kind of phase. It’s where literally all they will eat is plain old grilled cheese and nothing else.

      GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

      The funny thing about kids is that no matter how much they refuse real food, they will never ever turn down sweets. To tell you the truth, neither will I! I mean, we all love sweets, am I right?!

      GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

      The great thing about ‘Summer recipes’ is that it doesn’t have to be Summer to create them. As much as we would like to be around the campfire, life doesn’t always work out that way. In fact, on the best of days a good backyard campfire can quickly be ruined by a quick rainstorm or a fussy toddler. So, why not bring the backyard favorite indoors?

      GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

      For instance, a fun family favorite is S’mores. Everyone loves s’mores, right? Even I, someone who doesn’t really like chocolate, LOVES a good s’more. Truthfully, I prefer a non-traditional s’more with chocolate caramels instead of a chocolate bar. But a s’more is a s’more!

      Tips for getting your s’more on indoors!

      My first tip is this — don’t eat the chocolate (or the marshmallows!) before you start your s’mores! This is the most important and most difficult task!

      My second tip is to use real butter. Margarine just doesn’t fry up and crisp the bread the way that real butter does! And I prefer salted butter — it just gives it a little salty-sweet flavor combo that is extra delicious!

      Yield: 1

      Grilled S'mores

      GRILLED S'MORES SANDWICH

      Have this decadent and RICH Summer recipe year-round!

      Cook Time 7 minutes
      Total Time 7 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 2 slices of white bread
      • 1/4 cup of mini marshmallows
      • 1/4 cup of chocolate (dark or milk)
      • tablespoon of butter

      Instructions

        1. Butter one side of each piece of bread with real butter (works better than margarine).
        2. Place 1 slice of bread onto a frying pan
        3. Set the heat to low (electric level 1 or 2). The process is slow and steady!
        4. Place chocolate chips and marshmallows on top of the slice of bread and top with second piece of bread (butter side up).
        5. Cover with lid to frying pan until chocolate starts to melt.
        6. Flip over once chocolate is melted. Fry other side until it is toasted (lid off).

      Notes

      This is completely addictive. I am warning you! Also, feel free to try with peanut butter cups or your favorite chocolate (like peppermint patties or ROLOs!).

      As you can see, this recipe is simple and easy. I wish I could say it was also healthy, but it most definitely is NOT!

      So tell me — what is your favorite chocolate for s’mores — milk or dark?

      PIN ME - Perfect Indoor S'mores Recipe
      PIN ME - Perfect Indoor S'mores Recipe

      Filed Under: #MomLife, baking, brews + food, busy mom, camping, children, cooking, desserts, domesticity, easy recipes, family, food, Intermittent Fasting, mommyhood, parenthood, pinterest, recipe, recipes, Summer Bucket List, vacation Tagged With: baking, brews + food, children, comfort food, cooking, desserts, easy recipes, food, Intermittent Fasting, mommyhood, parenthood, pinterest, recipes, Summer Bucket List, vacation

      Easy Memorial Day Cherry Pie Bites

      May 22, 2020 by Rachel 35 Comments

      When it came time for a Mother’s Day celebration I had ONE request — cherry pie! It turns out that bakeries are hard to come by when you’re in lockdown. We couldn’t find one anywhere! And I had very few items on-hand.

      But I did have cinnamon rolls! Queue the cherry pie baking!

      I remembered seeing somewhere that someone had made pies using a can of cinnamon rolls. I thought, sure, why not? It’s basically combining two of my favorite foods — pie and cinnamon rolls. What a delicious combination, right?!

      mini pies

      Cinnamon rolls are just something we always have on hand with three kids under 7. They are our special ‘weekend breakfast’ treat. It’s easier than going out for donuts, and all three kids gobble them up! And these were no exception!

      muffin tin

      With all of the bakeries running a minimal staff this weekend, I figured this is another great opportunity to try this recipe! I tried ordering an apple pie from my favorite local bakery, but they were sold out of pre-orders. So Cherry Pie Cinnamon Roll Bites it is!

      cherry pie

      Check out the full recipe for all of the details.

      Yield: 8

      Cherry Pie Cinnamon Roll Bites

      mini pies

      Quick + Easy Bite-Sized Cherry Pie

      Prep Time 8 minutes
      Cook Time 15 minutes
      Total Time 23 minutes

      Ingredients

      • 1 can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls
      • Cherry Pie Filling

      Instructions

      1. Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with your choice of oil (avocado, vegetable, coconut).
      2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
      3. Open can of refrigerated cinnamon roll dough. Take each individual roll, and flatten it out with the palm of your hand.
      4. Press into muffin tin.
        muffin tin
      5. Add one tablespoon of cherry pie filling to each of the 8 cinnamon roll cups.
      6. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
      7. Once cool, drizzle icing from cinnamon rolls on top of cherry pies.
      8. ENJOY!

      And tell me — what’s your go-to “in a pinch” recipe?!

      PIN ME - Cherry Pie Cinnamon Roll Bites

      Filed Under: baking, brews + food, busy mom, cooking, desserts, easy recipes, food, party, recipe, recipes Tagged With: baking, brews + food, busy mom, cooking, desserts, easy recipes, food, foodie, party, recipes

      • Page 1
      • Page 2
      • Page 3
      • Interim pages omitted …
      • Page 5
      • Go to Next Page »

      Primary Sidebar

      Enter your email address:

      Delivered by FeedBurner

      Blog Archives

      Grab the Button

      It's a Hero

      Recent Posts

      • Easy Reuben Sliders Recipe
      • New Years Eve Charcuterie Board
      • Kids New Years Eve Charcuterie
      • Easy Christmas Charcuterie Board
      • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
      • Mason Jar Pancake Mix
      • Air Fryer Tornado Potatoes
      • Easy Garlic Herb Butter Recipe
      • Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
      • Copycat Crumbl Chocolate Chunk Cookie
      Collaborate with Rachel Loza on influencer marketing
      dealspotr.com
      Follow