Taste Buds: A funky cheesecake Halloween

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Stephanie preps for a Halloween party with Vanessa Drews, owner of Cheesecake Funk. Vanessa’s made-from-scratch cheesecakes feature mounds of whipped cream and memorable flavors that captured the attention of Prince at Paisley Park. In this episode, she whips up a pumpkin cheesecake that is scary delicious. 

MORE: Taste Buds with Stephanie

Create your own killer Halloween party with one of Vanessa’s cheesecakes, Stephanie’s savory stuffed pumpkin, and boozy crockpot apple cider!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the crust

• Bag of old-fashioned ginger snap cookies
• One stick of butter

For the cheesecake

• 4 - 8 oz bricks of cream cheese
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Libby puréed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice seasoning

For the cinnamon whipped topping

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions are available in the video above and here.

Stuffed Pumpkin

Ingredients:

• 1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 cup cheese, such as Gruyère, Swiss or Cheddar or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 medium cloves garlic cloves coarsely chopped
• 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped
• 2 cups spinach or kale
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
• About 1/3 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions are available in the video above and here.

Boozy Crockpot Apple Cider

Ingredients:

• 1-gallon Honey Crisp apple cider
• 1 ½ cups Jack Daniels Fire cinnamon whiskey
• 1/2 cup caramel
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 Star Anise
• 3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

Instructions are available in the video above and here.