Imagine a vanilla cheesecake, drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with pecans. Now, imagine that cheesecake swirled in with dark chocolate brownie batter and baked to perfection. These are delicious Turtle Cheesecake Brownies from Brownie Mix Magic. All you need is a box of brownie mix, some cream cheese, caramel ice cream topping, and chopped pecans. This simple but decadent treat is my tasty tribute to National Chocolate Brownie Day.

1 box (19.5 oz) dark chocolate brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 large eggs
8 oz (1 bar) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 13×9 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine brownie mix with oil, water, and 2 eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are mixed. Spread into the bottom of a prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract and remaining egg. Spread over brownie batter (it does not need to cover completely). Dollop caramel over batter. Drag a knife through brownie batter, creating a swirl pattern. Top with chopped pecans.

Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden and just set in the middle. Allow brownies to cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate if desired. Cut in to squares and enjoy.

Just because Thanksgiving is over doesn’t mean pumpkin season is done. Pumpkin pie is a big seller all the way through the new year. This recipe from Everyday Food magazine takes pumpkin up a notch with chocolate in a simple cheesecake. Instead of traditional slices, this cheesecake is served in bars. Chocolate wafer cookies are typically sold near the ice cream toppings at the supermarket. Be sure to use regular cream cheese, not reduced-fat or fat-free. If you would like to make your own pumpkin pie spice, check out this homemade mixture of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.

For the crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the filling: 
2 pkg (8 0z each) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin puree
3 large eggs 
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F and line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, or coat with cooking spray.

In a food processor, blend cookies with sugar until finely ground (you should have about 1 cup crumbs). Add butter and pulse until moistened. If you do not have a food processor, crush cookies in a large, zip-locked baggie with a rolling pin and mix with sugar and melted butter.

Press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until fragrant and slightly firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place cream cheese in a food processor or blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Add sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix until combined.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Add 1 cup of the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine.

Pour remaining pumpkin mixture into prepared pan, over the crust. Drop dollops of chocolate mixture onto the pumpkin mixture. Drag the blade of a paring knife through the chocolate and pumpkin mixtures several times to make a marbled pattern.

Bake until cheesecake is set but jiggles slightly when gently shaken, about 30 to 40 minutes depending on the oven.

Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. Cheesecake can be stored for up to 2 days before serving.

To serve, cut into squares with a knife dipped in warm water.

Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger all combined in a richly chocolate brownie, who could ask for more? This recipe is based on a Martha Stewart Living brownie recipe, but with my own spicy twist. The secret to moist, soft brownies is in the eggs and butter. Never skip or use “lite” butter or egg substitute, and make sure your butter is unsalted and eggs are room temperature. Oil is not an appropriate substitute for good, old-fashion sweet cream butter.

I’ve seen posts and questions about preventing brownies from cracking, but I think that is just the nature of a brownie. It’s meant to crackle a bit on top, but if it is really bothersome, cover it up with powdered sugar or frosting. Try the Quick Chocolate Glaze (see below).

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 oz bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325F and prepare an 8-inch square baking pan with butter or waxed paper.

Over low heat, melt butter and chocolate together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth top with rubber spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cover with Quick Chocolate Glaze (optional) and cut into squares.

Quick Chocolate Glaze

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1-2 tsp hot water

Combine chocolate chips, butter, and light corn syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until mixture is melted and smooth.

Remove from heat and stir in hot water, about a 1/2 tsp at a time, until glaze is desired consistency and can be spread over brownies.

Here is a sneak peak at my Thanksgiving dessert, a cheesecake recipe from Real Simple magazine made with fresh pears and crushed gingersnap cookies. This dessert can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until after the turkey dinner. Remember to keep a pan filled with water in the oven to keep the moisture and prevent cracking, althought the sweetened sour cream topping will disguise any small cracks in the cheesecake.

Tips: Crush the gingersnaps in a zip-locked bag using a rolling pin or empty wine bottle. Save leftover cookies for garnish. Do not use reduced-fat or fat-free cream cheese or sour cream, and be sure ingredients are room temperature. The recipe does not specify what type of pear to use, but I used Bartlett.

This recipe calls for a 9 inch springform pan. I used a 9 1/2 inch pan, which worked fine, but my crust did not extended up the sides of the pan.

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40 small cookies)
2 small, ripe pears (any kind), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 bars (16 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare springform pan as necessary (nonstick varieties may need cooking spray or parchment paper).

In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and crushed gingersnaps. Press mixture into pan, working the crumbs over the bottom and then up the sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

In a small bowl, toss the pear slices with ginger. Line the cooled crust with the pears, overlapping the slices slightly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat until combined. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla. Pour mixture over the pears.

Bake until the top is barely set but still slightly wobbly, about 30-45 minutes, depending on your oven. Transfer pan to a wire rack but keep oven on.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 1 tsp of vanilla. Pour over cheesecake and bake an additional 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Slice the cheesecake just before serving, running the knife under warm water after each cut. Serves 8 to 12.

Here is a new twist on pumpkin pie from Camilla V. Saulsbury’s Cake Mix Magic. Try replacing your Thanksgiving favorite with this new, super easy recipe using a box of yellow cake mix, pecans, some pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. This is great for casual gatherings or pre-Turkey Day events. Look for holiday sales on spice mix or make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice.

1 box (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Preheat oven to 350F and coat a 13×9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Position oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Divide cake mix in half, setting half of the mix aside and combining the other half with the oil and 1 egg in a large bowl. Blend 1-2 minutes on low speed with an electric mixer until well combined and crumbly. Stir in pecans. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared baking pan.

Place remaining half of cake mix, remaining 3 eggs, condensed milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice in the same large bowl (no cleaning necessary). Blend 1-2 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until filling is just set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars.

Shown below, served with whipped topping: