Good call, I think next time I'll forgo prebaking the crust. It came out a little dry even before adding the cheesecake mix, so I might also add less flour. And no need to apologize - I knew it would be an experiment going in. Overall, I'd say it was a success!

I will definitely be making this again! Perhaps not the prettiest dessert (due to some first-time flaws, to be addressed...), but SO good.

Here is the recipe I came up with -
Brownie Base:
4 tbsp butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1 egg
1/4 c. flour
1 tbsp brewed coffee
Bake 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees in greased 9x5 loaf pan.

Cheesecake:
12 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
4 tbsp brewed coffee
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
Bake for 45-55 minutes @ 325 degrees in water bath.

Once cooled, I topped the cake with 1/2 tsp cocoa + 1 tsp confectioners sugar.

I baked the brownie crust first and it came out a bit dry. I'm not sure if it was over-baked, if I need to use less flour, or both. I mixed up the cheesecake while the brownie cooled, then baked the cheesecake on top of the prepared brownie. I'm also unsure of how to prevent the cheesecake from sinking in the middle...? Delicious, nonetheless. A "taste test" at 9:30 this morning led to eating the whole slice.

I agree - I love corn in a chicken pot pie.

That's perfect, thanks!

What a great idea, and pre-made chicken pot pies sound like a tasty option for a quick dinner you don't have time to prepare. To me, a buttery, flaky crust and moist chicken are most important. I like to use rotisserie chicken when I make it - less fuss, and you get a nice mix of dark and white meat. I prefer a double crust, but a top-only pot pie is more health conscious and probably bakes more consistently.

Mmm, I think chicken pot pies are on the menu in the coming week now! :)

Crazy as it may sound, with all of the cheesecakes as I've baked I have never used a water bath. Time to give it a try! :)
Thanks for the advice - I'll post the recipe if it turns out!

My next dessert venture will be a coffee cheesecake, and I want to attempt a brownie crust that can be baked right in the pan with the cheesecake (I might do bars, so I can make a smaller batch...if that's relevant at all). My concern is that the brownie layer will bake much faster than the cheesecake, or will dry out.
Any recipe or technique suggestions out there?

I would recommend checking out Ginger Hop for their happy hour (Mon-Fri, 4-6pm, and Mon-Thu 10-12pm). My personal favorites there are the "hop wings" and calamari. They have tons of food items on their HH menu. Great drink specials, too. It's been one of our favorite happy hour stops for a while now.

Just tried Masu for the first time the other night, too. We will definitely be going back soon!
Pork belly = happy belly.

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Ginger Hop
201 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414

I haven't been there in a while, but The Bad Waitress (26th St and Nicollet Ave S) had/has great (and huge!) pumpkin pancakes--also a fun thing to try making at home.

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Bad Waitress Coffee Shop
2 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404

I agree with BigE--Victory 44 is a must-try. I also would recommend Jax in Northeast if you're looking for some great prime rib!

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Jax Cafe
1928 University Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Victory 44
2203 44th Ave N, Minneapolis, MN

The taste is FABULOUS!
But at the same time it's moist AND a little crumbly (not sure how that works...). I think maybe I mixed it a little too much while trying to blend in the egg? Next time I might add a little more milk or pre-mix the egg before adding it. Definitely recommended, though! I might have to try 3 apples next time, maybe even a little more butter--the apples blend right in. That might even solve the crumble problem.

Yum--apple butter.
I'm working on my apple cornbread now... I finely diced, briefly pan-cooked, and mashed two apples, then added ~1-2 tbsp butter (thanks for the inspiration!) and ~1 tbsp honey.
The Jiffy mix calls for 1/3 cup milk and one egg. Instead, I added my mixture, plus 1 egg and 1 tbsp milk. It's in the oven now--hope it turns out!

Thanks for the tips/ideas!

Hi all, this is my first time on Chow.

I have some homegrown apples that I'm going to make into applesauce. I also have some packaged Jiffy cornbread mix that I want to add the applesauce to. I'm thinking it would make a sweet, tasty, fall-like bread.
My question is: If I add the applesauce to the cornbread mix (approximately 1 cup...?), in addition to the required ingredients, is there anything else I need to add to balance it out and have it bake correctly?

Any tips would be much appreciated! :)