Maple Bacon Bourbon CheesecakePecan Bacon Cookie Crust

This is one of those desserts where the combination sounds a little crazy until you taste it: maple + bacon + bourbon + pecans + cheesecake all work together surprisingly well.

Here’s a version I’d make for you, with a crisp pecan-bacon cookie crust, a creamy maple-bourbon cheesecake, and a maple-bacon topping.

🥓🍁 Maple Bacon Bourbon Cheesecake

Pecan Bacon Cookie Crust

Ingredients

1½ cups finely crushed butter cookies or shortbread cookies

¾ cup finely chopped pecans

4 slices bacon, cooked very crisp and finely chopped

¼ cup packed brown sugar

5 tbsp butter, melted

¼ tsp salt

Cheesecake Filling

3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup pure maple syrup

3 large eggs

¼ cup sour cream

2 tbsp bourbon

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp maple extract

¼ tsp salt

Maple-Bacon Topping

4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

¼ cup pure maple syrup

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp bourbon

½ cup chopped pecans

Pinch of salt

1. Make the bacon

Cook 8 slices of bacon until quite crisp.

You'll use 4 slices in the crust and 4 in the topping.

Let them cool completely, then chop finely.

Important: You want the bacon crisp rather than chewy. The crisp pieces give the crust little salty/smoky bits without making it greasy.

2. Make the pecan-bacon crust

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix together:

crushed cookies

pecans

chopped bacon

brown sugar

salt

Add the melted butter and mix until everything is evenly moistened.

Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove and let cool while you make the filling.

A little Mitch & Tonya trick

Put a piece of parchment on the bottom of the springform pan before assembling it. It'll make getting that first slice out much easier.

3. Make the cheesecake

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Beat the softened cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth.

Add:

maple syrup

sour cream

bourbon

vanilla

maple extract

salt

Mix until combined.

Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated.

Don't whip the batter excessively. Too much air can cause the cheesecake to puff and crack.

Pour over the cooled crust.

4. Bake

Bake at 325°F for approximately 55–70 minutes.

The outside should look set, while the centre should still have a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan.

Turn the oven off.

Crack the oven door open and leave the cheesecake inside for about 30 minutes.

Then remove it and cool completely.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

5. Make the maple-bacon pecan topping

In a small saucepan combine:

maple syrup

brown sugar

bourbon

pinch of salt

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

Cook for about 2–3 minutes, stirring.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans and bacon.

Let it cool for several minutes.

It will thicken as it cools.

Spoon it over the chilled cheesecake.

🍁 The really good part

I'd actually hold back some of the bacon and pecans rather than putting everything into the topping.

When you're ready to serve, put a little maple-bacon mixture on each slice and finish it with:

a drizzle of warm maple syrup + a few crispy bacon pieces + chopped toasted pecans.

That gives you three different textures:

crunchy crust → creamy cheesecake → sticky/crunchy maple-bacon topping

And the bourbon isn't supposed to scream BOURBON. It's there to give the maple and bacon a deeper, almost caramel-like flavour.

One change I'd make specifically for your palate

I'd use pure maple syrup rather than maple-flavoured pancake syrup, and I wouldn't go crazy with the maple extract. With the bacon and bourbon already bringing strong flavours, you want the cheesecake to taste like maple-bacon cheesecake, not maple candy.

CHILLED ORANGE CREAM CHEESECAKE

CHILLED ORANGE CREAM CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS

• Graham cracker crumbs — 2 cups

• Unsalted butter — ½ cup, melted

• Cream cheese — 16 ounces, softened

• Powdered sugar — 1 cup

• Orange Jell-O — 1 box (3 ounces)

• Whipped topping — 8 ounces

PROCEDURE

1. Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter.

2. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate.

3. Make the orange Jell-O, as per the instructions on the package, and let it cool.

4. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.

5. Gradually mix in the cooled Jell-O, then fold in the whipped topping.

6. Spread the filling over the chilled crust.

7. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before slicing.

Canadian Harvest Crunch Copycat

Canadian Harvest Crunch Copycat

Yield: approximately 7–8 cups

Oven: 325°F

INGREDIENTS

Dry mixture

4 cups large-flake rolled oats

1 cup rolled whole wheat flakes

¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¾ cup sliced almonds

⅓ cup skim milk powder

¼ tsp salt

Sweet coating

½ cup packed light brown sugar

⅓ cup honey

⅓ cup coconut oil, melted

2 Tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine:

rolled oats

rolled whole wheat

coconut

sliced almonds

milk powder

salt

Mix thoroughly.

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil and water.

Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the hot mixture over the oat mixture.

Mix extremely well. Every bit of the oats should be lightly coated. Don't mash it together yet.

Dump the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it into an even layer about ½–¾ inch thick.

Here's the important part:

Using the back of a spatula, firmly press the mixture together.

We want a fairly compact sheet rather than loose granola. This is what will eventually give you those characteristic Harvest Crunch clusters.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Rotate the pan and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, until the edges and top are golden brown.

Remove from the oven.

DO NOT STIR IT.

Don't even be tempted.

Let the entire sheet cool completely — preferably at least 1 hour.

Once completely cold, break it apart with your hands into the size of clusters you want.

Store in an airtight container.

⭐ THE HARVEST CRUNCH TEST

The cereal should be:

Crunchy → sweet → honey/brown-sugar flavour → noticeable coconut → almond crunch → with lots of little oat clusters.

It should not taste like ordinary soft granola.

🔧 IF YOU WANT IT EVEN CLOSER

After making the first batch, make these adjustments based on your taste:

Want more of the commercial sweetness?

Add another 2 Tbsp brown sugar.

Want stronger honey flavour?

Increase honey to ½ cup and reduce the water to 1 Tbsp.

Want bigger, harder clusters?

Press the mixture more firmly before baking and let it cool completely before breaking it apart.

Want more almonds like the commercial cereal?

Increase sliced almonds to 1 cup.

IMPORTANT

This recipe intentionally uses milk powder because the Canadian commercial cereal contains modified milk ingredients.

The real cereal also has coconut oil, which is important to reproducing its particular crispness and flavour.

This is a copycat, not Quaker's proprietary recipe, so the proportions are my reverse-engineered version rather than the manufacturer's formula.

Creamy Mock Crab & Tortellini w/Mitch & Tonya's SHORELINE All Purpose Seasoning

🦀 Mitch & Tonya’s SHORELINE

Creamy Mock Crab & Tortellini

A rich, creamy pasta dish featuring cheese tortellini, imitation crab and SHORELINE All Purpose Seasoning & Rub.

🛒 Ingredients

500–650 g cheese tortellini

227 g (8 oz) imitation crab meat, chopped or pulled into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup 35% heavy cream

½ cup chicken broth

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1½ tsp Mitch & Tonya’s SHORELINE Seasoning

¼ tsp black pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional

1–2 tsp lemon juice, optional

👨‍🍳 Directions

1. Cook the tortellini

Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain well and set aside.

2. Start the sauce

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

3. Build the creamy sauce

Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth.

Add:

1½ tsp SHORELINE

¼ tsp black pepper

Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

Let it simmer for about 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the cheese

Reduce the heat to low.

Add the Parmesan gradually, stirring continuously until melted and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

5. Add the mock crab

Gently fold in the imitation crab.

Heat for 2–3 minutes, just long enough to warm it through.

6. Add the tortellini

Gently fold the cooked tortellini into the sauce.

If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or reserved pasta water.

7. Finish with mozzarella

Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.

Cover the skillet for 2–3 minutes, until the mozzarella melts.

8. Finish it off

Sprinkle with green onion and parsley.

For a little brightness, add 1–2 tsp lemon juice just before serving.

🔥 Mitch’s SHORELINE Tip

I'd start with 1½ tsp SHORELINE, taste, and then decide if it needs another ½ tsp.

Because SHORELINE is salt-free, you can control the salt separately if desired—but between the Parmesan, mozzarella, broth and imitation crab, I'd taste it before adding any salt at all.

🥦 Optional Additions

For a more substantial meal, try:

Steamed broccoli

Sautéed mushrooms

Baby spinach

A pinch of red pepper flakes

Extra green onion

🍽️ Serving

Serve hot with garlic bread and a simple green salad.

SHORELINE + creamy sauce + crab + cheese tortellini = a pretty darn good combination.

I think SHORELINE is actually a better fit than the original Italian seasoning in this recipe. It should give it more of that distinctive Mitch & Tonya’s flavour without overpowering the delicate mock crab.

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SHORELINE Cabbage Roll in a Bowl

Mitch & Tonya’s SHORELINE Cabbage Roll in a Bowl

Serves: 6–8

Slow Cooker: 6–7 quart

Cook Time: 5–6 hours on LOW

Ingredients

1 medium head green cabbage, coarsely chopped

8 slices bacon, chopped — or, as your original recipe says, the whole package 😄

2 large onions, chopped

1½ lb ground beef

½ lb ground pork

2 tbsp minced garlic

3 tsp Mitch & Tonya’s Cape Breton SHORELINE All Purpose Seasoning & Rub

½ tsp black pepper

1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

2 cups beef or vegetable broth

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1–2 tsp hot sauce, optional

1 tbsp olive oil, if needed

Directions

1. Cook the bacon

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until nicely browned and crisp.

Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Leave about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the skillet.

2. Cook the meat mixture

Add the chopped onions to the bacon grease and cook for about 3–4 minutes.

Add:

ground beef

ground pork

garlic

2 tsp SHORELINE

black pepper

Cook until the meat is browned and the onions are tender.

Drain off excess grease.

3. Build the slow cooker

Lightly spray the slow cooker.

Put approximately half of the cabbage in the bottom.

Sprinkle the uncooked rice evenly over the cabbage.

Add the browned meat and onion mixture.

Scatter the crispy bacon over the meat.

Add the remaining cabbage.

4. Make the tomato mixture

In a bowl, combine:

crushed tomatoes

broth

Worcestershire sauce

remaining 1 tsp SHORELINE

hot sauce, if using

Pour this mixture evenly over everything in the slow cooker.

Don't stir yet.

That's important. Let the liquid work its way down through the cabbage, rice and meat while everything cooks.

5. Slow cook

Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours.

At around the 5-hour mark, check the rice.

Once the rice is tender, give everything a really good stir.

If it seems a little dry, add ¼–½ cup additional broth, cover and cook another 20–30 minutes.

Before serving

Let it sit uncovered for about 10 minutes after stirring.

This gives the rice a chance to absorb some of the remaining liquid and lets the flavours settle.

Taste and, if needed, add another little sprinkle of SHORELINE at the table.

🍲 How I picture the finished dish

You want it to look like cabbage rolls that gave up on all the rolling nonsense.

Tender cabbage, seasoned beef and pork, little bits of crispy bacon, tomato, onions and perfectly cooked rice — moist and flavourful, but definitely not swimming in tomato sauce.

And I think the bacon is particularly important here. It gives the dish that smoky, savoury background that makes you wonder why you ever bothered making individual cabbage rolls in the first place.

Optional variation: If you wanted to make this a little more "Cape Breton," I'd try ½ tsp of SHORELINE extra at the very end, rather than adding more hot sauce. That keeps the flavour profile firmly yours.

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