Featured Recipe: Pudding Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Icing

Pudding Pound Cake w/Raspberry Cream Icing

It all starts with the icing - at least for this cake. I wanted a light, creamy, and sweet icing that wasn't too sweet. After creating the perfect icing, I decided that a pudding pound cake would be the perfect cake to wear this icing.
This cake turned out to be a super moist, rather dense, but light in flavor pound cake. It is the perfect pairing for the icing.
I hope you enjoy it.

Pudding Pound Cake w/Raspberry Cream Icing
Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

Pudding Pound Cake with Raspberry Cream Icing

1/4 tsp salt
1 large pkg instant Vanilla Pudding (I used Jell-O brand)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 8 ounce pkg cream cheese (I used Philadelphia brand) softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbl McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
4 Tbl McCormick Raspberry Extract
Fresh raspberries for decorating
1 prepared Bundt cake pan sprayed with cooking oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cake
In medium mixing bowl, stir cake mix (do not prepare according to directions on box)1/2 box of instant vanilla pudding (you'll use the other half in the icing)salt, baking powder, baking soda. Add water, oil, butter and eggs. Blend together with mixer until creamy.

Pour into prepared Bundt cake pan and place in preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until top and sides are browning and toothpick inserted in top comes out clean.
Run knife along sides and invert onto wire rack to cool.

While cake is baking, prepare icing.
Directions
Mix softened cream cheese, the remaining half of large vanilla instant pudding mix, powdered sugar and raspberry extract. Blend with mixer until smooth and creamy. Add heavy cream in small amounts while blending with mixer until creamy and fluffy. Refrigerate icing until cake is totally cool.

Prepare cake after cooled by slicing horizontally through center of cake. You will have a top circle and bottom circle of equal depth after slicing.
Remove icing from refrigerator and spread 1/4 of icing on bottom half. Carefully place top half back on iced lower half of cake. Finish icing the top and sides of cake with remaining icing and decorate with fresh raspberries. Keep refrigerated.
Enjoy!

Contact me at Vicki.Arsenault@oakpress.com for food and product reviews. Email your favorite recipe to enter my bi-weekly cookbook giveaway. Follow on Twitter @OCKidsKorner.

FEATURED RECIPE: Easy Pecan Pie

My Easy Pecan Pie recipe made using pecan halves.

You probably love it but hardly ever make it. Or maybe you've never baked a warm, sweet aromatic pecan pie.

This is one of the easiest pies to make. Just mix all the ingredients together, pour in a prepared pie shell and bake. It really is that easy.

My family has been making this pecan pie forever - my mother is almost 95 and she's been making it since she was young.

We all love it and you'll love it more when you find out just how easy it is to prepare.
Here you go - get ready for pure sweet satisfaction.


Easy Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1 frozen deep dish pie crust (room temperature)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo corn syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter (melted but not hot)
2 tsp. McCormick pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in medium mixing bowl. Pour into prepared pie shell and bake for 1 hour on center rack.
Note: You can do the done test by inserting a toothpick in top of the pie. The toothpick should come out clean. If pie filling sticks to toothpick, cook another 5 minutes and retest.
Enjoy!

Contact me at Vicki.Arsenault@oakpress.com for food and product reviews. Email your favorite recipe to enter my bi-weekly cookbook giveaway. Follow on Twitter @OCKidsKorner.

Father's Day: Make dinner special, right off the grill

Ultimate Montreal Steak with Grilled Potato Wedges

Father’s Day is fast approaching and unlike Mother’s Day, it isn’t so much about making reservations at a favorite restaurant, but more about the backyard – backyard grilling that is. Given the choice, I’m betting a lot of dads would prefer a little grilling at home over the restaurant. 

McCormick can lend a hand with that - and help you take your grilling to the next level. McCormick Grill Mates & Lawry’s Flavor Forecast 2013: Grilling Edition - offers top tastes, trends and techniques for the griller in your family.

Perhaps you’re looking for that perfect marinade. Smokin’ Sweet Tea Marinade and this simple technique will have your steak, chicken or pork on the grill in 5 minutes. Start by placing your steak, chicken or pork with the marinade in a resealable plastic bag. Push air out of the bag and seal tightly. Massage the meat for 5-minutes, turning the bag over often so meat absorbs most of the marinade. Remove the meat and grill. Discard remaining marinade.

Maybe a good old fashioned hamburger, hot dog or sausage grill is on the menu. Why not try some DIY  (Do-it-yourself) condiments to add a little pazazz to a traditional favorite.

A half cup of mayo with 1 tsp. grill mates smokehouse maple seasoning will go nicely with your grilled hamburger. A half cup of Dijon mustard with 1 tsp of dill weed or one cup of ketchup with 1 tbsp. of perfect pinch Cajun seasoning will give you a whole new outlook on your hot dog or sausage.

McCormick offers these basic DIY Condiments and more at Grilling Flavor Forecast.

According to the experts, these top seven flavors will be the hit this grilling season. I have to agree with the experts, any of these flavors will bring something a little special to the grill for Father’s Day.

Sweet Tea: Give marinades and sauces a touch of the South.

Smoked Tomato: For your DIY condiments to give that extra flavor to your meats, pizza and salads.

Oregano: A taste of the Mediterranean for your grill. Great for grilled breads and more.

White Peach: This just sounds like a perfect way to enjoy summer grilling.

Whiskey: You’ll want to bring out this when you want to spend more time at the grill – enjoying that slow, take-your-time grilling and bring out that bold flavor.

Ginger: When a little Asian flare is called for. And don’t forget about dessert on the grill!

Pecan Wood: Does this sound nutty? You bet! Bring this out when grilling chicken and pork for a unique nutty flavor.

And when the dad in your family has his sights on a thick, juicy steak – bring out McCormick’s new variety of Grill Mates Steak Sauces: Montreal Steak – with a blend of all-natural spices and herbs including ground black pepper, red pepper and coriander or New Smoky Montreal Steak - to give it that “off the grill” smoke flavor.

Whatever the forecast may be for your Father’s Day, with McCormick’s new Grill Mates and seasonings along with some excellent technique tips – it’s sure to be a special day for the “special dad” in your home.

Looking for a couple recipe ideas – try these:

Backyard Brick Oven Pizza Burgers

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

Backyard Brick Oven Pizza Burgers/Photos courtesy of McCormick

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon McCormick® Grill Mates® Backyard Brick Oven Seasoning
1/2 cup pizza sauce
6 ciabatta rolls

2 plum tomatoes, each cut into 6 thin slices

Directions:
Mix ground beef, 1/2 cup of the cheese and Seasoning in large bowl until well blended. Shape into 6 patties.
Grill burgers over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F). Top burgers with pizza sauce and remaining 1/2 cup cheese 1 minute before cooking is completed.
Serve burgers on rolls. Top with tomato slices and sprinkle with additional Seasoning, if desired.

Roasted Garlic Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
8 cups assorted cut-up vegetables, such as zucchini, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers
2 tablespoons oil

Roasted Garlic Grilled Vegetables

1 tablespoon McCormick® Grill Mates® Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning

Directions
Toss vegetables with oil and Seasoning in large bowl.
Place vegetables in grill basket, grill rack or thread onto skewers.Grill over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally.

St. Patrick's Day: A Recipe for History

This St. Patrick's Day the Irish and just about everyone else will celebrate the day wearing, eating and drinking something green.

A lot of people probably don't know where or how St. Patrick's Day originated but the celebrations will be plentiful.
They probably don't know that Patrick was not born Irish but born in Britain around 390 A.D. to wealthy parents and although his father was a Christian deacon, there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family.

That at the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped and taken to Ireland. Although there seems to be a dispute as to where he was taken, everyone seems to agree that the young Patrick found religion during his captivity. Alone and afraid, tending sheep somewhere in the mountains, it is believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish to Christianity during his captivity.

After escaping, whether by pirate ship or by walking - as both stories have been told - Patrick returned to Britain, where after years of training was ordained a priest and then made his way back to Ireland.
With a reported small number of Christians already in Ireland when Patrick arrived, his mission was to minister to the Christians already there and to convert the Irish. According to National Geographic, St. Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Christian holy trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.


While St. Patrick’s Day occurs on what is believed to be the advent of St. Patrick’s death, March 17, 491 A.D., it also occurs during the Catholic religious season of Lent, which spans from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. 

And so begins the traditions of Corned Beef and Cabbage, green beer and the 3-leafed clover.
And what's a St. Patrick's Day celebration without a few good recipes.

McCormick's, known for their flavor expertise, spices, seasonings and flavorings; offer these simple recipes to make your St. Patrick's Day experience - a "lucky" one!

Slow Cookers Hearty Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers Hearty Beef Stew Seasoning
1 1/3 cups water

Slow Cookers Hearty Beef Stew/Photo courtesy of McCormick

1 1/4 cups fresh cut-up carrots
1 1/4 cups fresh cut-up celery
1 1/4 cups fresh cut-up onions
1 1/4 cups fresh cut-up potatoes

Directions:

1. Place beef and vegetables in slow cooker.
2. Mix Seasoning Mix and water until blended. Pour over beef and vegetables; toss to coat well. Cover.
3. Cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. Stir before serving.

Green Ombre Cake 

Green Ombre Cake/Photo courtesy of McCormick

Cake:
1 package (15 ounce) white cake mix
2 tsp McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
McCormick® Green Food Color

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 tsp McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 package (16 ounce) confectioners' sugar
2 tbl milk

 Directions:

McCormick Green Food Color

1. Prepare cake mix as directed on package, using whole eggs. Stir in vanilla. Divide batter evenly into 3 bowls. Stir 50 drops (about 1/2 teaspoon) food color into one of the bowls, tinting batter dark green. Stir 15 drops food color into another of the bowls, tinting batter medium green. Stir 2 drops food color into last of the bowls, tinting batter light green.
2. Pour each bowl of batter into a greased and floured 8-inch round cake pan.
3. Bake as directed on package. Cool cakes on wire rack.
4. For the Frosting, beat butter and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating well after each addition and scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy. Place dark green cake layer on serving plate. Spread with 1/3 cup of frosting. Top with medium green cake layer. Spread with 1/3 cup of frosting. Top with light green cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

These cheesecake bars — with contrasting layers of green, white and black — get a hint of sophistication from rich dark chocolate and refreshing Pure Peppermint Extract.

Green with Envy Cheesecake Bars

Green with Envy Cheesecake Bars/Photo courtesy of McCormick

1 1/2 cups of chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about 30 cookies)
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp McCormick® Pure Peppermint Extract
1/2 tsp McCormick® Green Food Color
3 eggs
2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press firmly onto bottom of foil-lined 9-inch square baking pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and peppermint extract; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour 1/2 of the batter over crust. Tint remaining batter green with food color. Pour over batter in pan.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Lift out of pan onto cutting board. Cut into bars. Drizzle bars with melted chocolate. Store leftover bars in refrigerator.

For more St. Patrick's Day recipes visit McCormick.com

Pillsbury.com offers this recipe for those who want to add a little "Irish Whiskey" to their St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Whiskey Walnut Mini Pies

1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbl whiskey
1 tsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups or mini tart pans with cooking spray.
Remove pie crusts from pouches; unroll on lightly floured work surface. Using 3-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut 10 rounds from each crust. Reroll scraps and cut an additional 4 rounds. Press rounds in bottoms and up sides of muffin cups.
In medium bowl, mix corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, whiskey, butter and salt with whisk until blended. Add walnuts; mix well. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling into each crust-lined cup.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is set. Serve warm or cool.
 

2013 Products of the Year USA winners

From laundry detergent to Girl Scout cookies, shoppers all across the U.S. have made their choices. Now in its fifth year, Products of the Year USA was recently honored in New York City where marketing and media executives from leading manufacturing companies, experts in packaging and design as well as industry media all mingled together.
Parade Magazine calls the competition a 'People's Choice' for consumer products. The nation's largest consumer survey on product innovation began when a jury of industry leaders and journalists chose products from all aisles of the supermarket and drugstore that showed innovation in function, design, packaging, or ingredients.
From there, 50,000 shoppers across the United States chose 26 winners.
According to Product of the Year USA  entry to this prestigious contest is as follows:

Product Entry: Free

Finalist Fee: $7,000
Winner Fee: $63,000

What is the Finalist Fee? Before being reviewed by 50,000 consumers, entered products are put in front of a Jury panel of industry experts and members of the media who make sure the submissions meet innovation criteria. Products that pass this step are put into the consumer research and must pay the Finalist Fee.

What is the Winner Fee? All Finalist products are put into the nation’s largest research study on product innovation with over 50,000 consumers. Consumers vote on products in each category based on innovation appeal, use, satisfaction and purchase intent. Products with the highest score in each category are named Product of the Year winners

All Mighty Pacs

Seem like a lot of money? Ninety percent of the winners will enter again, and 44 percent will increase their number of entries from the previous year. Manufacturers claim they see an increase in sales up to 120 percent from the contest campaign. Winning products often use the "Product of the Year" logo on advertising, packaging and social media.

Here are eight trends that represent the 26 winning Products of the Year for 2013:
Trend #1 - Nostalgic: Nestle Crunch and Girl Scout Cookies; M&M's; Vlasic pickles.
Trend #2 - No-Hassle Healthy Food: Dole; Quaker Oats; Healthy Choice; Green Giant; SK Energy.
Trend #3 - More Time Outside: OFF! Bug Control; Adams Smart Shield Pet Applicator; Dixie paper plates.
Trend #4 - Ready to talk Development Stages: Poise; MidNite; GoodNites.
Trend #5 - Value in Green: SodaStream; All Mighty Pacs.
Trend #6 - Sensitive About Our Mouths: Aquafresh; Tums; Listerine; Abreva.
Trend #7 - Cleaning Products: Finish; Resolve; Surf; Brawny.
Trend #8 - Pampered in the Bathroom: Quilted Northern; Dial.

Nestle Crunch Girl Scout candy bar

Now for the winners............

1. Quilted Northern Ultra Plush
2. Healthy Choice Baked Entrees
3. Brawny Paper Towels
4. Tums Freshers
5. Off! Bug Control Backyard Pretreat
6. Abreva Conceal
7. Dole Frozen Fruit Single-Serve
8. Nestle Crunch Girl Scout candy bar
9. GoodNites Disposable Bed Mats
10. Surf liquid Laundry Detergent
11. Green Giant Seasoned Steamers
12. Finish Quantum with Power Gel
13. M&M's Brand Snack Mix

 

Brawny Paper Towels

14. SodaStream Revolution Home Soda
15. Adams Smart Shield Applicator
16. Poise Feminine Wellness line
17. Farmer's Garden by Vlasic
18. All Mighty Pacs
19. Resolve All-Stains
20. Listerine Ultraclean Mouthwash
21. Quaker Real Medleys
22. MidNite for Menopause
23. Dial Triple Moisture body wash
24. SK Energy shot
25. Aquafresh Extreme Clean Pure Breath Action
26. Dixie Ultra Tableware

Feature Recipe: Bananas and Cream Pound Cake

Photos by Vicki Arsenault/Family: A Recipe for Life

A light, sweet blend of vanilla and cream on a bed of freshly sliced bananas top this buttery wholesome pound cake. There's something about the pairing of all of these ingredients together and coming up with a perfect ending to any meal.

While flipping through one of my favorite food magazines - Taste of Home - this recipe quickly grabbed my eye. My taste buds were telling me this was going on my list of desserts for the holiday.

I prepared this dessert on Christmas Day and took it to the annual family gathering of 30 to 40 people - where there's never a shortage of desserts.

There's always the desserts that everyone counts on each holiday. The one's that become synonymous with certain people. The dessert's that if you can't find, you know exactly who to go to and ask, where is it?

I've never been one of them. I've always been one that wants to experiment, try out something new on the family and wait for the feedback. Well the feedback was good on this one.

Definitely a recipe to hang on to and make again and again.
Make it for yourself. And please, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Bananas and Cream Pound Cake

Pound cake ready to bake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon McCormick Pure vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

40 120 \

Pound cake sliced and layered

Layers

2 cups 2% milk

1 package (3.4 ounces) Jell-O brand instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 package (8 ounces) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 package (12 ounces) frozen Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, divided

5 medium ripe bananas

Mixing pudding with cream

 

 

 

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. 
•  Transfer to a greased and floured 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth; fold in pudding. Fold in 3-1/2 cups whipped topping.



Spreading cream mixture over prepared pound cake and sliced bananas

• Cut cake into eight slices; arrange on bottom of an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish, trimming to fit as necessary. Slice bananas; arrange over cake. Spread pudding mixture over top. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours. Serve with remaining whipped topping. Yield: 15 servings.

Bananas and Cream Pound Cake

Creating healthy meals is easy with these "Seasonal Seven"

More and more, moms are looking for healthier ways to prepare meals for their families. The smallest changes in preparing a meal can make the healthiest differences. McCormick encourages everyone to join the movement of "Generation Fresh." The mindset of creating healthier meals at home by adding more herbs and spices while gradually cutting back on sugar and sodium.
This holiday season and as the Fall season winds down and we head into winter, McCormick wants to help bring some warmth and sweet aroma to your family kitchen. The "Seasonal Seven" says McCormick are at the heart of most holiday dishes. Sage, Cinnamon, Poultry Seasoning, Ginger, Nutmeg, Vanilla Extract, and Peppermint Extract make up these spices, herbs and extracts. You can find recipes using the "Seasonal Seven" such as: Roasted Harvest Vegetables, Orange-glazed Turkey Meatballs, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch and decadent Vanilla Pecan Pie and other wholesome, healthy recipes at McCormick.com.

You'll find recipes like this Chicken Chili with Black Beans and Corn.

Chicken Chili with Black Beans and Corn

Chicken Chili with Black Bean and Corn

Makes 8 (1-cup) servings | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon McCormick® Paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Oregano Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Crushed Red Pepper
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, bell pepper and onion;
cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Add paprika, oregano,
cumin, garlic powder and red pepper; mix well.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes.

Enjoy a healthier way to fried chicken.

Oven-Fried Chicken

Oven-Fried Chicken

Makes 5 servings | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Oregano Leaves
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Black Pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves or thighs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking pan with no stick cooking spray.
2. Mix flour, seasoned salt, oregano and pepper in shallow dish. Moisten chicken with milk. Coat evenly with flour mixture. Place chicken in single layer on prepared pan. Drizzle with melted butter.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Test Kitchen Tip: For quicker, more uniform cooking, slice thick chicken breasts in half horizontally or pound chicken breasts thin.
Flavor Variation: Use 1 teaspoon McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Italian Seasoning or Rosemary Leaves, crushed, in place of the oregano.

Using one of the "Seasonal Seven," Pure Vanilla Extract has this Vanilla Pecan Pie bursting with sweet, vanilla flavor.

Makes 10 servings.

Vanilla Pecan Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

1 refrigerated pie crust (from 15-ounce package)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 eggs, divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
4 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract, divided
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan pieces, toasted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare crust as directed on package for one-crust pie using 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Beat cream cheese, 1 of the eggs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Spread evenly on bottom of crust. Bake 15 minutes.

2. Beat remaining 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Add corn syrup, butter, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla and salt; stir until well blended. Sprinkle pecans evenly over baked cream cheese layer. Slowly pour corn syrup mixture over nuts.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until just set in center. Cool completely on wire rack.