PERFECT CHEESECAKE TRICK

I love any kind of cheesecake. It doesn't make much difference, to me, whether it is perfectly baked or if it has a big old crack in the middle of it ... I will enjoy it just as much.

HOWEVER, there ARE those special occasions where you want your cheesecake to impress company, so here is a trick that has not failed me yet: bake your cheesecake at a super low temperature for a longer time. It will come out ultra-creamy and will NOT crack.

CRUST
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

Spray the bottom and sides of your springform pan with a little cooking spray. Mix everything well and press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Bake at 300 for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

(4)  8 ounce packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
5 eggs (room temperature)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until it is light and smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Mix in vanilla.

Pour over graham cracker crust and smooth the top. Set the pan on a heavy cookie sheet and bake at 350 for fifteen minutes, then TURN YOUR OVEN DOWN TO 200 and bake for 75 more minutes. DON'T FORGET TO TURN THE OVEN DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!  After 75 minutes, the center of the cheesecake will be almost set. Take it out of the oven and loosen the sides of the cheesecake by running a VERY thin blade around the edge. Leave it in the pan and let  it cool to room temperature before putting in the fridge. Chill for several hours, or better yet, overnight.

PRALINE TOPPING (this is sinfully delicious!!)

¼ cup butter
1¼ cups brown sugar (packed)
16 large marshmallows
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
dash of salt
1 cup of evaporated (canned) milk
½ cup toasted pecans (or almonds)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sugar, marshmallows, syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Simmer gently for one minute. Remove from heat and cool for five minutes. Stir in evaporated milk, nuts and vanilla, mix well. This is good warm or cold over the cheese cake. 

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Crazy of Giant Cookies!

These were the most favorite snacks in our home during the month of May; GIANT cookies.Cookies are the children's favorite. My children always remind me to bake cookies for them. I realize that cookies invoke nostalgic memories of childhood filled with love, laughter and treats. I'll try as much as I can to give that good memories for my children. To be honest, making cookies is not hard, not at

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Tuna Balls for My Daughter's Birthday

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~John Ruskin.We were at the last week of May...Sun and rain became our daily friends. I felt so blessed that we still could enjoy our daily routine, managing our time to do our 'busy' activities and staying active. Meeting family

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Best Key Lime Pie

This is my recipe for the best key lime pie.

It's made the traditional way with just one additional ingredient.

3-oz of cream cheese to make it extra smooth and creamy.

Key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks.

 Combine condensed milk, cream cheese and egg yolks.

 Beat for 3-4 minutes until creamy.

Mix in the key lime juice.

You'll need a graham cracker pie crust (HERE)

 Pour filling into crust.

 Bake for about 10 minutes to set up.

Let cool, then refrigerate.

 Serve with whipped cream.

 Tart and sweet.

It's a classic. Perfect with coffee!

   

BEST KEY LIME PIE

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks

3-oz cream cheese

2/3 C key lime juice, fresh or Nellie & Joe's

1 prepared graham cracker crust (my recipe HERE)

Whipped cream for topping to serve

Beat egg yolks, cream cheese and condensed milk
with an electric mixer for about 3-4 minutes
 on medium high until very smooth. 

Reduce speed to low and slowly add the lime juice. 

Beat one minute until thick. Pour into prepared
 pie crust. Bake about 10 minutes at 350 until
filling is just set. Cool to room temperature,
then refrigerate. 

Serve topped with a good dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy!

also see Key Lime Chiffon Pie and
 Luscious Lime Cheesecake Squares

Links: Somewhat Simple, Remodelaholic,
Savvy Southern Style

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SWEDISH PANCAKES

Monica, over at  Lick the Bowl Good, recently posted a recipe for Swedish pancakes that caught my eye for a couple of reasons. Not only did they look tasty, but the recipe made a modest amount of batter... just the right amount for two or three hungry people (most pancake recipes feed an army).

Monica's pancakes were petite little beauties, but I knew that wouldn't go over too well with Hubby, so I made "macho man" size pancakes.  They were absolutely delicious and very quick to make.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter
I added ½ teaspoon vanilla that wasn't on the original recipe.

I put the dry ingredients in a bowl and mixed them with my whisk. I then put the wet ingredients in a different bowl and gave them a whisk. I then gently stirred  (with wooden spoon) the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until blended. Monica cautions not to over mix or the pancakes will be tough (small lumps in the batter are OK).

Cook on preheated  (medium) griddle that has been lightly buttered (I used cooking spray then wiped it off with a paper towel).

Monica suggests cooking 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, but I used about half a cup to make larger pancakes. Once the edges of the pancakes are slightly dry, flip them over and cook the other side until golden.

This is a beautiful batter and fluffs up very nicely, giving you a nice light pancake, we loved them.

Thank you Monica!!

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PECAN PIE MINI-MUFFINS

These little gems taste just like a Pecan Tassie. They are made out of 6 every day ingredients and are great with a morning cup of tea, or the lunch box or a long car ride (not at all messy). These are Hubby's "new" favorite snack. Store covered.

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup flour
2 eggs
2/3 cup soft butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a mini muffin pan (or spray with a cooking spray that has flour in it, like Bakers Joy). Mix the wet ingredients in a medium size bowl and then stir in the dry ingredients, its just that simple!!

Mix long enough to just get the batter smooth. Make sure you use the MINI muffin pans (not cupcake size). Fill cups with one tablespoon batter each (makes 24). Bake for 17 minutes.

NOTE: Dusting pan with flour is important.

NOTE: My oven cooked these in 16 minutes.

NOTE: Taking these out of the pan is the only (mildly) tricky part of this recipe. Letting the muffins cool for 2 or 3 minutes before you try to remove them from the pan will help a lot, but don't leave them in the pan longer than than that, since they will get harder to remove from the pan as they cool.

NOTE: Slide a  thin knife gently around the sides of the muffins, then gently lift them out using the knife.

NOTE: If you keep these muffins covered well, they will stay soft for a long time (they tend to get a little crispy around the edges if left out in the air).

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CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR MY BIRTHDAY

Can it be my birthday again, already? They seem to come every six months lately. I usually treat myself to a baked goody on my birthday; come to think of it, it almost always involves chocolate, big surprise!! This is my favorite chocolate frosting, it is quick, easy, deliciously smooth on the tongue and it pipes beautifully!!!

¼ cup butter (warm but not melted)

½ cup baking cocoa

8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix the cocoa and vanilla into the warm (but not melted) butter, beat until smooth, set aside. Beat the cream cheese until smooth (scrape the sides of the bowl so that you get it all mixed), then add the butter-chocolate mixture and beat until it is all smooth.

Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each cup until smooth and enjoy.

NOTE: If I'm feeling adventurous, I add a little orange zest to this frosting.

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French Breakfast Puffs

BONJOUR!

These are heavenly muffins coated with butter and cinnamon sugar.

These are quick-fix muffins that only take about 10 minutes to mix up.

 Then pop in the oven for 25 minutes.

 Start by mixing shortening (or margarine), sugar and egg until creamy.

 Add the dry ingredients, alternately with the milk.

 Mix well.

Spoon into sprayed medium-sized muffin cups.

Bake @350 (175 C) for 25 minutes, until golden.

 You'll need one bowl for the butter and one for the sugar mixture.

 Melt the butter in the microwave in one bowl. 

 Combine the sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. 

 Immediately remove the muffins from the pan.

 Roll in the melted butter to coat all over.

 Then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat all over.

 Put them on a plate as you go.

 Eat them right away while they are still warm.

 oooh! aaah!

 I just love cinnamon!

You don't have to eat them all at once.

You can put some in the freezer. 

Just remember to warm them before eating. 

Warm muffins are a must.

French Breakfast Puffs

1/3 C shortening (or margarine)

1/2 C sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 C flour

1/1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t nutmeg

1/2 C milk

Topping

6 T butter, melted

1/2 C sugar

1 t cinnamon

Mix shortening, sugar and egg until creamy.

Combine the flour, BP, and nutmeg and add 

to the shortening mixture alternately with the 1/2 C milk.

Mix well. Spoon into prepared muffin cups.

Bake @ 350 for20-25 minutes or until golden. 

Remove from pan immediately and roll in the melted butter 

and then in the combined sugar and cinnamon mixture until well coated.

Eat right away while still warm.

tip:You can also make mini donut holes 

by using a 24-cup mini muffin pan. 

Bake these for 11-13 minutes

Enjoy!

Links: Designs By Gullum, Funky Junk

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MOCK PECAN PIE

I know it is hard to imagine a pecan pie without pecans, right? Well, whether you have nut allergies, or you are like me and find it harder and harder to pay nearly $10 a pound for pecans, you might give this fun, quick and easy recipe a try.

 This recipe uses plain old rolled oats instead of pecans. Sounds strange, I know, but the oats soak in the butter and sugars and bake into a golden brown and crunchy topping that sits on top of a traditional soft sweet filling.  As a test, I gave Picky Picky Hubby a slice after dinner and never mentioned the rolled oats. He ate a few bites, declared the pie a "winner" and then said, "I thought you said you were out of nuts" (he thought he was eating nuts)!! It really is tasty.

¾ cup light corn syrup
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup rolled oats (quick cooking is OK if necessary)
¼ cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
9" unbaked pie crust

This takes about "three seconds" to mix up; just mix everything in a bowl (with a whisk) until smooth and pour into unbaked 9" pie shell.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean (my oven took 50 minutes).  That's it!! Quick and easy.

The baked "nut" topping is nice and crunchy and does not taste like oatmeal at all!!  Picky Picky Hubby has told me how much he likes the pie THREE times this evening (that's rare).

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Duck Duck Chicken

This is so easy and so quick for those times when you have no time to cook.

You'll get glazed chicken and lots of sauce.

Just Duck Sauce and Dijon Mustard.

Salt and pepper one cut-up chicken and place in a 9x13 pan.

Mix duck sauce with a good dollop of Dijon mustard.

You don't need to measure.

Spread it over the chicken.

 Bake for 1 hour.

 Serve over rice.

 I had leftover rice from earlier in the week. Extra easy with good planning.

Duck Duck Chicken

1 cut-up chicken

salt & pepper

about 1 C duck sauce

about 2 T dijon mustard

Combine the duck sauce and the mustard.

Spread over the seasoned chicken.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Enjoy!

Links: EKat's Kitchen

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Luscious Lime Cheesecake Squares

This was one of the desserts we had at Easter. 

 I MAY'd this one. 

It was a hit with my nephews-in-law, Chris and Rob.

They are both great cooks. This post is for them.

Make it in a 9X13 pan.

 Pat the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

 Mix the filling.

 Zest, then squeeze the fresh limes. 

You can add a little bottled lime juice if you don't have enough fresh.

 Stir in lime zest, lime juice and vanilla.

 Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

Bake for 50-55 minutes until firm. Cool to room temperature.

Chill thoroughly. 

Spread Cool Whip over the top.

Luscious Lime Cheesecake Squares

CRUST

One box yellow cake mix (less 1/4 C)

1 egg

1/4 C vegetable oil

Reserve 1/4 C of the cake mix. In a large bowl, 

combine the remaining cake mix with the egg and oil.

Mix well. Press evenly into the bottom and

 up the sides of a 9X13 inch pan

FILLING

2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

reserved 1/4 C cake mix

2 t lime zest

1/3-1/2 C lime juice

1 t vanilla

In the same large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the condensed milk until smooth.

Add the remaining 3 eggs and reserved cake mix and beat one minute at medium speed.

Mix in the lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla. Pour into the prepared crust. Bake at 325 for 50-55 minutes or until center is firm. Cool to room temperature, then chill thoroughly, then top.

TOPPING

1 8-oz container Cool Whip

Spread Cool Whip over the top after it's chilled.

Cut into squares to serve. 

Garnish with lime slices if desired.

ENJOY!

also see: easy Key Lime Chiffon Pie and
The Best Key Lime Pie for my version of the classic recipe

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