About Me

I live in a small poke town within an hour of the California coast where there are more vineyards than people with my husband and three children and various pets. James Dean's tree is within walking distance and the James Brothers were also known to ride these hills. I was born to the son of Lutheran missionaries and the daughter of Catholic hypocrites. I'm a Zionist. I was born and raised in California where liberal ideas become gods, and conservative ideals are evil. Unfortunately, it's illegal to have morals in California. I'm one of the evil ones. I take my frustrations out on my houseplants, all 300+ of them.

Recipes & Procedures


BLACK-EYED SUSAN CHEESECAKES

BLACK-EYED SUSAN CHEESECAKES

24 vanilla wafers
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
3 tablespoons butter
Sliced almonds

  • Heat oven to 350F.
  • Line muffin cups with foil bake cups (2 inches in diameter).
  • Place one vanilla wafer, flat-side down, in bottom of each cup.
  • Beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed of mixer in large bowl.
  • Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
  • Stir in peanut butter chips.
  • Spoon heaping tablespoon cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup.
  • Bake 15 minutes or just until set, but not browned. Cool.
  • Place chocolate chips and butter in small microwave-safe bowl.
  • Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds; stir.
  • If necessary, microwave at HIGH an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
  • Drop teaspoons of chocolate mixture onto center of each cheesecake, letting white show around edge.
  • Place almond slices around chocolate mixture to resemble petals.
  • Cover; refrigerate.
  • Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecakes.
  • About 2 dozen cheesecakes.