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


Lemon Shortbread Goat Cheese Cheesecake

This one sounds really good....

Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake

Ingredients:
7 ounces shortbread cookies
2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest (from about 3 lemons), divided
1 cup sugar, divided
12 ounces fresh, chevre goat cheese
10 ounce cream cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1/2 cup sour cream1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
8 to 10 medium strawberries, stemmed

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Crumble cookies into a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
  • In a medium bowl, toss 2 tbsp. lemon zest with 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar.
  • Add cookie crumbs and mix well.
  • Butter sides of an 8-in. spring form pan with removable rim and press cookie mixture into bottom; bake 15 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool in pan.
  • Lower temperature to 275°.
  • In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or food processor, beat goat cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
  • Add remaining lemon zest, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, the orange zest, 3/4 cup sugar, the sour cream, and the vanilla; beat well.
  • Scrape bowl and add eggs; beat well.
  • Pour batter onto crust and bake about 1 hour, or until set on the sides but still quite jiggly in the center and only slightly sticky.
  • Turn oven off, crack oven door, and let cake cool in oven 2 hours.
  • Remove and let cool completely; then chill, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
  • Run a thin knife between cake and rim of pan and remove rim.
  • Thinly slice strawberries, then toss with remaining 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar and lemon juice.
  • Arrange on cake.