Pizza Cheesecake

Pizza Cheesecake
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 package cream cheese -- (8 ounces) softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon anise seed
3/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup minced pepperoni
1/2 cup very thinly sliced plum tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced bell peppers
1/4 cup crushed pineapple

• Preheat oven to 350F
• In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and melted butter.
• Press into a 9-inch springform pan and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove crust from oven, set aside.
• Reduce oven to 325F
• In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and ricotta.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Stir in spices, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
• Beat just to combine and pour cheese filling onto prepared crust.
• Bake until set, about 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and top with tomatoes, bell peppers, pineapple, and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Bake until cheese melts, about 8 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool on rack.

NY Cheesecake

NY Cheesecake

5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
3/4 teaspoon grated orange rind
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Crust
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• Grease 10" springform pan.
• Mix crust ingredients and toss on sides and bottom of pan.
• Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon rind, orange rind, salt and eggs- adding eggs one-at-a-time and beating after each addition.
• Add heavy cream and vanilla.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
• Keep checking till top is cracked and fairly dry- usually takes another 10 to 20 minutes.
• Cool
• Refrigerate ovenight

Pecan Crust Cheesecake

Pecan Crust Cheesecake

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Filling;
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can condensed milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup sugar

• Mix crust ingredients and press on bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9" spring form pan.
• Mix filling and pour into crust.
• Bake @ 300 degrees F for 55 minutes.
• While cheesecake is baking; beat until smooth topping ingredients.
• Take cheesecake from oven and spread topping on top, return to oven for 5 minutes.
• Set on counter until completely cool.
• Refrigerate overnight.

Hot Pepper Jelly Cheesecake

Hot Pepper Jelly Cheesecake
1/4 cup pine nuts
8 ounces cream cheese -- at room temperature
1 cup hot pepper jelly -- preferably red
2 cloves garlic -- finely minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro -- chopped
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese -- grated
sliced bread -- crackers

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Place the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven untilgolden, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
• Place cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the jelly, garlic, cilantro andcheddar cheese in a food processor. Process until evenly blended.
• Line the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Spray the sides of the pan with nonstick spray.
• Add the cheese mixture.
• Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Spread the remaining jelly evenly across the top surface and sprinkle the pine nuts on top.
• The recipe can be completed to this point up to24 hours before serving.
• To serve, carefully remove the sides of the pan. Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate.
• Serve chilled with sliced bread, crackers or veggies.

Water Bath Cheesecake

Water Bath Cheesecake

5 1/2 ounces graham cracker crumbs (1/2 cup)
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
20 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line outside of a 9 inch springform pan with double layer of aluminum foil (to prevent leaks).
• Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter.
• Press into bottom of the springform pan.
• In large bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar.
• Beat well.
• Stir in eggs and egg yolks.
• Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
• Pour cheese mixture over graham cracker crust.
• Set springform pan in a large roasting pan.
• Pour hot water into the roasting pan so it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
• Place in oven and bake for 50 minutes.
• Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla and spread over baked cheesecake.
• Bake for 10 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool.
• Refrigerate until chilled.
• Remove sides of springform pan.

Pate Cheesecake

Two things My Jewish friends love are cheesecake and liver, here they are both in one. Remeber chicken does not give milk, so theoretically this would be kosher by default.

Pate Cheesecake
1 cup croutons, crushed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 package unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 (8-ounce) package liver sausage
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped pimiento
Assorted crackers

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine crushed croutons and butter.
• Press onto the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• In a small saucepan, soften gelatin in cold water.
• Over low heat, stir until gelatin is dissolved.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, liver sausage, and mayonnaise; mixing until well blended.
• Gradually add soften gelatin.
• Stir in onion, mustard, lemon juice, and pimiento.
• Spread mixture over baked crust in the springform pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap and press gently to pack mixture.
• Refrigerate several hours or overnight until firm.
• To serve, uncover, remove pan sides, and invert onto serving plate.
• Serve with assorted crackers.

Clay Pot Cheesecake

This is a novel idea, I have never thought to drip my curds in a clay pot. I may have to try this. I bet this would be a good candidate for an herbed cheesecake..

Clay Pot Cheesecake
makes 2 Cheesecakes


2 lbs dry curd cottage cheese
3/4 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks, plus
1 whole egg
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Press dry curds through a metal sieve using a heavy duty wooden spoon.
• Cream butter, vanilla and sugar, then combine with cheese.
• Beat egg yolks and egg together, blend into cheese/butter mixture, and stir in remaining ingredients.
• Line 2 500 gram size clay flower pots with a double thickness dampened cheese cloth.
• Fill containers with cheese mixture, pressing firmly.
• Cover with dampened cheese cloth and small plate with a heavy weight on top.
• Place each cheese cake in a pie plate (to catch milky drippings) in the fridge and allow to drain for at least 24 hours (48 hrs even better).
• Unmold each cake, removing all cheese cloths.
• Replace in fridge until ready to serve.
• Decorate with strawberries cut in half just before serving, if desired.