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 Forest Cheesecake Delight

Black Forest Cheesecake Delight
1 c. chocolate wafer crumbs
3 Tbsp. margarine, melted
2 -8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 -6 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate pieces, melted
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 -21 oz. can cherry pie filling
Whipped topping

  • Combine crumbs and margarine.
  • Press onto bottom of 9 in. springform pan.
  • Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
  • Combine cream cheese and sugar.
  • Mix at medium speed until well blended.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • Blend in chocolate and extract; pour over crust.
  • Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
  • Chill before removing rim.
  • Top cheesecake with pie filling and garnish with whipped topping, just before serving.

MINI CHEESECAKES

MINI CHEESECAKES

Nonstick spray coating
1/3 cup crushed vanilla wafers (8 wafers)
1-1/2 8-ounce tubs fat-free cream cheese, softened (12 ounces total)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup frozen egg product, thawed
3/4 cup red raspberries; blueberries; sliced, peeled kiwifruit; sliced strawberries; sliced, pitted plums, and/or orange sections

  • Spray 10 muffin cups with nonstick coating.
  • Sprinkle bottom and sides of each cup with about 1 teaspoon of the crushed vanilla wafers.
  • Set pan aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
  • Add sugar, flour, and vanilla.
  • Beat on medium speed until smooth.
  • Add egg product and beat on low speed just until combined.
  • Divide evenly among the muffin cups.
  • Bake in a 325 degree F. oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until set.
  • Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
  • Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.
  • Remove cheesecakes from the muffin cups.
  • Just before serving, top cheesecakes with fresh fruit.
  • Servings: 10

Simple Cheesecake

Simple Cheesecake

1 graham cracker pie crust
16 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

  • Preheat oven 325 degrees.
  • Don't microwave the cream cheese. Leave out to soften.
  • First, dump the cream cheese in mixing bowl, dump both eggs and mix.
  • Then put the sugar and vanilla extract in the mix.
  • Mix the cheesecake batter until smooth.
  • Pour batter into the graham cracker crust.
  • Place into oven for 30 to 50 minutes. When the center is almost set.
  • Refrigerate over night.

COCONUT CHEESECAKE

COCONUT CHEESECAKE
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 premade 9-inch graham cracker crust
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut

  • Mix cream cheese, cream of coconut, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed of electric mixer until blended;
  • add eggs.
  • Mix until blended; pour into crust.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until center is almost set.
  • Cool.
  • Refrigerate 3 hour or overnight.
  • Top with thawed frozen whipped topping and toasted coconut.

CREAMY ORANGE CHEESECAKE

CREAMY ORANGE CHEESECAKE

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine -- melted
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
2 8 oz containers cream cheese -- (soft style)
3/4 cup orange juice
7 ounces marshmallow cream

  • Combine crumbs, sugar, and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring-form pan.
  • Bake at 325 degrees F. for 10 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Soften gelatin in cold water; stir over low heat until dissolved.
  • Gradually add to cream cheese, mixing with electric mixer until well blended.
  • Blend in orange juice and marshmallow cream; chill until slightly thickened.
  • Pour into crust; chill until firm.

APPLE CHEESECAKE

APPLE CHEESECAKE
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
1-3/4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Topping:
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
2 tbs butter or margarine
1 cup applesauce
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

  • In a small bowl, soften gelatin in water; let stand for two minutes.
  • In a saucepan, over medium heat, cook and stir apple juice, sugar, egg yolks, and gelatin mixture until gelatin is dissolved.
  • Cool to room temperature.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth.
  • Gradually beat in gelatin mixture until smooth.
  • Chill until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
  • Fold in cream.
  • Pour into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan.
  • Chill 4 hours or overnight.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, brown peanuts in butter for 2 minutes.
  • Add applesauce, brown sugar, and cinnamon; cook and stir for 5 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Spread over top of cheesecake.
  • Serves 12

SOUTHWEST CHEESECAKE

SOUTHWEST CHEESECAKE

1 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 packages (8 ounces ea) cream cheese, softened
1 packet taco seasoning
2 eggs
1 package shredded Colby/Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted ripe olive slices

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Stir in chips and butter in small bowl; press into 9-inch spring form pan.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Beat cream cheese and eggs in large mixing bowl at medium speed until well blended.
  • Mix in shredded cheese and chilies; pour over crust and bake 30 minutes.
  • Spread sour cream over cheesecake.
  • Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve at least 30 minutes.
  • Top with remaining ingredients just before serving.
  • Optional: add 1/2 packet of taco seasoning with the cheese and chilies if you want a bit more spice.