Taco Cheesecake

Taco Cheesecake

3 teaspoons cornmeal
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 cup chopped ripe olives
TOPPING:1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
Assorted crackers

• Sprinkle bottom of greased 9-in. springform pan with cornmeal; set aside.
• In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the taco seasoning, sour cream and salsa.
• Stir in the eggs, pepper Jack cheese and chilies.
• Fold in olives.
• Pour over cornmeal.
• Place pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set.
• Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool for 1 hour.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Spread sour cream over top and sides of cheesecake.
• Arrange olives, onions, tomato slices and jalapeno slices on top.
• Serve with crackers.
• Yield: 18-20 servings.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE IN A GLASS

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE IN A GLASS

1 pint basket strawberries, stemmed and sliced
3 tablespoons currant jelly or 2 tablespoons sugar
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons skim milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup light whipped topping
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

• In bowl, toss strawberries with jelly; cover and set aside.
• In mixer bowl, beat cheese, milk, juice and sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons crumbs into each of four 8- to 10-ounce stemmed glasses;
• top each with about 1/4 cup of the strawberries, 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture, then the remaining crumbs and strawberries, dividing equally.
• Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.
• Makes 4 servings

Santa Fe Cheesecake

Santa Fe Cheesecake

1 cup crushed tortilla chips
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup chopped sweet yellow pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped tomato

• In a small bowl, combine tortilla chips and butter; press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan.
• Place on a baking sheet.
• Bake at 325° for 15 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and eggs on low speed just until combined.
• Stir in Monterey Jack cheese and chilies; pour over crust.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set.
• Place pan on a wire rack. Spread sour cream over cheesecake.
• Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool for 1 hour.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove sides of pan just before serving.
• Garnish with yellow pepper, onions and tomato.
• Refrigerate leftovers.
• Yield: 16-20 servings.

Savory Vegetable Cheesecake

Savory Vegetable Cheesecake

3 cups grated zucchini
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated carrot
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup freshly minced parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 large eggs
fresh ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, halved, then sliced
3-4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter a 10" springform pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, set aside.
• Put the grated zucchini into a colander.
• Salt lightly, and let it set about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess moisture.
• Saute the onions in butter with a 1/2 tsp salt.
• When they start to turn translucent, add the carrots, garlic, zucchini, flour, basil and oregano.
• Keep stirring and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon.
• Beat the cheeses and eggs together until well blended.
• When the cheese and egg mixture is nice and fluffy, fold in the veggies.
• Season to taste with black pepper.
• Pour the mixture into the springform pan.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes,
• remove from oven.
• Dredge slaced in the breadcrumbs and decorate the top of the cheesecake with them in a spiral pattern.
• Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees, and bake another 30 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and just let the cheesecake sit in there for another 15 minutes.
• Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let it cool about 10 more minutes before cutting and serving.

Lovely Lavender Cheesecake

I love herbs, this one sounds like a nice addition to an herbal tea party.

Lovely Lavender Cheesecake

2 (8 ounces) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 prepared graham cracker crust
1-2 tablespoon lavender flowers

• 
  Whip cream cheese with eggs and sugar and vanilla.
• Add 1 to 2 tbl lavender buds and pour into the crust.
• Bake 350 dgrees F 40 minutes.
• Cool and refrigerate.

Lemon 7-up Strawberry Cheesecake

Lemon 7-up Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter; melted
1 tsp. cinnamon

Filling:
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cup lemon lime soda; divided
1 small box lemon pudding & pie filling; not instant
6 tbl. sugar
2 eggs; beaten
3/4 cup water
11 oz. cream cheese; softened

Strawberry Glaze:
1/2 cup strawberry jelly; melted
Fresh strawberries

• Crust:Combine well the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
• Press onto bottom and partway up sides of buttered 9" springform pan; chill.
• Filling: Soften unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup 7-up for 4 minutes.
• In a saucepan combine pie filling, sugar, beaten eggs and water.
• Blend well.
• Add 1-1/4 cup 7-up and bring just to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly; remove from heat.
• Stir in softened gelatin; cool 3 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of this warm mixture to softened cream cheese; mash together.
• Mix together with remaining 7-up mixture and stir until well blended.
• Turn into chilled crust and chill for at least 8 hours.
• Remove from pan and add topping.
• Topping: Brush top of chilled cheesecake with melted jelly.
• Arrange strawberries on top

Appetizer Cheesecakes

PESTO CHEESECAKE
Crust:
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Filling:
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
3 eggs
1/2 cup pesto sauce
1/4 cup pine nuts

Garnish
fresh basil leaves

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Generously rub the bottom and sides of a spring form pan with the softened butter.
• Coat the buttered pan with a mixture of the breadcrumbs and 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese.
• Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth and light.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Transfer 1/2 of the cheese mixture to another bowl.
• Add the pesto sauce to the remaining half and mix well.
• Pour the pesto-cheese mixture into the prepared pan.
• Smooth the top and carefully spoon the plain cheese mixture over the pesto layer.
• Smooth top and sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Bake at 325 degrees F. about 45 minutes or until center no longer moves when pan is moved.
• Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to serve, place on a serving dish, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and surround with crackers.

Variations:
Substitute the pesto sauce and pine nuts with:

SALMON & DILL CHEESECAKE:
1 cup well drained cooked fresh or canned salmon and 2 Tbsp well chopped fresh dill.

SPINACH & ONIONS CHEESECAKE:
3/4 cup well drained cooked spinach and 1/2 cup diced onions with 4 cloves garlic that have been sauteed in 2 Tbsp olive oil.

BROCCOLI CHEESECAKE:
1 cup well drained cooked chopped broccoli.

GREEN ONION CHEESECAKE:
1 cup thinly sliced green onions that have been sauteed for a few minutes in 2 Tbsp olive oil.

MARINATED MUSHROOM CHEESECAKE:
1 cup finely chopped marinated mushrooms that have been well drained.

FAVORITE HERBS CHEESECAKE:
Substitute any other herbs in the above recipes.

FETA CHEESE & SPINACH CHEESECAKE:
3/4 cup well drained and cooked spinach and 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese.

CHUTNEY & PEANUT CHEESECAKE:
1/2 cup chutney and 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted peanuts. Serve with extra chutney as topping.

MEXICAN GREEN OLIVE CHEESECAKE:
1 pkg taco seasoning and 3/4 cup coarsely chopped, well-drained stuffed green olives. Top each serving with salsa as topping.

MARINATED ARTICHOKE CHEESECAKE:
1 cup coarsely chopped marinated artichokes and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

WALDORF CHEESECAKE:
1/2 cup each diced celery, apples, and coarsely chopped walnuts.