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


Coffee Cheesecake

Coffee Cheesecake

CRUST:
1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C chocolate cooking crumbs
1/2 C ground hazelnuts
3 T sugar
1/4 C butter melted

FILLING:
3 8 oz pk cream cheese
1 C sugar
3 T flour
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 C coffee liqueur or cooled espresso

  • Preheat oven to 375 F
  • grease bottom & sides of 8 in spring form pan
  • in small bowl combine cracker crumbs, cookie crumbs, hazelnuts, & 3 T sugar
  • stir in melted butter
  • press mixture in bottom and 2 inches up side of pan
  • in large bowl combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, & vanilla
  • Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth
  • stir in eggs and liqueur
  • pour mixture into crust lined pan
  • place pan in shallow baking pan
  • bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is nearly set
  • cool on wire rack for 30 minutes
  • remove side of pan
  • cool cheesecake
  • cover & chill overnight

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