Crawdad Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions

One of my most favortie summer activities used to be catching crawdads in the local creek. I found this recipe and it brought me back to the time I was a skinned knee, toe head with pigtails & freckles. You could probably substitute lobster for the crawdad, but where is the fun in that? Enjoy :)

Crawdad Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions

1 cup dried breadcrumbs
2 tsp. butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped red and yellow peppers
1 tsp. chopped garlic
2 lbs. cream cheese
6 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup green onion
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 tsp. chopped dill
1/2 tsp. chopped thyme
1 lb. cooked crawfish

• Mix breadcrumbs and butter.
• Form a crust in a 9 1/2-inch springform pan.
• Bake for ten minutes or until golden brown.
• Sauté onion in butter until caramelized.
• Add peppers, garlic, green onion, dill, thyme, and crawfish.
• Cook until tender then allow to cool.
• Process cream cheese until smooth.
• Add one egg at a time then add heavy cream.
• Mix in sautéed vegetables, seasoning, and Louisiana Hot Sauce.
• Pour into crust and spread evenly.
• Bake at 350° until cheese sets, about one hour.
• Place baked cheesecake in refrigerator over night and serve chilled.

Goat Cheese Tartlets with Caramelized Onion and Figs

Goat Cheese Tartlets with Caramelized Onion and Figs

Caramelized Onions:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Almond Crust:
2 cups whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cheesecake Filling:
12 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened1
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
12 fresh figs, quartered

• Preheat the oven to 450° F.
• To caramelize the onions, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
• Add the onions and thyme.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir until the onions are coated.
• Continue cooking, stirring only occasionally, until the onions are a deep amber color.
• Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
  
• To make the crust, combine bread crumbs, cheese, butter and almonds in a medium bowl of a food processor until combined.
• Season with salt and pepper.
  
• For the filling, in a seperate bowl, blend the cheeses until smooth.
• Add the zest and the eggs, one at a time, blending until smooth again.
• Then add the heavy cream, blending until smooth.
  
• Grease mini muffin cups and place in a 24-cup mini muffin pan.
• Press a tablespoon on the crumb mixture evenly into each cup, and then fill two-thirds of the way up with the cheese batter.
• Distribute the caramelized onions evenly atop the filling.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
• Bake until the filling has set, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with figs.

Yogurt Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions

Yogurt Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions

1 (32-ounce) carton plain yogurt
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style cream cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water
Cooking spray

Onions:
1 teaspoon butter
8 cups sliced onion (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

• To prepare filling, place colander in a 2-quart glass measure or medium bowl.
• Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over outside edges.
• Spoon yogurt into colander.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours.
• Spoon 1 3/4 cups yogurt cheese into a bowl; discard liquid.
• Place cream cheese in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
• Add the yogurt cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and egg yolk.
• Beat at low speed just until blended.
  
• Preheat oven to 350º.
  
• To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.
• Place flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and dash of pepper in a food processor; pulse 3 times or until combined.
• Add 2 1/2 tablespoons butter; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• With processor on, add ice water through food chute, processing just until moist (do not form a ball).
• Press cornmeal mixture into bottom of an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 350º for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on a wire rack.
  
• To prepare onions, while crust bakes melt 1 teaspoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onion; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Cover and cook 25 minutes or until browned and tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in thyme.
  
• Spread the yogurt mixture into prepared crust.
• Bake at 350º for 35 minutes or until almost set.
• Cool on a wire rack. (Cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.)
• Serve at room temperature.
• Cut cheesecake into wedges, and serve with onions.
• Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Smoked Salmon And Onion Cheesecake

Smoked Salmon And Onion Cheesecake

5 T Parmesan Cheese - fresh grated
28 oz Cream cheese - room temp.
2 T Bread crumbs - fine dry
4 Eggs - large
3 T Butter
1/2 C Whipping cream
1 C Onions - chopped
1/2 lb smoked salmon - chopped
1 C Green pepper - chopped
1/2 C Gruyere cheese - grated

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Butter 8" diameter springform pan with 2 1/2" sides.
• Mix 2 tablespoons Parmesan with bread crumbs.
• Sprinkle into prepared pan.
• Turn pan coating with crumb mixture.
• Wrap foil around bottom and 2" up the side of pan.
• Melt butter in a heave skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion and bell pepper and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Cool.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, eggs, and cream in a large bowl.
• Fold in the onion mix, salmon, Gruyere and remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Place cheesecake in a large baking pan.
• Add enough boiling water to the large pan to come 2" up the side of the cheesecake.
• Bake until firm to touch, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Remove cheesecake from water bath.
• Turn oven off.
• Return cheesecake to oven and let stand 1 hour.
• Transfer cake to rack and cool at least 2 hours.
• Serve slightly warm or at room temp.

Lemon Chiffon Cheesecake

Lemon Chiffon Cheesecake
1 graham cracker crust
1 cup chopped pecans
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 can prepared lemon pie filling
8 oz. sour cream
1 tsp. lemon zest
Fresh raspberries & blueberries

• Crumble the pie crust into a mixing bowl and combine with pecans and butter.
• Press into a springform pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar and beatuntil fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of the lemon pie filling and add the rest to the cream cheese mixture along with the sour cream and lemon zest.
• Blend and pour into crust.
• Bake at350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes, adding a pan of water to the oven to minimize cracking.
• Remove cheesecake from the oven; run a knife gently around the sides of the pan.
• Cool and refrigerate covered overnight.
• Before serving, spread reserved 1/2 cup lemon pie filling over top of cheesecake.
• Serve with fresh berries.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Graham Cracker-Pecan Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs fine
1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 cup pecans finely chopped
Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 cup whipping cream
1-1/2 cups sweet potatoes, mashed

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  
• Combine crust ingredients well and press into a 10-inch springform pan.
  
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, and eggs until smooth; beat in flour, cinnamon and ginger.
• Beat cream and well-mashed sweet potatoes in on medium speed of a hand held mixer just until well-combined.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust.
  
• Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 275 degrees F and bake 1 hour more.
• Turn heat off and leave in the oven to cool for several hours, or cool on a wire rack.
  
• Serve with sweetened whipped cream or caramel topping.

Tiny Cherry Cheesecakes

Tiny Cherry Cheesecakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup cold butter
2 tablespoons cold water
FILLING:
2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 can (21 ounces) cherry or strawberry pie filling

• In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and cocoa; cut in butter until crumbly.
• Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.
• Shape into 24 balls.
• Place in greased miniature muffin cups; press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of each cup.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Beat in milk and vanilla.
• Add egg; beat on low just until combined.
• Spoon about 1 tablespoonful into each cup.
• Bake at 325° for 15-18 minutes or until set.
• Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
• Carefully remove from pans to cool completely.
• Top with pie filling.
• Store in the refrigerator.