Nut Crust Cheesecake

Nut Crust Cheesecake

Crust:
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup finely chopped vanilla wafers
2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese
1 1/3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
16 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Mix all nuts and vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan, set aside.
• All above ingredients should be at room temperature before your begin.
• Start by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Keep the mixer on a low setting throughout the beating and mixing process.
• Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy.
• Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.
• When eggs have been mixed into the cream cheese add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well.
• Add the sour cream last and beat well.
• Pour cream cheese into the spring pan.
• Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degrees preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
• When time is up, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour.
• After one hour, remove from oven.
• Let cool enough before the cheesecake is put into the refrigerator for 24 hours.

BANANA CREAM CHEESECAKE

BANANA CREAM CHEESECAKE

1 graham cracker pie crust
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups bananas, sliced
1 - 3 oz. package instant banana pudding mix
1 3/4 cup milk2 cups whipped topping

• Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and mix well.
• Stir in 1 cup whipped topping.
• Place 1 cup sliced bananas at the bottom of the piecrust.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over the bananas.
• Place remainder of bananas on top of the cream cheese mixture.
• Combine milk and pudding mix and stir until smooth.
• Add 1 cup whipped topping and mix well.
• Place this mixture over the bananas and chill for several hours before serving.

Zucchini Cheesecake

A very simple cheesecake, what better way to use up all those huge zucchini squash than cheesecake?

Zucchini Cheesecake
2 medium squash, shredded and drained
1 cup Bisquick 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
4 eggs

• Mix all ingredients (except squash) together.
• Making sure all excess moisture has been squeezed from the squash, fold in.
• Bake in a greased 8-inch square dish for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Savory Yogurt Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions

Savory Yogurt Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions

CRUST:
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

FILLING:
1 (32-ounce) carton plain yogurt, drained over night into cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened (1/2 block)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk

TOPPING:
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

• 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. (I use thin dish towels)
• Spoon yogurt into colander.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350º.
• 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.
• 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.

Pink Lemonade Cheesecake

Pink Lemonade Cheesecake

Crust:
11 lemon sandwich cream cookies, crushed
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Pink Lemonade Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup pink lemonade, frozen concentrate, thawed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 drops red food coloring, optional

Glaze:
1/3 cup pink lemonade, frozen concentrate, thawed
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 drop red food coloring, optional
lemon slices

• Lemon Cookie Crust: In a small bowl stir together crushed cookies and melted butter until well combined.
• Press crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
• Set aside.
  
• Filling: In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch.
• Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in lemonade concentrate, vanilla extract, and if desired, food coloring.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust.
  
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
• Lower the temperature to 200 degrees F and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center no longer looks wet or shiny.
• Remove the cake from the oven and run a knife around the inside edge of the pan.
• Turn the oven off; return the cake to the oven for an additional 1 hour. Chill, uncovered, overnight.
  
• Glaze: In a small saucepan stir together lemonade concentrate, lemon juice, cornstarch, and if desired, food coloring.
• Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
• Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
• Pour over cheesecake.
• Garnish with lemon.
• Chill until serving time.

Almond Flavored Cheesecake

Cheesecake Recipe

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup sugar, plus
6 tablespoons sugar (divided)
1/2 cup butter
24 ounces cream cheese
5 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons almond flavoring (divided)
1 1/2 cups sour cream

• Combine 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter.
• Place in 9"x12" pan and pat down.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.
  Filling: Mix 24 oz. Cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. and Almond flavoring.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Pour over baked crust, bake for 1 hour at 300.
• Mix 1 1/2 cups sour cream with 1 tsp. Almond flavoring and 6 tbsp. Sugar (add 1 tbsp/ at a time).
• Bake at 300 for 15 minutes.

ORANGE CROCK POT CHEESECAKE

ORANGE CROCK POT CHEESECAKE

Crust:
3/4 C. cookie or graham cracker crumbs
2 T. granulated sugar
3 T. melted butter

Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese (regular or lite)
2/3 C. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 C. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp. orange or lemon zest or dried grated rind
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Combine crumbs with sugar; mix in melted butter until well moistened.
• Pat into a 7-inch spring-form pan.
  
• In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar.
• Add eggs and yolk and beat for about 3 minutes on medium with a hand-held electric mixer.
• Beat in orange juice, zest, flour, and vanilla.
• Beat for another 2 minutes.
• Pour batter into prepared crust; place on a rack or aluminum foil ring in a crock-pot (so it doesn't rest on the bottom of the pot).
• Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Turn off and leave for 1 to 2 hours, until cool enough to remove.
  
• Cool completely and remove the sides of the pan.
• Chill before serving, and store leftovers in the refrigerator.