Cheesecake Lovers--this is for YOU!

It's REALLY sad that I have had this recipe forever and, have never tried it!  

It is SOOOO DELICIOUS!  It's a nice TALL, creamy, dense cheesecake! (and, it DIDN'T CRACK ON TOP!!) 

It's supposed to be a copycat version of The Cheesecake Factory's Original Cheesecake--probably the ONLY ONE I have never tried there because who wants plain cheesecake when you can have all of those other flavors!!

CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS:

crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup melted butter

filling:

4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup sour cream (the full fat version!!!)

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

5 large eggs

topping:

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp. sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a large pan filled with 1/2" of water into the oven.  (make sure your 9" springform pan fits inside!!!  I thought mine would but, it didn't.  oops.  Transferring hot water from one pan to another was NO FUN!)

Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.  

Wrap the bottom of a 9" springform pan tightly with foil.

Mix crust ingredients and press into the bottom and up sides (about 1/2 way) of springform pan.

Put cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and vanilla into the mixer and blend until smooth.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk lightly.  

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the eggs to the mixture--blend ONLY (do NOT over mix!) until the eggs are incorporated.  

Pour the filling into crust and carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. 

Bake for 12 minutes, then turn oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the top of the cheesecake is golden brown--about 50-60 minutes. (The center will still be a bit "wobbly".) 

Cool on a wire rack.

When cake is completely cooled, combine the topping ingredients and gently spread over the cake.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.  (or at least 6 hours before serving)

Enjoy!

Simple Bacon Wrapped Dates

This is the PERFECT party hors d'oeuvre for your "Bacon Loving" Friends & Family!!

Salty, Sweet, Creamy, Crunchy...this two bite treat covers it all!

Use YOUR favorite cheese or use a variety of cheeses!  






Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb. thinly sliced bacon
1 pkg. pitted dates
Your choice of cheese:  feta, goat, parmesan, cream cheese, blue (I used Feta)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cut bacon in half.

Open the dates at the place where the pit was removed and stuff with cheese.

Wrap the dates with bacon and place on the baking sheet with the seam side down.

Bake for 15-25 minutes or until cooked to preference.  (I like mine crunchy and well done!  
But, we did leave some a bit more rare.)

Drain on paper towel.

Add fancy toothpicks for serving!

ENJOY!

I love Gingerbread Cookies!

These little guys are SO cute!  Santa is going to LOVE THEM!  

The cinnamon candy buttons are perfect with this lightly spiced cookie!

• GINGERBREAD COOKIES (kingarthurflour.com)
INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves (I used allspice)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

• INSTRUCTIONS:
• 1. In a saucepan set over low heat, or in the microwave, melt butter, then stir in the brown sugar, molasses, salt, and spices.  (I put the butter in the microwave for 1 minute.)

2. Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, let it cool to lukewarm, and beat in the egg.

3. Whisk the baking powder and soda into the flour, and then stir these dry ingredients into the molasses mixture.

4. Divide the dough in half, and wrap well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.

5. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Get out several baking sheets; there's no need to grease them, though lining with parchment saves effort on cleanup.

6. Once the dough has chilled, take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface, and the dough. Roll it out as thin or thick as you like; for slightly less crisp cookies, roll it out more thickly.   (I rolled mine kind of thick because I like them soft--I baked for 10 minutes.)

7. Use flour under and on top of the dough to keep it from sticking to the table or rolling pin. Alternatively, place the dough on parchment, and put a sheet of plastic wrap over it as you roll, pulling the plastic to eliminate wrinkles as necessary when rolling; this will keep dough from sticking without the need for additional flour. For soft dough, or dough to be rolled extra-thin, you may choose to roll right onto the ungreased back of a baking sheet.

8. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter, cutting them as close to one another as possible to minimize waste.

9. Transfer the cookies to ungreased cookie sheets (or, if you've rolled right onto the parchment, remove the dough scraps between the cookies). Bake the cookies just until they're slightly brown around the edges 8 to 12 minutes, or until they feel firm. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for several minutes, or until they're set. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.  

10. Decorate the cookies with Royal Icing or Simple Cookie Glaze and food safe markers.  (I used cinnamon candies for buttons and Royal Icing to decorate.)

I got 3 dozen cookies out of this recipe.