A Tale of Two Cheescakes

Before Thanksgiving I asked Jason what kind of cheesecake he would want me to make. I was hoping for pumpkin or maybe red velvet. His answer was "plain." Plain? How very...un-challenging. Meaning, bo-ring. Ok...whatever. I'll go for it. But come Christmas, it was my choice! Peppermint. And for the record, Jason's least favorite flavor is mint-chocolate. That's right, he does not like Thin Mint cookies. He'll eat them, but they are not a preference. Crazy.

Strawberry Cheesecake from Southern Living

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16 oz) container sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 t grated lemon rind
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t almond extract

Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring well. Press into the bottom and 1" up the sides of a 9" springform pan. Beat cheese and next 7 ingredients with an electric mixer at medium speed. Pour into crust. Bake at 375 for 1 hour, or until middle is set. Cool on a wire rack and chill for 8 hours. ((the recipe calls for a strawberry topping, but Jason wanted cherry pie filling instead...I know, he's strange))

Crushed-Peppermint Cheesecake from Sunset

• 12 ounces Oreos, broken into pieces
• 3 T melted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t peppermint extract
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/3 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy

Place cookies in a heavy zip-lock plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour into a buttered 9-inch round springform pan and pour melted butter over crumbs; mix to coat, then press evenly over bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake in a 300° oven until crust is slightly darker and looks a bit dry, about 10 minutes (leave oven on). Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in flour, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan over baked crust. Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan rim. Place pan on a wire rack and cool cheesecake completely in pan. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Run a knife around rim again, then release rim. Decorate top of cake with crushed peppermint candy, pressing it in gently with your hands.

I like a good buffet.

I'm a sampler. I like a good variety of choices - especially when it comes to food! The Houston Nesties decided to have a Foodie Get Together last weekend. When you toss 20 or so women, 6 kids, and a ton of food together you get one very interesting afternoon!

I did try to sample everything, but my plate and stomach did not allow that. And of course I can't remember what everyone brought...but some things stick out. Of course we had Bacon Wrapped Dates (otherwise known as crack), a Chicken Enchilada Dip, Mexican Cornbread, Tiramisu Cake, Pizza Dip...another pizza type thing topped with caramelized onions, prosciutto ham, and cheese (yum!!), and this Sweet Potato Casserole that I forgot to eat but hear that I really missed out. Darn. Hopefully that Nestie will bring it again...or maybe share the recipe.

Since I needed to practice making mini cheesecakes for my mom's wedding (this will be another story) I figured a GTG was the best time...I do not need 48 mini cheesecakes laying around the house!! Katie with Good Things Catered shared this recipe that came from Williams-Sonoma.

Mini Cheesecakes from Williams-Sonoma

Topping:

• 1/2 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Filling

• 1 1/4 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

To make the topping, in a nonreactive saucepan, combine the strawberries with the sugar. Using a fork, gently mash the strawberries. Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook until the strawberries are softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool completely. (The topping can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a 24-cup miniature muffin pan with miniature paper or foil liners. To make the filling, in a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the sugar and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour and beat until combined. Divide the filling evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until the cheesecakes are just set in the center, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cheesecakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Using a small offset spatula, transfer the cheesecakes to the rack and let cool completely, about 45 minutes. Refrigerate the cheesecakes in an airtight container for at least overnight or up to 3 days. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the strawberry topping onto each chilled cheesecake and serve immediately.

I agree with Katie on that it says that it will make 24, but I actually got 48! Which is great because I'm going to need over 150 for my mom's wedding!!

Cheesecake!

Of all the things I love to eat...cheesecake is probably my favorite! My in-laws visited before Thanksgiving, so I decided to make a dessert for dinner. I also baked an entire turkey and a lot of sides...and failed to take pictures of any of it! Oh, well.

This is a perfect fall dessert - Pecan Pie Cheesecake! It combines two of the best desserts...pecan pie and cheesecake. And, it's actually pretty easy to make.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake (courtesy of Southern Living)

Ingredients

• 1 (2lb, 4oz) frozen Pecan Pie
• 2 cups graham crackers crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 t ground cinnamon
• 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 T all-purpose flour
• pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325°. Thaw pecan pie according to package directions. Cut evenly into 20 thin slices, keeping wedges intact, and set aside.

Stir together graham cracker crumbs and next 3 ingredients; press mixture onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

Arrange 10 pecan pie wedges in a spoke design in prepared pan, placing 1 cut side of each wedge on crust with narrow end towards center of pan. Reserve remaining pecan pie wedges for another use.

Beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream, half-and-half, and vanilla; beat until blended. Fold in powdered sugar and flour. Carefully pour cream cheese mixture evenly over pecan pie wedges in pan, making sure wedges remain in place. Arrange pecan halves evenly around edge and center.

Bake at 325° for 50 minutes. Turn off oven, and let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Chill at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.