Caramel Fudge Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups graham cracker or Oreo crumbs

1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

4 pkg (32oz. total) cream cheese at room temperature

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream at room temperature

6 tablespoons flour

6 eggs at room temperature

1 TBS vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

1 jar caramel (make sure it's a stiffer-set caramel, not the super soft/syrupy kind- or you can melt caramels with a little bit of milk)

1/2 jar hot fudge (NOT chocolate syrup)

Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine cracker/cookie crumbs with butter, press into bottom and up sides of 10 inch springform pan.

Preheat oven to 325* and place a casserole dish full of hot water on the bottom rack.

Beat cream cheese & sugar until very smooth and fluffy. On LOW speed, add sour cream, flour, eggs, vanilla, and heavy cream- mix just until well combined but DO NOT beat it or over mix (cheesecake will crack)

Pour 2/3 of batter into crust. Mix caramel with remaining batter and pour on top of plain batter- save a little bit of caramel to drizzle on top of finished cake. Warm hot fudge until soft but not hot, drop spoonfuls on top of batter and swirl gently (don't mix it in). Save a little bit of hot fudge to drizzle on top also. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours- center should still be wiggly) and turn off oven, leave cake inside and open oven door slightly. Let cool in oven for 2 hours, remove from oven and cool COMPLETELY. Wrap with plastic wrap (keep cake in the pan) and chill in refrigerator for 24 hours (it MUST chill for a day to set up properly- otherwise the cake will be slimy and weird, and nobody likes that.)

Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread over cake just before serving and drizzle with caramel & hot fudge sauce if desired.

Slice cake with a very sharp HOT & WET knife, cleaning knife between slices. Cut into 16-20 slices (a little goes a LONG way!)

Lemony No-Bake Cheesecake

This cheesecake is really light and creamy! I made mine sugar free and low carb (believe it or don't!), so I didn't make a crust, but there is a recipe for crust included. This makes a small cheesecake so I would recommend doubling the recipe and using a 9 or 10 inch pan for a larger group (no need to double crust or lemon topping). Ingredients:

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 pkg knox unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 TBS butter

2-3 tsp stevia powder* (to taste) or 2/3 cup sugar

16 oz (2 pkg) cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1 TBS stevia powder* (to taste) or 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

If you want to use a crust:

Combine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs, 2 TBS sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice, let stand 1 minute. Over meduim heat, bring to a boil and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved; measure out 1/4 cup and set aside to cool. Add water (and sugar if you're using it- do not add stevia yet!) to remaining lemon juice and bring just to a boil. Slowly whisk hot lemon mixture into beaten egg yolks, being careful not to cook them (you just want to temper them). Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium low heat until bubbly. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Cool completely and whisk in stevia powder.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and stevia (or sugar). Slowly beat in reserved 1/4 cup lemon juice & gelatin mixture. Beat in vanilla and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Gently spread into an 8 inch springform pan. Pour cooled lemon mixture over cheesecake. Cover and chill overnight.

*I use NuStevia brand white stevia powder. All brands are different, so add it to taste. If you add too much, it can be really gross. Beware of brands that cost significantly less than others because they are often very bitter or really weak. I have also used Truvia brand and it has a good flavor but is a little weak so you may need to add more. Also, I have found that stevia does NOT like to be heated- it gets too strong and a little bitter, so be sure to add stevia to cooled mixtures.

Fresh Salsa/ Pico de Gallo

This is a special treat in our family- we often do "Salsa Sundays"- get a bunch of chips and some great steak and eat your heart out!

6-8 roma or vine tomatoes, chopped (by hand!)
1 red or vidalia onion, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2-3 TBS minced garlic (to taste)
1-2 tsp chili powder (to taste)
dash of cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
salt & pepper to taste
juice from 1 lemon (you can use more if you like it extra juicy)
juice from 1 lime

Gently mix well and enjoy immediately!
Note: This salsa does NOT keep well- use within 2 days.

You can also "personalize" this salsa to what you like- add fresh corn kernels, chopped cucumber, fresh pineapple, Johnny's seasoning salt, etc. Sky's the limit!

Ultimate Cheesecake

This is my version of a turtle cheesecake. I made the original recipe and added some pecans, Carmel and mini chocolate chips.

Ingredients for the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted
*Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and stir. Press into a 9 inch spring form pan. Chill 30 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling:
5 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz. each)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups sugar 2 tsp.
finely grated lemon peel (omit if not making a plain new york style)
3 TBS white flour
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 large eggs

*Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add sugar and mix well. Gradually add flour; mix until combined. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, until just blended. Add sour cream, lemon peel, and vanilla; beat until just blended. DO NOT OVER BEAT! Pour into crust. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until there is a 3 inch circle in the middle that is still wobbly. For less cracking, place a pan 1/2 full of water on the bottom rack of the oven while baking. Remove cake from oven and cool completely. Chill, loosely covered, at least 24 hours before serving.
Variations:
Oreo- use Oreo crumbs in place of graham crackers for the crust. Swirl Oreo bits into the batter before baking.
Hot fudge and/or caramel- Swirl hot fudge into batter before baking and drizzle with hot fudge or caramel just before serving.
Fruit- use any flavor pie filling, or jam, swirl into batter before baking. You may also use fruit puree & mix it with batter before baking.
Mint chocolate- use Oreo crumbs in place of graham crackers for the crust. Flavor all or part of the batter with mint extract and green food color. Stir in Oreo bits or chocolate pieces before baking.
Pumpkin- use gingerbread crumbs in place of graham crackers for the crust. Separate 1 1/2 cups of batter into a bowl. Add 2/3 cup pumpkin, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour batter into crust and swirl in pumpkin batter.

Killer Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
9 oz. chocolate wafers, broken into large pieces
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
Pulse the wafers in a food processor until finely ground. With the motor running, slowly add the butter, and process until just blended. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes at 350 until it is set. Cool on a wire rack. Tightly wrap the pan with aluminum foil. Put 6 cups of water on to boil.

Filling:
1 lb. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 lg. eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter
pinch of salt
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature

*Melt chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the salt. Beat in the chocolate mixture just until smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour the filling into the spring form pan. Place the pan in a large roasting pan, place it in the oven, and carefully pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until the center is almost set but still wobbly- do not over bake! Remove the roasting pan from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the water bath for 15 minutes. Remove the spring form pan from the water bath and cool completely on a wire rack. Remove the foil and refrigerate, loosely covered, for at least 24 hours.

ok, maybe just a sliver cheesecake

1-1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 cup sugar 2 tbs sugar
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla, divided
1 cup Sour Cream
4 eggs

HEAT oven to 325°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends extending over sides of pan. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of pan.
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
BAKE 50 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate overnight. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan just before serving.