Cheesecake of the Month – May 2024!

I have always been a fan of BLTs (or anything with bacon for that matter). I have finally found a BLT cheesecake recipe (savory) that I can’t wait to try.

Savory BLT Cheesecake

Ingredients
3/4 cup of dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons of butter, melted
4 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1-1/2 cups of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped
1 cup of shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon of ground pepper
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Optional toppings: shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped cherry tomatoes, additional bacon, assorted crackers.

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap your greased 9″ springform pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Press mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of your prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth. Beat in the bacon, tomatoes, Gruyere, onions, and pepper. Add the eggs; beat on low speed until just combined. Pour this mixture over your crust. Place your springform pan into a large baking pan and 1″ of boiling water to the larger pan (water bath).

4. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the center is just set and the top appears dull. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and remove the foil. Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

5. Remove the cheesecake from the pan and serve with toppings and crackers, if desired.

Creamy Bacon Cheese Dip

For all of you bacon-lovers out there, here is a wonderful (and quick) recipe for a dip that is sure to be a hit at your next family gathering or party.

Creamy Bacon Cheese Dip

Ingredients
6 ounces of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon of dried mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded
2-3 Tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
6 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup almonds, sliced and chopped (optional)

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

2. Cover and refrigerate for several hours prior to serving.

Note: you can add a packet of ranch seasoning to the dip to give it a slightly different taste.

Cheesecake of the Month — April 2024!

Here is an amazing recipe that I ran across for a very hazelnutty-flavored cheesecake. Enjoy!

Ferrero Rocher Nutella Cheesecake

Ingredients:
For the crust
2-1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
1 cup of Rice Krispies cereal, slightly crushed
1/2 cup of roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
1/2 cup of Nutella hazelnut spread
For the filling
3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of sour cream
3/4 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of whipping cream
1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract
5 large eggs
3 Tablespoons of cornstarch
1-1/2 cups of Nutella
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate, melted
For the Ganache
1-1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup of Nutella
1 cup of whipping cream
2 Tablespoons of butter, room temperature
2/3 cup of roasted hazelnuts, finely chopped
For the Garnish
1 cup of the Nutella ganache
13 Ferrero Rocher candies

Directions
To make the crust
1. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, Rice Krispies, chopped hazelnuts, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
3. In another, smaller bowl, combine the butter and Nutella and place them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds; mix with a whisk until well combined and pour over the reserved dry ingredients. Mix until evenly combined and press the mixture firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Set aside.

To make the filling
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and bring about 4 cups of water to a boil; you’ll be using it later for the water bath.
5. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla extract in your food processor and process until the mixture is super smooth and creamy and lump free (about 3 minutes). Stop to scrape the sides a couple of times, as needed.
6. Add the eggs, all at once, and resume processing until they are well combined. You could also throw them down the feeding tube while the motor was running, if this is easier for you.
7. Stop the motor and scrape the sides well; add the cornstarch and resume beating until it gets well incorporated (about 30 seconds).
8. Add the Nutella and melted chocolate and process one last time (about 30 seconds) until well incorporated.
9. Place the prepared pan (with the crust in it) over a piece of aluminum foil and fold the foil over the pan so the exterior is completely covered; this will prevent water from getting into the pan. Now place your pan into a broiler pan and pour the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust. Spread the batter evenly all the way to the edges.
10. Next, delicately pour enough boiling water into the broiler pan so it goes up about 3/4 of the way up the side of your cheesecake pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of your oven and bake the cake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then, decrease the temperature to 250 degrees F and continue baking for a further 75 minutes.
11. Turn off the oven and crack the door open about an inch. Leave the cake in the oven undisturbed for about 1 hour, or until it is cool enough to be handled with your bare hands, and then slide it out of the oven.
12. When the cheesecake is completely cooled, run a thin spatula or knife around the edges of the pan to loosen and refrigerate uncovered for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

To make the Nutella hazelnut ganache
13. Once your cake is completely chilled, remove it from the refrigerator, but do not remove it from the pan (yet).
14. Combine the finely chopped chocolate, Nutella, whipping cream, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave to 1 minute. Allow the mixture to rest for 1 full minute and then stir for a minute. Repeat this process one more time, heating, resting, and stirring. At this point, the ganache should be completely smooth and combined, but if there are still lumps remaining, repeat the process again, but for no longer than 20 seconds this time; continue until the ganache is smooth and silky.
15. Reserve about 1 cup of the ganache in a small bowl and place it in the refrigerator (you will want to leave it there until is has the consistency of fudgy frosting, about 3 hours — stir from time to time to check the consistency).
16. Meanwhile, add the chopped hazelnuts to the rest of the ganache and stir until well incorporated; pour over the cake and spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Return the cake to the refrigerator until the ganache is set.

Putting it all together
17. Carefully remove the sides of the cheesecake pan (but leave it on the parchment paper).
18. Put the now fudgy Nutella ganache in a pastry bag equipped with a medium open star tip and pipe twelve (12) generous swirls around the top of the cake and 1 in the center. Place a Ferraro Rocher on top of each swirl.
19. If desired (and if you have a little bit of the fudgy ganache leftover), prepare a piping cone out of parchment paper and then melt a few Tablespoons of the leftover ganache in the microwave (it should only take 3-4 seconds). Pour it into your parchment paper cone and then drizzle a little bit of this melted ganache over each Ferrero Rocher.
20. Place your now finished cake onto a cake plate; keep refrigerated until about an jour prior to serving.

Bacon Brittle!

I love peanut brittle, so when I found this recipe for bacon brittle, well, it was a no brainer that I would have to give this recipe a try. And it is not too bad at all.

Bacon Brittle

Ingredients
8 ounces of bacon, cooked
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of butter
3 Tablespoons of light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Course sea salt (optional)

Directions
1. Chop the bacon into small bits, roughly 1/4″ pieces.

2. Butter a rimmed baking sheet (or line it with parchment).

3. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter, and syrup. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F (about 10-15 mintues).

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda, then the bacon bits. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a large spoon to quickly spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. (You can lightly oil the spoon to keep the brittle from sticking.) Sprinkle the brittle with sea salt, if desired.

5. Allow the brittle to cool completely, then break it into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Cheesecake of the Month — March 2024!

If you like lemon, here is a cheesecake that you are sure to enjoy.

Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups of biscotti crumbs (about 8 biscotti)
1/3 cup of butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
2 cartons (8 ounces each) of Mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of lemon juice
3 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup of coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup of boiling water
3/4 cup of cold water
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of orange marmalade
2 ounces of white baking chocolate

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the biscotti crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan.

2. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. In a large bowl, beat the cheeses and the sugar until smooth. Beat in the lemon juice, flour, lemon zest, and vanilla. Add the eggs and beat on a low speed just until combined. Pour this mixture into your crust.

4. Return the pan to a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Cool for 30 more minutes.

5. Meanwhile, soak the apricots in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and discard the liquid. In a small saucepan, bring the apricots, cold water, and sugar to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 12-14 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; stir in the marmalade and cool to room temperature.

6. Carefully spread the topping over the cheesecake and cool an additional 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.

7. In a microwave, melt the white chocolate; stir until smooth. Drizzle this melted chocolate over the top of the cheesecake and let stand for about 15 minutes prior to serving.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole!

If you are looking for an idea for a quick and easy meal, look no further. This recipe is a definite crowd pleaser.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Ingredients
1 package (7.5 ounces) of Pillsbury biscuits
6 ounces of cream cheese, softened
12 ounces of chicken, cooked and shredded
1/3 cup of Frank’s hot sauce
1/4 cup of ranch dressing
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13″ x 9″ casserole pan with cooking spray.

2. Cut the biscuits into six (6) pieces each and spread them out over the bottom of your casserole dish.

3. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, ranch dressing and Frank’s sauce until combined. Slowly stir in the shredded chicken.

4. Drop the mixture by spoonfuls onto the biscuits. Be sure to cover all of the areas evenly.

5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the cheese and crumbled bacon over the top.

6. Return the casserole to the oven for 10 additional minutes to fully melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and serve.

Cheesecake of the Month — February 2024!

Every now and then you run across a creative/novel idea. This month’s cheesecake recipe is just that. For all you fans of the board game “Trivial Pursuit,” enjoy. Take your generic cheesecake recipe and dress up the top of it to resemble a Trivial Pursuit pie with the colored wedges. Brilliant!

Trivial Pursuit Cheesecake

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups of crushed vanilla wafers (about 75 wafers)
1/2 cup of butter, melted
1 vanilla bean
2 cups of sour cream
4 packages (8-ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
1-3/4 cups of sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tube each of blue, red, green, yellow, brown, and orange decorating gels

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine the vanilla wafers and butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees F for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

2. split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sour cream; stir to combine and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream mixture until blended. Beat in the eggs on low speed just until combined.

3. Pour the mixture into your crust. Wrap your pan in aluminum foil and place in a larger pan. Add hot water into the larger pan (enough to go about one inch up the outside of the smaller springform pan).

4. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 1-1/2 hours or until the surface is no longer shiny and the center is almost set. Remove your pan from the water bath and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool one hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

5. Remove the sides of the pan; cut the cheesecake into six wedges. Squeeze each color of decorating get onto a different wedge and spread carefully.

Cheesy Pizza Rolls!

Here is a wonderful appetizer recipe that I ran across a couple of months ago. Enjoy!

Cheesy Pizza Rolls

Ingredients
1 pound of frozen pizza dough, thawed
1/2 cup of pasta sauce
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup of chopped pepperoni
1/2 pound of Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh basil (optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll your pizza dough into 16″ x 10″ rectangle and brush with the pasta sauce to within a half-inch of the edges.

2. Sprinkle the dough with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and Parmesan cheese. Roll up the dough (jelly-roll style) starting with the long side. Pinch the ends to seal. Cut into eight (8) slices and place cut-side down into a greased 9″ cast-iron skillet or round baking pan.

3. Bake for 20 minutes and then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup). Bake until golden brown (an additional 5-10 minutes). If desired, sprinkle with the chopped basil and crushed red pepper flakes.

Enhanced Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies? Who doesn’t like Bailey’s Irish Cream? Well, combine the two and you have a wonderful improvement on your already wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe (at least I would think so).

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. espresso powder
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. Irish Cream Liqueur (I use Baileys because that is what we keep on hand)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and espresso powder; whisk well to combine then set aside.

2. In a separate large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) combine butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-speed. Beat until light and fluffy – about 2 minutes and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

3. Add the vanilla extract and Irish Cream Liqueur – beat until combined.

4. One at a time, beat in the eggs – after adding each egg, beat for about 15 seconds to fully incorporate the egg. Turn the mixer off.

5. Using a wooden spoon or sturdy rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring only until the flour begins to disappear. Do not over mix.

6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

7. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours before baking (if you do not need the cookies for a couple of days and are making the dough early, the dough will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days). Refrigerating the dough prior to baking helps keep the cookies thicker and chewier.

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F) – Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. ** If the dough is in the refrigerator, set it on a counter for 5-10 minutes before forming dough balls.

9. Scoop about 3 tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms to form a large ball (about 1/4 cup), then place on prepared sheets (make sure to leave enough room in between each cookie for inevitable spreading). Continue this process until you have shaped all the dough.

10. Place baking sheets in preheated oven, one at a time, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes – the edges should be golden brown and the center soft. Be careful not to overbake the cookies.

11. After removing from the oven, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack.

Cheesecake of the Month — December 2023!

Here is yet another recipe that “shrieks” holiday! Christmas and cranberries are just meant to go together and this recipe features not just the cranberry, but combines cheesecake with pie to create and exceptionally delicious dessert. And, while not exactly a “cheesecake,” if does feature a “cheesecake” layer, so that counts in my book.

Cranberry Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients
For the pie dough:
1-1/4 cups of flour
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
10 Tablespoons of butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup of ice-cold water
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice

For the cranberry curd:
12 ounces of fresh or frozen cranberries
1-1/4 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup of water
2 teaspoons of orange zest
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
8 Tablespoons of butter, room temperature

For the cheesecake filling:
8 ounces of cream cheese, cold
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of orange zest
2 Tablespoons of orange juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of heavy cream, cold
2 Tablespoons of apricot jam

For the whipped cream topping:
1 cup heavy cream, cold
3 Tablespoons of sugar

Directions
For the pie dough

• Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add it to the flour mixture. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles small peas.
• Combine the ice-cold water and the lemon juice. Add the ice water and use a rubber spatula to toss together. It will still be slightly crumbly or shaggy but will hold together when squeezed into a ball. If more water is needed add a tablespoon at a time.
• Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press the dough together, folding it over on itself until it starts to hold together. Try not to work the dough too much or it may become overdeveloped and tough.
• Shape the dough into disk 1-inch thick. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and frozen for up to 2 months.
• For a 9-inch pie plate roll the dough until is it 1/8-inch thick and 12-inches round. Fold the dough in half and then half again so that you have a quarter. Place the dough in the pie plate do the corner of the dough is centered. Gently unfold the dough so the pie plate is completely covered, and the dough is overhanging the plate.
• Trim the dough so that there is about a 1-inch overhang all the way around. Fold the dough under so that it rests on the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the dough using a fork or create your own design.
• Refrigerate the prepared dough for at least 45 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and use a fork to dock the bottom of the pie dough. Line the dough with a large piece of foil so that it overhangs the edges of the dough. Press the foil lightly into the dough, so there are no gaps. Fill the foil with pie weights up to the to edge of the dough.
• Bake the pie dough for 35 minutes. The visible edges should be golden brown and the center will be pale. Remove the pie weights and foil, return the pie dough to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. The interior of the pie will turn golden brown.
• Remove the pie crust from the oven and allow it cool to room temperature.

For the Cranberry Curd

• If using frozen cranberries they don’t need to be thawed before making the curd.
• In a small bowl whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks. Place a bowl with a medium-coarse strainer next to the stove.
• Place the cranberries in a food processor and process until they are coarsely chopped. Place the cranberries, sugar, water and salt in a 3 or 4-quart saucepan. Zest the orange directly into the saucepan. Juice the orange and add 1/4 cup of orange juice to the saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes in order to extract as much juice as possible from the cranberries. Strain cranberry mixture through medium coarse strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much puree as possible.
• Whisk eggs and yolks into cranberry mixture in the bowl. Return the mixture to the saucepan, Rinse out the bowl and place a fine mesh strainer over the bowl. Cook the cranberry mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, until the mixture is thickened and registers 175 degrees in multiple spots, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Off heat, stir in butter until incorporated. Strain the cranberry mixture through the fine-mesh strainer. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (Curd can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

For the Cheesecake Filling

• Place the cold cream cheese and. powdered sugar in a large bowl. Zest the orange directly on top of the powdered sugar and cream cheese.
• With a handheld mixer beat the mixture on low speed until the ingredients are combined and then increase the speed to high and beat until the cream cheese mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste the mixture and determine if you want to add additional sugar.
• Add the vanilla extract and orange juice. With the mixer on medium slowly heavy cream and when all the cream has been added increase the speed to medium high. Beat the mixture until the beaters start to leave visible tracks in the cheesecake filling and soft peaks have formed. You know you have soft peaks when you stop the mixture, lift up the beaters and the peaks of the whipped cheesecake slightly fold over. Do not overmix the filling. It is okay to undermix the filling, check for soft peaks and then continue to beat it until the right consistency is achieved.
• The cheesecake filling can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to assemble the dessert.

Whipped Cream Topping

• Place the heavy cream and sugar in a stainless steel bowl. Start by whipping the cream on medium-low speed and then increase it to medium-high just until traces of the beater begin to appear in the cream and there are soft peaks.

Assembling the Pie

• Microwave the apricot jam in a heatproof container for about 15-20 seconds or until it becomes more liquid and is easy to stir. With a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of the baked pie shell with the jam. This step will help keep the pie crust from becoming soggy after the cheesecake filling is added.
• Fill the pie shell with the whipped cheesecake filling. Smooth the top until it is level. Chill the cheesecake for 30 minutes. Add the cranberry curd and spread across the top of the cheesecake filling.
• Top the pie with the whipped cream and serve.