Mar 6, 2010

Cheesecake Squares

The recipe calls for blueberry preserves but let’s be honest, it’s up to you! Whatever fruit filling is your favourite, it’ll work.

1 1/2 cups Graham Crumbs
2 tbsp Sugar
3 tbsp Butter melted
2 8-oz pkg. of Cream Cheese
2 large Eggs
2/3c. sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
3/4c. blueberry preserves

Mix melted butter, sugar and graham crumbs together and press into pan. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

With a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and add eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat until well mixed.

Evenly spread blueberry preserves on hot crumbs, then pour cream cheese mixture over preserves.

Bake in middle of oven until slightly puffed, 30-35 minutes, cool completely on rack. When cool cut into squares. It should keep nicely covered and refrigerated for 3 days and in freezer 1 month.

Mar 5, 2010

Homemade Crackers

2 c Flour
1 t Salt
1/2 t Baking powder
1/4 c Butter
1/2 c Milk
1 ea Large egg

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Cut in the butter until very fine. Add the milk and egg and mix to make a stiff dough.

Knead thoroughly and then roll the dough very thin.Cut into squares or rounds and place on lightly buttered cookie sheets. Prick the crackers with a fork and then bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned. If desired,crackers may be sprinkled with coarse salt.

SODA CRACKERS.
Follow the basic recipe, but substitute sour milk for sweet milk, omit the baking powder, and add 1/2 teaspoon soda.MMMMM

Cinnabuns

Dough:

• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp yeast
• 2 eggs
• 5 cup flour

Filling:
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Icing:
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• ¾ cup icing sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Combine milk, sugar, salt, and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until sugar dissolve and milk is scalded. Cool to luck warm. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine water, milk mixture, and eggs. Beat. Add enough flour to make manageable dough; knead. Let rise in covered bowl till doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and roll into 21x16 inch rectangle. Combine filling ingredients and spread over dough. Roll up lengthwise and cut in 2 inch thick slices. Place in greased cake pan. Let rise till doubled. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or till lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Cream together icing ingredients. While rolls are still warm, push down centers and frost with icing.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Picture to come soon!

1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 8-oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/3 cup key lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.To make Crust: In a bowl stir together the graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, stir in the butter well. Pat the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a buttered 10 inch springform pan and bake the crust in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven for 8 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool.


2.In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth, beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, flour, lime juice and vanilla. Beat the mixture until it is smooth.

3.Pour the filling over the crust. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and bake for 50 to 55 minutes longer, or until center is barely set. 
 
4.When you take the cheesecake out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack, set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, use a paring knife to gently separate the edge of the cheesecake from the pan. Continue to cool, and then chill 5 hours or overnight. The cheesecake will not crack and will easily come free of the pan, and look picture-perfect! Top with fresh whipped cream, (heavy whipping cream whipped with a dash of vanilla and just a tiny bit of powdered sugar).