Fluffy Cheesecake

This is a recipe from back in the day. My mom used to make this when I was kid and I always loved it. The original recipe called for lemon jello but I used raspberry. Of course you could use any flavor you want. This is a great recipe for summertime because it doesn't have to be baked and it's light and refreshing. And yummy....

Fluffy Cheesecake



Crust:

1 13-ounce box graham cracker crumbs OR enough graham crackers to make 4 cups crushed
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup) ~ melted

Mix ingredients together and press all but about 1 cup of the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Reserve the 1 cup to sprinkle on top of the cheesecake.


Filling:

1 small box jello ~ any flavor
1 cup hot water
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese ~ room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream ~ whipped

Combine jello and hot water and stir to dissolve jello. Cool but do not chill.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine cream cheese mixture and jello mixture.

Fold in WHIPPED cream.

Add a few drops food coloring to enhance the color of the jello flavor you chose, if needed or desired.

Sprinkle the top of the cheesecake with the reserved 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs.

Chill several hours or overnight.

 
The cast of characters

 
Dissolve the jello in hot 
water then cool to room temp 
but don't let it gel. I put my 
jello in an iced water bath to 
hurry the process along, giving 
it a stir every few minutes. 
Set aside.

 
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, 
butter and powdered sugar.

 
Then press all but 1 cup into the pan.

 
Beat the cream cheese, 
sugar and vanilla until smooth.

 
Then add the cooled jello.

 
Then add the whipped cream.

 
Then pour the mixture onto the crust.

 
Yum!

 
Sprinkle the remaining crumbs 
on top of the jello layer. Chill....

 
...then cut into squares and eat! 

The Best EVER BLT & A Sandwich

I think there's nothing that hits the spot better than this sandwich. My whole family loves it....plus I've made believers out of a bunch of my friends. My tomatoes are not ripe yet, so I had to settle for store bought, but I can't WAIT to use a fresh off the vine tomato next time! Have you tried the bacon weaving method? It's perfect for a sandwich like this. If you want a killer sandwich, please make this. I can guarantee you will be pleased as punch! And make sure you use my secret ingredient. It's not the same without it.

The Best EVER BLT & A Sandwich



This recipe makes 2 sandwiches.

4 slices bread
Mayo
2 lettuce leaves
1 ripe tomato ~ sliced
1 ripe avocado ~ sliced
6 slices bacon ~ woven and baked (or cooked the old fashioned way)
Secret ingredient: Lawry's Seasoning Salt ~ this is a MUST!!!!

Cut bacon in half. Weave 6 halves together and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until bacon reaches desired crispness.

Toast bread and spread with mayo.

Layer lettuce, bacon, tomato and avocado on one piece of bread.

Sprinkle with Lawry's Salt and top with the other piece of bread. Cut in half and enjoy!!

Here's what you need.

Toast your bread...

..add the mayo.

Then add the lettuce, bacon,

and tomato.

Add the avocado last. Wanna know why? 

Because it needs the seasoning salt the 

most and the seasoning salt sticks to the avocado the best.

You will not believe how yummy this sandwich is!!!

Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

I've never been to Philly...maybe someday....but I sure do like their sandwiches. I figured if their sandwiches were good, then a casserole would be, too! I love making casseroles because they feed lots of people, make great leftovers and are wonderful for IT Guy's lunch! Have I told you that he'll eat almost anything and not complain? I love that! This casserole is easy to throw together and did I mention it's delicious? No? Well, it is!

Philly Cheese Steak Casserole


1 pound ground beef
2 8-ounce containers Crescent Rolls
8 - 10 Provolone slices
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup grated  provolone cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large or two small bell peppers ~ sliced
1 large onion ~ sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the milk, and cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses until combined.

Season with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Press one container of Crescent rolls in the bottom of the pan, pressing seams of dough together.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until done.

Sprinkle ground beef over dough in the casserole dish.

Pour the cheese sauce over the meat.

In the same skillet you browned the meat in, saute the onions and bell peppers until the onions have caramelized.

Spread the onions and peppers on top of the cheese sauce.

Place enough Provolone slices on top of the veggies to cover.

Place the remaining container of Crescent rolls on top of the cheese, pressing seams together.

Brush with an egg wash, if desired.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until golden brown on top. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

 
The ingredients.

 
Melt the butter then add 
the flour then the milk.

 
When it's thickened, add the cheeses. 
Set aside.

 
Press one package of dough into the pan.

 
Brown the ground beef then sprinkle 
it on top of the dough. Then pour the 
cheese sauce over that.

 
Slice the onions and peppers.....

 
...then saute them until the onions 
are browned. Then spread them 
over the meat/cheese in the pan.

 
Don't forget to put slices of Provolone 
on top of the veggies in the pan. I did it, 
but forgot the picture! Oopsie! Add the 
remaining package of dough on top of 
the sliced Provolone, making sure to 
seal the seams. Brush with an egg 
wash if you want.

 
Then bake it up!

 
So delicious!!

Chocolate Caramel Truffle Pie

I love truffles. I love chocolate. I love caramel. I love pie. Need I say more? This easy little pie require zero baking but is rich and decadent. It's everything wonderful in a dessert and your life won't be complete until you try it.

Chocolate Caramel Truffle Pie





Cookie Crumb Crust

1 ¼ cups crushed chocolate cookie wafers
5 tablespoons butter ~ melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter.
Press into the bottom of a greased 9" spring form pan.
Sprinkle pecans over cookie crust.

Caramel Layer

20 caramels ~ unwrapped
1/2 cup evaporated milk

In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat caramels and milk together at 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until caramels are melted. (This mixture will be runny and will seep down into the crust.)

Pour caramel mixture over crust.


Truffle Layer

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter

In a small saucepan, heat cream until just under boiling. (Or you can do it in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Just heat the cream to very hot, but not boiling, then add the chocolate chips and butter.) Add chocolate chips and butter. Stir until smooth and combined. 

Pour over caramel layer and smooth the top.

Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

Here you go.....

Crush the cookies and mix in the

 melted butter. I used my food processor.

Sprinkle the pecans on top.

Heat the milk and caramels together...

..until melted. This mixture will be runny.

Pour the caramel mixture over the

 pecans/crust. It will seep down into the cookie crust.

Heat the cream to just under boiling 

then add the chocolate chips and butter. 

Allow to sit for a few minutes then stir to smooth.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust.

Allow it to cool in the fridge 

for several hours or overnight.

Slice into small pieces...it's rich! But delish!

Herbed Foccacia Bread

Don't you just love going to Macaroni Grill and snacking on their bread? I love it! Dipping it in the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.....oh man, I could eat the whole thing! The recipe for this foccacia bread is delicious by itself or served with your favorite dish. We ate it with some pasta and meatballs....and of course dipped in balsamic and olive oil. This makes a big pan of bread so I put half of it in the freezer after it was baked for another time, but it would be super easy to halve the recipe.

Herbed Foccacia Bread




1 2/3 cups lukewarm water
1 package active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
5 cups flour plus additional for kneading
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons for the top of the bread
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Stir together water and yeast in a mixing bowl and allow to stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Add 5 cups flour, 1/4 cup oil, and salt and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed until a dough forms.

Switch to a dough hook and knead dough at medium speed until soft, smooth, and sticky, about 3 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour. Knead dough 1 minute (it will still be slightly sticky), then transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and turn dough to coat with oil.

Let rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place, until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Press dough evenly into a generously oiled 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan. Let dough rise, covered, until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Stir together Italian seasoning and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. With fingertips, make shallow indentations all over dough. Brush with herbed oil, letting it pool in indentations.

Sprinkle sea salt evenly over focaccia and bake until golden, about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Immediately invert a rack and flip bread, then turn right side up.

Serve warm or at room temperature with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Here's the line up.

Add the yeast to the warm water...

..and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Add the flour, olive oil, and salt.

Mix with a paddle attachment 

until a dough forms.

Then switch to the hook 

attachment and let the mixer 

go for about 3 minutes until 

the dough is smooth.

Turn out onto a lightly floured 

surface and knead for a minute or 

two, adding more flour if the 

dough is too sticky.

Spray a large bowl with 

cooking spray then put the

 dough in the bowl. Spray the 

top of the dough then cover 

with plastic wrap.

Let rise until doubled. I put mine on a heating pad.

Spray a rimmed pan with cooking 

spray and press risen dough into the pan. 

Cover with a towel.

Allow to rise for about an hour.

With your freakishly huge hand, 

press your fingertips into the dough 

to make shallow indentations.

Like this!

Combine 3 tablespoons of olive 

oil and the Italian seasoning.

Brush all over the bread. Then 

sprinkle the sea salt over the bread.

Bake until golden brown.

Immediately, turn the bread out onto a rack.

Then flip it right side up.

Yum!! Gotta love fresh bread of any kind!!