Supreme Cheesecake

Would you like to know how this blog got started? I wasn't visited by the ghost of Cooking Past that showed me all of my horrible baking mistakes or told me how this world would be a terrible place without my scrumptious desserts. The world would still be fine without my desserts. It was sort of a random idea that popped into my mother's head as a good way to get me to write more. Well it's worked AND it's been fun along the way!

Wanna know a secret? This recipe calls for walnuts and cinnamon which makes it uniquely different from other cheesecakes... in a good way!!!

I got to bake it in a real cheesecake pan, not one of those 9x9 squares. 
Cheesecake is a sophisticated dessert and it needs a proper pan!

Vanilla?
Vanilla is just a bit too plain for me so I swirled in some strawberry flavoring.

I had some tough competition for dessert that day (a store-bought cheesecake sampler), but tough competition is always welcome!

My Mom's handy-dandy egg separator that she got at a craft fair. I think it likes me!

Some of our guests on Sunday trying out the cheesecake.  They're smiling - that's a good sign!

Notice the band aid.  I got a  bunch of cuts on my
hand trying to make some chocolate curls that probably won't be on the blog anytime soon!

It seems there are a lot of "mini" versions of things out there like mini cheesecakes, mini pancakes, and Mini Mouse.

Adapted from Better Homes and Garden"s Cheesecake Supreme.

 Prep Time: 15-20 min 

 Bake Time 35-45min

CHEESECAKE SUPREME
1-1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs and 1 yolk
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel or 1/4 tsp lemon juice (optional)
(I swirled in most (6oz.) of an 8oz. container of Yoplait Strawberry yogurt, and it tasted really good!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. For crust, in a bowl combine crushed graham crackers, walnuts and, if desired, the cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

2. For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 1 cup sugar, the flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in milk until smooth. Stir in eggs and, if desired, lemon peel.

3. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes for an 8-inch pan, 35 to 40 minutes for a 9-inch pan, or until a 2-1/2-inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken.

4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen the crust from sides of pan; cool for 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan; cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 12 servings.



Oh, and if you haven't noticed yet, my blogging schedule is really weird. You see it goes like this: finish school and anything else I have to do and then post; therefore I haven't had much time for blogging, but I'm working on it!  Pleeeease cut me some slack, I'm in high school now! =0  

Anyway, it's almost a week later and all of the homemade cheesecake is gone and we've got like 4 pieces left of the store bought...stuff.                                    

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!!!

( BTW, the Jets lost their first preseason game...the team probably just needed some cheesecake. Hey! I've still got 4 pieces of that store bought stuff. =) )

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

It looks like this recipe needs some taste testing. =)

You know sometimes too much of a good thing...isn't a good thing.  Like when you're at a potluck in front of an array of desserts like People Chow, brownies, cake, and these wonderful Raspberry Cheesecake Bars and you just can't decide which one to eat. You want to try them all but you don't want to stuff yourself!  So that's when it's great to be the "baking apprentice" because then instead of pigging out you can just say you're "taste-testing" for your blog. We bakers have to make sure there are no loose eggshells or any other unidentified objects in there.  Then after "taste-testing" you can pass on the leftovers to your Dad because he'll usually eat anything.

Sorry, no ingredient picture this time, just some flour.

BTW, there is a biiiig difference between jam and jelly. (At least I think there is, I might have to do some research on that one or have a talk with my Grandma.)
(Jelly is the most fun though, because jam is always, well...in a jam.)
jk

Before...

and after. 
(Someone in my family got a hold of these before I could get a picture of the whole pan.)

Tweaks, Twists, and Tips...
I didn't have any raspberry jam, so I decided to use strawberry jam and fresh raspberries mashed up and it tasted fine. I would suggest blending the filling, otherwise you get little chunks of cream cheese in the bars.

And you can find this delicious recipe right here!

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!!!

Mini Cheesecake

I've had this little song stuck in my head for a really long time and figured the best way to get it out was to share it with you. I know it's cheesy but here it is...

Grace the Baker!
Can she bake it?
Grace the Baker!
Yes she Can!

For those of you who don't know, it goes along with the "Bob the Builder" theme song.  That used to be one of my favorite shows when I was little! Alright now that the song is out of my head let's bake!

The Ingredients

Got Milk?

If you're going to crack the egg one-handed, make sure not to drop the eggshells....or you could just edit it out. =)

A teaspoon of VANILLA will make it all better,
not sugar Mary Poppins. (facepalm)

I am going to make a strawberry cupcake, for better or for worse!

I love all of my creations!

The new phenomenona - Cupcake Glasses!
Going once, going twice, eh... they've gone extinct.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook - "Cheesecake Supreme."

Ingredients:

1 box of Nilla wafers (11oz.)

48 cupcake liners

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup of sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 container of strawberry or raspberry yogurt (optional)

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer till fluffy. Add eggs and yolk all at once, beating on low speed till just combined. Stir in milk.

2. (Optional) In a separate bowl pour desired amount of batter into bowl. Add your desired ingredient (yogurt, chocolate chips, Oreo crumbs etc.) and mix in. Pour into cupcake liner and bake.

3. Place batter in cupcake tins, filling almost to the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until tops are golden. Garnish with fruit, or chocolate syrup.

There are lots of easier versions of this recipe, but I just found my favorite cheesecake recipe and modified it a bit, so I guess that means this is my first adaptation! In the past I've tried modifying recipes a bit, but they didn't really turn out very well... like my cinnamon eggs. But thankfully the changes and additions I made this time around worked out deliciously. You see, anything I make I eat, whether it tastes good or not. 

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!!! 

Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars

The first time I laid eyes on these beautiful cheesecake bars was on a Wednesday night at the chapel. Although they tasted really good, they seemed rather  complex to make. A friend of ours, Mrs Joanne Johnson, she's a really good cook, posted it on my Mom's Facebook wall and I just had to try it! The real name of this recipe is Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars. I have no idea how to pronounce that...so I'll just give them the nickname Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars.

The Ingredients (Anyone notice anything in the cream cheese?)

I took my own advice and stirred this by hand... I think I'll go back to a mixer.

The first layer.



My hand whipped cream cheese mix. It's not as smooth as when you use the mixer, oh well.

Make sure to pinch the edges of the crescent dough! Don't worry, I'm pretty sure the dough won't mind if you pinch an inch. ; )

I like to pretend I'm an artist. =)

I think I played with my butter to much, because the cinnamon sugar is supposed to dissolve. =/

It's done!

Ingredients:

2 cans crescent rolls

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (room temp)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Unroll 1 can of crescent rolls and lay flat in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stretch the rolls to cover the bottom of the pan. Pinch any seams closed.
3. In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until combined and smooth.
4. Spread this over top of the crescent roll.
5. Unroll your remaining can of crescent rolls and lay this on top of the cream cheese mixture, again, pinching closed any open seams.
6. Pour your melted butter on top of the crescent roll.
7. In a bowl, mix the remaining sugar and tablespoon of cinnamon together and sprinkle that evenly on top of butter.
8. Bake for 30 minutes until top is golden brown.
9. Let cool for approximately 20 minutes and then put in refrigerator to completely chill before cutting into squares.

I hope you guys liked this recipe!  As I said before if you have any tips, recipes, or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment! Whoa, 1,000 views, thanks faithful viewers! =)

GB2- God Bless, Go BAKE!

I wonder what's going to happen to GB2 if Tim Tebow doesn't play for the Broncos next year? (for those of you who don't follow football like my brother does, GB2 is Tim Tebow's motto and stands for "God bless, Go Broncos.") 
Any thoughts on that???

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Happy Birthday OREOs!!!! 1912 - 2012

The first time I had "Cookies and Cream Cheesecake" was on my 13th birthday when I had just returned from a LONG birthday plane ride from the Philippines and experienced an even LONGER birthday! My birthday lasted for 40 hours that year! (I tried to enter this as the longest birthday ever in the Guinness World Records, but I think a lady in Egypt beat me. =/ ) Anyway, my Mom had them waiting for me when I returned home.

I've always loved this recipe and decided to make it for the Oasisians (Oasis College group at West Valley)!  
I hope they liked it!!!

I love this picture!! You are all welcome to review my stuff anytime, just as long as the thumbs stay up. =)

Don't worry readers, the cupcakes are not that hard. =)

This recipe was given to us by our good family friend

Mrs. Joanne Johnson.

The Ingredients

Place 1 perfect Oreo inside of the cupcake tin.

My waterfall of sugar, and a teaspoon is NOT enough Mary Poppins!!!!!!!!

Make sure to crush Oreos with a PLASTIC cup, not a glass one like I did.
(I about gave my mother a heart attack.)

Try not to eat the batter. =)

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cupcakes.

Ta Daaa

Don't worry, it's wet because it's moist not because of my saliva... hmm well maybe it's half and half. =)))

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

• 42 Oreos, 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped/ or pounded with a plastic cup by hand.
• 2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
2. With an electric mixer on med-high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined.  Beat in vanilla
3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in sour cream and salt.  Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-filled cups, filling each almost to the top.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely.  Refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours (or up to overnight).  Remove from tins just before serving.



If you really like Oreos, you could put a second one on top and make an Oreo Cheesecake whoopie pie!!!

These are much better when they come directly out of the refrigerator. The colder the better. You could even freeze them if you want.

I hope you like this recipe and didn't get all freaked out because of the half eaten cookie picture. Stay tuned for the Vanilla Wafer version of this recipe with fruit on top, which will be posted sometime soon.

GB2- God Bless- GO BAKE!!!

(I'm always looking for new recipes to make so if anyone has a recipe that's easy, simple, and yummy please post it so I can try to make it and put it on the blog.  Don't worry, I'll give  credit where credit is due. ; )  )