Smooth and Creamy Easy Cheesecake, No Cracks

18 Graham Cracker Squares (one sleeve), blitzed in food processor till crumbs
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Mix melted/softened butter and crumbs till well blended and press into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate.  Do not pre-bake!

2 8 oz. package Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla

1.)  In a food processor, blitz cottage cheese, add sugar and vanilla and blitz again, add one package of cream cheese and blend, add the second block of cream cheese and blend till smooth scraping sides and bottom to incorporate all.  Add eggs one-at-a-time blend again scraping sides and bottom.  Pour on top of the crust.

2.)  Place in cold oven and turn on to 325 degrees.  Set timer for 50 minutes.

3.)  Turn off oven and crack the door.  Let cool to room temperature before covering and putting in the fridge.

4.)  Wait at least a day.  Try not to eat it all.  Cheesecake tastes best after 4 days.  Serves 8-12.  You could definitely halve this recipe for a small cheesecake.

For Individual Cheesecakes:  Use foil cupcake wrappers in muffin tins.  Spoon 1 Tablespoon crumb mixture into each cup and press till flat on the bottom.  Scoop 1/4 cup of cheesecake batter into each cup.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.  If the cupcakes form "pits" in the center I fill the center with cherry pie filling.

Pasta Salad of My Childhood

1 lb package of Shell pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled
3/4 cup Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise (your preference)
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
Tomatoes, diced (if from a can, 15 oz. then also drained and squeezed)
1/2 Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 Red Onion, diced
Salt and to taste

Mix it up and let it refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the flavors come together.

Tabasco hot sauce (optional)

Tastes like Summer!  Especially with some Iced Tea.

I remember this recipe tastes best with shell shape pasta, but you can use any type you like.  I kind of hate macaroni.  Most people probably can't tell a difference with flavor, but definitely the texture is important.  Now, onto the Miracle Whip.  My Dad's side of the family prefers it, and I did too (and still do for this recipe) until I became a Mayonnaise convert during the South Beach Diet craze of my 20's.  As far as the vegetables, you can use whatever you like, but these are what I remember from my childhood.  I also remember loving the way Tabasco hot sauce tastes with this salad.

Sweet and Sour Mixed Pickle

4 pounds combined of Cucumbers, Summer Squash, and Zucchini, washed and thinly sliced
2 pounds of Onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Pickling Salt

In a large bowl layer vegetables with salt and cover with Ice, let sit for 1.5 hours.  Drain, rinse, and drain again.

3 cups white Vinegar
2 cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Mustard Seed
2 teaspoons Tumeric (optional)
2 teaspoons Celery Seed
1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

In 7 pint jars, evenly distribute the spices.  In a large Pot combine Vinegar and Sugar and bring to a boil, add drained vegetables and return to a boil.  Evenly distribute Vegetables in Jars, pour hot liquid in jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe jar rims, adjust two piece lids and rings.  Let cool and refrigerate.  Will last in fridge for as long as you don't eat them.  Tastes best after 1-2 weeks.

Hot Water Bath Canning:  Process for 10 minutes.

Banana Spice Bread or Cupcakes

1/2 cup Butter, melted
150 grams Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 Eggs
3 medium Bananas mashed
150 ml of Buttermilk
90 grams flour, Buckwheat flour for Gluten free
90 grams Oat flour
1/2 teaspoon each of Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
*100 grams of dried Cranberries
*100 grams of chopped Walnuts or Pumpkin Seeds
 

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt the butter in the microwave (or use room temperature butter), mix in sugar, salt, spices, and vanilla. Add Eggs and beat till thoroughly mixed. Blitz Bananas in a food processor with the buttermilk, stir into the mixture. Stir together flour, baking powder and baking soda before mixing into wet ingredients. Mix in the nuts and cranberries, if using. Secret tip:  I use an ice cream scoop to measure out batter for muffin cups, it is 1/4 cup of batter. Makes 16.

Muffins bake for 25 minutes, an 8 x 8 cake or loaf pan will take at least 40.  Use the toothpick test if you are unsure. Let the Muffins rest in the pan for 15 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate leftovers to prevent spoiling.

*Alternative recipe: Leave out dried fruit and/or nuts.  It will not make as many without the nuts and fruit.

Corned Beef

Made my first Corned Beef for St. Patrick's Day!  It turned out pretty well.

3 lb Brisket

Brine:

1/2 gallon of water
1 cup of kosher salt
1/4 cup of brown sugar
3 Tablespoons Pickling Spice

Toast the spices briefly (do not inhale or a coughing fit will ensue).  Smash the spices with a mortar and pestle.  Bring the water, salt, sugar, and spices to a boil.  Let it cool, then refrigerate till cold.  Place the Brisket in a container that will hold it and the liquid, or else use a plastic zipper bag, just make sure to put it in a container in case it leaks.  Pour in the liquid.  Weigh down the brisket, not necessary in a bag.  Flip every 12-24 hours, brine for at least 3 days, and up to 7.

Take the Brisket out of the brine, and rinse.  In an appropriately sized cooking pot, place the Brisket, 1/2 gallon of water, 1 Tablespoon of Pickling spice.  Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to a slow simmer, cook for 3 hours.  A crock pot would work well for this and I regret not using one.

I was able to add some potatoes to the pot in the last hour so they'd be ready at the same time, you can't do that in a crock pot.

On day two, we made Reuben Sandwiches!  You can also then braise some cabbage in the cook water.

Chicken Salad

*DO NOT USE A FOOD PROCESSOR TO CHOP THE CHICKEN
White meat from a whole roasted 5 lb chicken, cut and shredded
1/2 red onion, finely diced
5 ribs of celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups of red grapes, quartered or 1/4-1/2 a cup of Raisins steeped in boiling hot water and drained
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard*
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
add enough yogurt or sour cream to desired creaminess

Mix all ingredients together.  Let sit in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving. Top with chopped roasted, salted almonds. I like to eat mine on sliced tart apples, leaf lettuce, or nut thins. I also like to top it with Sriracha.

Makes a good wrap with lots of lettuce, chopped almonds, Sriracha, and rice paper wrappers.

*As always, if you are gluten free, make sure your condiments are as well.  Anything made with distilled white vinegar may have gluten if the vinegar was distilled from a gluten containing grain.  When in doubt contact the company.

Kale Soup

2 Tablespoons of Olive oil, Chicken fat, or Butter
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
1 large sweet potato or 3 large Carrots, peeled and diced
1 bunch of kale, washed, cleaned, stems stripped, and chopped
1 quart of Chicken broth
1 can (15 oz.) or 1 1/2 cups cooked Cannellini or Great Northern Beans, drained
Salt to taste

4 pieces of fish, poached, and drained

2 Tablespoons green Curry paste, (optional)

Saute the vegetables in the fat, one-at-a-time in order listed for a few minutes each, then add the chicken broth, beans.  Simmer till vegetables are cooked.

In a separate pan, poach the fish.

In our house some of us like fish and some don't, and some of us like curry and some don't, so I let people put their own bowls together.