Crockpot Hatch White Chicken Chili

Crockpot Hatch White Chicken Chili

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
¾ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 cups chicken broth
3 to 4 roasted hatch chiles, chopped
1 package frozen corn
4 ounce cream cheese, softened
¼ cup half and half
sliced avocados
tortilla strips
shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Add chicken breasts to bottom of slow cooker, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Top the chicken with the onion, garlic, broth, Hatch chiles and corn, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the chicken and cut into chunks. Return the chicken to the crockpot, add the cream cheese and half and half, stir, cover and cook on high for 20 minutes more. Serve with avocadoes, tortilla chips and cheese.

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Artichoke, Spinach and Chicken Lasagna

I initially thought my friend Jen was attending my dinner party, so I decided to make a main dish tailored to her. Whenever we go out to lunch at Houston's, she always orders the spinach and artichoke dip. Without fail.  I want to make some sort of dish that mimicked that dip and lasagna seemed like a natural way to do it.  One of my biggest complaints about lasagna is that I don't love the texture of ricotta.  Here, I halved the ricotta, replacing it with cream cheese, more in line with the spinach and artichoke dip everyone loves.  The result was a perfect dinner party dish, I love things that can just bake while I socialize.  Unfortunately, Jen had to cancel at the last minute, which means I will have to have her over soon and serve this again.  The recipe looks long, but it is really quite easy, especially if you use the Instant Pot and Fasta Pasta shortcuts.

Artichoke, Spinach and Chicken Lasagna

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound lasagna noodles
¼ cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
3 cups milk
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan
10 ounces chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, chopped
16 ounces ricotta
16 ounces cream cheese. softened
4 cups shredded mozzarella

Instant Pot instructions:
Place the chicken, water, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in the Instant Pot. Place on “Poultry” setting for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Regular instructions:
Place the chicken, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Heat over high heat until the water boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Shred the chicken and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Fasta Pasta instructions:
Place 9 of the lasagna noodles in the Fasta Pasta and fill to level 4. Microwave for 13 minutes. Drain and allow the noodles to cool. Repeat with remaining lasagna noodles.

Regular instructions:
Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until al dente per package instructions. Drain and allow the noodles to cool.

In large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Whisk in the flour, until fully incorporated. Add the milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. When the mixture thickens after about 5 minutes, remove from the heat. Stir in the parmesan, spinach, artichokes and shredded chicken.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta and cream cheese.

Layer ¼ of the chicken mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with 6 lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta and cream cheese mixture over top. Layer ¼ of the chicken mixture over the ricotta and top with 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese. Layer with 6 more lasagna noodles, then 1/3 of the ricotta, ¼ of the chicken and 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese, twice more, ending with the mozzarella cheese. Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray, cover the lasagna spray side down. Bake for 45 minutes covered, remove the foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more. Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Lemon Layer Cake

A dear friend was turning 40 and to celebrate, I hosted a girls only dinner party. The guest of honor requested a lemon cake for dessert and I happily agreed, since I love lemon almost as much as I love chocolate.  I used my go to, lemon cream cheese frosting, but I wanted to try a new lemon cake.  I have a major aversion to zest in cakes, I just don't enjoy the texture at all.  I heavily adapted this recipe from one I saw on the Chowhound message board.  The buttermilk gives it the perfect tang.  We devoured this cake, but I made sure to save a piece for Miss F, who was snoozing away upstairs while we celebrated (or cackled, as C calls it.)

Lemon Layer Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8” round cake pans, set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the lemon juice. Add the flour and buttermilk in three additions, alternating between each. Divide the batter and pour into the two prepared pans. Bake for 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans to cool on a wire rack.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the lemon juice. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time and beat for 5 minutes more. Frost the cooled cakes.

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Lemon Sticky Buns with Cream Cheese Glaze

These sticky buns are absolutely heavenly. I usually always prefer a cinnamon roll, but these may just change my mind. I cannot wait to try the dough out with a cinnamon filling instead of the lemon, but I think I will be making these lemon sticky rolls quite often at our house. I adapted the recipe from Mel's Kitchen Café, mainly omitting the zest because I don't prefer it and changing to an overnight rise in the refrigerator so it wouldn't take hours in the morning to eat them.  These rolls were perfection.  Complete and total perfection.

Lemon Sticky Buns with Cream Cheese Glaze

½ cup buttermilk, warm
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons yeast
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

Filling:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Icing:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar

Whisk together the buttermilk and butter together in a liquid measuring cup. In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together 2 cups of the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. With the mixer running at low speed, add the buttermilk and eggs; mix for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium, add the remaining flour a little at a time until it is entirely incorporated. Knead the dough for 5 to 6 minutes at medium speed. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and set aside. Roll the dough into a 12-inch square and spread the softened butter over the square of dough. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar, sprinkle over the softened butter. Roll up the dough and pinch at the seams to seal. Cut the roll into 8 equal pieces and place them in the greased cake pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, remove the rolls from the refrigerator. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden. While the rolls are baking, whisk together the cream cheese, lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Spread the icing on the warm lemon rolls, serve.

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Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

I first had these at a pool party years ago, same great pool party that I discovered the magic sausage swirls.  I joined a fantasy football league this year, first time ever.  The amazing Confections of a Foodie Bride hosted the draft, complete with her famous margaritas and a nacho bar that was to die for.  I decided to bring these desserts because I could make them a day ahead and they transport easily.  They couldn't be any easier to make and they are completely addictive to eat.  I am glad I had somewhere to take them, or else I might have eaten the whole pan.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

2 cans 8-ounce refrigerated crescent rolls
2 packages 8-ounce cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Unroll one can of the dough and place in the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish, stretch the dough to cover and press the perforations to seal. Beat together the cream cheese, 1 cup of the sugar and the vanilla. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the crescent rolls in the pan. Unroll the second can of dough and place on top of the cream cheese layer, stretching and pinching the seams to cover the cream cheese completely. Pour the butter over top. Mix the remaining sugar with the cinnamon; sprinkle over the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes, refrigerate and cut into bars when ready to serve.

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Artichoke Bruschetta

This appetizer takes all the deliciousness of artichoke dip and makes it into a convenient two bite appetizer. Three delicious cheeses (does cream cheese count as a cheese anyhow?) broiled until golden brown with chopped artichokes sprinkled through.  I love serving bruschetta at a dinner party, it is a crowd pleaser and quite easy to assemble and serve.  I usually prepare the topping in advance, then just bake right before the guests arrive.  I think these may be my new favorite.

Artichoke Bruschetta

1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
1 (14-ounce) can of artichoke hearts (whole, halves, or quarters), drained & chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
dash hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
French baguette loaf of bread, cut at an angle into ⅓-inch slices

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, stir in the mayonnaise, artichokes, parmesan, mozzarella, hot sauce and garlic salt. Preheat the broiler to high, spread a tablespoon of the artichoke mixture onto each baguette slice. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.

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Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

I have never had coffee. I figure by now, it is one of those things it is best not to get hooked on. Saving the money and the calories. The coffee flavor in this cheesecake is detectable, but the rich chocolate is what really shines through. I was clueless when buying the espresso granules, but there was a cute small package that was priced right. I also have the most adorably small bottle of Kahlua ever.  I know I will make this cheesecake again, it was nearly as good as my mom's chocolate cheesecake. Nearly. Thanks to Tide and Thyme of the spectacular recipe.

Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

1 cup Oreo crumbs
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons whipping cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant espresso granules dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
¼ cup Kahlua (or another coffee liqueur)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On the bottom rack, place a 9×13 pan and fill with hot water (this creates a make-shift steam bath) and place the other rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the crust, combine the Oreo crumbs, butter and the cinnamon. Mix well and press mixture into the greased springform pan, set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, stir together the chocolate chips and cream. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each, until the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat at low speed until very smooth. Carefully add chocolate mixture, blend well. Stir in sour cream, salt, coffee, Kahlua, and vanilla; beat until combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake over the pan of hot water for 45 minutes. Center will be soft but will firm up when chilled. Turn off oven, crack the oven door, and let the cheesecake rest with the door ajar for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 12 hours. Slice and serve.

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Cherry Cheesecake Bars

I finally invested in a cherry pitter from Amazon and I am so glad I did. The best part is Miss F loves to operate it. I wish I had bought it years ago, especially since it was so cheap. Miss F loves cherries and loves making her hands pink from the cherries. I made these cheesecake bars based on a recipe from the Beverly Hills Market and Deli, but I made a few changes. These bars are super simple to make and I can't wait to try it with other summer berries. They are much easier than a cheesecake and have the same great taste.

Cherry Cheesecake Bars

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ¼ cup cherries, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon cornstarch
8 ounces cream cheese , softened
1⁄3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of an 8" square pan. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325.

Meanwhile, combine cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cherries are soft, about 5 minutes. Combine lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir into cherry mixture and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

While cherry mixture is cooling, place cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla in a food processor. Process until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Dollop cherry mixture over cream cheese layer. Cut through with a knife to swirl.

Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. Cut into 12 bars.

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Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

While we were in Disney World, Finley selected a red velvet whoopie pie for dessert in Epcot one evening. After she was served it, she realized hers was missing the white chocolate Mickey Mouse on the top, so off we went to exchange it, you can't have a whoopie pie without the mouse. Of course she wasn't able to finish the whole treat, so C and I were happy to help devour the rest of the cake. It was quite delicious and I promised to make some as soon as we returned home. I adapted quite a few recipes, but the main inspiration was from BHG.  I used red gel food coloring instead of regular food coloring.  I probably used three squirts worth.  Add the food coloring a bit at a time, checking the color until it becomes a rich red hue.  Miss F loved these, but she was really missing that white chocolate Mickey.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2 cups flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter until it is fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the sugar and beat the butter and sugar for another 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat four minutes more. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and food coloring. Keep mixing until the batter is creamy and thick.

Use a two tablespoon ice cream scoop to dish the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. Once the cookies have finished baking, place the cookies on a cooling rack and let them cool for about 15 minutes.

Beat together the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until thick and creamy. Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down and spread with the prepared cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cookie. Serve.

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Hot Artichoke Dip

I am not a huge spinach artichoke dip fan. I know a lot of people love it, but it just doesn't work for me and I am not quite sure why. Miss F is a sucker in Costco, nearly every sample we try, she wants to buy, doesn't matter what it is. Last visit, she was desperate for Veggie Chips. They came in a single industrial size bag, so I had to be sure she would eat them. She said she liked them more than Chili Cheese Fritos, so I went ahead and bought them. She ate then twice and was over it. But they worked great with this dip. Too bad I still have a ton left. She is not going to sway me our next trip to Costco, I will remain strong. I also served it with sliced baguette.

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 green onions, sliced thin
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Dash hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth, beat in the mayonnaise. Add remaining ingredients and stir together until combined. Transfer the dip to a pie plate or shallow gratin dish. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the dip is bubbling. Serve hot with crackers, tortilla chips, crostini or veggies.

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Raspberry Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for Easter. Raspberries were on sale, so this was the perfect way to use a couple of delicious pints. I used my regular cheesecake recipe, but used the topping recipe from the wonderful Tide and Thyme.  This dessert is perfect for spring and summer berries.  I used homemade strawberry jam for the topping, it worked beautifully with the cheesecake.  Miss F waivers in her love for cheesecake.  I am never sure whether she will enjoy it or not.  She loved this version!

Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust:
1 ¼ cups graham-cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
3-8 ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1-8 ounce container of sour cream, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 eggs, room temperature

Topping:
2 pints fresh raspberries
¼ cup strawberry jelly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham-cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Mix well. Mix in the melted butter until well-moistened. Press mixture into a springform pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar on low speed until smooth. Scrape sides of bowl as needed ensure even mixing. Add in the lemon juice, then the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is well incorporated before adding the next one. Again, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed to get the mixture uniform.

Pour the filling into a springform pan and gently smooth the top of the filling. Place cheesecake in the oven, and reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not open the oven again until the cheesecake is cooled. Turn off oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven for 2 hours (without opening oven). If the cheesecake doesn't feel 100% cool after 2 hours, allow to continue cooling, up to another hour or so. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Greek Shrimp Salad

After my trip to Aspen for our wedding anniversary, I knew I wanted to eat lighter. The food I enjoyed on the weekend getaway was amazing, but it was all quite rich. I adapted this recipe from my recipe for Shrimp Gyros, with a Greek vinaigrette from Ina Garten.  This salad totally filled my cravings for something healthy and I prepared it in under 15 minutes.  Miss F only ate the shrimp, I am still working on getting her to try salad.  Anyone have any tips to get a five year old to try lettuce?  Feel free to add olives and feta to this salad, I don't enjoy either, but I realize they are traditional to a Greek salad.

Greek Shrimp Salad

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Juice of two small or one large lemon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cucumber, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
½ red onion, sliced
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together one tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss the shrimp in the marinade and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the shrimp for 5 to 6 minutes, until pink and cooked through.

Toss the cucumber, tomato, onion and lettuce with the vinaigrette. Top with shrimp and serve.

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Strawberry Basil Cheesecake

Ever since I ordered a new springform pan, I have been very into making cheesecake. I absolutely adored the recipe for Meyer Lemon Cheesecake, so I decided to change it to a simple, plain cheesecake. I once held a lemon themed dinner party, complete with Lemon Mousse for dessert. The lemon didn't go over as well as I thought it should, so plain cheesecake seemed like a better fit. And I decided to macerate some strawberries with fresh basil as a topping so people could decide if they wanted it or not (they all did!)  The entire cheesecake was eaten by the end of the party, which is my mark of a delicious dessert.

Strawberry Basil Cheesecake

Crust:
1 ¼ cups graham-cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
3-8 ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1-8 ounce container of sour cream, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 eggs, room temperature

Topping
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons minced basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham-cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Mix well. Mix in the melted butter until well-moistened. Press mixture into a springform pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar on low speed until smooth. Scrape sides of bowl as needed ensure even mixing. Add in the lemon juice, then the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is well incorporated before adding the next one. Again, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed to get the mixture uniform.

Pour the filling into a springform pan and gently smooth the top of the filling. Place cheesecake in the oven, and reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not open the oven again until the cheesecake is cooled. Turn off oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven for 2 hours (without opening oven). If the cheesecake doesn't feel 100% cool after 2 hours, allow to continue cooling, up to another hour or so. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.

Stir together the strawberries, sugar and basil 15 minutes before serving. Top each slice with the strawberry mixture before serving.

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Meyer Lemon Cheesecake

I made Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with the intention to eat it after feasting on steamed crabs. Sadly, Houston is actually experiencing winter this year and it was too cold to sit outside to eat. So instead we went out to eat and had this at home after. Miss F was shockingly not a fan, but my mom, dad and I really enjoyed it. Mom had made a lemon cheesecake the week prior and said it was terrible, so she was happy to have a version she enjoyed eating. I love a sour cream topping on cheesecake, it reminds me of my mom's chocolate cheesecake recipe, so this recipe from Culicurious was a huge hit.  Using three packages of cream cheese yields a gorgeously tall cheesecake.

Meyer Lemon Cheesecake

Crust:
1 ¼ cups graham-cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
3-8 ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1-8 ounce container of sour cream, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
6 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
3 eggs, room temperature

Sour Cream Topping:
1-8 ounce container of sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Lemon Glaze Topping:
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon water
1 drop yellow food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham-cracker crumbs and brown sugar. Mix well. Mix in the melted butter until well-moistened. Press mixture into a springform pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar on low speed until smooth. Scrape sides of bowl as needed ensure even mixing. Add the Meyer lemon and mix just until smooth.
Finally, add in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is well incorporated before adding the next one. Again, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed to get the mixture uniform.

Pour the filling into a springform pan and gently smooth the top of the filling. Place cheesecake in the oven, and reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes. Do not open the oven again until the cheesecake is cooled. Turn off oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven for 2 hours (without opening oven). If the cheesecake doesn't feel 100% cool after 2 hours, allow to continue cooling, up to another hour or so. Once cool, remove the cheesecake from the oven, spread on the sour cream topping, and cover with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, water and food coloring. Unmold cheesecake, drizzle it with lemon glaze, slice and serve.

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Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

Thanks to my friend Courtney, I now add cream cheese whenever I make mashed potatoes. That leaves a lot of excess cream cheese around the house just calling out to be used in some sort of dessert. If I had my way, I would make chocolate cheesecake weekly. These mini indulgences are much easier and you can eat one with a lot less guilt than an entire cheesecake. And if chocolate cheesecake is at our house, I am making my best efforts to eat the entire thing.  I blame the sour cream topping.  Thanks to Betty Crocker for the easy recipe!

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

6 Oreo cookies
12 ounces of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups. Split Oreos in half. Place 1 cookie half, middle side up, in each cup. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar and the cocoa until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Divide evenly among cups (cups will be almost full). Bake cheesecakes 20 to 25 minutes or until centers are firm. Cool 15 minutes (cheesecake centers will sink while cooling). Refrigerate in muffin cups at least 1 hour; cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour longer before serving.

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Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

I love cheesecake bars. I first made them for the Secret Recipe Club, Reeses Cheesecake Brownie Bars and they were amazing. These weren't as easy for me. I got the recipe from a local food blog I read, Eating Our Words. I of course had to convert them from low-fat to full fat, isn't that the point of dessert?  The recipe instructions were very basic and I am a not an experienced cheesecake maker. I originally added all the ingredients at once per the instructions and boy it was a mess. So after some troubleshooting involving a strainer,  a food processor and a giant mess, I got it straightened out. The tartness of the blueberries and raspberries are the perfect foil to the rich and creamy cheesecake.

Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 cup fresh raspberries (more or less, as desired)
¾ cup fresh blueberries (more or less, as desired)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix crumbs and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar, milk, cornstarch and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the crumb crust. Scatter raspberries and blueberries on top. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until touch to center feels slightly firm and set.

Cool completely before cutting. Use foil to lift cheesecake out of pan and onto a cutting board. Use a thin, sharp knife to cut into clean-looking bars (wiping blade clean with a paper towel between cuts). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Secret Recipe Club: Reese's Cheesecake Brownie Bars

This is my first month to participate in the Secret Recipe Club. I was so excited to join, I really enjoy the recipe swap I participate in and this takes it to the next level. I received Inside BruCrew Life in the swap. She has so many amazing dessert recipes in her blog, I knew that is what I had to choose. And who can resist brownies+Reeses+cheesecake? Not me, so Ultimate Reeses Cheesecake Brownie Bars was the obvious choice.  They were delicious!  I had to send most of them in with C to his office or else I would have eaten them all the week before we left on vacation to Bali.  And eating an entire pan of Reese's Cheesecake Brownie Bars doesn't help one become bikini ready...no matter how delicious they were, I had to resist.  I had one and it was amazing.

Reese’s Cheesecake Brownie Bars

16 Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 package brownie mix
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 squares chocolate almond bark, melted
2 bags of Reese’s Pieces

Place the peanut butter cups in the freezer for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix brownies according to package. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Beat cream cheese, butter and cornstarch until fluffy. Beat in milk, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Chop up the peanut butter cups and stir into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over top of the brownie batter. Bake 40-45 minutes. Cool. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle Reese’s Pieces on top. Cut into bars and keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

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Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

I made these adorable cupcake sized cheesecakes for our girls' weekend to Galveston. They are simple to make and you get to take some aggression out when you crush the cookies for the batter.  These were even easier for me because Miss F helped get the cupcake liners ready, she'll do anything for an Oreo cookie reward.  The Oreo cookies make a perfect "crust" for the individual cheesecakes, so cute!

Martha Stewart's Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes Recipe
makes 30

42 Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt

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

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Crab Rangoon

When I was in college, one of the places in the dining hall was Kim Son. It was average Chinese food at best, but you always got a crab Rangoon with your entree. The lady working the counter liked me and always said "more crab puff?" To which I always replied, "yes, please!" I always had at least three. And I would have been totally happy just eating those for dinner. C was out of town on a fishing trip, so I knew I could bake all the bread I wanted and cook lots of seafood. I imagine he would freak out just a teeny bit if he smelled crabmeat frying up in our kitchen. This recipe is amazingly simple. I dipped the crab Rangoon in Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, which was the perfect complement of spice and sweet to the rich crab.

Crab Rangoon

1 brick of cream cheese, softened
1 pound of crab meat, picked free of shells
32 wonton wrappers
Oil for frying

Gently fold the crab meat into the softened cream cheese, making sure to distribute the crab meat evenly. In a small saucepan, heat 2” of oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, prepare a small bowl with water in it. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the crab mixture into the center of the wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in the water bowl and brush it around the edge of the wonton wrapper. Pinch the wonton wrapper to for a cross at the top, sealing with your wet fingertips. Fry the wontons in the oil until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack over a cookie sheet. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving or else the filling will be too hot. Serve with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.

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Cinnamon Raisin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

What a very long name for a fairly simple recipe. Ever since my breakfast club at work, I have been a fan of French toast casserole. Specifically, Apple and Cranberry French Toast Casserole. I had another playgroup baby shower to attend and I volunteered French Toast Casserole, thinking I would make my old standby. When I saw this on I Was Born To Cook, I knew I had to try it. I think I would be better off in a deeper dish next time, as it puffed up a little much.

Cinnamon Raisin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread
5 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 dash nutmeg

16 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup sugar

Lightly butter a 3-quart baking pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with half of the bread slices. In a medium bowl combine 6 of the eggs with all the milk and cream, 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Pour half the egg mixture over the bread. In a separate bowl mix the cream cheese, remaining 2 eggs, teaspoon of vanilla, and ½ cups of sugar until smooth and creamy. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bread layer. Arrange the rest of the bread over the filling and top with the remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Adapted from I Was Born To Cook

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