Best Ever Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar

Filling/Topping

• 2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese (softened)
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup sugar (divided)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar; mix well.  Pat evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie plate.  Place in refrigerator to chill while preparing filling.

In mixing bowl combine cream cheese and eggs and beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and salt.  Continue beating until well blended.  Pour into chilled pie crust and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Combine sour cream, remaining sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl.  Spread evenly over cooled cheesecake and return to oven for another 10 minutes.  

Cool completely on a wire rack and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. 

~ Another recipe from my friend's mother's kitchen .. thanks again Sheri! ~

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar (or maple syrup)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup water (or milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Sift together the flour, cocoa, soda and salt.  

Cream together the sugar, mayonnaise, water and vanilla.  

Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; stir until well blended.  

Pour into a greased and floured layer cake pan (or 9x13 pan).  

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.  Frost if you like, but good plain.

~ Thanks goes to my sister for this recipe via email.  It's a recipe similar to the one that has been in the family for many years.  My dad's sister used to make mayonnaise cake and everybody loved it! ~

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed)

Topping

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease or line muffin tins.

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in mixing bowl.  Add vegetable oil, egg and milk.  Fold in blueberries.  Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full.

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients with a fork and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until done.

~ I made these tonight with some fresh, frozen blueberries we had in the freezer from last fall.  They turned out very good and I'll let you guess what I'll be having for breakfast tomorrow morning with my coffee! ~

Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen (roughly chopped)

Topping

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease or line a 12 slot muffin tin.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Fold in sour cream.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.  Add this flour mixture to the creamed mixture, stirring just until moistened.  Fold in cranberries.

In a small bowl combine topping ingredients.

Fill muffin tin slots 2/3 full and sprinkle with topping.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (although it will most likely be stained red).  Cool in tins for about 5 minutes before removing.  Makes a dozen muffins.

~ I had leftover cranberries from the cranberry upside down cake I made the other night and wanted to use them up, so I made these muffins.  I think they turned out pretty good.  Again, tart, yet semi sweet.  I think maybe an addition of orange zest (or maybe even orange juice) to the batter might take it up another notch, but all in all, good muffins. ~

Easy Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In small bowl, combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg whites and vanilla, mix well.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 18 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

~ Simple, easy, sweet and delicious! ~

Mock Raspberry Freezer Jam

Ingredients

• 5 cups chopped green tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 6 oz. package raspberry flavored gelatin (or any flavor you choose)

Directions

Chop green tomatoes in blender.  Bring tomatoes and sugar to a boil in pot and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in gelatin and blend well.  Place in freezer safe containers or canning jars and freeze until ready to use.

~ It doesn't get any simpler than this.  Freezer jam at it's easiest and totally interchangeable depending on what flavor gelatin you choose.  Thanks for this one dad! ~

Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 very ripe)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts or 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and lightly flour loaf pan.  Set aside.

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add sour cream, vanilla, and bananas.  Add flour, soda, and salt.  Fold in nuts or chocolate chips.  Pour into loaf pan and bake 60 - 65 minutes or until golden brown.

~ I'm a sucker for a good banana bread, warm and buttered, right out of the oven.  I never realized just how easy it was to bake from scratch til mom gave me the recipe many years ago and I tried it for myself.  It's been a winner ever since! ~