#9 Candy Cane Cheesecake

I know this picture isn't the best, but cheesecake is really difficult to cut smoothly! It still tastes the same! =)

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE

2 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
red food coloring
1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust
whipped cream and mini candy canes for garnish

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla, mix well.
• Place 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture in a small bowl and stir in peppermint extract and few food coloring (enough to turn it a pretty shade!) and mix well. Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture into pie crust.
• Drop peppermint cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls into cream cheese mix and swirl with a knife to create marbled effect.
• Make for 45 minute, or until edges are firm and the middle is slightly loose.
• Allow to cool 1 hour then cover and chill at least 6 hours before serving.
• Top with garnishes!

I made a little too much of the batter red, so the marbled look isn't as clear as I hope...so less is better!

#4 Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

CHERRY CHEESECAKE COOKIES

1 6-oz jar maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 3-oz package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
red food coloring
milk

• Drain cherries, reserving juice. Pat cherries dry. Finely chop cherries; measure 1/3 cup. Spread cherries on paper towels, pat dry.
• In a large bowl combine butter, shortening, and cream cheese. Beat with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg and extract until combined. Gradually add flour, beating until combined.
• Divide dough into 3 portions. Leave one portion plain. Into another dough portion, knead 1/2 tsp of the reserved cherry juice and enough red food coloring to make the dough light pink. Knead chopped cherries into remaining dough portion. Wrap each dough portion with plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours.
• Lightly flour three pieces of parchment paper. On each piece, roll a dough portion into a 6-inch square. Cover each portion with plastic wrap and freeze for about 30 minutes.
• Place plain dough square on work surface; brush top with milk. Place pink square on top of plain square. Turn over and brush other side of plain square with milk; place chopped cherry square on top of that one. Evenly trim the edges and cut stack into 3 even portions; freeze for about 30 more minutes.
• Preheat oven 275 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cut each block crosswise into 12 slices. Place slices on sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest magazine Dec 2011 edition

VALENTINE CHEESECAKE

So this is pretty simple. Make a cheesecake, use a cookie cutter and cut out a shape, make a little berry glaze, spoon over top (make it look fancy of course) and top it with a strawberry, or any other berry you want. It can't get any more simple. Just top it off with a pretty picture!

So here is a basic recipe for cheesecake:

CHEESECAKE

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
Press into the bottom of 9x13 pan.

In large bowl, beat together
3 (8oz) packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
Blend in one at a time:
4 eggs
Then stir in:
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fold in gently:
2 cups sour cream

Pour batter over crust. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cake in for at least 30 min.

Let it cool completely, then use cookie cutter for shapes--the bigger the cookie cutter, the better it will turn out.

Berry Glaze....I just cut up some fresh strawberries and thawed out 1 cup frozen raspberries [this is what I had] and put them in sauce pan with 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup white sugar. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Then use a fine mesh strainer, and strain the juice into clean bowl. Then use this juice over the cheesecake! Its just THAT simple, people! Hope you enjoy!