Strawberry Cheesecake

                                                                         

This is thick & dense Cheesecake not the light whipped variety!

1 Large Pre-Made Graham Cracker Crust

2, 8 Ounce Blocks of Cream Cheese

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Sugar

Dash of Salt

2 Tsp. Vanilla

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy.  Add sugar & beat again. Now add eggs vanilla & salt & beat again. Spoon into the graham cracker crust. Smooth over the top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, turn heat down to 325 degrees & continue baking for 45 minutes. Now turn oven off & leave door slightly ajar & let cheesecake sit in oven for 1 hour more. Remove from oven & top with the fresh strawberry topping you will make next.

Strawberry Topping:

1 Quart Fresh Strawberries

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp. Lemon Juice

1 Heaping TBS Cornstarch

Dash of Salt

4 to 6 drops Red Food Coloring

Divide berries in half using the biggest & prettiest for slicing. The ones you chose for the sauce put into a saucepan & slightly mash. Add 1/2 cup of the water & bring berries & water to a boil & boil for 5 minutes. Turn off berries & let sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. Now mash them very well. You will drain this now saving the juice. Throw out the mashed berries. Return the juice to the saucepan & add the sugar & salt, Bring back to the boil. Stir the cornstarch and the 1/2 cup water together until smooth, stir into the simmering berry juice & add the lemon juice. Continue to cook & stir until nice & thick. Stir in the red food coloring Remove from heat. 

Now you will slice your whole berries into 4 slices each. Arrange slices on the top of your cheesecake. Now spoon glaze over the berries. Chill for at least 6 hours overnight is best! You will have one delicious & beautiful Cheesecake

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

                                                                     

Thick hearty Pasta e Fagioli Soup! Lucious & Easy!

2 TBS Olive Oil

2 LBS. Ground Beef

2 Onions Chopped

2 Cups Carrot Chopped

2 Stalks Celery Chopped

2 TBS Chopped Garlic

24 Ounces Tomato Sauce

30 Ounces Chicken Broth

1 Cup Water

30 Ounces Diced Tomatoes

2 Tsp. Sugar

2 TBS Italian Seasonings

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 $ 1/2 Cups Dried Ditalini Pasta

15 Ounces Red Kidney Beans

15 Ounces Great Northern Beans

2 TBS Parsley

Shredded Italian Cheese Blend to top each serving about 4 Cups

Place olive oil in deep large pot. Add ground beef & brown. Add the onions, garlic, celery, & carrots & cook until vegetables are soft, stir often cook about 15 minutes. Now drain & then return to pot. Add remaining seasonings, liquids, beans & pasta. Simmer & stir often to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom, cooking until  pasta is tender & soup is slightly thickened, about 1 hour but even longer is better. Ladle into bowls, top the cheese & serve once cheese has melted. Makes about 10 servings! 

The Devil Made Me Do It Black Bottom Brownies

                                       

Oh yeah, rich fudgy brownies with that swirl of cream cheese and chocolate chip filling! Sinfully good! This brownie only has half of the filling, because silly me I thought one block of cream cheese would do it. But no no no it cried out for more! So the recipe is for more than what you see in this photo! These are so good!  

Brownie Batter                                                                                                                                              1 and 1/3 Cup Softened Butter.

2 and 2/3 Sugar. 

4 Eggs.   

1 TSP Vanilla.  

2 Cup Flour.   

1 Cup Cocoa.  

1/2Teaspoon Salt.                                                                                                                                                Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a deep 10×15 baking pan.                                                        I large mixing bowl beat the butter until fluffy. Now beat in the sugar until fluffy. Now add eggs and beat again. Add vanilla and beat until everything is fluffy. In another bowl stir the flour, cocoa and salt together. Now add to your butter mixture 1/3 at a time until batter is once again fluffy. Spoon I to your prepared pan. Now make that filling.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING. 

2, 8 Ounce Blocks of Cream Cheese Softened.

2 Eggs.        

2/3 Cups Sugar.   

Dash of Salt.   

1 TSP Vanilla.   

2 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips or regular size  

        Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat again. Now add the eggs and vanilla and beat again making it fluffy. Now stir in the chocolate chips.  Now in large dollops plop those over your brownie batter. Swirl with a knife to marble it.    Pop into the oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes or batter tests done. Yoh want no raw batter on the tester. Melted chocolate is just fine but no raw batter. Be careful yo not over bake though

 Once out of the oven I spread some Duncan Hines Extra Dark Chocolate Frosting over the still hot brownies just for extra oomph! Perfect!                                               

Sugar Cookie Bar Cookies

Sugary Soft Bar Sugar Cookies!

   1 cup shortening 

   1 1/2 cups sugar                                                             3 eggs                                                                               3 tsp vanilla                                                                   3 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.                                                                    Beat 1 tsp baking soda shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add flavoring and beat. Stir all the dry ingredients together then gradually add to your beaten mixture. Spray a 12 x16 inch pan with baking spray and preheat oven to 350 degrees. So read batter evenly into pan sprinkle a generous amount of sanding sugar over the top. If you use vanilla you could sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the batter instead. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cookies test done by inserting a toothpick and having it comes out clean. Let cool and cut into bars. Makes 2 and a half dozen very soft sugar cookies. Enjoy!   

Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars

                                                             

Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars!
Makes a 9x13 pan full of goodness!

2 3/4 Cups Flour

1/2 TSP Baking Soda

2 TSP Baking Powder

1/2 TSP Salt

2 Cups Brown Sugar

2/3 Cup Melted Butter

3 Eggs Beaten

2 TSP Vanilla

1 Bag Chocolate Chips, I used Semi Sweet!

1 Cup Nuts optional

Mix all the dry together. Add melted butter, beaten eggs & vanilla. Stir with a large heavy spoon until combined well. Stir in Chocolate Chips & nuts. Grease & flour a 9x13 cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven & cool. Serve warm with ice cream or let cool & just munch! 

Shoofly Applesauce Cake

                                                                               

Bake up the flavor of Autumn in this delightful & easy cake!
So moist, tender & packed with flavor!

4 Cups Flour

2 Cups Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup Of Butter cut into small pieces

2 TSP Cinnamon

1 Tsp Clove & 1 Tsp Ginger, & Dash of Nutmeg Optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease & Flour a 9x13 pan

Stir all the dry ingredients together in your large mixing bowl. Now add the butter a little at a time on low speed until you get fine crumbs. Remove 1&1/4 Cups for your crumb topping. Now add the following to the remaining crumbs.

2 Cups Boiling Water in a deep bowl add the following:

1 TBS Baking Soda & let it foam up, stir to be sure all is dissolved. Now stir in,

1 Cup Molasses, I used Grandma's but use the Molasses or table syrup you prefer.

1 Cup Applesauce

2 Tsp. Vanilla

Stir to combine then beat on low speed into the remaining crumbs. Beat but a few lumps will be in the batter, not to worry. 

Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Now sprinkle all of the crumb mixture you set aside & divide evenly over the top. Sprinkle cinnamon over the crumbs if you like, I do & I did! 

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Mine was perfect at 45 minutes but you do not want wet better, so bake until toothpick comes out clean. This is a very moist, flavorful cake, & taste like Fall & taste like More! ENJOY FOODIES! 

Cheesy Baked Corn

 Cheesy Corn : 4 bags Copes frozen corn thaw, 1 chop, onion, 2 ribs celery chop, 2 T parsley, chop, 1 stick butter, 6 eggs, 8 oz. cream cheese soft. 2 Cups sour cream, 2Cups shredded cheddar cheese, fry onion, celery in butter, cool, beat cream cheese add eggs beat, add sour cream beat, add butter mix. stir into corn fold in cheddar cheese. Crock pot 4 hours high or 5 to 6 on low.

I made this to take to a family picnic one year but forgot to get a picture. This is super good!