Classic New York Style Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust

This is a classic, tried and true recipe for New York Style Cheesecake.

Make sure to let it cool for at least six hours or longer.  Cheesecake is always better the next day!

Crust:
1 cup Graham Crackers, crushed
3 tbs sugar
3 tbs butter, melted
1 tsp salt (omit if you use salted butter)

Cheesecake:
24 ounces cream cheese (plain, full fat) at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs lemon juice
3 large eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  (If using a dark nonstick pan, preheat to 300 degrees).

Crush the graham crackers completely.  I find the easiest way is to put them in my food processor an pulse until the crumbs are uniform size.

In a small bowl, mix together the crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt.  Spread the mixture into a 9 inch springform pan. press into the bottom of the pan and about 3/4 inch up the sides.  To make it even thickness, I use a drinking glass to press down on the crumbs.

Bake for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, beat the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar in a bowl.  Add the vanilla and lemon juice (I have substituted lemon zest and it is just as good) and beat until well incorporated.  Add eggs, one at a time while mixing.  Be sure to mix well after each egg.Pour the batter over the crust and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature on the counter, then cool in the fridge for at least five more hours.  I swear, this cheesecake hits it's peak at 3 days old! Before removing the sides of the pan, go around the edges of the cake with a butter knife or small pastry spatula to prevent sticking.

My favorite way to eat cheesecake is with dark chocolate drizzle.  Sometimes I can be talked into berry preserves (I can my own, but if you on't have any, one cup of unsweetened frozen berries, 2 tbs water, and 1/2 cup sugar on the stovetop until boiling works.  Cool before garnishing).

Another fun variation is to mix 2 tbs Wildtree Very Berry Cheesecake Mix with 1 cup full fat sour cream.  10 minutes before the cheesecake is done, remove fro over spread the sour cream mixture over it, and bake the remaining 10 minutes.  It's a twist on the classic sour cream frosting.

Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

Busy Mama Recipes





I made this yummy "snack" today for a little family get-together and it ended up being gobbled so fast I wish I would have made more. If you like stuffed mushrooms, this is a must-try!

Photo from www.wildtree.com, where this recipe is featured. 

One package white mushrooms (about 30)
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tbs Wildtree Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato blend
2 green onions, sliced very thin
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 9x13 baking dish with pan spray. Wash and de-stem all mushrooms. Arrange the mushroom caps, hollow-side up, in the baking dish. Chop half of the stems and discard the rest. In a medium mixing bowl, add one tablespoon of warm water to the Wildtree Smoked Mozzerella and Tomato Blend and mix until the water is absorbed. Add the cream cheese, chopped mushroom stems, and green onions.  Mix until thouroughly combined. Place cream cheese mixture into a zip-top bag and cut about half of an inch off of its corner. Squeeze the cream cheese mixture into mushroom caps until filled and top with shredded mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cheese is browned.

Wildtree's Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Blend.  Buy it here.

Serve with lemon wedges and easy marinara sauce:
Combine 14 ounces crushed tomatoes with a 1/2 tablespoon of Wildtree Hearty Spaghetti Blend. Warm on the stove or in the microwave.

Readers: This recipe is featured on the Wildtree Website now!  Check out their recipes, which you can sort by Wildtree Product.  

Breakfast Casserole

Busy Mama Recipes


This casserole is so easy.  I put it together the night before and bake it in the morning to save time.  I have brunch with my parents every Sunday, and everyone always loves this.  The adults and kids eat it, and usually there are no leftovers.  I constantly get asked for this "Breakfast Lasagna" recipe:-)

It's pretty hard to mess up, and you can make it with anything you have.  My favorite is ham, which we had leftover from Thanksgiving, but you could make it with any meat.  Breakfast sausage is really good in it too.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, layer:

3 potatoes, shredded and tossed with 2 tbs Wildtree Smoky Bacon Flavor Grapeseed Oil***
1 cup cheddar cheese
2-3 cups cooked meat (cubed ham, bacon, or breakfast sausage works great)
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 cup spinach or kale
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin
12 eggs whisked with 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1 tbs Wildtree Onion and Chive Blend
1 cup cheddar cheese for the top

*** I have used frozen tater tots- the kids love it!

Wildtree Onion and Chive Blend- buy it here.

Layer everything, in the order above, in the dish. bake at 375 for one hour, covered.  Uncover and bake for another 15 to brown the top.

Wildtree Smoky Bacon Flavor Grapeseed Oil- buy it here.

Lemon (Not-Meringue) Pie with Cardamom and Chocolate

When I was growing up, my grandfather's favorite pie was lemon meringue. I love lemon. Loooove it. But I don't not love meringue. Bleh. I wish I did- I try to like it. I eat it and I always think I will like it, but in the end its just whipped egg whites like usual. This pie is a little different from the typical lemon pie, so its a fun one to bring to a pot luck or holiday dinner.

Crust:

2 1/2 cup graham crackers, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 tbs brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Press into a pie pan, making sure to cover the bottom and the sides. Bake for 15 minutes on 375. Take out to cool. Turn the oven down to 325.

Filling:
Juice of two large lemons (make sure to keep the zest)
14oz sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cardamom
2 tbs sugar

Whisk together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour into the pie crust and bake for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely. I would let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour before moving on to the next step.

Not Meringue:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Zest of two lemons
4 tbs powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk the heavy cream until firm peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and lemon zest. Then slowly add the rest of the ingredients. Pipe decoratively or spread onto the completely cooled pie.

Garnish with dark chocolate shavings or sauce and serve.

Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Oh God. These are addicting. I take them to potlucks and parties and I constantly have to write the recipe down for people. I love it:-)

Ingredients:
1 package mushrooms of your choice, rinsed
1 8oz package cream cheese
4 slices thick bacon, chopped
1 shallot, chopped finely
4 tbs parsley, finely chopped
4 tbs + 4 tbs bread crumbs (I use Italian seasoned)
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Right now is also a good time to make sure the mushrooms are clean and there is no lingering dirt. I also hollow out the mushrooms a little more.  If you have a grapfruit spoon or a strawberry corer (my mom has a Pampered Chef one that works great). You can throw out the extra middle and half of the stems. The other half, chop finely and set aside.

In a small pan, cook the bacon until almost done. Remove the bacon but leave the fat in the pan. Cook the shallot and mushroom stems in the fat. When done, place into a large mixing bowl. Mix together the cream cheese, bacon, shallot mix, parsley, 4 tbs of bread crumbs, lemon, and spices. Once its mixed well, spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Its okay if they are really overflowing.

Sprinkle the bread brumbs over the mushrooms (or dip them in) and place them in a casserole dish. You'll want the dish to have sides because the mushrooms will produce water while baking and it could spill into your oven.
Bake on 350 for about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

I have added crumbled bleu cheese to this before- just about 4 or 5 tablespoons to the cream cheese mixture. It is great:-) I think feta and sundried tomato would be yummy too.

Broccoli Pasta Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

I was surprised at this one. I love love love food, but I am not a big one on fruit with vegetables at the same time. Fruit with meat: okay. Fruit with veggies: eh... whatever. I'll try any food once. This time I'm glad I did.

My grandma was telling me all about a salad she had at a bbq thag had grapes and broccoli in it.

I was like "Whaaaat?!"

Then I thought about it. If some random person at a potluck bbq at the senior center can make grapes taste good with broccoli, I can too. So I did, and this is how...

What you'll need:

1 box pasta (I used the rainbow bow tie)
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into small peices (florets and some stems)
4 green onions
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (I think pecans wojld be delicious too!)
1 cup red grapes, halved or quartered depending on the size
Optional: 3 slices of cooked, chopped bacon

Cook pasta according to package directions. Chill in a bowl and toss with all ingredients except grapes and almonds. Add the dressing (recipe below). Mix in the grapes and nuts just before serving.

Champagne Vinaigrette:

1shallot, minced
1 tbs hot Chinese mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 cup champagne vinegar (could also use a mix of champagne vinegar and apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup salad oil
Salt and red or white pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor and blend until smooth. While on high,  slowly add in oil. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for one week.

Beer Cheese Soup

I made this soup for dinner tonight. It could probably be pretty simple: potatoes, stock, beer, cheese, but you know me. Thats too boring. Here is what I used:

3 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 large white onion, diced
I head cauliflower, chopped finely (I call this a "fake potato")
1 quart stock (I just made vegetable stock the other day so I used that, but chicken stock would be good too)
3 russet potatoes, diced (but not peeled... who has time for that? Just wash them.)

I sauteed all the veggies in a little Jalapeno Grapeseed Oil from Wildtree (but you could use any oil or fat). When they were tender I added the stock. I let everything boil for about 15 minutes then simmered it for another 20 minutes or so.

I pureed it with my immersion blender. I pureed it until it was completely smooth (you could leave it more chunky if you choose) but I was trying to make it look like plain potato soup.

I added half a bottle of beer- any kind will do. I used Blue Moon something or other. It was pretty good.

I added about 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar and about 1/2 cup heavy cream. I mixed it together with salt and pepper and added a few spices (a little parsley and paprika).

As it cooled it thickened. I served it with chives for the top, but next time i might make some real bacon bits to top it with. We had it with some jalapeno artisan bread that I popped in the oven at the same time.

Artisan Garlic Bread

I stumbled upon a recipe that looked easy enough for bread (I HATE baking).  It was so simple sounding that I was almost embarrassed to try it, haha.  So, I had to spice it up a little, literally.  This is the recipe I came up with over a year ago, and we have it at least once a week at my house.  It is now a favorite at our family dinners and get-togethers, and I get requests for it often.

Ingredients:
1 packet of active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups of very warm water
2 tbs of Kosher salt
3 cups + 4 tbs all purpose flour flour
3 cloves of pressed garlic.
1 tbs Wildtree Lemon Rosemary Blend (You can also use 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 1 tsp dried Greek oregano instead).

In a large mixing bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid with a dough hook attachment), add the yeast, warm water and salt and mix together.  The mixture should be murky brown and slightly foamy.  Add the garlic and spices of your choosing and mix well.  Add the flour and mix.  A few times you will need to pull the dough off of the hook and re-mix.  Be careful not to over-knead.

Split the dough in half and knead each piece with your hands.  On a greased surface (a large baking sheet will do), roll each piece into a ball and cover with saran wrap.  I always pierce the wrap in one spot so the gasses can escape, then I cover it with a hand towel.  Make sure to set the dough in a warm place so it can rise.  Let it rise for 1 hour, then punch the dough down, re shape, and sprinkle flour on it.  This will create a "gluten crust".  Using a sharp razor blade or knife, cut two slices across the top of each loaf (you can also do an "x" or cross hatch). Let the dough rise for another hour.  By this time it should have almost doubled in size.

If you think you don't have a warm enough place in your house, it's okay to turn your oven onto warm (170 degrees) and put the dough in the oven to rise.  Follow the directions above, but don't cover the bread, and cut the rise time in half.  When it's done rising you will have to remove the dough from the oven while it is preheating to bake.  I have to do this in the winter time because my house is too cold.

***Preheat oven to 400***

In a small container, add one cup of water and put it in the oven  This will create steam which will make the outside of the bread very crunchy while the inside stays soft.  Bake the bread for 30 minutes.

Let your bread cool before serving.  Warm bread is amazing, but the texture gets fluffier as it cools.  We ate one entire loaf in one night.  We had it with salad and herbed garlic butter.  Holy crap it was good.

Variations I have tried and loved:

Jalapeno Cheddar Bread: Omit the spices and add 2 tbs chopped jalapeno.  When the bread is baking, sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.

Sun Dried Tomato and Olive Bread: Omit the spices.  Add 2 tbs of Kalamata olive tapenade and 1 tbs chopped sun dried tomatoes.

Greek Bread:  Omit the spices.  Add 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3 tbs grated cucumber (seeded and most of the moisture squeezed out), 1 tbs Greek yogurt, 3 tbs crumbled feta cheese.

Twice Baked "Potatoes" with Feta

I have been seeing this idea floating around on Pinterest: the Cauliflower Potatoes.  Ever since I saw it, I have wanted to try it... glad I did.  It's pretty great.

I made this recipe (my own recipe) and served it for dinner with pork chops and brussel sprouts.  Kevin ate his "potatoes" and I asked him if he liked them.  He said yes, that they tasted like they always do.  I asked if he noticed anything different about them.  He looked at me weird, thought for a minute, and then said this time they're different because they're smoother and don't have skins in it still.  HA!  I WIN!!!

I told him it was cauliflower and he didn't believe me at first.  After convincing him, he laughed and said they were pretty good.  I can't wait to try it out on my step son: he hated potatoes forever but has recently started "loving" them.  I want to see if he can tell the difference.  If any followers try this out, let me know what your family thinks.  I want to see how many potato lovers are shocked to hear how they were tricked:-)

I used one whole head of cauliflower.  I chopped it into small pieces and boiled it in salted water- just like I would do with potatoes (I also threw in three or four cloves of garlic into the water).  After the cauliflower was soft, I drained it and put it in my food processor and blended it until it was completely smooth.  They first time I tested it, I thought it was still too "grainy", so I processed for longer to get it to feel more like potatoes.

I transferred the "potatoes" to my mixer, because I wanted the recipe to be fluffy- a consistency that is hard to get with a food processor blade.  I added 3 tbs of butter, 2 tbs milk (I had purchased a gallon of raw cow's milk from a farm that morning... SO worth it!), three chopped green onions, some chopped fresh parsley, and salt and pepper.  I added some dried dill for good measure.

I folded in about 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, then transferred the mixture to a small casserole dish.  I broiled it on low for about 10 minutes, just until the top was browned.

When I tried it, it practically melted in my mouth.  The texture was perfect!  This recipe is my own, but I owe some credit to whoever thought of this trick!  Whoever you are, you are a genius!

Homemade (Smokey Bacon) Bleu Cheese Dressing -Shop Local!

Bleu Cheese dressing is, without a doubt, my all time favorite salad dressing.  I love it.  I wish it were lower in calories, but I still get it when we go out to eat.  Because it's so fattening, I hardly ever make it at home unless we are having guests or taking it to a potluck or family dinner.

With that said, I absolutely despise when blue cheese dressing is like runny ranch with chunks of mild bleu cheese- it might as well be feta or something.  It drives me insane.  It also bothers me when people spell it "blue"... even though it's sort of correct- it's only in America:-)  Sometimes I need to be more fancy than that...

The key to good bleu cheese dressing is good cheese- duh.  My favorites have been Oregonzola, which is made by Rogue Valley Creamery in Southern Oregon.

I also love a kind called Smokey Blue, made by the same company (adding bacon to a smokey dressing recipe will be amazing on burgers or fries- it would be the hit of a BBQ potluck in the Summer).  

When I worked at Allyson's Kitchen, most of our cheeses (or bleu cheese, anyway) came from the Rogue Creamery.  Since Allyson's started in Ashland, Oregon, the business was supporting another local business.  Although Allyon's Kitchen is now closed, you can still purchase from Rogue Creamery by visiting their website- or going to a store that sells their product.  I would highly recommend it- the cheese is GREAT quality and world renowned- even winning at the World Cheese Awards in England last year. 

Of course, you can get all kind of cheese at your grocery store and other cheese stores.  I also don't like the kind at the store that comes crumbled.  It's worth it to buy a chunk or wedge and chop it yourself.  

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bleu cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonaisse (I like to make my own, but store bought will last longer and is easier for most people, as they already have it in the fridge)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
zest and juice of one lemon
salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 7 days.  For the Smokey Bacon Bleu Cheese dressing, just use Smokey Blue (or a different smoked bleu cheese; or just add smoked paprika to the original recipe) and add some cooked bacon crumbles.

Note:  You can adjust the amounts of mayo and buttermilk to make the dressing as thick as you would like it.  Making the cheese crumbles smaller or bigger will effect the thickness (small crumbles for a thicker, less chunky dressing).

Do not use an electric mixer in this recipe.  It will be fine at first but the dressing will thicken because of the mayo (eggs) and other ingredients.

Seafood Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Bacon

I made these with my grandma the other night.  They were delicious, I can't wait to have them again.  I was afraid they would be too spicy, but as long as you get all of the seeds and the pulp out of the pepper, they will be fairly mild.  My two year old ate them with no problem.  (However, the filling will be very hot so make sure they have time to cool down.

My grandma bought the jalapenos at the farmer's market here in town, so they were BIG.  I liked them that way, it made them easier to stuff so it went a lot faster.

Make sure that you wear gloves when you handle this many hot peppers.  Be careful not to rub your eyes or touch sensitive skin with juice on your hands.  I learned my lesson the hard way- touched Stewie's face once (years ago) after handling hot peppers, I burned his eye:-(  I felt so bad.  I always wear gloves now, even if I think I can handle it.

Stuffed Jalapenos


12-15 large jalapeno peppers
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 bunch green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 8oz package crab meat or imitation crab meat
Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime
1 tsp salt
1 tbs pepper
12-15 strips bacon, raw


Cut all jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove all seeds and pulp, rinse with water if necessary.


Preheat oven to 350.


Combine all other ingredients (except bacon) in a bowl and mix until uniform in texture.  Spoon mixture into jalapenos halves, replacing the other halves on top of the stuffing so the pepper sticks back together.  It is okay if the peppers are "overflowing" or if the cream cheese is coming out of the sides.  


Wrap each pepper in bacon from bottom to top.  You can hold in place with toothpicks if needed.  The bacon should hold in any cheese mixture that is falling out.


Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the bacon is fully cooked.  Let cool before serving, the inside with be extremely hot.


**Next time I make these, I am going to replace the cream cheese with bleu cheese crumbles and cheddar cheese.  Kevin also wants to try it with a smoked cheese.  I'll let you know when I try it;-)