Easiest Cheesecake Ever

Don't these look yummy? My mom always made these. I remember them on Valentine's Day the most--but she used canned cherry pie filling for the topping, and I wanted to try something different this time. I did a mini-version using mini wafers and mini liners for a RS get together. I didn't have time to let them all cool properly, so the toppings melted on some and they looked horrible--but everyone STILL ate them! They were just too delicious.

Appx 12 normal-sized Nilla Wafer Cookies (a little more than double for the minis)
2 8oz pkgs cream cheese
3/4 C Sugar
2 Tbs flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Soften cream cheese. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add flour and baking pwd, then add lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Beat to combine.

Fill muffin pan with liners and add a wafer to the bottom of each. Fill each cup just under the top. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. They are way puffy when they're hot, but they settle into a little well during cooling.

Once the've deflated, chill in the fridge (or only a little while in the freezer if you get impatient like me ;D) for 4-6 hours. Then top them with anything that goes great with cheesecake!

STOVE TOP Sweet Citrus Chicken

 Here is one of our family Fav's. Hope you all enjoy!!

What you Need

1-2/3 cups hot water

1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

6 small Boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness

2/3 cup  Orange juice

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp.  Butter or margarine, melted

Make It

HEAT oven to 400ºF.
ADD hot water to stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.
PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix juice, sugar and butter until blended; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

Spicy Honey Chicken Salad

This is that really yummy go-to salad that I serve practically every time we have company, and I made it for Lolly's 1st birthday party .

It's at Our Best Bites. Instead of writing it down, I'll just send you all there. (Click the link.)

They say that thighs are the best, but I never have those, so I couldn't say. I've always used chicken breast.

We've also made it with the chicken separate over rice and the salad as a side. . . mainly to appease Nana the vegetarian. Someday I want to substitute black beans for the chicken so we can all eat less meat--and not just Nana. lol

New York Pizza

To start this blog out on a tremendous high, here is the ever desirable best NY Pizza recipe I have ever come across to date:

Dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons (one package) active dry yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
1 1/4 c. Ice cold water
1 tsp sugar
1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP Olive Oil
5 1/4 - 5 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour plus more for dusting

Put yeast in warm water and set aside. Mix Ice water, sugar, salt and olive oil. Place in flour. Add yeast mixture. Knead until elastic. Divide in three pieces and knead into balls. Place in Ziploc bag in the fridge for 10 minutes (or up to 2days). Take out and stretch out your dough. Best dough for flinging into the air I have ever seen.

Sauce:

1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
1 can 6 oz Tomato Paste
1 1/2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 tsp salt

Add whatever toppings you desire. A popular one is ricotta cheese, spinach, Tomato slices, and cut mozzarella circles.

Pizzas bake at 500 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Let's Get Cookin'

Hello family members, and possibly other friends? Welcome to our food blog! I know that this family is full of good recipes and even better recipe-interpreters ;D. So, please share your favorites, as well as your latest and greatest(s). . . and maybe we can all feel a little more like we're still at the same dining room table.