Recipes, Nutrition, Prices
Three words: Tender. Turkey. Meatballs. They’re inexpensive, surprisingly simple to make, and they get an enthusiastic thumbs up from the fam every time. I’ve always loved a good meatball from an Italian restaurant, but to be honest, since adding these to our weeknight menu, the […]
Making this sauce with whole grain spaghetti noodles is one of my “veggie heavy dinner that’s not a salad” staples. I throw veggies, tomatoes, and some spices into a pot and BOOM. Dinner made, and the sauce sticks to the noodles. Also it’s freezer friendly. […]
So basically I have all of the solutions to your home-made pizza crust woes right here. No rising needed Totally freezable Basil + Oregano Heaven Thick and chewy Crispy, sturdy bottom crust This dough recipe makes enough for one large pizza with very thick, chewy […]
The number one complaint I hear about using home-made hamburger patties is that they fall apart on the grill. I’ve solved that problem with a couple extra ingredients and some resting time in the fridge! My rule of thumb for helping burgers stick together on […]
Fruit Salad = Summer Rainbow Giddiness In Your Mouth Traditionally My family served this with dinner as a side salad, but I legitimately think of it as a dessert. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as heavy as a Reese’s Cheesecake, but it is sweet, creamy […]
Red Beans and Rice is my favorite crock pot dinner: You don’t need to make any sides Veggies, whole grains, protein, legumes, all in one bowl Super for your gut health Unique creole flavors that we don’t experience on an every day basis Excellent for […]
Okay, this pantry staple marinara is seriously the easiest recipe on my site. I make it when I need a dipping sauce for my cheesy bread, or a simmering sauce for my tender turkey meatballs, and for a quick and simple pizza sauce. You could […]
In honor of Mother’s Day I’m sharing a decadent dessert with you that whole-heartedly reminds me of my own sweet mom: Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Anything and everything salted caramel brings her to mind, and since I can’t be home for this Mother’s […]
You can end your search for the best apple pie right here. I stumbled across this recipe by Audrey over at Audrey’s Apron a few years ago and have never made it any other way since. The apples, a mix of pink lady and granny […]
I love decorating sugar cookies for ALL the Holidays, but a plain vanilla sugar cookie just didn’t seem festive enough for this Easter. So I’m bringing you a twist on one of Easter’s most classic desserts: Carrot Cake! These carrot cake sugar cookies are complete […]
When a cold, rainy day comes along, a simple and comforting bowl of soup seems to always slide onto our menu. There’s something very meditative about peeling and chopping all of the vegetables and tossing them into an aromatic pot of boiling broth. It really […]
This is one of those light, spring-timey soups that warms you right up and leaves you feeling cozy and refreshed all at the same time. I titled this dish “Pantry Staple” Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup because it’s usually one of those recipes I fall back […]
I think we all need a little bit of this in our lives right now – a little creamy, garlic-smothered, pasta heaven that is still good to your body. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need cream cheese or heavy cream to make a delicious […]
When I first came across this cheesecake recipe from Deborah over at Taste and Tell, I immediately wanted to taste it. And when I tasted it, I immediately wanted to tell EVERYONE about it. So kudos, Deborah, for an outstanding recipe AND a creative and fitting blog name.
I did change one thing about Deborah’s recipe: I halved it. I know, I know, call me a weanie and take away all of my peanut butter. But I feel cheesecake is just easier to bake when it’s in smaller quantities, and my husband and I don’t need to eat a whole 4 inch tall cheese cake. He would heartily disagree, but I’m the lame, health nut, wife that says we don’t. Isn’t he a lucky man?
However, if you DO want to make a very rich, tall, and luxurious cheesecake, just double all of the ingredients for the Cheesecake Filling (but only use 5 eggs instead of 6) and bake it for 90 minutes. You may need to do the “jiggle test” described in the directions to make sure it is fully done. And even if you don’t finish the gargantuan cheesecake within a week, you can always cut up single serving pieces and freeze them for later. They keep best if they’re wrapped first in plastic wrap and then again in tin foil. They’ll stay good for up to 8 months wrapped and frozen this way. I might just do this next time… He’s always so sad when we eat the last piece. You’ll understand after your first rich and creamy bite. Enjoy!
A few notes on water baths and springforms:
If you don’t have a big enough pan to make one:
• The purpose of a water bath is to help the center and the sides of the cake bake at a more even rate to prevent cracking. I’ve never made a cheesecake without a water bath, so you may run into a few problems such as the center being under-baked and the top cracking. I would advise you just bake the cake until it passes the “jiggle test”. Don’t worry about the sides being “over-baked”. I thought I “over-baked” this cheesecake once because the top was WAY too brown, it was cracked, and there was no jiggle, and guess what? It turned out pretty much the same as the other ones I’ve made. I’d have to have a perfectly cooked one and an overcooked one side by side to be able to tell them apart.
If you don’t have a springform pan:
Totally fine. A spring form isn’t necessary, a 9 inch cake or pie tin will work just fine. It’ll be a tight fit, but I did this before I bought a spring form. In fact your cheesecake may even turn out better because there’s no risk of water leaking into the crust from the water bath. You just won’t be able to remove your cake from the pan and have a pretty free standing cheesecake; which honestly doesn’t matter unless you’re really THAT into presentation.
If you’re using a water bath:
• I tripple wrap my foil around my pan to make sure water doesn’t get in. Cheesecakes are one of the more expensive desserts to make, in both time and money, so don’t take any chances of letting water seep into the crust. Swaddle that cake baby TIGHT.
• I usually set the spring form in the larger pan and put it in the oven without water, then fill the outer pan with water using a measuring cup once it’s already in the oven. It makes the transfer from counter to oven less stressful.
