organizing my recipe box and I found...

Tonight I decided I would reorganize my recipe box (since it gets totally rearranged by me and my kids) and I came across my favorite cheesecake recipe.  Now, when I first got married I made quite a few cheesecakes and this was the best.  Unfortunately, it has been a while since I made it!  I think I will have to dig out those spring form pans!  It has a smooth chocolate layer on top with the chocolate chip filling below and a chocolatey crust.  How can you go wrong?  The recipe came from a 2003 Taste of Home magazine, although I have altered it a little.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

2 C vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 C finely chopped walnuts

1/4 C sugar

3 T baking cocoa

1/3 C butter, melted

Filling:

4 pkgs. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 C sugar

4 t cornstarch

4 eggs

1/3 C whipping cream

3 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 C miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:

3 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate, melted

1 T butter, melted

1 C powdered sugar

1/4 C whipping cream

     In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients; stir in butter.  Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes,

     In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Combine sugar and cornstarch; beat on low speed just until combined.  Add the cream, vanilla and chocolate chips,.  Pour into prepared crust.

     Place pan on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until center is nearly set.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosed; cool 1 hour longer.  (Cheescake top may crack but topping will cover.)

     For topping, combine chocolate, butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Slowly beat in cream until mixture achieves spreading consistency.  Spread over cheesecake.  Refrigerate overnight.

     Remove sides of pan.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Oatmeal Cookies

This is my favorite Oatmeal Cookie recipe I have come across and since we made them last night, I thought I would share! I got it years ago from a piano teacher and have been enjoying them ever since. They are great plain or you can add raisins or chocolate chips (my personal favorite). The recipe is also calculated in case you want to make 1 1/2 batches and those numbers are in parentheses.

Oatmeal Cookies

Mix: 1 C shortening (1 1/2 C)
3/4 C brown sugar (1 1/8 C)
3/4 C white sugar (1 1/8 C)
1 t vanilla ( 1 1/2 t)
1 t water (1 1/2 t)
Add: 2 eggs (3)
1 t baking soda (1 1/2 t)
1 t salt (1 1/2 t)
Add: 2 1/4 C flour (3 3/8 C)
2 1/2 C old fashioned oats (3 1/2 C)

Bake at 335 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

yogurt parfaits

Have you ever tried yogurt parfaits? After trying them recently at a church function, I now love them! We went out and bought a big bag of granola and yogurt tub to try it out on our family and were pleasantly surprised to find out that the kids love it too. My kids? No way! But it's true. Just alternate layers of granola, yogurt, and fresh or frozen fruit if you have it. We used vanilla yogurt and honey granola with dried blueberries in it. It's delish! And I am now totally hooked on granola. On another note, I just found my camera this week and am excited to start posting again...hopefully with more pictures!