Peanut Butter cheesecake

CRUST:

1-cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4-cup Oreo cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3-cup butter, melted

FILLING:
1/4-cup creamy peanut butter
3 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1-cup sour cream
1-cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fudge topping
4 chilled Reese's peanut butter cups


Preheat oven to 375° F. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press the crumbs firmly over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. When the crust is cooled, spread the peanut butter in a circle in the center of the crust. Leave about an inch margin all around. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove 1 cup of cream cheese mixture and pour it into a smaller bowl. Add the chocolate syrup to this mixture and combine. Pour the large bowl of cream cheese filling into the pan and spread it evenly over the crust. Pour the chocolate filling onto the other filling and spread it out. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the chocolate into the white filling beneath it. A couple of passes should be enough. Lower the temperature to 350° F. Bake the cheesecake for 60 to 70 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow it to cool. When the cheesecake is completely cool, soften the fudge topping in microwave for 45 seconds. Spread it evenly over the cheesecake. Chop peanut butter cups into small chunks. Sprinkle with chunks of peanut buttercups over top.

This recipe is courtesy of "Grammy Tammy". It is Uncle Craigy's favorite. I have my cream cheese softening right now to try my hand at it! yay!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons water
• 1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained with 1/2 cup reserved juice
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper

I made this recipe once, Casey said it was a keeper. I made a couple of alterations: I used 1 whole green pepper and one small yellow onion. I also added about a tablespoon more vinegar because I didn't think it was quite tangy enough.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Season chicken strips and add to pan. Brown chicken and remove to plate. Add red and green peppers and cook for 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks, juice, sugar, vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce begins to reduce. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Stir in chicken strips and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Ice Cream

Here is my "famous" ice cream recipe. This is just the base, I'll also include some of my favorite variations.

Ice Cream Base

4 Large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

Slowly heat milk over a med/low heat in a sauce pan. While that is heating up, whisk together the eggs yolks and sugar. You'll want to whisk it until it is a light yellow in color and looks kind of "marshmallow..y". Slowly, spoonful by spoonful, add the hot/warm milk to the eggs, whisking all the while. Do it as slowly as you can possibly stand. This slowly heats up the eggs so they don't curdle. You don't want to make scrambled eggs. When you have about half to three quarters of the hot milk added to the eggs slowly pour the egg mixture back into the warm milk and continue to heat it, stirring continuously, until it just begins to thicken. When you see the first bubble from boiling, take it off the heat and stir for about another minute to keep it moving off the hot metal. Place this hot mixture in plastic container and place in the fridge to cool. When the mixture is cool you can combine the mixture and the cream in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions.

My favorite combo's

1/2 cocoa
Add it to the hot egg/milk mixture while it's cooking to melt the cocoa fat in it.
To the cocoa you can add practically anything you want! My favorite is mint chips, sooo yummy. Though, I recommend chopping the mint chips so you have small chunks.

1 lb strawberries
Blend in the blender w/ about 1/4 c. sugar (the sugar keep the strawberries from harding like rocks)

1lb raspberries
prepare the same way as the strawberries

1 c. yellow cake mix
Just add it to the base and cream while it's mixing in the ice cream maker. YES, this is how the get that famous better batter flavor at your favorite Cold Stone or Maggie Moo's! (I haven't yet discovered the secret to dark chocolate)

1. c. chocolate cake mix
Or you can just make chocolate ice cream and add a yellow cake mix, another secret recipe!!!

HINT:
The most important thing, never forget this, you can forget everything else you know about making ice cream, EXCEPT this: make sure your base is as cold as it can get before freezing before you add it to the mixer. The colder the base, the smaller the ice crystals, the creamier the ice cream

Mexican Rice Casserole

Mexican Rice Casserole

Casey doesn't really like it. I LOVE it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

2 c. Uncooked Rice
4 1/4 c. Water
2 tsp. Salt

Combine these ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and let cook for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed by the rice. Yes, that is generic cooked rice. Yay.

1 c. Sour Cream
1 can Cream of Celery soup
Cheddar Cheese, to taste
Salsa, to taste

Combine these ingredients in a large bowl and add all of the cooked rice. Spread this in a casserole dish sprayed w/ non stick cooking spray and top with some remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I love this casserole as a main dish, or it makes a great chip dip. So yummy. I love it so much, I even eat it cold!

Waffles

Waffles

• 2 cups Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 Tbl. Sugar (or more)
• 2 egg whites (whipped to stiff peaks)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 Tbl. Lemon Zest (optional)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 cups Milk
• 6 Tbl. Butter (melted)

Mix together dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until foamy and stiff peaks form. Whisk egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla and milk together. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Gently fold in egg whites, until just incorporated, it's okay to have streak of egg whites. Cook as manufacturer directs in waffle iron. ENJOY!!!

Soft, Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've decided this is probably the best place for me to keep recipes. I love to search for new ones on the internet. But, I'd like to keep track of my favorites. Starting with this one:

Soft Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup Butter
• 1 1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 3 cups (or more) Flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 package (12 oz.) Chocolate Chips

Beat butter and brown sugar until will blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and fluffy, scrap down sides occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients until well incorporated. You should be able to handle the dough with your hands. Form into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart on a stone pan sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Press down on balls of dough. Cook in a 375 degree oven for about 6-8 minutes. Cookies should be light golden in color. Leave on pan to cool for 2-5 minutes then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling. ENJOY!!!