New York Style Cheesecake Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:

•   6 tablespoons melted butter

•   18 graham crackers, crushed

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring pan.

Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1/2-inch up the sides of the spring pan.  Set aside.

Filling:

•   1/4 cup all-purpose flour

•   1 cup sour cream

•   1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whisk flour, sour cream, and vanilla extract in bowl. Set aside.

•   4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature

•   1 1/2 cups white sugar

•   2/3 cup milk  

•   5eggs

•   Finely grated zest of 1 lemon & 1 orange

Place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl of Electric Mixer with paddle attachment.  Beat on low 3 to 5 minutes until evenly incorporated.

Change paddle for whisk attachment, Pour milk into cream cheese mixture and whisk  until just combined.

Whisk in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in lemon & orange zest, and sour cream mixture; whisk until incorporated.

Cooking Directions

Pour mixture into prepared spring pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges have nicely puffed and the surface of the cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour.

When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven and let it cool in the oven for 3 to 4 hours. This prevents any cracks on the top of the cheesecake. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and cool completely in fridge.  

Fresh Collard Greens

I LOVE living in the south!!!!  We have access to fresh vegetables almost year round.  This time of year, it’s GREENS.  I love greens.   And of course, every self-respecting Southern Lady has her own recipe and they are all so different in many ways.  I’m sharing mine, because this is how I like to eat my greens!! 

I bought these 2 big bunches of Collard Greens for just $2. 

Once I get them home, I take them apart remove the stems from each leaves.  I soak them in in cold water to wash off any dirt.  Then I take the leaves and tear them up and put them in a tall stockpot.

I cover the greens with 4 cups of good chicken broth and the remaining (no more than 4 cups) with water.

Now here’s how I season them.

2 Tbs of Bacon Grease  -(below is an alternative to the bacon grease)

1 Tbs of Salt

1 Tbs of Pepper  - (I like my greens spicy, If you don’t I strongly suggest you only use cut the pepper in half)

1tsp. of garlic powder & seasoning salt

Bring to a boil and then cook on a simmer for about 90 mins.  

I like to eat these by them selves in a big bowl with a little pepper vinegar.  Here’s how I make my pepper vinegar:

Take fresh peppers – I grow cayenne every year so I use these.  Take off the stems.   Pack the fresh peppers into a jar or bottle you like.  I use old liquor bottles my most current one is a 750ml Captain Morgan bottle, but use what you like, make sure to split open several of the peppers so the seeds are exposed in the bottle.  Not too many if you don’t like a lot of spice.  Then fill the bottle with apple cider vinegar to cover the peppers.   

Let sit a few days then use as you wish. 

Hope you enjoy your greens!!

Don’t like bacon grease, here’s a few other seasoning options.  Now I will tell you traditionally southerners have use fatback or hambones for years in their greens.   Healthier choices include smoked turkey wings, onions or even beef bouillon.   All of these are tasty too.  

Winter Sangria

This year for Halloween, I decided to have friends over for drinks while we handed out candy to the multitudes of Trick or Treaters we get at our house.   It seems our kids are at the age where they are way too cool and independent for us to take them Trick or Treating.  

And believe me nothing goes better with chocolate than red wine!   

Our teenagers have actually reached the point they go hang out with their friends and don't even Trick or Treat anymore.  


So for my little empty nesting pity party I made this yummy Winter Sangria from a few different recipes I came across online.  


Here's the recipe:
 Ingredients:

2 (750ml) bottle2 of Pinot Noir or Red Zinfandel

3 Cups Pomegranate Juice

3 Cups of Cranberry Juice

2 Cup Orange Juice

1-Cup Apple Juice

1.5 Cups simple Syrup

2 Apples unpeeled, cored, quartered and sliced thin

2 Lemons halved and sliced thin

2 Oranges halved and sliced thin

1 cup fresh Cranberries

¼ Cup fresh Pomegranate Seeds

Good Sparkling Water

Combine all ingredients (reserve the Sparkling Water for later) in an extra large storage container, taste & adjust flavors to your liking.   Chill at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. Stir before serving. 

Fill a tall Pitcher and pour by glass.

Here's Hubby ready to give out candy to all of our trick or treaters!

Make sure to add fruit from punch to each glass, and then add ice before filling.   Leave about an inch at the top of the glass and top punch with Sparkling Water and lightly stir.  Enjoy!!!

My daughter as the White Rabbit ready to lead Alice down the rabbit Hole