Lemon Cheesecake

Adapted from Creative Culinary
The original proportion will yield 16 slices so I made only one-third of the original proportion to try it out. I also replaced the graham crackers (got none at home and nowhere to buy any on Christmas day) with giant lady fingers, and used less sugar than the original recipe called for. In retrospective, I would use even less sugar but more butter for the crust (as it was commented as too dry).

For the Crust:

• 3/4 cups giant lady finger crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

For the Filling:

• 8·ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 + 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 teaspoon grated lemon rind

For the Sour Cream Topping

• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the Glaze

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water (I tried using limoncello as suggested in the original recipe but the result was a bit of a let down)
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice

Prepare the crust:

1. Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. 
2. Press into bottom and 1/2" up sides of an 8 inch pan. 
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. 
4. Cool before adding filling.

Make the cheesecake filling:

1. Beat cream cheese until completely smooth.
2. Add eggs and beat until smooth.
3. Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar, then lemon juice and vanilla.
4. Stir in lemon rind.
5. Pour into cooled crust and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until slightly wobbly in the middle.
6. Blend sour cream topping ingredients.
7. Remove cake from oven. Gently spread sour cream over top of cake. Return to oven and bake about 12 minutes.
8. Cool on rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until topping is cool but not completely chilled.

Make glaze:

1. Combine sugar and cornstarch, blending in water and lemon juice until smooth. 
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook 3 minutes. 
3. Chill until cool but not set and spread top of cheesecake.
4. Chill several hours or overnight.

I also used some blueberries (about 1/2 pint) to decorate the top of the cheesecake as the color of the glaze did not turn out very nice.

Bacon Dip

Got it from my coworker S.

• 1 cup mayo
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 lb bacon
• 1 finely chopped peeled tomato with the seeds and gunk scraped out

1. Fry bacon until crispy. Crumble and mix with mayo, sour cream and chopped tomato. Chill and serve.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin II

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 pinch cardamom (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• chopped pumpkin seeds (optional) or walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Put the entire brick of cream cheese on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper and shape it into a long log.

3. Put it in the freezer while you mix and fill the pans, up to an hour.

4. Unwrap and cut with a sharp knife so each cream cheese disk equals 1-2 teaspoons. If the cream cheese disks are too big around, cut thick slices and then cut them in half. This lets you push it down into the batter easier.

5. Mix all ingredients together (except cream cheese and nuts).

6. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) half full.

7. Put cream cheese disc in the middle, pressing down.

8. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped nuts.

9. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part (do not touch the cream cheese!).

10. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Do not touch the cream cheese until it cools

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin I

• 8 ounce(s) cream cheese
• 3  eggs
• 2 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 2 1/2 cup(s) flour
• 1/4 cup(s) pecans, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoon(s) butter, melted
• 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1 1/4 cup(s) solid-packed pumpkin
• 1/3 cup(s) vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. 

2. Lightly coat two 12-cup standard muffin tins with oil and set aside.

3. Mix the cream cheese, 1 egg, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Toss 5 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup flour, pecans, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon together in a medium bowl and set aside.

5. Combine the remaining sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining cinnamon in a large bowl.

6. Lightly beat the remaining eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. 

7. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour the pumpkin mixture into the well, and mix with a fork just until moistened. 

8. Evenly divide half of the batter among the muffin cups. Place two teaspoonfuls of cream cheese filling in the center of each cup and fill with the remaining batter. Sprinkle some of the pecan mixture over the top of each muffin and bake until golden and a tester, inserted into the muffin center, comes out clean -- 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Baked chicken wings

• 3 pounds chicken wings
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 cup honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken.

3. Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.

Truffles

Make 30 truffles

• 8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons alcohol (Cognac, brandy, Grand Marnier, kirsch, rum, bourbon, or Kahlua to name a few) (optional)

Different Coatings for Truffles

• Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
• Confectioners Sugar (Icing or Powdered)
• Toasted and Chopped Nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
• Toasted Coconut
• Shaved Chocolate

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside.  Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.  Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.  If desired, add the liqueur. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the truffle mixture is firm (this will take several hours or overnight).

2. Place your coatings for the truffles on a plate. Remove the truffle mixture from the refrigerator. With your hands, or else a melon baller or small spoon form the chocolate into round or mis-shaped bite-sized balls. Immediately roll the truffle in the coating and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or tray. Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm. Truffles can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks or else frozen for a couple of months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

To Toast Nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and bake nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds) about 8 - 10 minutes or until brown and fragrant. For hazelnuts toast about 15 minutes or until the skins start to blister. Remove from oven and roll in a clean dish towel. Let the nuts 'steam' for about 5 minutes and then remove the skins. Once the nuts have cooled, chop coarsely. 

Pancake

Haven't tried this recipe for a very long time so please exercise caution when used :)

• 2C flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 egg
• 1.5 cup milk