Juniors New York Style Cheesecake

When we go to New York we go to Juniors for the cheesecake. It is so delicious. Last time I was there I bought the cookbook. Plain New York Style Cheesecake is the first one I have tried. It turned out great.

Juniors shortbread crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 TBL cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up te sides. Mix flour, cornstarch and salt together.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on high until creamy. Add the eggyolks and vanilla and beat until disappears and dough forms. Work the dough with your hands until it comes together in a ball. Chill about 30 minutes if you have the time.

3. Flour your hands, then place the dough in the center of the pan and begin pressing with the heels of your hands from the center outward toward the edges, working in a circular motion around the pan and up the sides. Keep pressing until the crust is flat on the bottom and stands u about 1 1/2 inches on the sides. Pinch the edge between your two index finger to give a fluted effect. Prick the crust in several places with a dinner fork (this lest the crust bake more evenly without rising up from the pan).

4. Bake the crust just until its set and golden (do not overbake!), about 15 minutes. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter.


Cheesecake:
Four 8 ounce packages cream cheese (use only full fat), at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream


1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.

2. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one.

3. Increase the mixer speed to medium and best in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla, Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful no to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.

4. Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away-don't move it). Then leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completly cold, preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Makes one 9 inch cheesecake, about 2/12 inches high.
http://www.juniorscheesecake.com/

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. butter
1 medium chopped onion
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. grated (or ground) ginger
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
4 cups cooked chicken (boiled)
lemon juice


Saute onion and curry in butter, blend in flour and seasoning. Stir over low heat until smooth. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Add chicken and a squirt or two of lemon juice. Serve over rice.


Variations: I usually add in potato chunks, carrot chunks, and coconut. Add one or all!

Taco Salad Tacos

(These are really good and a twist on the original!)

Ingredients:
flour tortillas
Chili powder
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup salsa
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
4 cups salad greens (I use baby spinach)
1 tomato
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)


Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Crumple sheets of tinfoil to make 3 inch balls. (as many as tacos as you are making. - I made four balls and did two sets of four.) Place 1 tortilla on top of each ball. Spray tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. of the chili powder. Bake 6-8 minutes or until tortiallas are golden brown. (Tortillas will drape over balls as they bake.)

Meanwhile, brown meat with carrots and remaining 2 1/2 tsp. chili powder in large skillet on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the salsa. Cook 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Mix mayo and remaining 2 Tbsp. salsa in large bowl.

Put meat in tortillas, add salad greens, tomatos, mayo/salsa spread. Top with cheese, cilantro and any other toppings.

Family Reunion Salad a.k.a. Frog Eye Salad

1 package (16 oz) a cini de peppe macaroni
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups pineapple juice (reserved from tidbits and crushed)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cans (11 oz each) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cans (20 oz each) pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained, reserve juice
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup shredded coconut
1 carton (9 oz) Cool Whip

Cook macaroni according to package directions, rinse in colander and cool. In sauce pan, combine sugar, flour and salt. Add pineapple juice and eggs. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add lemon juice. Cool. Put macaroni in large bowl, top with thickened juice mixture. Add mandarin oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, and coconut. Fold in Cool Whip. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serves 18-20.

This makes a HUGE bowl of salad and is perfect for a summer potluck.
Recipe from Donna Lou Morgan who was the Salt Lake Tribune Food Editor and a very close friend of my Grandma Farmer.

Devil's Food Surprise Cookies

Devils Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
"Rollos" candy

Mix cake mix, eggs and oil. Place about 1 teaspoon of mixture in hand and flatten, place one rollo in the center and roll into ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake7-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar after baking.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

These are so yummy! It looks like a regular chocolate cookie and then you take a bite and there is carmel in the middle!

Crepes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups milk

3 eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt and melted butter until well blended

Heat a pan over medium heat until hot. Spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/2 cup batter into the pan and tip to spread the4 batter to the edges. When bubbles form on the top and the edges are dry, flip over and cook until olightly browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

I usually put jam on my crepes and roll them like a burrito. Very good.

Sausage-Fruit Kabobs

I found this recipe on Better Homes and Gardens' site and thought it sounded good so I am going to try it.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. spicy brown or Dijon-style mustard

3 Tbsp. honey

12 oz. cooked smoked sausage, bias cut in 1/2 inch slices

1 apple, cored and cut in 1/2 wedges

1 medium zucchini, halved and cut in 1/4-inch slices

6 oz. crusty bread, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

1. Preheat boiler. In bowl stir mustard into honey.

2.On four 12-inch skewers alternately thread sausage, apples and zucchini, leaving 1/4 inch between pieces. Brush with some of the honey-mustard; reserve remaining honey-mustard. Place on rack of unheated broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, thread bread on four 12-inch skewers, lightly brush with olive oil. Add bread skewers to broiler; turn sausage skewers. Broil 3 minutes more or until sausage is heated through and bread is toasted, turning bread once. Serve with reserved honey-mustard. Makes 4 servings.