Excellent Classic Cheesecake

For the crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 c melted butter

Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix crumbs, sugar, and sugar. Reserve a quarter cup for garnish. Press into spring form pan and place in freezer while you make the filling. Or bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. 

Filling

5 pkg (8 oz) each cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Do not over beat. Mix cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla until well blended. Add sour cream, mix well add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition. Pour over crust. 

To prevent cheesecake from cracking place a pan of water on bottom of rack while cheesecake bakes. 

Bake one hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. No peeking. Do not insert a knife. This will cause cracking. Loosen sides of cheesecake immediately and cool before removing rim on a wire rack.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. 

Chicken Debbie with Mushroom Sauce

Chicken breasts pounded thin

Brush with olive oil and salt and pepper

Spread whole fat chive and onion cream cheese over the chicken

Roll up and secure with toothpicks

Have three pans ready. One with flour and salt and pepper; one with a egg beaten with a splash of water; and one with bread crumbs, parsley and salt and pepper. 

Dredge the chicken in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. 

Brown the chicken in hot oil until golden brown on all sides. 

Bake in 325 degree oven uncovered for about 20 minutes. Turn oven up to 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Take out of oven and let rest. Remove toothpicks and cover in mushroom gravy. 

Mushroom Gravy

Olive oil and butter warmed in pan

Add sliced mushrooms and brown, then add salt and pepper

Add grated garlic

Wine, about 1/4 cup

Chicken stock reduce liquid and add some milk or half and half, lots of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp thyme. 

Take juice out and add wondra flour to thicken. Pour back into pan until thickened. 

Sesame cookies

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Prepare grits according to number of servings using chicken broth instead of water. When cooked, set aside and add three slices of cheddar Colby cheese, cover and let melt while preparing shrimp.

For the shrimp:

I use the cooked and deveined large shrimp.

In a bowl add wonders flour, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder.

Toss the shrimp in flour mixture. Add to a non-stick pan that has some oil in it and is pretty hot. Add the shrimp all at once for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes until brown.

Place the cheesy grits on a dish and place cooked shrimp on top. Sprinkle with paprika and chili powder.

My Best Dutch Apple Pie

Crust:

4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups crisco
1/4 cup butter flavor crisco
4-10 tablespoons ice cold water

Chill crisco until cold. Add first two ingredients to food processor. Cut crisco into small chunks. Then process until the chunks are the size of peas. Add cold water two tablespoons at a time until dough holds together.

Roll out and place into greased pie pans.

Filling:

10-12 apples of your choice (a few different varieties) for more flavor, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Dash salt
6 tablespoons butter for top of pie before streusel topping

Mix apples with above ingredients. Put in pie crust. Top with slices of butter

Streusel:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup crumbled butter


Crumble butter with a fork into first three ingredients and put on pie.

Bake at 425 degrees until apples are cooked well and bubbling.

Simple Marinara Sauce

1 large can crushed tomatoes
Tomato paste
5 cloves garlic minced
1 onion, chopped
Grated pecorino Romano cheese, about 1/4 cup
Fresh basil
1/4 cup red wine
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper

Add some olive oil to a pan and sauté onions until transparent, add minced garlic. Add salt and pepper.

Add crushed tomatoes, about 1/2 can water, and a squirt of tomato paste, and a little more salt and pepper to taste.

Add basil, red wine and crushed red pepper.

Simmer about 15 minutes. Turn off and let cool. Toss with pasta.

Toss

Dave’s Greek Salad Dressing

3/4 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves grated garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp. Oregano

Shake in a container. Serves 2.