The Great Cheesecake Debate

My husband has a brother who lives here in our town and spends a lot of time with us.  He always celebrates birthdays with us and hangs out with us a lot.  Including him, all of us love cheesecake.  However, none of us agree on which version of cheesecake is the best.  I mean, cheesecake is delicious, right? Is there really a winner? Who can say? These three recipes for cheesecake are all delicious.  One is inexpensive and quick.  One is expensive and time-consuming.  And one is inexpensive and time-consuming.  One is fancier if you're looking for a more upscale dessert. One is easy to make several in just a few minutes.  Try them all and let me know which you prefer.  Brady and Caleb prefer the New York Style Cheesecake.  Cam and I prefer the No-Bake Cheesecake and Katie and Marty prefer the Raspberry Lemon Jello Cheesecake.  

New York Cheesecake

The recipe for the New York Cheesecake is not mine.  It can be found here. This cheesecake is fairly expensive to make, so of course it is rich and delicious.  I follow this recipe exactly.  It is the best recipe I have found for a baked New York-style cheesecake.  Let me know what you think. Brady and Caleb are in heaven whenever I make it.  It is also the one that is requested by family members when we do a potluck family meal. I will often make homemade caramel and chocolate fudge sauce to put on top.  I will share those recipes in another post.

No-Bake Cheesecake

I have no idea where this recipe originated.  My mom made it when I was younger and it has been my favorite since. We love this with cherries, butterscotch, caramel, chocolate or strawberry sauce. Notice the size of the pie crust.  If using a store-bought graham cracker crust, get the one that says "2 extra servings." It is bigger.  Otherwise your filling will overflow. Pay attention to the amount of lemon juice.  That is not a typo! The lemon juice combined with the cream cheese is what makes it set up.  Don't leave it out or do the wrong amount!

2 8 oz bricks of cream cheese

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 CUP lemon juice

1 T vanilla

1 10" graham cracker crust 

Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sweetened condensed milk.  Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into pie crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. 

Raspberry Lemon Jello Cheesecake

I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. It was a favorite of my husband's family when he was growing up. I believe it came from a ward cookbook, but I am not certain.  It is super good.  It is light and fluffy and with just a hint of lemon, perfect for spring and summer.  This recipe is easy and inexpensive to make but it has a lot of steps. The most important thing to remember is to put your can of milk and your beaters (and your mixing bowl if possible) in the fridge the night before.  They need to be COLD! Plan ahead! I always use raspberry Danish Dessert, but they also make strawberry.  The next time I make this I have decided to do orange Jello and strawberry Danish Dessert.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

8 whole graham crackers, smashed into crumbs

6 T melted butter

3 T sugar

1 can evaporated milk

1 small package lemon jello

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 c sugar

1 t vanilla

1 package Danish Dessert 

Preheat oven to 325*. Grease 9x13 pan.

Crust:

Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar and press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 mins. Let cool completely.

Cheesecake

Dissolve Jello in 1 c boiling water.  Set aside to cool. Pour into bowl and beat until fluffy.

Beat milk in separate bowl until stiff.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth.  

Beat Jello into cream cheese mixture.

Beat Jello and cream cheese mixture into the milk.

Pour into cooled crust and refrigerate.

Cook the Danish Dessert according to the package directions. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Pour onto cheesecake and return to fridge.  

Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. 

Not Your Mother's Meatloaf

We love meatloaf.  As a kid it was one of my favorite meals.  My mom always made it with baked potatoes and I do that also.  If it is in season I will steam some banana squash to go with it.  So. Dang. Good.  This is on my list of my top 5 favorite meals.  It is so easy to make.  It is pretty kid-friendly as the veggies are small and easily hidden.  

Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef

1 c finely diced carrots

1/2 c finely diced onions

1 egg

1/2 c quick oats

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

Preheat oven to 350* and grease a loaf pan

Mix all and place in loaf pan.  (I mix it with my hands.)

Topping:

1/2 c ketchup

3 T brown sugar

2 T mustard

Combine and spread on top of meatloaf

Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes.

Notes:

I have discovered that I prefer this made in a dark coated nonstick loaf pan.  They are inexpensive at Walmart. It makes the meat crisp up a little.  

I always use extra lean ground beef.  This makes your meals a little more dry, but I like this that way.  Otherwise it is a little greasy.

I put the carrots and onions in my little electric chopper and pulse it until they are very finely chopped.

This freezes well.  Make your meatloaf without the topping.  Place in foil loaf pan and freeze.

Add topping to thawed meatloaf and cook as directed.

I always put the potatoes in the oven and then make the meatloaf and put it in 15 minutes later.  

Best Ever Beef Barley Soup

We love beef barley soup.  My boys say it has steak so that means it's worth eating.  I have looked long and hard for a beef soup that I love.  I am pretty fussy about it, actually.  I don't love a tomato base for it and I don't love the huge chunks you usually find in a beef stew.  This is the combination of a couple of recipes I have tried and it is so good! The meat and veggies are super tender and the flavor of the soup base is just amazing.

Beef Barley Soup

1.5 lb stew meat cut into 1/2" pieces

2 c cubed potatoes

1/2 c chopped onion

1 c sliced carrots

2 t minced garlic

2 T tomato paste

2 t Better than Bouillon beef base

2 t Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 t thyme

2 T beef bouillon or 6 beef bouillon cubes

2/3 c barley

Place all in crock pot with 6 cups of water and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Notes:

I cut the stew meat into tiny pieces using kitchen scissors.  It is a personal preference of mine.  

While I don't prefer a tomato base, the small amount of tomato paste in this recipe adds to it.

Splurge and buy the Better than Bouillon beef base.  It is expensive.  It. Is. Worth. It.

Many beef barley soup recipes call for celery.  By all means, add it.  I don't like celery.  :)

This recipe freezes well.  Put all the ingredients but potatoes and barley in a bag and freeze. Add potatoes, barley and 6 c water to it in the crock pot to reheat from frozen.

Lasagna or Stuffed Shells

So, this recipe.  It is so dang good.  I could eat and eat it until I made myself sick.  So could my family.  There is, however, one little bone of contention with it.  Katie and Caleb refuse to eat spaghetti.  They say they don't like it.  When I make it (it is Cameron's FAVE!) they eat the pasta with bacon and shredded parmesan on it.  I find it bizarre since this recipe for stuffed shells or lasagna has THE EXACT SAME INGREDIENTS!  Seriously.  It.  Makes.  Me.  CRAZY. I try to tell them it is the same and they will have none of it.  I usually just roll my eyes and carry on eating my spaghetti.  This recipe can be used for two different dishes.  We all seem seem to gravitate to the stuffed shells, but the lasagna is also a favorite.

Stuffed Shells

1 box jumbo shells pasta
1 lb extra lean ground beef (or turkey!)
1 jar preferred spaghetti sauce (we prefer Prego Traditional)
24 oz cottage cheese (I have tried ricotta - I prefer the flavor of cottage cheese...and it's cheaper!)
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese (Don't use pre-shredded.  It does not melt.)
3 eggs
1 t minced garlic
1 t parsley
1 t basil
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 c freshly grated mozzarella cheese (Don't use the pre-shredded.  It just isn't that good.)

Preheat oven to 350*.
Cook ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in sauce and set aside.
Place cottage cheese, parmesan, eggs, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper in blender and pulse to combine until smooth.
Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of your pan.
Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in pan.
Pour remaining meat/sauce over the shells.
Sprinkly mozzarella cheese on top.
Cover and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to brown and crisp cheese, if desired.

Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 lb extra lean ground beef (or turkey!)
2 jar preferred spaghetti sauce (we prefer Prego Traditional)
24 oz cottage cheese (I have tried ricotta - I prefer the flavor of cottage cheese...and it's cheaper!)
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese (Don't use pre-shredded.  It does not melt.)
3 eggs
1 t minced garlic
1 t parsley
1 t basil
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 c freshly grated mozzarella cheese (Don't use the pre-shredded.  It just isn't that good.)

Preheat oven to 350* and grease 9x13 pan.
Cook ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in sauce and set aside.
Place cottage cheese, parmesan, eggs, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper in blender and pulse to combine until smooth.
Spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom of your pan.
Layer 1/3 each of pasta, meat, cottage cheese mixture and shredded mozzarella, repeating until you have 3 layers.
Cover and bake for 65-75 minutes.
Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to brown and crisp cheese, if desired.

Notes:
Be sure to pay attention to the amountS of sauce and meat that are called for. The shells require much more of the cheese filling than the lasagna does. 
If desired, use the amounts for the shells and make a 9x9 pan of lasagna.  Great for a smaller group.
I always, always shred my own parsmesan and mozzarella.  Pre-shredded parmesan will. not. melt. Pre-shredded mozzarella is pretty rubbery.  It is worth the effort. I promise.  Get a rotary grater like they use at Italian restaurants.  They are super slick for parmesan.  I use a shredder attachment for my KitchenAid for any other kinds of cheese, including mozzarella. 
The cheese filling for the shells will fill all of the shells and maybe even have some leftover.  The shells won't fit in a 9x13.  I usually use a 9x13 and a 9x9 for the shells.  It makes that many.  The meat and sauce should be plenty for all of the shells.
These recipes are both great left over and I swear the lasagna is even better the second day. 
PS: I do not like crispy browned cheese but my family does!! :)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love soup.  It is one of my favorite things to eat and cook.  It is easy and quick and you can freeze it and it's good left over.  Love it.  Homemade chicken noodle soup is by far my favorite soup.  It is just so good.  And so, so easy.  My family gets sick of it because I make it often in the fall and winter.

Chicken Noodle Soup

3 chicken breasts

4 t chicken bouillon or 4 bouillon cubes

1 c chopped celery

1 c sliced carrots

1 c diced potatoes (because it's Idaho!!)

1 c chopped onion

1 T butter

1 t minced garlic

1/2 t salt

pinch of black pepper

12 oz frozen egg noodles (Reame's brand is by far the best)

Place in crock pot with 4 cups of water.  Add more broth if needed as it cooks. Cook on low 8-10 hours, removing chicken and shredding 10 minutes before serving.  

Cook noodles according to package directions on the stove top and add before serving.

Notes:

This soup freezes well.  Add all ingredients but potatoes and noodles to freezer bag and freeze. To cook, add to crock pot with 4 c water and 1 c diced potatoes.  Cook on low 8-10 hours. Shred chicken and add cooked noodles to serve.

I will often serve the soup over mashed potatoes instead of adding potatoes to the soup. This is a family favorite.

This doubles well and is great left over.