Busy Baker

picture courtesy: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cheesecake-with-blueberry-topping

Happy Thanksgiving my dear readers, for you I give thanks!

I made this cheesecake today for my family's Thanksgiving feast.  I substituted the Blueberry Topping for Blackberry Topping, as I have many gallon freezer bags of blackberries saved up form the summer bounty here on Whidbey Island.

I am also in charge of a vegetable dish for T-giving, so I chose to make a variation on a beet, feta, pecan salad, by adding Brussels sprouts, which I LOVE, but which Luc pointed out will combine with the rest of the salad to make a disgusting combination for many people. 

I actually got a good laugh out of that because he is right!  Nonetheless, I think when I add the luscious sheep feta and fresh pecans it will be a special treat.  For me anyway!  I cooked the beets in a clay pot for several hours with some water, and added the Brussels sprouts at the end, for long enough to cook them thoroughly, about 45 min to1 hour. 

Vicky's Birthday Chocolate Cheesecake with Red Berry Syrup Recipe (wheat & gluten free!)

A special birthday calls for a special cake. My mom's birthday celebration was on June 1st and she requested a chocolate cheesecake. Here is a wheat and gluten free recipe that we all loved. The crust is Ginger cookies and it adds a nice zip. I added a raspberry-strawberry-cherry syrup on the side and it really made the dessert! My daughter Marina enjoyed helping me make the cheesecake. Her favorite part was stirring and testing the chocolate that was melting on the stove top. I melted extra chocolate to make the words on the top of the cake. (If you want to do this just melt bittersweet chocolate and using a spoon or fork draw the words or pictures).

Cheesecake Crust:
1 package of Mi-Del Ginger Cookies
1/2 to 1 stick of butter, or enough to form the crust

Preheat oven to 350F.
Put cookies in a blender, when completely blended add chopped butter and blend into a ball. Butter a pie dish and then press cookie-butter mix into a regular sized pie pan, starting from the inside and moving to the outside and then up the sides. Bake pie shell for 10 minutes. cool completely.

Chocolate:
8 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
1 TBS butter

Melt chocolate and butter on low heat, preferably on a double-broiler until completely melted. Allow to cool, but not solidify!

Cheesecake Insides:
2- 8 oz cream cheeses
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar

Mix the sour cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla in blender until well mixed (30 sec). Add 1 cream cheese at a time, blending between each. Then add cooled chocolate and blend.

Put it all together:
Pour cheesecake insides with chocolate into the cooled pie crust and cook in preheated 350F oven for 35 minutes or so. I check frequently and notice when the cheese part feels solidified and dry-ish to the touch. It should jiggle, but when you touch it there will be no moisture on your finger. Turn off oven and leave cake in for another 10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack when you remove cake from the oven. Refrigerate for several hours before serving, or overnight.

Serve with Berry Syrup:
1 cup any berries (I used frozen raspberries, cherries, and strawberries)
1/4 cup sugar

Place berries in a pan on low heat. Bring berries to a slow boil and add sugar, stir frequently and cook for 5 minutes on low-medium heat. Cool and pour into small pitcher or used (but cleaned) vinegar or similar pouring container. Refrigerate and serve with cheese cake.