We made it! If you have followed all or some of the hints these past two weeks, hopefully you are less stressed about being ready. At the end of the day, it’s not about what you serve or what you serve it in, it’s about enjoying yourself and being able to enjoy the day no matter how it looks in your space.
Today I devote to making desserts. I enjoy doing it, and by making all the pies, etc. today, it frees up my oven for tomorrow. My Never Fail Pie Crust is a great way to get 5 crusts done up fast. I make a batch of crust, and because the pellet stove and wood stove are cranking out the heat, I chill my crusts for half an hour before rolling them out. It’s hot in here, phew!
Then, I make my cheesecakes. It wouldn’t be a holiday dinner of any sort without this dessert in our home. Since I haven’t had sugar or gluten in years, I make a sugar-free version as well as the regular.
Here is my cheesecake recipe:
Classic Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter until well blended.
- Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until golden. Set aside
Filling:
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with 1 1/4 cups sugar until smooth.
- Blend in sour cream and vanilla.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate.
- Pour filling over prepared crust in the springform pan.
Baking:
- Place a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven.
- Bake cheesecake in preheated oven for 55 minutes, or until the center is almost set.
- Chill in the refrigerator until serving.
If you are looking for any of the 13 Thanksgiving Countdown blogs, I have them right here for you!