Crabmeat Cheesecake

My sister-in-law, Donna made this for our family on Christmas Eve and we devoured it.  It makes a beautiful presentation and can be served as an appetizer with crackers or as an entree in slices.

Ingredients:

• 1 C. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 C. bread crumbs
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 C. onions, finely chopped
• ½ C. green pepper, finely chopped
• ½ C. red pepper, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T. Crystal hot sauce
• ½ T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
• 2 T. lemon juice, or the juice of 1 lemon
• 1 lb. of lump crabmeat
• 3 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 4 large eggs
• ½ C. heavy cream
• 1 C. of smoked Gouda shredded (4 oz.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and butter until blended
3. Spray a 9 in. springform pan with cooking spray
4. Press the bread crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan
5. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions and peppers for 5 minutes
6. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, lemon juice, and crabmeat to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and reserve
8. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and eggs with an electric mixer until frothy about 5 minutes
9. Add the cream, Gouda, and finally the crabmeat mixture
10. Mix until incorporated well, about 2 minutes
11. Pour into the springform pan and bake for 1 hour
12. Allow cheesecake to cool, then release the cheesecake from the springform pan and serve at room temperature

Tips and Tricks:

• Put a cookie sheet under the springform pan while baking.  You don’t want to deal with the mess I had in my oven after baking this cheesecake!
• I use a 1 lb. container of Creole seasoning from the produce section to speed up this recipe.  Creole seasoning generally has onions, green peppers, celery, garlic, and parsley.  The celery and parsley added does really change the taste of this recipe.
• This recipe makes a big cheesecake.  I bought 2 (6 in.) springform pans and make two smaller cheesecakes with this same recipe.

Sour Cream Cheesecake

This is not a traditional heavy cheesecake.  It is light and fluffy.  It doesn't need toppings or other flavors with it because it is just that good.  It is a recipe from my mother-in-law, Dotty.  She is the baker in the family, but even I can make this dessert.

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces of cream cheese, 2 blocks
• 16 ounces of sour cream
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 C. sugar
• 9 inch graham cracker crust

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Let cream cheese soften
3. Using a mixer, blend the cream cheese and gradually add 2/3 C. of sugar
4. Add eggs one at a time and then ½ t. of vanilla
5. Pour mixture into the graham cracker crust
6. Bake for 30 minutes
7. While the filling is baking, whip the sour cream with 1/3 C. of sugar and ½ t. of vanilla for the topping
8. Remove the cheesecake from the oven
9. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
10. Spread the sour cream mixture over the cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

• This can be made with light or fat free cream cheese and sour cream.  I use light and it tastes great.
• You might need to wrap the edge of the pie pan with foil so the graham cracker crust doesn’t burn.