Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Cheesecake Recipe

 

Original Cheesecake

Original Cheesecake
The Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipe

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup melted margarine

Filling
4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs

Topping
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Optional Garnish
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet (that the cheesecake pan will fit inside) filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.
Combine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake dry when placed in the water bath in the oven. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the filling into it. Carefully place the cheesecake into the preheated water bath. Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns  a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool.

When the cheesecake is cool, combine 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 teaspoons sugar. Spread the sweetened sour cream over the entire top surface of the cheesecake. Cover and chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.


Sunday, February 7, 2021

Santa Fe Chicken Pizza Recipe

 

Santa Fe Chicken Pizza


Here is a quick and easy copycat restaurant recipe for California Pizza Kitchen's Santa Fe Chicken pizza. This pizza has marinated chicken, onions, mozzarella cheese and cilantro and is served with tomato salsa, sour cream and fresh guacamole.  Read on to find out home to make this dish at home using simple ingredients and limited cooking skills.
For this pizza I used a thin prepared pizza crust that I found at Walmart for less than $2. Boboli also makes a nice shell that would work well with this pizza. I have found that I've never had much luck at making homemade pizza dough.







Ingredients

1 prepared pizza shell
Baked toppings
Additional toppings
olive oil
1 small red onion sliced
salsa
2 cups of rotisserie chicken
guacamole
Lawry's Baja Chipotle Marinade
sour cream
mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions

  1. Preheat oven according to crust directions.
  2. Shred 2 cups of rotisserie chicken in a small bowl.
  3. Drizzle in the Lawry's marinade to coat the chicken.
  4. Brush the pizza shell with olive oil.
  5. Scatter the chicken over the shell.
  6. Add sliced onions.
  7. Top with mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake according to directions.
  9. Garnish hot pizza with salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cilantro.