.cheesy potatoes.

I love cheesy potatoes! They're also more commonly known as Funeral Potatoes because it seems they always get made for funeral luncheons (at least in the LDS community they do).

These are very fast. Very easy. Very delicious.

In a bowl, dump a bag of hash browns. These are the kind I use but they might not be found everywhere. I don't really like the shredded hashbrowns because they cook down too much and get kind of mushy. You can use tater tots if you want.

To the hashbrowns, add 2 cans cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken soup), 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tsp garlic powder, a few shakes of liquid smoke, and a wholllllee bunch of grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put the potatoes in a casserole dish and bake at 350* for about an hour. You can cover and put in the fridge for up to a day if you need to. This is a big help if you are throwing a party or having company for dinner. All you'll have to do is throw it in the oven!



Printable version:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_21fmgd2hgn

.black bottom cherry cheesecake.

Alright, let's try this again! I had the entire thing typed up and when I clicked submit, I got an error and lost it all.


*vent over*


So.. I'm the choir director at church and we are performing this Saturday. The last rehearsal before the performance, I always bring a little baked snack to share. Usually it's cookies or brownies, but this time I thought I'd take a cheesecake.

Many years ago I bought a cookbook (Land O' Lakes Country Classics) that's no longer in publication. (Sorry) In it, is this recipe for sweetheart cheesecake..and since I think it's a rather hokey name, I changed it to a nice standard one. Cheesecake is considered a custard and is usually steam baked. This one is just baked, which gives it a different texture. It is very delicious. It has a yummy chocolate crust, light filling, sour cream topping and cherries! What could possibly be better?

SHOPPING LIST:

• 9" springform pan
• butter
• 2 8oz packages cream cheese
• cherry pie filling
• lemon juice
• baking powder
• cornstarch
• 1 pint sour cream
• sugar
• chocolate graham crackers

Put one package chocolate graham crackers in a ziploc. Squeeze out the air and seal. Use a rolling pin (or something heavy) to crush the crackers. Spoon in 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 stick melted butter. Smoosh everything around until all the crumbs are coated.






Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9" springform pan using a measuring cup or some other item. Bake the crust in a 325* oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.















Separate 4 eggs. Put the egg whites in a mixing bowl and set the yolks aside. Whisk until firm peaks form. Set aside.
















In another mixing bowl, cream 1 stick butter (softened), 2 8oz packages cream cheese (softened) and 4 egg yolks until no lumps appear. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Mix well.

Fold in half the egg whites. Once they're incorporated, fold in the remaining half. Pour on top of the crust and put in the oven. Bake for 60-80 minutes. The top will be slightly cracked. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Loosen cheesecake from side of pan by running a knife along the inside. Cool completely in the fridge. The center of the cheesecake will dip. This is not what you normally want with cheesecake, but with this one you do. While it's in the fridge, make the sour cream topping.

In a bowl, mix together 1 cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Spoon into the dipped
portion of the cheesecake. Cover and chill overnight. Serve with cherries.

Since I was taking this somewhere and didn't want to have to deal with spooning out cherries, I put them on top of the cheesecake. Sadly, my husband moved it to an unlevel area in the fridge and the cherries shifted to one side. That is why my photo looks the way it does. Ignore the ugliness... yours will be beautiful I'm sure! :D :D Enjoy!






Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dg2vfjqm_3d86g5dd2&hl=en