cream cheese |

This Chocolate Chip or Key Lime Cheesecake it is one of my favorite desserts and I love it because it is easy to make and the recipe makes two. So, automatically you can share the joy of a yummy cheesecake with a neighbor or have one for the freezer. I also like that the recipe uses ready-made pie shells that have the bubble plastic covers which makes for easy transporting or freezing. I will have to say it is not the prettiest dessert I have ever made but the taste and texture is really wonderful. Of course, you can dress it up with whipped cream and fresh fruit. I took these pictures hastily because I was serving the cheesecake for our small group meeting. I do really well taking pictures as I go along preparing and cooking, but then I always seem in a hurry to take the finished pictures because we are always ready to eat what I have cooked.

This dessert would be great to take to your Easter Celebration. Adults and kids love it and so do our Apples of Gold team and students. We serve the cheesecakes, for 34 people, for week #5 but we make them on week #2 and put them in the freezer. So you could do the same. One year for Christmas I made lots of them and gifted my neighbors with a cheesecake. I can’t tell you how many I have made over the years. I hope you will try it and I bet it will become a favorite “go to” recipe for you. It could become your signature recipe. Who doesn’t love cheesecake right, especially with chocolate. Enjoy!!! It will be “The Best You Ever Made.”

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Batter poured into pie shells and ready for the oven. You choose shortbread or chocolate crust.

Cheesecake – Chocolate or Key Lime

Easy to make cheesecakes- Delish- Makes 2

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Servings: 6

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

4 8 ounces packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
5 eggs for chocolate or 7 for key lime
1 1/2 cups mini-chocolate chips (semi sweet) for chocolate
7 to 9 ounces Key Lime Juice for key lime
1 teaspoon Kahlua (optional)
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
2 Shortbread Keebler Pie Shells, or Graham for Key Lime – Chocolate Keebler Pie Shells if making Chocolate.

Method

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees
Cream the cream cheese and sugar till fluffy
Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well each time
Add vanilla and Kahlua; stir well
For Chocolate: Add Chocolate chips; stir well
For Key Lime: Add key lime juice; stir well. It will be a thinner batter.
Pour into shells
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Check after 45 minutes for doneness. (Will crack on top). If browning too much before done cover with foil.
Cool and refrigerate; Serve cold topped with cool whip/whip cream. Garnish with strawberries, blueberries or fruit of your choice.

Notes

To Freeze: Wrap cooled cheesecakes tightly in plastic wrap and foil.

To Serve if Frozen: Thaw in refrigerate – serve cold.

Tidbit Tips: The top will crack so use cool whip to decorate.

I love this recipe because it make 2 cheesecakes. Having one in the fridge is great

for a last minute dessert. Enjoy!

All the cold weather here in Atlanta makes me long for comfort food, but you can only eat so much pot roast and chili although we have had some great Southwestern Black Bean Chili. To the rescue is this delicious pasta casserole with garden vegetables and chicken. I love the sauce made with chicken broth, oregano, flour and other spices. Of course, you know I love sauces. I also like using low-fat cream cheese without affecting the taste or texture. This dish is so colorful with the cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas. See below for difference between sugar snap peas and snow peas. If you don’t like these particular vegetables use ones you do like. I think this recipe is a good starting place for lots of variations of vegetables and even different filled Tortellini’s. What would you and your family like? Leave me a comment I would love to see what combinations you come up with. Let’s eat our veggies!!!

"The Best I Ever Made" — **“The Best I Ever Made”**

Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas

Prepare to be confused till you are not-confused!!!

There are generally 3 types of green peas. The one we know best is the Garden Pea, probably one of the first things you ate as a child. Then the Snow Pea, used in Chinese food and the Sugar Snap Pea which is a combination of both developed by Calvin Lamborn in 1979.

Garden Peas – the ones of “eat your peas and carrots”. Their pods are rounded and full of large peas. Their pods are not edible; must be shelled and then the peas can be eaten raw or cooked.

Snow Peas – Chinese Peas —Their pods are edible and are flat, wide, flexible and bend easily. They are not shelled, they are eaten whole, raw or cooked. The peas are very small and appear as tiny bumps that can be seen through the thin skin. They are most often used in Chinese stir-fry dishes.

Sugar Snap Peas – the combination of Garden Peas and Snow Peas –Their pods are edible; they do not need to be shelled but can be. The peas are large and sweet and can be eaten raw or cooked. Their shape is similar to a traditional garden pea pod fat and rounded.

The bottom line is you can use either Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas in this recipe. I prefer Sugar Snap Peas, but hey you may want roasted broccoli now that sounds good!