Low Carb Bagel Dogs

I absolutely love these bagel dogs!

While I have not always been a big bread eater, finding something that is bread like while trying to embrace a low carb way of eating hasn't been easy.  These little gems do the trick!

There are links all over the web for these, so this is not my recipe.  I have made them several times though and today while making them, I decided I should take the time to shoot the photographs for a blog entry.  It's been a while since I've shared a recipe, so I'll end the long dry spell here and now.  Definitely give these a try, big kids and little kids both will love these.  They pack well and reheat quickly whether you are taking them in your lunch box or if you just want a quick supper or snack.  

I do have one tip if you take them to work for lunch, be sure to check your teeth after lunch.  Those little poppy seeds get into your teeth and of course no one will tell you that you have poppy seeds in your teeth when you flash a big smile!

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Peanut butter lovers, this one's for you!  This is my most requested cheesecake ever!  I took this to work once, was asked the recipe, then later requested to bring it to a meeting, which I did. The last time I made it I had to tag that friend for a copy of my recipe with notes because I couldn't find mine.  By putting it on my blog, I should not have that problem ever again....of course, unless I forget that I posted it! But we won't talk about how good our memory cells are or aren't right?

Today we had our monthly potluck at work and I decided to make this one rather than the chocolate one I posted recently.  This cheesecake continues to get rave reviews.  I didn't bring home a single crumb, which was significant because there were a lot of folks taking off today for their 4th of July holiday.  Others were working from home.  Given the number of folks in the office, I was fully expecting to be bringing half, if not more, of the cheesecake home with me. I'm thrilled that my prediction didn't come true.  

This cheesecake is a little extra work but worth every ounce of effort.  Your family, guests, friends or co-workers will love love love it!  I know a few of my followers who will almost lick the screen when they see these photos and read the recipe.  

I can only say it is a very rich, but amazingly yummy cheesecake. Try it, you'll like it!

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

In preparation for a potluck at work, I found a recipe on the web at epicurious.com for a dark chocolate cheesecake.  Since I'm a lover of dark chocolate, I was immediately interested.  After reviewing it, I decided I would make a few alterations and bake a trial cake to see if the alterations worked and determine if  it lived up to my high standards and was worthy to take to work to share with my team and other co-workers.

The original recipe called for only bittersweet chocolate.  While I am a huge dark chocolate fan, I felt that using a little semi-sweet chocolate to help smooth out the edge of the bittersweet chocolate would be best for those folks who aren't real dark chocolate fans.

The result was a very rich and decadent cheesecake that lived up to exceeded my expectations.
I am sad to say that I have opted to not make it for our potluck.  Why?  If it is that awesome why would I deprive others of the shear ecstasy of indulging?  Well, I fear a large amount of waste resulting from folks taking more than they can eat and a good portion of this lovely truffle like cheesecake ending up in the trash and that would be such a tragedy.

However, I am going to share my recipe with you.  Just be aware of how rich it is and exercise portion control!  

Note that this recipe is for a small size cheesecake, only 6 1/2 inches.  Even this small size was too much for me to envision consuming within a reasonable period of time, so my neighbor was gifted half of the cheesecake.  If you want to make this in a standard 9-inch spring form pan, just double the ingredients.

Margie's Cheese Ball

This Christmas I am miles away from family and was invited to my sweetheart's family Christmas gathering.  I couldn't go empty handed, so I asked what I could bring, and a cheese ball was suggested.

I immediately knew which recipe I would use!  My mind immediately traveled back in time to the late 70's when I worked at Citizens Bank in Evansville.  I remembered those waistline expanding  Decembers when we had food from the beginning to the end of month!   So much great food that we had a sign up calendar to help spread out the feast and as you can imagine, there wasn't an empty day!

Margie was a very sweet lady, loved by all.  Her contribution each December was this fabulous cheese ball.   She has since passed away and in her memory, I am honored to share her cheese ball recipe with everyone to use in their holiday celebrations!  It's a little late for Christmas, but certainly something you could make for your New Year's parties!

Low Carb Strawberry "Pretzel" Salad

Crunchy, salty, creamy, sweet.  All these flavors come together in the traditional Strawberry Pretzel Salad.

I've taken the traditional recipe and tinkered with it to turn it into a low carb delight!
There are several steps, so don't be intimidated, just be patient and soon you'll have a dessert that is pretty darn close to the original.

Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts

I was inspired by this recipe that I found on one of the blogs that I follow.  This tasty treat is low carb and gluten free, and honestly just down right tasty!

For me, blueberries and lemon embody spring and freshness.  Both the  lemon and blueberry flavors  marry nicely in this tart.

I don't own small individual tart pans so I "made do" by utilizing  a cupcake pan.  I had a few shells that didn't come out easily but most of the did, and I used the crumbly ones to mix into the remaining filling for a quick decadent snack from the fridge.

I did modify the recipe a bit since my last errand stop was the grocery and there wasn't any Mascarpone cheese (seriously Target....come on!).  As a result, I opted for cream cheese and modified the recipe just a little.  

New York Style Cheesecake

Say Cheese.....Cake!

I can see a big smile spreading across your face right now.  Doesn't this look amazing?
Other adjectives that come to mind for this cheesecake are luscious, creamy, delectable, light, fattening, heavenly, lemony...you get the idea, feel free to add your own to the list!

I'm a big fan of cheesecake.  I have several different recipes and I'm here to tell you that this one is awesome.  This recipe also omits the crust, and while I'm lamenting the absence of the buttery sweet  baked graham cracker base, I'm not missing the calories it would add...and honestly, this cheesecake doesn't need it.  It can stand on its own merits.

Serve it plain or dress it up with some fresh berries, chocolate ganache or with a dollop of fresh whipped sweetened cream.  I added a little spoon full of lemon curd I had stashed in the fridge and it put it over the top!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Peanut Butter and Chocolate, does it get any better?  
This dessert is nothing short of spectacular and tasty!  This has been a requested treat by those who have sampled it's creamy lusciousness.  Recently, I needed something special to take to work for our Secret Santa lunch and this cheesecake popped to the top of the list.  There was only one small problem.....I hadn't made one for nearly 10 years.  So the search for the recipe was on.  I have folders of recipes and thankfully I had organized them earlier this year and after 10 minutes, I had the recipe in hand and was ready to bake. My current co-workers enjoyed it immensly.  I hope you will give it a try and that you enjoy it equally as well and it becomes your new favorite cheesecake!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 package of Nutter Butter cookies
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts
6 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar


Filling:
4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 cups mini Reese Peanut Butter Cups, chopped into 3/4 inch pieces (1 bag)


Topping:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup heavy cream
15-20 mini Reese peanut butter cups


Directions:

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 9" x 2 x 3/4 spring form pan.
In a food processor place the Nutter Butter cookies, peanuts and brown sugar.
Pulse mixture until chopped very fine.
With the processor running, drizzle in the melted butter.

Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.
Bake until the crust is set, about 8 minutes.
Cool on a rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.


Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the brown sugar and beat again. The mixture should be smooth.  
Add the peanut butter, vanilla and beat until blended.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.  Add the whipping cream and beat until smooth.
Stir in the chopped peanut butter cup pieces.

Pour the filling into the crust.  Bake until the sides of the cake are set but the center still moves slightly, about 55 minutes.
Shut off the oven and let the cake and oven cool. (I leave mine in overnight)  
The cake may crack, don't worry, the topping hides the imperfections!

Move the cooled cake to the refrigerator.   When completely cool and chilled, add the topping.






Topping:

Chop up the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Cool slightly then add all but 1 Tablespoon of cream.  Stir to mix thoroughly.  Pour over the cool cheesecake (while still in the spring form pan).  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place the peanut butter and 1 Tablespoon of whipping cream in a bowl and microwave until it has a runny consistency.  Place the mixture in a sandwich bag, clip the corner and top the chocolate with a swirled or geometric pattern.  Before the peanut butter mixture sets, cut the mini peanut butter cups in half and surround the outside edge of the pan with the cup halves, lined up end to end.

Keep refrigerated until serving.  Slice it up, grab a fork and dig in!

and that is What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Cheesecake Ice Cream

Nothing says summer more than ice cream.  I like it with pie, stirred in cookie chunks, in a bowl with hot fudge or caramel sauce.  Just about any way you can fix it, I like it.

This recipe is not only easy to make with only 5 simple ingredients, it is mixed up in your blender.  Pour it directly into your ice cream freezer and you are off and running to some great ice cream in less than 10 minutes.  It is so easy there is absolutely no reason not to try it! A perfect way to beat the heat!

You don't have an ice cream freezer?  This is a good reason to invest in on.  I have a Cuisinart freezer that I have been very happy with for several years.  It uses a cylinder that has to be kept in the freezer, has a plastic paddle and it rotates the bowl of the freezer.  No stirring or cranking needed.  Just pour your ice cream mixture in, hit the button and let it do the work right on your kitchen counter. Check it periodically for progress....and a taste...

This recipe makes just a bit more than would fit into my freezer so I just poured the extra bit into a little bowl and shoved it in the freezer.  It won't be around long! 

The mixture tastes like cream cheese frosting.  It will be perfect with my fresh peaches.  I also have visions of other things I could add to this recipe so more to come!   Cleaning the bowl and the paddle was a nice tasty treat.  It is packed and is now in the freezer.  
This recipe is   sheer frozen delight!  Definitely a keeper!

Cheesecake Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 oz) of regular cream cheese
2 cups of regular sour cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
Zest of two lemons

Directions:

1. Cut each brick of cream cheese into 8 cubes.  Add them to the blender along with all the other ingredients.
2. Puree until smooth.
3. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
4. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions for your ice cream freezer.

Tip:  Whether store purchased or homemade, place a sheet of plastic wrap over the ice cream, making sure it has contact with the ice cream before sealing and it will help prevent freezer burn! 

Here are a couple of serving suggestions:

Since it is fresh peach season,a scoop of Cheesecake Ice Cream served atop a blow of sliced peaches is luscious.

If you made the Butterfinger Candy recipe, you can add chunks of the candy as a topping to a scoop of the Cheesecake Ice Cream as another way to  variation.enjoy both the candy and the ice cream.

...and that my friends, is What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!