Mini Cheesecakes, New York style

Mini Cheesecakes

Cheesecake Filling

• 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature

• 1½ cups sugar

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 4 eggs, room temperature

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ½ cup sour cream

• 3 teaspoons vanilla

Important: Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before beginning.

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons sugar

Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar together. Add melted butter and stir until evenly combined.

Instructions

1. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and flour until thoroughly mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

2. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

3. Add heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix just until everything is incorporated.

4. Prepare a muffin pan with liners. I use silicone liners.

5. Add 1 tablespoon crust to each muffin cup and press down lightly.

6. Add a heaping ¼ cup cheesecake filling to each cup.

7. Repeat until all the cheesecake mixture is used.

8. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes.

9. Allow cheesecakes to cool completely before placing them in the refrigerator.

10. Refrigerate overnight.

Oreo Crust

• 25 Oreos

• 5 tablespoons butter, melted

• ¼–½ teaspoon sugar (optional)

Crush Oreos into fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter and sugar.

Nilla Wafer Crust

• 2 cups Nilla Wafer crumbs

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix crumbs and melted butter until evenly combined.

 

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 16 oz. elbow macaroni

• 3 tbsp. butter

• 4 cups water

• 1 tsp. onion powder (not onion salt)

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. dry mustard

• ½ tsp. paprika

• 2 tsp. chicken broth powder

• ⅛ tsp. black pepper

• ½ tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. soy sauce

• 1 cup milk (you can also use cream or half and half)

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (up to 3 cups if you prefer it extra cheesy; a mixture of cheeses works too. I only use 2)

Instructions

1. Add macaroni, water, butter, chicken broth powder, and all spices EXCEPT the soy sauce to the Instant Pot.

2. Set to Manual/Pressure Cook on High for 4 minutes.

3. When cooking is finished, quick-release the pressure and remove the lid.

4. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the soy sauce and milk.

5. Stir gently, lifting the macaroni from the bottom of the pot to loosen it.

6. Slowly add the shredded cheese, one handful at a time, stirring after each addition until melted and incorporated.

• Fluffy Pancakes

  Half Batch:

  • 2 cups flour

  • ¼ cup sugar

  • 4 teaspoons baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1¾ cups milk

  • ¼ cup oil

  • 1 egg

  Full Batch:

  • 3 cups flour

  • ⅓ cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons baking powder

  • ⅜ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¾ teaspoon salt

  • 2½ cups milk

  • 6 tablespoons oil

  • 2 eggs

  Instructions

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Add the wet ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Don't overmix.

  3. Heat a griddle over medium/high heat.

  4. Place about 1 teaspoon (a small dollop) of butter on the hot griddle.

  5. Pour the pancake batter directly onto the melted butter.

  
  

Instant pot Greek yogurt

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(No strain) Instant Pot Greek Yogurt

I’ve made yogurt off and on for many years. I used to have a yogurt maker that worked well, but I eventually donated it because my family was too large for it to meet our needs. I’ve also made yogurt without the sweetened condensed milk. It’s still great, just not quite as thick.

This recipe is best made first thing in the morning or late evening because it takes several hours and needs to be refrigerated when it’s finished. You don’t want the cycle to finish at 2:00 a.m. when you can’t transfer it to the fridge.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon milk

• 1 cup dry powdered milk (not instant)

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (optional)

• ½ cup plain yogurt (make sure it contains live active cultures)

Instructions

1. Mix the powdered milk and regular milk. Mix the powdered milk and the milk in the Instant Pot using a stick blender. If you just stir in the dry milk, it will create lumps, so it really needs to be blended. A regular blender also works if you don't have a stick blender.

2. Heat the milk. Set the Instant Pot to “Yogurt.” The display will say “boil.” If you don't see “boil,” push the Yogurt button again until it toggles to “boil.” Stir it frequently as it heats so the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom. You're trying to bring it to about 180°F, which takes about 30 minutes.

3. Add the sweetened condensed milk. Once the milk reaches 180°F, remove the Instant Pot insert from the base and stir in the sweetened condensed milk until it is thoroughly incorporated. You can add this while the milk is still hot. It will also help with the cooling process.

4. Cool the milk. This is a very important step! Before adding the plain yogurt starter, you must allow the milk mixture to cool to approximately 110–115°F. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the live bacteria in the yogurt starter.

    (Cooling naturally can take quite a while. To speed things up, fill your sink with cold water, remove         the Instant Pot insert, and carefully set it in the cool water. Stir the milk occasionally and check the         temperature with a thermometer until it reaches 110–115°F.)

5. Add the plain yogurt. Once the milk mixture has cooled to 110–115°F, stir in the plain yogurt until it is fully mixed. Make sure the yogurt starter is thoroughly incorporated. (make sure your yogurt starter actualy has live active culture in it)

6. Set the fermentation time. Return the insert to the Instant Pot. Press the Yogurt button again. The display will ask for the fermentation time. I set it for 10 hours.

7. Cover and let it ferment. Put a lid on the Instant Pot and let it do its thing. I usually don't use the Instant Pot pressure lid because it isn't see-through and the gasket can hold strong smells from previously cooked foods. No pressure is needed, so you can use any lid—even one that's a little too big. Just invert it so it fits better.

8. Refrigerate. When the cycle is complete, transfer the yogurt to the refrigerator. I cover it with plastic wrap or a lid.

Serving Tip

I add vanilla to each individual bowl instead of mixing it into the whole batch. When mixed into the whole pot it tends to make the yogurt lose its shape and become a little thinner.

Great Mix-Ins

• Jam

• Honey

• Granola

• Flavor packets used for water bottles

Crepes

 Crepes Recipe

• 6 large eggs

• 1½ cup milk, or more as needed

• 1½ cup water

• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

• 3 cup all-purpose flour

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

Blend everything together in your blender (don't double the recipe, it won't fit. This recipe is already trippled to accomodate a large family). Let rest minimum of 20 minutes. 

On the stovetop, heat a nonstick 10" frying pan  and then greast lightly with cooking spray. Meaure out about 1/4 cup batter (I sometimes do 1/3 cup) and poor into the middle the pan and quicky lift the pan and swirl it so the batter evenly coates the bottom of the pan. It will take about 45 seconds to a minutes to cook on one side, then flip to the other. 

Canned Pizza Sauce

Homemade Bottled Pizza Sauce (each pint Makes ~2 Pizzas)

Ingredients:

• 16 cups (4 quarts) peeled, cored, and blended tomatoes

• 3 cups blended onions

• 5 (6 oz) cans tomato paste

• 3 Tbsp flaked oregano

• 3 tsp dried basil

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 dried chili peppers (or just use fine red pepper flakes)

• 2 Tbsp salt

• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 dash black pepper

• 3 bay leaves

Instructions:

1. Prepare tomatoes: Blanche, peel, core, and blend to make 16 cups.

2. Cook sauce: Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the chile pods and the bay leaves. 

3. Preserve: Pour hot sauce into sterilized pint jars. Add 1 tsp lemon juice per jar. Process in a water bath or steam canner for 20 minutes. Makes around 9 pints. 

Cream Cheese Peach Pie

 Cream Cheese Peach Pie

STEP 1:

Prepare and bake pie shell. Let cool completely. (my favorite is my "Easy Pie Crust" recipe)

STEP 2:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (soft)
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small tub cool whip 

Beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice, and condensed milk together until smooth. Fold in the cool whip. Poor into the cooled, cooked pie crust. 

STEP 3:

1 c. water
1 smashed peach
2 TBS. cornstarch
small box (3 oz.) peach jello
8-9 peeled and sliced peaches (small chunks)

Mix the water, smashed peach, cornstarch and cook until thick. Add small box of peach jello. Let cool 5 minutes (transfer it to a different bowl to help it cool). Add sliced peaches and mix gently. Spread overtop the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set before serving.