Cheesecake with a Graham Cracker Crust

This is my basic, go-to cheesecake recipe that has a graham cracker crust.  For being so simple, it is surprisingly fabulous!  The graham cracker crust is a must. And the faint lemon flavor is delish.  My good friend, Jen Johnson, made this for a fondue baby shower a while back. She had a whole spread of yummy things to dip in the fondue, but I couldn't get past the cheesecake and strawberries.  Needless to say, I asked her for the recipe!  :)  When I hosted a fondue party last week, this cheesecake was the perfect dipper!  Granted, we didn't actually dip them as often as we just drizzled the fondue on top of the cheesecake squares.  Anyway, it was yummy! When I made it for the party, I doubled the recipe and baked it in a glass rectangular 9x13 pan.  I had to increase the time when I doubled the recipe, but it wasn't by much.
You could, of course, serve this in traditional triangular slices with some fudge sauce and strawberry slices as a garnish.  It is great!

Cheesecake
Submitted by Erin  ~  The Sisters Cafe

Crust:
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice


Directions:

Crust:
Combine butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan.

Filling:
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth.
Add eggs and lemon juice and mix well; pour over crust.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes at 300 degrees F. Cake is done when it springs back when lightly touched. Cool to room temperature and then chill until serving.
Garnish as desired.

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Fondue

 

We've had some requests for more fondue recipes from our talented and fondue lovin' cousin, Marnie.  If you don't remember who she is, I posted about her when I shared her Pesto Swiss Fondue.  Her husband and she are serious fondue-ers, and they throw some pretty amazing parties with the myriad of pots they've collected.  After the hubs and I got turned onto fondue (and failed several recipes), Marnie let me in on some great and easy fondue recipes.  I'll be eternally grateful!  This Cookies and Cream Chocolate Fondue is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  I made it while Melanie was in town, and I wish I would have taken a picture of everyone crammed in shoulder to shoulder around the pot savoring every last drop of this chocolaty bliss.  I sincerely hope you all have a reason to make this fondue soon!

**If you don't have a fondue pot, never fear.  Just eat it out of a serving bowl with wooden skewers.  If the chocolate starts to harden, then reheat in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds and stir until it is melty delicious again.  (repeat if needed)

 

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Fondue
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

9-11oz semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (I just use one regular sized bag)

1/2 cup whipping cream, room temperature

Crushed oreo cookies (I use about 10 cookies, but use as many as you want!)

Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until the bowl is no longer warm.  Then continue to microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted.  Add the whipping cream and stir, stir, stir.  When the chocolate mixture is smooth and creamy, add crushed Oreos and transfer to your fondue pot.  Serve immediately.

 

Pesto Swiss Fondue

This cheese fondue is sooooo good!  And I love that I got to use the oh-so-yummy pesto I made and froze last summer in it (I linked to the recipe below).  Seriously, I am craving Pesto Swiss Fondue again just writing this post.  I have tried a few cheese recipes which were much more complex, used more expensive cheeses, and turned out just OK.  They were discouraging.  Finally I remembered that my cute cousin, Marnie, loves to have fondue parties with friends.  I think she has like eight pots or something.  Anyway, I emailed her and she sent me some of her favorite recipes.  Tried and true.  That is my kind of recipe!  And it paid off with this one. I am already planning to make this fondue again soon... and now that I know how good it is, I am going to be sure to invite friends.  If you have never tried it, fondue is the best food for getting together with friends.  It is both fun and takes some time to eat, giving you lots of opportunity to chat and laugh. Plus it doesn't hurt that it is absolutely delicious! :)

Pesto Swiss Fondue
Submitted by Mindy
www.www.thesisterscafe.com

Printable Recipe

1 12oz. block of swiss cheese, cubed
2 T flour
2 large garlic cloves, chopped (I used a garlic press)
1/2-3/4 c. of white cooking wine (I used 3/4 c)
1/2 c. milk
2-3 T of jarred prepared pesto (Click HERE for our favorite pesto recipe, which is what I use)

Ideas for dipping: cubed french bread, cauliflower, broccoli, granny smith apples, new potatoes or cubed red potatoes, sausage, red bell peppers

Cube cheeses and chop garlic.  Place cubed cheese in a bowl and add flour just enough to lightly coat the cheese.  Spray the fondue pot or pan with cooking spray and add the chopped garlic.  Cook on medium high until the garlic just begins to brown.  (I used the Cuisinart fondue pot and cooked this part on the #2 temperature setting).  Then add wine.  When the wine begins to boil, reduce the heat back to medium (I kept temp at #2 -3 during this part) and slowly add the flour coated cheese and milk a little at a time, always stirring so it will not burn.  As the cheese melts, continue to add the rest of the cheese, again ALWAYS stirring so it will not burn.  When the cheese is all fully melted, add the pesto and serve immediately.  If you are not using a fondue pot you may need to reheat it after a little while as the fondue will thicken as it cools.

Chocolate Coconut Almond Fondue

My husband, Griff, always plans the best birthdays for me. One of my favorites was the year he introduced me to fondue at the Melting Pot. We had the whole works, and it was sooooo good! Needless to say, I was taken with fondue. It is the best social dinner or dessert that exists! Fondue is fun, delicious, and it is takes a while to eat. So lots of time to talk and laugh! I bought Griff a really nice fondue pot for the following Valentine's Day, and promptly made the worst fondue the world has ever seen... twice in a row! I have experimented since then, and eventually found this truly TO-DIE-FOR dessert fondue. Ideas for dipping with this recipe: angel food cake, pound cake, strawberries, bananas, brownies, marshmallows. Oh, and I can't forget my husband's favorite... a slice a cheesecake with a spoon to drizzle the fondue over each bite. Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Almond Fondue
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Printable recipe

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez
(this is in the mixers section, NOT the international/asian food section)
1/2 cup heavy cream
12 ounces high-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
(I use Guittard milk chocolate chips)
1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

1. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the almonds are toasted, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. Chop the almonds finely and set aside. Now repeat with the coconut, but don't chop.

2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the cream of coconut and heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolates. Let stand until the chocolates soften, about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth.

3. Transfer to fondue pot or chafing dish and keep warm over the burner. (I have an electric fondue pot, and I keep it on 2). Serve immediately with the dipping ingredients and bowls of the almonds and coconut. Allow guests to sprinkle their dipped foods with the almonds and coconut before eating.  As an alternative, add the coconut and almonds to the chocolate.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "Fondue" by Rick Rodgers