Banana Puddin' Cheesecake!

Some of my best dessert creations come from combining a favorite of my husband's with one of my favorites!    This is the case with this yummy "Banana Puddin' Cheesecake".     I love cheesecake, but my husband is not all that crazy about it!   However, he has never met a banana pudding he didn't like!  As you know, I have several banana pudding recipes on my site already, so I was thinking about how I could combine the two and this was the result!  I must say it did not disappoint!   

This is a great recipe for summer, because it's cool and creamy and no-bake!    In this record breaking heat, that is a good thing!  

Here is what you will need:

1 (8 oz.)  pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

1 (3.4 oz. pkg.) instant cheesecake flavored pudding mix (could use vanilla pudding)

1 cup milk

2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed  (I used Cool Whip)

1 (9.0 oz) prepared graham cracker crust  (this is the 2 extra serving one which works best for this)

2 large bananas sliced or 3 small

1/2   (11 oz.) box of vanilla wafers

whipped topping for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the confectioners sugar until it's light and fluffy.  Add the teaspoon of vanilla,  the instant pudding mix and 1 cup milk.  Beat until the mixture is well incorporated and starts to thicken.  When it's thick, fold in the 2 cups whipped topping.   This mixture should be thick.  If it's not, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before proceeding.

Pour half of the cheesecake mixture into the graham cracker crust!

Top the cheesecake layer with the banana slices.  I used two large bananas, but if your bananas are smaller, use three. 

Cover the banana layer with about half of the vanilla wafers.  

Pour the rest of the cheesecake filling over the top and smooth it out.  Refrigerate for 5-6 hours or if you are in a hurry, freeze for 1 hour.

Right before serving, crush the rest of the vanilla wafers and sprinkle over the top.  I also piped whipped topping around the edges and then put a dollop on top of each slice.  You could also put a slice of banana on top of each slice! 

This is delicious and it was gone in no time at our house!

Enjoy!!!

Berrylicious Banana Cheesecake Trifle!

 

A trifle is the perfect dessert for summer and for serving company, because they are usually cool and creamy and will serve a crowd!   This trifle is all of those things and it's just full of wonderful flavors!  It's got fresh berries, bananas, pound cake (or angel food cake) and a delicious cheesecake filling then topped with whipped cream!!!  Could it get any better than that!   

Actually, it could, because there is also virtually no baking involved, if you buy your pound cake or angel food cake!   This is also a hit with all ages!!!  

Here is what you will need:

1 prebaked pound cake (or you can use an angel food cake if you want something lighter)

1  (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 (3.4 oz.) instant cheesecake pudding mix

1  1/2 cups cold milk

1  (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (8 oz.) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

1  tsp. vanilla flavoring

1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling

1  (21 oz.) strawberry pie filling

2 bananas sliced

1 pint strawberries, sliced 

1 pint blueberries 

First, you will need to make the cheesecake filling.  Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light fluffy.  Add the instant pudding mix and the 1 1/2 cups cold milk and beat until smooth.   Add the can of sweetened condensed milk and beat with the mixer.  The mixture will be starting to thicken.  Add the tsp. of vanilla flavoring and fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping.  When it's all combined well, set in the fridge to thicken while you get the other ingredients prepared.

You will need a large trifle dish for this or even a smaller punch bowl will work.   Cut the pound cake in about 1 inch cubes.  If you want a lighter dessert, you can use an angel food cake.  You can purchase either in the your deli section of your supermarket or I used the frozen Sarah Lee pound cake after I thawed it. 

Place half of the cake cubes in the bottom of the dish.  Pour the blueberry pie filling over the first cake layer.  Sprinkle with a layer of fresh blueberries, saving half of them for the top!

Place the banana slices over the blueberries, then spread half of the cream cheese filling over banana layer!   Continue with the layers, by layering the rest of the cake cubes,  the can of strawberry filling, top with half of the strawberry slices and then the rest of the cheesecake filling!

Spread the rest of the whipped topping evenly over the top and then arrange the rest of the blueberries and strawberries over the top! 

 

You can arrange the berries randomly or in a pattern like this!  This is best if you refrigerate it for a few hours before serving so it has time to set up and the flavors to blend.  

This is a great recipe for cookouts or holiday gatherings!  When I served it, it was a hit with everyone!  Enjoy!

German Chocolate Cheesecake...It's Amazing!!!

If you love cheesecake and chocolate and especially anything German chocolate, you will love this "German Chocolate Cheesecake!  Every time I post a recipe that involves German Chocolate, I get comments from folks that there is no such chocolate or cake or whatever in Germany and they don't understand why we call such chocolate creations "German" chocolate.  

They would be right, but German Chocolate was not named German chocolate because it's made in Germany or because it has anything to do with Germany.   The chocolate was name for the man who created it, Sam German, who worked for the Baker's chocolate company.   So when you look for German Chocolate, it's on the baking aisle and will be made by Baker's.


I seriously think this is one of the best cheesecakes ever, but I hardly meet a cheesecake I don't like...lol.  You can be the judge!  You do need a springform pan for this, so invest in one if you don't have one.  They come in really handy.  Here is what you will need for this decadent cheesecake:


Crust
1  1/2 cups crushed Oreo crumbs (about 20 cookies)
2  Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. Baker's German Chocolate, melted and cooled
2/3 cups brown sugar, packed
2 Tbs. powdered baking cocoa
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract

Topping
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup half and half cream
5 Tbs. of butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a small bowl, combine the Oreo crumbs, brown sugar and butter.  Press in the bottom and up the sides of a 9" springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool.


In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese until it's smooth.  Beat in the German chocolate, brown sugar and cocoa. Add eggs and beat just until combined.  Add the vanilla and almond extracts.


Place the springform pan in a double thickness of aluminum foil and wrap it around the outside tightly. Fill with the cheesecake filling.


 Place the springform pan in a larger baking pan and fill the larger pan with 1 inch of water.  Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes.


Remove the springform pan from the hot water bath and allow to cool for about 10 - 15 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the crust.  Allow to cool for about another hour.  Refrigerate for about 4 hours or overnight. 


Combine the topping ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil.  Boil and stir constantly for 3 minutes.    Allow the topping to cool. 

 When it has cooled sufficiently, remove the sides of the springform pan and spread the topping evenly over cheesecake.  Serve.   Be sure to refrigerate leftovers.

German Chocolate Cheesecake!  Your chocolate lovers will thank you!!! 

Easy Peasy Cherry Cheesecake!

This is one of the easiest desserts, you can possibly make!  It takes about 15 minutes to put this together, but it tastes wonderful.   There are many recipes for this around, but this is one my mother added a few of her own touches to and it really adds to the flavor.   Mama always uses just a little almond flavoring in anything with cherries and it just gives it a great taste.  We use mostly Watkins flavorings and spices, because they are the best quality.  If you plan on doing much baking at all, invest in a bottle of almond flavoring.  This is actually a no bake cheesecake and believe it or not, some people prefer it to the kind that takes forever to make and bake!   

Here is what you will need for this recipe:

1 prepared graham cracker pie shell (the large 2-extra helping size works best for this)

1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. almond flavoring

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 (8 oz.) carton of frozen whipped topping

1 (19 oz.) cherry pie filling (can substitute blueberry or strawberry also)

Whip the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the almond flavoring and the lemon juice.  Fold in the whipped topping and mix well. 

Pour into the graham cracker crust and spread evenly.     Pour the pie filling into the center of the pie and spread to the edges.  Place the top back on the pie and chill for at least 3 hours.  

Slice and serve!  Keep leftovers refrigerated.





Easy Blueberry Cheesecake!

Cheesecake and blueberries are two of my very favorite things.  This is an easy no bake cheesecake.  We used fresh blueberries that are so good right now and they made it really delicious, but you could use a can of blueberry pie filling if you can't get the fresh blueberries.   The crust is particularly tasty also and you do bake it for a few minutes, but you can make this in a deep pie plate, so the usual spring form pan isn't necessary.  Here is what you will need for this easy cheesecake:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 cup flour

1 cup nuts, chopped

8 oz. cream cheese, softened slightly

8 oz. frozen whipped topping

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Blueberry Topping

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Combine brown sugar, butter, flour and nuts and press into a deep pie plate or a quiche pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.   Cool completely.

Whip together cream cheese, sugar, frozen whipped topping and vanilla.  Spread on the crust.

For the topping, combine the blueberries, sugar, water and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until mixture just boils and thickens.  Remove from heat and cool.  Once cooled pour over the cheesecake and chill for at least 2-3 hours before serving.









Ken's Lemon Cheesecake!

  

This cheesecake is a light and delicious dessert that doesn't even require baking.  For those who don't care for really rich and heavy desserts or really dense cheesecakes, this will do the trick.  It is so refreshing and good after all of the heavy holiday desserts we have been eating.  I have always loved this version of cheesecake.  I love the little zingy lemon flavor.

This recipe was given to me by a family friend, Ken.  We have known him and his wife for years.  We attended the same church when I was just a teenager and they and my parents have remained friends for all of these years. They are just some of the best people you would ever want to know. 

Actually, I didn't even have to make this recipe myself, because Ken made it for me and took us all out to lunch and then back to their house for dessert.  How sweet was that?  He also made a really good pie that I will share with you at another time. 

His wife, Dora, is one of those people who is so organized it's amazing to me.  She had binders filled with recipes she had gotten through the years and allowed me to go through them and copy any I might be interested in.  

These are tried and true recipes she has gotten over the last fifty or so years from mostly excellent Kentucky cooks.  Many were handwritten copies.    I will be making these and posting them in the next few weeks. 

The best recipes I come across, besides those that my own family have enjoyed for years, come from going to the people who cook them, sitting down and visiting and discussing them and browsing their collections of recipe treasures.  It also makes the recipes more special to me, because when someone gives you their recipe in the south, it really is an honor. 

 Some cooks are a little funny about just giving the recipes they get the raves over out like that.  Obviously I am not one of those people...lol.  Fortunately, my friends and family are not like that either.  They are just mostly generous beyond belief.

 If you have good cooks in your family or among your friends and they have recipe collections, ask them sometime to share them with you.  Get those family recipes written down also.  

I can't tell you how many folks write to me and try to describe a dish or dessert their mother or grandmother or father made and they never got the recipe.  Now, they are gone and the recipe went with them.  It is so rewarding to me when they can recreate similar recipes from our site here, but it would be even better if they had the original. 

 One of my motivations for starting this blog was to get our family recipes all written down in one spot so that, hopefully, our children and future grandchildren will have them.  Well enough of my rambling...on to the cheesecake recipe. 


 Here is what you will need:

1  3 oz. pkg. lemon gelatin
1  cup boiling water
4 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1  12 oz. can evaporated milk, chilled
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)


Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add lemon juice.  Allow to cool.  Cream together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.   Add gelatin and mix well.  Whip the evaporated milk and fold into the gelatin mixture.

Mix graham cracker crumbs with butter, reserving 1/3 cup for topping.  Press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9"x13" dish.  Pour in filling.  Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top.  Chill for 3-4 hours before serving.



Ken's Lemon Cheesecake!



S'mores Cheesecake...elegant but easy!

I love cheesecake and this is one of my favorite cheesecakes. Not only does it taste decadent and rich, it looks really impressive and will wow your guests.  Actually it's not all that hard to make, you can just let people think you really are an expert baker.

First combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter and press into a greased 10" spring form pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Beat in the 3 eggs.  Stir in 1 cup mini chocolate chips and 1 cup mini marshmallows.

Pour into the graham cracker crust.  Place in a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the top with 2 cups mini marshmallows.  Return to oven for 5 minutes.

Melt 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips with 1 Tbs. shortening.  Drizzle chocolate over the marshmallows.  Refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to serve, remove the spring form pan and place on serving plate.  S'mores cheesecake! Wasn't that easy? 

Ingredients:

Crust

2 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup sugar

1/2  cup melted butter

Filling

2 pkgs. 8 oz. cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsps. vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup mini marshmallows

Topping

2 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 Tbs. shortening