Espresso Cheesecake

Espresso Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups of vanilla wafers (or more if you like a thick crust)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

Filling:

16 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup natural sugar

1.5 tablespoons flour

2.5 large eggs

1/6 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoons espresso powder

Pull cream cheese, eggs, and cream; bring to room temperature.

Combine espresso powder and heavy cream together, set aside. Preheat oven to 350˚.

In a food processor, pulse cookies until crumbly. Add in sugar and butter, continuing to pulse until combined. Press into a 9″ cheesecake pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a stand mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour together until well combined; scrapping down the sides as needed (or you can use a medium bowl and a hand mixer). Add one egg at a time and beat well. Finally, add in heavy cream (mixed with espresso powder) and beat until cheesecake is combined (being careful to not over beat.)

Pour mixture into crust and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 250˚. Continue to bake cheesecake for 30-45 more minutes or until cheesecake barely wiggles and is set.

Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator overnight to chill.

Caramel Sauce!

Ok, usually I look at a recipe start making it and then change some things around. But, this recipe for caramel sauce is just too heavenly to change at all. But I had to share it with you:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/caramel_sauce/

Hummus

Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, drained but reserve juice

1 Tblsp olive oil

2 Tblsp lemon juice

1-2 tsp cumin

1-2 tsp crushed red pepper

1-2 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients (except the garbanzo juice) in a blender or food processor. Add 1/3 cup of juice and blend. Add more as necessary to reach desired thickness. Add more of any ingredient until desired flavor is achieved. Can also add roasted red pepper for another delicious take.

Tip: For a lesser calorie version, try edamame hummus. Use 1 1/2 cups of edamame that has been boiled. Add another Tblsp of olive oil. Mix as above, rather than using any kind of juice, just add more olive oil and lemon juice a little at a time until desired thickness is reached.

Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce

Homemade Cherry BBQ Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon (or more to taste) favorite chili powder

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped (or about 2 tsp minced garlic from a jar)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Juice of 2 oranges, about 1/2 cup works well if you don't have fresh

Juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2-3 tablespoons works well if you don't have fresh

1 cup ketchup

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen pitted cherries, thawed (or around a cup is enough for a good flavor)

1/2 cup water ( or a little under)

Crushed or powdered red pepper (optional, to taste)

Add oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, and garlic, and saute until onion is soft and translucent. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon chile powder, and tomato paste and toast for 1 minute. Add orange juice, lemon juice, ketchup, cherries, water, salt, and pepper (and red pepper for a little bit of kick at the end). Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree with a hand blender until smooth.

*Taken from foodnetwork, but made my own slight modifications as per usual.