Ham and Cheese Lasagna

This is a different take on a classic Italian recipe.

Ham and Cheese Lasagna

Cheese Sauce
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1 soup can filled with lowfat milk
1 can (14 1/2 0z) no-salt added diced tomatoes, drained, with large pieces cut up
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tub (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 uncooked, oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 bag (16 oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and pressed dry on paper towels
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
8 oz. thinkly sliced baked Virginia ham
1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, well drained and chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cheese Sauce
Whisk ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan until blended. Heat, stirring with a whisk, until cheeses melt.

Mix ricotta, eggs, Parmesan cheese and the nutmeg in a bowl until thoroughly combined.

Layer lasagna in prepared baking dish as follows: Spread 1 cup cheese sauce over bottom, top with 4 overlapping noodles, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, the broccoli, 1 1/2 cups cheese sauce and 1/2 cup Cheddar sauce.

Finish with rest of noodles, cheese sauce and Cheddar cheese. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake 50 minutes or until sauce bubbles and noodles are tender. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Oreo Cheesecake

Raise your hand if you LOVE Oreo cookies. Just what I thought. Everyone loves Oreo cookies. Could an awesome cheesecake be far behind? Just be sure to make this dessert the day before you need it.

Oreo Cheesecake

Cookie Crust
1 1/4 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine cookie crumbs, brown sugar, dash of cinnamon and butter. Pat evenly into a 9-to-10-inch springform pan.

Cake
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

Place cream cheese in electric mixer. Beat on lowest speed until smooth. Add sugar and flour. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, and continue blending until smooth and liquid. This takes 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla and whipping cream.

Pour half of the batter into the pan, spreading over crust. Sprinkle with chopped cookie pieces. Top with remaining batter, smoothing evenly. Place pan on baking sheet and bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce oven heat to 225 degrees and 50 minutes more, or until lightly browned.

Assembly
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
12 Oreo cookie halves, for garnish
1 maraschino cheery, for garnish

Combine sour cream, sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread on cake and bake at 350 degrees until topping is set, about 8 minutes. Turn oven off. Open oven door and cool cake 1 hour in oven. Cover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To make glaze, scald scream in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around edges. Stir in chocolate to melt and blend. After 1 minute, remove from heat and stir in remaining vanilla. When cool, spread or pour glaze onto chilled cake. Arrange 12 Oreo cookie halves around outer perimeter (to look like a clock dial) and place cherry in center.

Makes to 12 to 16 servings.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Okay. I admit it. I'm all about easy. There are days when I want to just go all out and spend the day creating a huge meal. And there are times when I just want to hurry up and be done with it. Except I don't want anyone to know. This recipe comes from the Keebler Ready Crust people. It's easy but don't tell anybody.

Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1 (6 oz) Ready Crust Graham Cracker Pie Crust
2 packages (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini milk chocolate chips (semi-sweet can be substituted)
1 teaspoon flour
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With mixer, beat cream cheese until it's fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until it is smooth.

Add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Toss chips with flour; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust.

Bake 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup mini milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream

In small saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips and whipping cream. Stir until thickened and smooth. Immediately spread over pie.

Serve chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake

I love cheesecake and I love pumpkin. It's just one of those fall things. The weather hits 79 degrees and it's time to celebrate! This recipe has to be made in advance. Just do it the night before you need it.

Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (I use Libby's)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground nutmeg
1 nine-inch ready-to-use graham cracker crumb crust

Using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together. Add eggs, blending thoroughly after each.

Stir pumpkin and spices into 1 cup of the batter. Pour remaining plain batter into the crust. Top with the pumpkin batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least three hours or overnight.

Makes 8 servings.

Black-eyed Pea's Broccoli-Cheese Soup

This is a fabulous soup. Again, I found it on the internet. The source listed is Kitchen Link Copycat Recipes. I don't care where it came from, it's good soup.

Black-Eyed Pea's
 Broccoli-Cheese Soup

1 1/2 lb. broccoli, fresh
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch mixed with 1 cup cold water
1 pint half-and-half
1 lb. Velveeta
1/2 taspoon pepper

Steam or boil broccoli until tender

Place half-and-half and 2 cups water in top of double boiler. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Heat until cheese is melted. Add broccoli.

Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl. Stir into cheese mixture in double boiler and heat over simmering water until soup thickens.

Serves 4.

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake

In the South, one is always expected to take food somewhere. It's just part of life. It could be the church supper, a potluck at Aunt Betty Sue's house or to feed the family after a death. It could also be any number of other events. Southerners really like to eat.

It's also expected that the "dish" be homemade. As in, made from scratch. As in, store-bought goods are frowned upon. I had been an adult far more years than I'll ever admit before I came to accept that sometimes it really was okay to not take something I'd made from scratch. I'll always thank that sweet little widow (she really was short!) who explained that she gave "from scratch" up somewhere along the time she was left to work and raise three children alone. Time is a huge factor. Just think. I didn't have to stay up to 1 a.m. baking all those years.

Before I realized that things had changed, I developed a few good recipes that were quick, easy and looked like they took a great deal of time. You may notice a theme here among the different recipes I share.

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake is one of those recipes. It also was my best friend's favorite dessert. He always requested it for birthdays and such. Yes, I gave him the recipe. And, yes, he could cook. I guess some things just taste better when someone else makes them for you. He's been dead a good many years now but I always think of him when I make this dessert.

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake

2 (8-oz) packages of creme cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
graham cracker crust (6 0z)
Comstock Blueberry Pie Filling

Mix the creme cheese, sugar and vanilla until it's smooth and creamy. If you forget to let the creme cheese soften or simply don't have time, put it in the microwave on medium for a few seconds. Every microwave varies. Just keep checking it until it's softened but not soupy.

Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust. However did we manage before we could buy those crusts already made and ready to go? Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 of the blueberry pie filling on top. I generally use a teaspoon and drop bits of the filling around in little puddles. Then use a toothpick to gently swirl it around. It looks really pretty, sort of like marble.

Bake it at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the center is set. Let it cool until room temperature, then refrigerate.

Serve topped with the remaining filling.

Hey, look at you! You made a cheesecake without having to use a "real" cheesecake pan!