Soooo .... here it is Thursday afternoon/evening and I'm just getting around to making mom's cheesecake. You notice that I did not say "a" cheesecake or "my" cheesecake. This delectable ... TO DIE FOR cheesecake was one of my mother's ALL TIME best creations that was NEVER shared with anyone. It was made, possibly, once a year, I don't recall it ever being made more than that ! (ask any of my family - they will agree !)
So you're asking yourself by now WHY is she (meaning me) making this scrumptious dessert for ? Well - on Saturday afternoon we are headed to the Michigan HOOTENANNY which is the brain child of Pratt Family Homestead. If you don't know who they are - go check them out on YOUTUBE. They are celebrities over there - we had the chance to meet them in TN back in May. He's the one that coined the phrase "YOUUUUUUUUU TUUUUUUUUUUBE" !!!
Anyway - back on track here ! The meetup is between 1pm - 6pm and it's a pot-luck MEANING you bring a covered dish to share with everyone. (Now granted when someone says covered dish to me the first thing I usually respond with is "what should I cover the dish with ??) oh and YES I can be a smart *xx at times. SO since we were bringing our 2 youngest granddaughters with us I was going to have the girls make their famous grape salad and also rice krispy treats whereas, me, on the other hand had something else in mind. Now mind you I haven't made this for over 20 years now but when I heard in one of the "Pratt Family Homesteads" live stream that Mike LOVED cheesecake, that's when I turned and looked at hubby and said - that does it - I know what I'm making !!!
This recipe takes 40 ounces of cream chesse YES FOLKS that is 5 8oz bars of creamcheese !!! So I'm just going to put a few pictures here and then let you drool (and yes, I'm mean like that hahaha)
In the NInja used a mixture of honey graham crackers & chocolate graham crackers for the base and sides
Crushed up graham crackers in a bowl with melted butter - once mixed this will be the base & sides for the cheesecake.
Put parchment paper over the base for easier cleanup
YEP - 5, 8oz pkgs of cream cheese !!!
OHhhh how can you resist cream cheese ?
Mixing cream cheese with sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, flour and vanilla (homemade vanilla I might add !
I could probably just sit and eat this with spoon !
Ready to go in the oven (are you drooling yet ?? )
Finished product and already cut into !!! I think within 10 minutes of the first piece being cut this was GONE ... DEVOURED ... FINITE and I didn't hear one complaint or any EWWWW's
Kaylee's rice krispie treats
Celia's grape salad
