Grandma's Cheesecake - 1960s

1 lb. ricotta cheese (or dry cottage cheese)
1 lb. cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, milted
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 pint sour cream

Mix cheeses well with beater. Add butter and eggs. (I added butter, beat to mix and then added eggs). Add remaining ingredients; fold in sour cream. (Note that this says add remaining ingredients - don't add sour cream yet. Also, the next time I make this I'll add the flour and cornstarch before adding the eggs. I believe they will blend better and smoother.) Thoroughly grease 12" Bundt pan and dust with fine zwieback crumbs. (I used just enough graham cracker crumbs to barely cover the bottom of a spring form pan sprayed with non-stick spray with flour.) Pour batter into pan and bake for one hour. Turn off oven and allow to remain in oven for one additional hour. Glaze or top if desired. Refrigerate. Cool completely before slicing.

Notes: This recipe came from my wonderful friend Lillian. She ran across it in a little paper cookbook that she bought many years ago at the cost of 10 cents. It dates back in the 1960s.

I used the graham cracker crumbs because I haven't seen Zwieback crackers since my kids were little. For those of you who don't know what they are, back then they were used for teething cookies for babies. Also, I read the recipe before beginning but didn't keep in mind that you include everything BUT the sour cream. I added that with the other ingredients. It did turn out fine so I have no idea as to what difference it might have made. This is a delicious cheese cake, a little different from what you may be accustomed to. I don't like a glaze on my cheese cakes but you can add strawberries, cherries, etc. and a little glaze. Don't go very heavy, weight wise, with your toppings. This is a delicate cake and a heavy topping will cause it to break up. It might even be best to serve a topping on a piece that's been cut and plated. No matter how you eat and serve this, it's delicious!

Stuffed Shells with Pasta Sauce

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian Sausage
4 oz. cream cheese

Cook meat, drain, cool. Mix in cram cheese. (This works best if you use your hands crumbling the meat as you mix)

12 jumbo shells
1 T. Oil
1/2 med. onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained
1 jar (14 oz.) pasta sauce (can use spaghetti or pizza sauce)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Cook shells according to directions on package, drain and cool. Saute onion and peppers in oil until tender. Add mushrooms, pasta sauce, garlic and seasoning. Stuff shells with meat mixture. Place in 8 x 8 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Pour sauce evenly over shells. Cover with cheese. Bake 350 degrees 20 minutes.

This recipe came from a combination of 2 recipes that I pulled from. You can use all ground beef or all Italian sausage. You can change the flavor completely by using shredded chicken in place of the beef/sausage and Alfredo Sauce in place of the pasta sauce.

Coconut Buns

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut
1 Tbl. honey
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 can Crescent rolls

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. softened butter
1 Tbl. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl mix cream cheese, sugar, honey and lemon juice until smooth. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Unroll crescents onto cookie sheet. Don't separate. Press perforations together to make 1 large sheet. Carefully spread cream cheese mix over crescent sheet. Sprinkle with coconut. Roll up like a jelly roll. With a serrated knife cut into 12 equal slices. Place on cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

In a small bowl mix sugar, butter and lemon juice. Spread over warm rolls.

Changes - Use finely chopped nuts or raisins instead of coconut. After adding glaze, sprinkle with coconut or chopped nuts. Or add a little cinnamon with the nuts and make cinnamon buns

Cherry Pie Cake

Cherry Pie Cake

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 Angel food cake (14 oz.) cut into 1" cubes
2 cans (21 oz. each) cherry pie filling

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped topping and cake cubes. Spread evenly into a 13" x 9" x 2" dish. Top with pie filling. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. Serves 12-14

Changes - Use different pie fillings, i.e. strawberry, blueberry, etc. Also, try this with non-fruity pie fillings. Use chocolate, butterscotch, lemon, etc. You can't go wrong with this one.

Herb & Cheese Spread Pinwheels

Herb & Cheese Spread Pinwheels

1 carton (5.2 oz.) garlic and herb cream cheese
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbl. pine nuts, toasted and chopped
Deli meats of your choice

Combine cream cheese, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, butter and pine nuts mixing until well blended. On a sheet of waxed paper lay out meat slices. Carefully spread mixture over slices to within 1/4" of edges. Roll jelly roll style. Secure with toothpick. Refrigerate.

Changes - Can be sliced and eaten as appetizers or place rolls on a baking dish, place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes to heat. They are really good either way. You can also add a touch of hot sauce or red peppers for added taste, change the nuts to pecans or walnuts. And of course you can really change the flavor by using different types of deli meats. This is especially good with chicken.

Brown Sugar Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 Tbl. brown sugar
1 cups packed brown sugar
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9" pan with non-stick spray. Mix crumbs, butter and sugar and press into the bottom of the pan. Bake 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with a mixer until blended. Add sour cream and mix. Add eggs one at a time mixing on low speed after each until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 60 - 65 minutes. Cool.

You can top this with your favorite topping. I like to drizzle with caramel and sprinkle with crushed toffee candy. It's also good with caramel and chopped nuts.

Fruit Dip

1 carton (8 oz.) sour cream
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar

Combine sour cream, cream cheese and sugar blending well with an electric mixer. Serve with fresh fruit.

This is such a simple but delicious dip for fruit. I've tried it with apples, strawberries, peaches, kiwi and believe it or not, even oranges. Each fruit gives the dip a different flavor that blend so well with the cream cheese and sour cream. If you want it a little sweeter, increase the sugar adding 1 tsp. at a time until it's the sweetness you desire. This dish is perfect for any gathering at any time.

Shrimp Dip

1 can cream of celery soup
2 cans (6.5 oz. each) shrimp, drained
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise

In a sauce pan over low heat heat soup and cream cheese whisking until cheese is melted and smoothly blended with soup. Remove from heat. Blend in shrimp and mayonnaise. Chill 8 - 10 hours before serving. Serve with party breads, crackers or chips.

Changes - crab meat instead of shrimp. A little hot sauce to add heat and flavor. Serve in the center of a round loaf of bread for a pull and dip.