Easy Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

 

 Not sure why people are so afraid to make cheesecakes. They are one of the easiest desserts to make and so delicious.  This one is also beautiful and makes a wonderful dessert for any occasion.

Easy Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

 

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

24 ounces cream cheese, softened (do not use fat free)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strawberry curd (store bought)

Prepare a 8-9 inch spring form pan by wrapping the outside bottom with foil.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and sides of the pan. Use a cup for the best way to get down into the pan. Place on a cookie sheet and set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, roughly 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour the batter into the pan. Add spoonfuls of the strawberry curd on top and swirl with a knife.  You can swirl as much as you like. Sometimes I do a light swirl and other times I fill the whole cake with swirls. You can also use blueberry or lemon curd for a different cheesecake.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is almost set (it will still move slightly when shaken but the top should be firm). 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Cool for 10 minutes then take a knife and run it around the edge of the pan to loosen it. Allow to cool for another 50 minutes in the pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of pan before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

The Best Turkey Burgers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to know a secret?  I can fool you with my turkey burgers.  How?  I can make them taste just like a beef burger, maybe even better. Turkey burgers are often dry and flavorless. Not mine.  I cook in my mind before my recipes hit the cooking stage and I knew exactly how to make them taste like that juicy beef burger.  These Turkey burgers are just incredible, with the BEST seasoning combo so they taste just as good as the beef burgers we all love, but a lot healthier for you.

 The Best Turkey Burgers

2 pounds 93% lean and 7% fat ground turkey

1 tablespoon mayo

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Montreal Steak seasoning

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for frying

 

In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, steak seasoning salt, and pepper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use your hands to mix everything together. Divide the mixture evenly and form 4 large patties.  In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. You want the oil hot but not too hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fry the patties for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from heat and lay on a paper towel lined plate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assemble the turkey burger. Enjoy the patties plain or assemble them into turkey burgers with your favorite toppings and condiments!

NOTES:

The key to juicier turkey burgers is choosing the right lean-to-fat ratio. Packaged ground turkey is often a mix of light and dark meat, but you’ll want to choose one that’s 93% lean and 7% fat. This makes for a moist and succulent burger.

Just a little bit of mayo helps to add moisture and acts as a binder for the patties. You can use a tablespoon of your favorite brand for the mixture.

What gives my turkey burger the beefy flavor?  The combo of Dijon Mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Montreal Steak Seasoning.  That combination takes an ordinary bland flavor of turkey to a savory rich beefy flavor you’ll love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Mushroom Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was never a big mushroom fan until later in life.  Let’s just say, I never gave mushrooms a chance.  I truly didn’t know how delicious they are. But then I discovered them and I absolutely love them. I add them to so many recipes.  Like this recipe with rice that’s infused with that earthy mushroom flavor tossed through with caramelized mushrooms.  I could eat an entire bowl of it!  

Mushroom Rice

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 pound Crimini or Baby Bella mushrooms, whole or sliced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon coarse pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cups uncooked long grain rice

4 cups beef broth

 

Add a 2 tablespoons butter to a heavy skillet.  Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook on medium high for 3-5 minutes or until they start to caramelize. Do not stir.  Then stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add in the onions, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and thyme along with the remaining tablespoon of butter and cook on medium for about 5 minutes or until onions start to turn golden brown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add in the uncooked rice and beef broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook covered for 20 minutes or until rice is tender, stir and fluff with a fork.

Remove from heat but leave covered for an additional 5-10 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

Mushrooms - Use any type mushrooms you want but Crimini or Baby Bella’s give the most flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While browning the mushrooms, if the pan gets dry, add more butter to help them brown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rice - Long grain rice works best. Basmati and jasmine would also be good because they both come out nice and fluffy like long grain rice. 

Want a bite?   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

 

English Muffin Egg and Sausage Breakfast

 English Muffin Egg and Sausage Breakfast

The perfect breakfast or brunch sandwich.  Seems I have been making these for years and I will probably make them for years to come.  They are quick and delicious and you can’t eat just one!

 English Muffin Egg and Sausage Breakfast

 

2 English Muffins, split in half

¼ cup sausage crumbles (or any kind of sausage crumbled up)

2 eggs, scrambled

2 tablespoons soft butter

salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated white or yellow cheddar cheese

 

NOTE:  I use Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles for this recipe. It comes in turkey or regular pork flavor and saves so much time.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butter your muffins (top and bottom) and lay them on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly browned. Remove from oven and top each muffin half  with about a tablespoon of shredded cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm up your crumbled sausage in a small skillet over medium heat until just warm.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the same skillet, scramble your eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add some of the scrambled egg to each muffin and top with some sausage crumbles. Sprinkle with more cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

 Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

She Would Have Loved My Garden

She Would Have Loved My Garden

My Mom moved to heaven a few years ago and there are days that I still cry deeply over missing her so much. I need her in my life and never imagined my life without her. Often times my mind wanders off to a different time. A time when I still had her with me to share my life. We were inseparable and I am told that our love for each other was unusual...almost too deep and too perfect. While I have no idea what that means, I do know that I loved her beyond measure and she felt the same way.

I miss her most when I am in the kitchen making one of the recipes from the little cards in her old collection of favorites and reading the little love notes that she knew I would read someday when she had moved on to her new home. I miss her when I try to step in and cover for her on those special occasions like my Dad's birthday party or a some special occasion for my brother. I know I can never be her. But I do the best I can to bake that cake or cook that meal that always makes him cry.

I miss her most when I am in the garden. After she moved to Heaven I brought her old bird bath to my garden and some of her favorite flowers and I created a special garden in her memory. And it is the prettiest garden you've ever seen. The flowers are vibrant and colorful and there is so much activity there. Butterflies, birds, lady bugs and some of God's tiniest creations gather there to share her memory with me.

She would have loved my garden ....she would have stood there in silence looking at every single flower, studying every petal, stem, and leaf. She would have taken big breaths and let out deep sighs at the miraculous wonders of God's work all around her. She would have looked up at the Heavens and silently praised God for his beautiful work. And she would have taken my hand and squeezed it tight to let me know she was so grateful that she taught me the gift of gardening.

She is in her own garden now. A garden so magnificent that words cannot describe the beauty. She sees far more flowers and far more colors and she now talks to God up close and personal. And I know she is watching me walk alone in my garden now and she sends these thoughts to me to let me know...."she would have loved my garden."

I want to share that garden with you my friends. I will post some photos in honor of her memory here at Welcome Home. Like this small patch of African Daisies that are supposed to an annual that blooms only one time each year during summer. However, this is a patch that came up on their own this year. I did not plant them. They were one of her favorites.