at home with ann

Cheesecake is my go to dessert.  I have made many, many flavors.  From classic, to the ever popular roasted strawberry, to the Thanksgiving favorite pumpkin, to the key lime that nearly crippled my fingers from juicing so many tiny limes.  When I considered what to make for Christmas dessert (yes, still backed up posts to Christmas here at AHWA), I naturally landed on cheesecake.  I have a couple tricks for ensuring they are always perfect and delicious. My secret weapon in the food processor.  Use it to the make the crust, then give it a rinse and use it to make the filling.  It ensures everything is evenly mixed and a lovely smooth consistency.  My second trick is to bake in a water bath.  It can be a bit of a pain to wrap your pan in foil and fill up the roasting pan, but it keeps the top from cracking, so it's completely worth it. Classic Cheesecake modified from  Tyler Florence   Crust: 2 cups finely ground graham crackers (a...

As we do every year, we celebrated my Mom's birthday by all going to my parent's house and helping clean up their yard and put in their garden.  Similar to last year, everyone worked very hard, especially Jon and John, and I hung out with Colin and avoided all yard work.  My day consisted of running after Colin while he used a bat to hit a ball around the yard, drew on the driveway with chalk, tried to eat chalk, moved chalk to various areas where chalk doesn't go, chased the cat, and ran through the dirt.    The birthday girl requested Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake for dessert, and I happily obliged.  This might be my favorite cheesecake of all time, which is saying something. I know the whole water bath thing seems like just one more step, but I've found it really does work to prevent cracks, so it's worth it.    Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake original recipe from Martha Stewart Ingredients 1 pound strawberries, hulled 3 Tablespoons...

This post is part of my vacation series highlighting some amazing recipes from my favorite bloggers! Miri Leigh (via Steamy Kitchen) - Meyer Lemon Clouds with Lemon Whipped Cream and Fresh Blueberries Lemon and blueberries are two of my most favorite things. I can see this being a dessert staple this summer. Baking Blonde - Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd Topping You had me at lemon.  Cheesecake too?  Heaven.