Lime Cheesecake

1 ½ C. graham cracker crumbs
1 C. sugar, divided
¼ C. butter
2 packages of cream cheese (8oz. each)
1 C. sour cream
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon grated lime peel
¼ C. lime juice
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Topping
1 C. sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
Thin lime slices (for garnish)

Mix crumbs, 2 Tablespoons of sugar, and butter. Press into a 9 inch pan. Bake @ 350 until lightly brown, about 10 min. Set aside.

Beat cheese, sour cream, eggs, remaining sugar, peel juice, and flour until smooth; pour into crust. Bake @350 until center jiggles only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 35 to 45 min. Cool.

Make topping: mix sour cream, sugar, and lime juice until well blended. Spread topping over cooled cheesecake. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to the next day. Top with lime slices.

Pinapple Ginger Pork Chops

4 servings

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits
1 tea. Pepper
½ tea. Ground ginger
4 bone-in pork loin chops
1 tbs. butter
½ C. orange juice
1 tbs. cornstarch
1/8 tea. Salt
¼ C. water

Drain pineapple, reserving ¼ cup juice; set aside. Combine pepper and ginger; rub over both sides of pork chops. In a skillet, brown chops in butter for 2-3 minutes on each side. Add orange juice, 1 cup of pineapple and reserved juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until meat is tender. Remove chops and keep warm. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and water until smooth; stir into pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with pork.

Italian Sausage with Bow Ties

5 Servings

• 1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the sausage, onion, garlic and pepper flakes over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the tomatoes, cream, salt and basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; toss with sausage mixture. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Onion Beef Muffin Cups

It sounds funny but it is so good. We use our left over Pot Roast for this Recipe. And I usually use 2 small onions instead of 3. I also add a little extra brown sugar for a sweeter taste.

4 Servings

• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 boneless beef top sirloin steak (1-inch thick and 6 ounces), cut into 1/8-inch slices
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tube (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated flaky biscuits
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook onions in butter over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until very tender. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, cook steak for 2-3 minutes or until no longer pink.
Return onions to pan. Stir in the flour, brown sugar and salt until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 4-6 minutes or until thickened.
Separate biscuits; split each horizontally into three portions. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of eight ungreased muffin cups, overlapping the sides and tops. Fill each with about 2 tablespoons beef mixture.
Combine mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over filling. Fold dough over completely to enclose filling. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm.

CHEESEBURGER MAC AND CHEESE

CHEESEBURGER MAC AND CHEESE

• 1 pound cavatappi (or any curly short) pasta
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning (about a palmful)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/4 cups grated yellow cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 1/4 cups grated Swiss cheese, divided
• 3 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 deli-style pickle, chopped

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook just shy of al dente, according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and reserve.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the ground sirloin with the grill seasoning, ketchup and yellow mustard. Grab about a tablespoon of meat in your hand and roll it into a small ball. Place the mini meatballs onto a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of EVOO and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.

While the mini meatballs are in the oven, heat a large saucepot over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon, and the butter. Cook the red onion with some salt and pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over top and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, season with salt and pepper, and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and whisk in 1 cup of each cheese. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce along with the baked meatballs and toss to combine. Pour everything out into a casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar and Swiss cheeses.

If serving immediately, toss the mac under the broiler until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Top with the chopped tomatoes and pickles, and serve.