NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Ingredients (serves 10)
1 x 250g pkt plain sweet biscuits (such as Arnott's Nice)
125g unsalted butter, melted
750g cream cheese, at room temperature
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 tbs plain flour
4 eggs
1 x 300ml ctn sour cream
120g fresh or frozen raspberries

METHOD
Preheat oven to 160°C. Line the base of a 23cm (base measurement) springform pan with non-stick baking paper.

Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer to the lined pan. Use a straight-sided glass to spread and press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base and side of pan, leaving 1cm at the top of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Meanwhile, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon rind in a large bowl until just combined. Beat in the flour. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until combined. Stir in the sour cream until just combined.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the base. Place the pan on a baking tray and bake for 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours or until just set in the centre. Turn oven off. Leave the cheesecake in oven, with the door ajar, for 2 hours or until cooled completely (this will prevent cheesecake from cracking). Place in the fridge for 4 hours to chill.

Top the cheesecake with the raspberries. Cut into wedges to serve.

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Kelly's Favorite Family Spaghetti Sauce

Kelly's Favorite Family Spaghetti Sauce
This is a recipe that has been modified from several other recipes for a Marinara type of spaghetti sauce. This has no meat and is lighter and has such a nice tomato taste. Very easy to prepare and quite yummy! This is a family favorite in our house.

* 2 Tbs Olive Oil
* 1 tsp minced garlic
* 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes with puree
* 2 Tbs dried parsley
* 1 tsp dried basil
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (we use more to make a spicier sauce)

Heat olive oil and saute garlic, be careful not to brown the garlic. Add can of tomatoes and then the spices, stir well and let simmer for 15 minutes, then serve over pasta.

We use this sauce for almost anything that requires a tomato sauce. Lasanga, stuffed shells, baked ziti, etc.

This is cheaper than jar sauce and almost as easy and fast. The ingredients are things I always have on hand.

Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
Serves 8-10
CHOCOLATE MERINGUE BASE:
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sieved
1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
50g dark chocolate, finely chopped

TOPPING:
500ml thickened cream (not light version)
500g raspberries
2–3 tablespoons coarsely grated dark chocolate


METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

3. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.

4. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/gas mark 2 and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. When it’s ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.

5. When you’re ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don’t want the raspberries’ luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will, on the plate’s rim.

Come and cook with me