Chocolate Chip Cheesecake: Happy Birthday Angel Girl!

June 10, 2008

chocolate chip cheesecake
It’s birthday time at our house again! It’s Angel Girl’s 10th birthday tomorrow and she’s very excited!

We had planned to celebrate tomorrow, but the flooding in Des Moines caused us to move things up a day so Poppa and Nana can get back home before things get worse.

I’m pretty flexible, but this change of plans threw me for a loop because it didn’t give me any time to go to the grocery store. I had to do an entire party from my pantry, including the cake. Good thing I had a well-stocked pantry!

I did not, however have all the ingredients needed to make the Green Dragon Dessert she requested for her cake. Nor did I have everything I needed for the other two suggestions she gave.

Finally I remembered the cream cheese I had bought on sale and froze. I suggested cheesecake and she loved the idea!

This was the first cheesecake I ever made (I’m blushing to admit that!) and I prayed over this one. I put together two different recipes but it turned out just wonderful and I have a very happy birthday girl.

Angel Girl’s Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Combine: 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 36 squares), 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of butter (melted). Press into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a greased 10 inch springform pan. Set aside.

Mix together: 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese (softened), 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla

Add 3 eggs, beat on low until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Pour into crust and bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Cool on wire rack for ten minutes.

Melt together: 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 Tablespoon butter, 4 teaspoons heavy whipping cream. Stir till smooth.

Pour over the cheesecake and spread it evenly.

Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Cool one hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of the pan.

I let Angel girl decorate the top with M & M’s. She’s thrilled with it, and I am relieved!

Happy birthday, Angel Girl!

By Country Gal | Posted in Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Desserts | Tagged , | Comments (3)

Buddy’s 7th Birthday Cake

November 16, 2007

My baby turned 7 yesterday. Made me feel a little old, but also more wise and experienced. I sat down and figured out that his birthday cake was the 54th one that I created. I learned a few things along the way, like the more involved the birthday child is, the more they will love their cake. I also learned that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that even if my cake will never grace the cover of Better Homes and Gardens, it will make a child feel special and that’s what’s most important. And above all else, make sure it tastes great! Over the years we’ve designed some very unique cake creations, and this year was no exception. Together, Buddy and I designed an amazing Race Track Cake, complete with a NASCAR race in the chocolate oval with a TV satellite truck, ambulance and wrecker on the side lines! We made a simple chocolate sheet cake brownie, frosted it with Cool Whip (my other birthday secret! It saves time and tastes great!), then outlined the track in M&M’s before filling it with a crushed Hershey bar. The outfield grass was just green sugar sprinkles. All of the cars came from his Matchbox Cars collection. He was so proud of that cake! And it tasted great, too!

Cookie Sheet Chocolate Brownies:

Combine 1 stick margarine, 1 cup water, 1/4 c. cocoa and 1/2 c. cooking oil in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Pour over 2 c. flour, 2 c. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add 1/2c. buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. soda, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Blend and pour into greased cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Enjoy!

By Country Gal | Posted in Cakes, Chocolate, Cooking and Food, Memories | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (3)