Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Here is the recipe for the cheesecake I've been making for Steve for years...It comes from the Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking cookbook that I think I received at my Bridal Shower..it was published in 1993!

Here is what you need:

about 5-6 graham crackers crushed into crumbs

4 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 Tbs orange flavored liqueur or orange juice (I have used both depending on what's in stock)

1 tsp orange peel 

3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate-melted

Heat oven to 325. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over bottom and sides of pan. In large bowl, beat cream cheese at med. speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. At low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Add liqueur or juice and orange peel; beat 2 min. at med. speed, scraping sides of bowl. 

In a small bowl, reserve 1 1/2 cups of batter. Pour remaining batter into crumb lined pan. Slowly blend melted chocolate into reserved batter. Drop spoonfuls of choc. batter in pan (Usually 8-9 dollops on the outside, 4-5 dollops on the inside) Using a knife, swirl chocolate batter through light batter to marlble.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until set. Cool for 10 min. remove sides of pan. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Your husband will love you!

Meal Planning

I have to plan meals in advance. For me there is nothing worse than wondering what's for dinner at 5:00. I plan/shop for our weeks meals over the weekend. Sundays we usually have a big dinner..many times with extended family. If I'm roasting a chicken for Sunday supper, I usually will do 2 at a time. It's just as easy to roast two and the payoff is huge. After dinner I'll start the stock and use the extra chicken for lunches for the upcoming week. I love having homemade chicken stock in the freezer. 

I also make out a lunch menu for the week. I pack everyones lunch. I prefer them bringing something from home than yucky cafeteria food. Steve usually will take leftovers or a salad. Will pretty much eats either yogurt or a ham sandwich. Hannah and Stephen mix it up a lot. But, again..nothing worse than packing lunch at 7 A.M and not knowing what I'm making. A little bit of prep work over the weekend goes a long way. 

Crockpot Honey BBQ Pork Ribs

Do you have the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook? I use it a lot...here's what's for dinner tonight

4 1bs country style pork ribs (I always use boneless)

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 16 oz bottle of bbq sauce

1/2 cup honey

Put everything in your crockpot and cook on Low for 8-9 hours. 

Could dinner be easier? We have it with baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread and fresh pineapple for desert.