Did you think I was gone, or simply have already given up on this blog, and put it up on a shelf, like so many of my other various projects. NOPE! I am just revamping (Ha! used a "vamp" word. Trying to use one everyday until Twilight comes out on DVD on Saturday.) my way of posting. Yep, pictures! So now, when I cook, the camera will be ready! I hope the pictures will be good enough. So do not give up on me, I will be posting soon, and maybe not as often, but it will be good!

And I loved doing the giveaway so much, I am so doing more, so check back for those too!

GIVEAWAY!!!

I am doing a giveaway on my personal blog. It is private, but if you need or want and invite, give me your email address and I will send you one. Good luck to all and hurry to leave your comment!

Peach Crisp

After a long and stressful week.... Wait! it's only Thursday! This calls for a good dessert. And this one is my all time favorite! Something about putting some vanilla ice cream on top and letting it melt and ooze over the warm peaches, just makes me happy. I do think I will go and make some right now!

Peach (or apple) Crisp

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening, melted

* Add egg to dry ingredients.
* Stir in shortening with a fork.
* Sprinkle a little cinnamon into the mixture.
* Mixture will be crumby
* Line a 9x13 baking dish with thinly sliced apples or peaches. (fresh is best, but I often use canned peaches)
* Sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on top of peaches.
* Dot with tabs of butter.
* Crumble the crisp mixture over the top of the fruit, making sure it covers the entire pan of fruit.
* Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
* Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
* Serve with vanilla ice cream (warm) or whipped cream (cool)

Alfredo Sauce

Last night as Jason and I made waffles for dinner, we were discussing how good Olive Garden Alfredo sauce is. Then we went on to realize that dinner at Olive Garden would have tasted much better than our waffles. We could not complain since the kids both ate a lot of the dinner and that just makes us happy. So anyway, I thought that I would post the recipe for Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce. Now, we have tried to make this before. I say tried because it was good, but it was not quite the same as going to Olive Garden. Of course nothing is the quite the same as going out, right? So try it for yourselves, and let me know what you think!

Alfredo Sauce (Olive Garden)

1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

* Heat milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer.
* Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.
* Place egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture.
* Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture.
* Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering.
* Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).
* Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Now, If you do not want to buy or have the Romano cheese, or if you want a much simpler recipe, here is another that is a favorite at our house and always turns out great.

Mom's Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/2 pint cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
pinch of salt

* Melt butter and cream together in sauce pan
* Add the cheese and salt.
* Mix well over medium heat.

New York Cheesecake

Last night we had our monthly FHE with Jason's family. It is a great excuse to get together and to celebrate the birthdays for the month. We have a lesson that the kids "try" to hold still for. And soon after the lesson and the birthdays does it become loud with kids playing and the adults chatting. Yeah, you can say it is chaotic, but hey, it is family! We then have a dessert, usually picked out by the whose birthday it is. Last night's choice was cheesecake. One of our favorites in this house. Usually we will go and pick out the Jello no bake cheesecake and let that be good; but every once in a while will we spoil ourselves and make a New York Cheesecake. This recipe is really not that hard and tastes, oh so good. It is a rich and thick cheesecake that is sure to fill any craving for cheesecake. Did you know that a traditional New York Cheesecake is know for being a thick and very rich cheesecake that is always topped with cherries? See the fun things you learn each day!

New York Cheesecake

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter, melted
5 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream

* Mix crumbs, 3 Tbsp sugar and butter.
* Press onto bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
* Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
* Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
* Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on slow speed after each addition, just until blended.
* Blend in sour cream.
* Pour over crust.
* Bake for 1 hour and 5-10 minutes or until the center is almost set.
* Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake.
* Cool before removing rim of pan. (I wait until I am about to serve it)
* Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
* Top with cherry pie filling (or anything else you like on cheese cake)

If you do not have a springform pan, just come borrow mine, it may cost you a slice of your cheesecake though!