Creamy Lemony Cheesecake

I usually don't make things I can't eat, but for Shavuot I decided to go all out and make cheesecake! It was certainly worth all of the Lactaid pills :) [Note: You can also make this cheesecake with dairy-free cream cheese and sour cream]. This cheesecake is dense but still creamy, and the lemon zest really makes it.

A couple of tips to making the perfect cheesecake:

• Bring all of your ingredients to room temperature before you start to ensure as little mixing as possible--overmixing will lead to you cheesecake cracking. You can just let everything sit out, or I like to put everything into a warm water bath.
• After baking, turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in there. This helps to ensure the cheesecake cools very slowly and doesn't crack.

Lemony Cheesecake

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup sour cream
4 8 oz. bars of cream cheese
2 pre-made graham cracker crusts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. With an immersion blender, blend eggs. With a wooden spoon, in sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream.
3. With a mixer (or I use the electric whisk attachment on my immersion blender), beat in cream cheese until smooth, careful not to overbeat.
4. Divide evenly into 2 graham cracker crusts. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, then turn oven off and allow cheesecakes to cool in oven 5-6 hours. Chill before serving.

The cost:
eggs: .40
lemon: .29
sour cream: .99
cream cheese: 5.56
crusts: 1.98

Grand total: $9.92 (makes 2 cheesecakes)

Broccoli & Cheese Galette

My friend EZRJ had lots of leftover cooked broccoli from Shabbat lunch and needed something to do with it. She was thinking about a crustless quiche but I suggested she do a galette, basically a flat piece of dough that you fill and then crimp the corners up and over the filling, leaving some of the filling showing (kind of hard to describe, here is an image). A galette is more frequently served sweet as a dessert (filled with fruit), but there is no reason why you can't make a savory one.

Note: You can make one large galette, or divide the dough and bake up individual ones.

Broccoli & Cheese Galette

Ingredients:

1 package pizza dough
3 shallots, sliced thinly
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
16 oz cooked broccoli, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 415 degrees.
2. Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (it will be easier to roll out this way).
3. In a small pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil and saute shallots and onions until soft and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, mix in broccoli and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roll out dough to fit a pizza pan. Brush dough with olive oil. Spread broccoli mixture on dough, making sure to leave at least 1 inch around. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
5. Fold outer edge of dough up and over, crimping as you go so it stays wrapped over veggie mixture.
6. Brush crimped dough with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
7. Bake in the oven until dough is browned and cheese is bubbling, 12-15 minutes.

Fun variations:

• Saute a veggie mixture of onions, zucchini and yellow squash.
• Use goat or feta cheese with roasted red peppers for a fun twist.

The cost:
pizza dough: .99
shallots: 1.49
garlic: .10
broccoli: 1.99
cheese: 4.99

Grand total: $9.56; serves 4-6

Mimi, Let's Stay In Tonight

I consistently hear people say, "I spend so much money on happy hours and eating out, but it's the only way to maintain my social life." Ladies and gents, I beg to differ.

You don't have go out to be social. Case and point: A bunch of us hadn't seen each other in a while due to busy schedules, so my friend JG invited everyone over for dinner last night.

The food was scrumptious. 1 steamy pan of spaghetti pie (see below) + 1 creamy green bean casserole + 1 huge taco salad + margaritas all around = 1 whopping good time.

Now clearly there are some friends you wouldn't do this with, and you don't need to entirely deprive yourself of eating out, but think about cutting back and eating in a bit more. To keep the night going, pop in a good movie, throw on some music or dig out that dusty DDR mat (you know you still have it). I promise, fun will be had by all.

Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:

1 box spaghetti (subs: angel hair or vermicelli)
1 12-14 oz can pasta sauce (JG likes Don Pepino)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs + 1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray two 8-inch pie plates or one 9x13 inch pan.
2. Cook pasta according to directions and drain.
3. Remove 1/4 cup of each type of cheese and reserve in small bowl.
4. Mix pasta, sauce and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Pour into pie plates or pan. Sprinkle Parmesan and reserved cheese over top (if you are using breadcrumbs, mix with olive oil and sprinkle over cheese).
   
5. Bake covered 20-25 minutes, then uncovered until top is bubbly and browned, 10-15 minutes (may be slightly less if you are using pie plates).

The cost:
pasta: 1.29
sauce: 1.39
shredded cheese: 2.15
parm: .49

Grand Total: $5.32; serves 5-6 on it's own, 8-9 with a side & salad.