This much cream cheese…..
That's five, yes, count them....five packages of cream cheese.
…can only mean one thing in our household: The Hubs’ Birthday.
I don’t know how we got on huckleberry cheesecake. Perhaps it’s a caloric-curse I’ve put on myself, or maybe he requests it. All I know is that when we go out to dinner and order huckleberry cheesecake for dessert, I’m getting maybe 3 bites of it. Maybe. The rest is consumed by The Hubs before I can even say “huckleberry.” Now that I think of it…maybe this is just a subconscious attempt to get a whole piece of cheesecake to myself. Hmmmm?
Regardless of the reasoning, I make it a point to purchase a pint of huckleberries at our Farmers Market each summer that are specifically for The Hubs’ birthday dessert. They immediately go in the freezer and aren’t touched until March 22nd.
As for my recipe? Well I went straight to the source. Yep. This one is from Kraft (you know….pretty much the inventors of cream cheese). And since birthdays are calorie-free, I don’t mess around. No skimping on this one…although I’m sure you could use low-fat versions of everything. But I figure there are a few times a year that you just have to go all-in. And Birthdays are one of them.
New York Cheesecake
12 Honey Grahams, crushed (about 2 cups)
6 Tbs sugar
6 Tbs butter, melted
5 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs flour
1 Tbs vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 can cherry pie filling Huckleberry sauce recipe
To make:
Line 13×9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix graham crumbs, 6 tbs sugar and 6 tbs butter; press into bottom of pan. bake 10 minutes @ 325.
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla with mixer until well blended.
Just try to forget how much cream cheese you're putting in...
Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
If you don't have one of these...you have GOT to get one. NOW. They are the best for measuring out messy ingredients like sour cream, peanut butter, etc. You just push up the bottom and they plop out...no spatulas or spoons required! Sah-weet.
Do you guys see the double-panage going on in the picture above? So I have the first 13×9 pan (with the foil around it) and then that is sitting in a slightly larger jelly roll pan. Do you guys do this trick? You fill the second pan with water and then put it all in the oven? Supposedly it’s supposed to keep your cheesecake from cracking. I usually take all the help I can get, so I’ve used this method for the last several birthdays. And I’ve never had a cheesecake crack, so I’m going to go ahead and keep on doing it.
Bonus! That nifty little pampered chef thing can also do liquids. I know. Crazy.
Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Top with pie filling huckleberry sauce.
And zee huckleberry sauuuuce….
1 cup hidden and rationed huckleberries, 1/4 cup water, 2 tsp cornstarch, 2 Tbs sugar, 1 Tbs lemon juice. Stir till bubbly.
And voila!
I may or may not have eaten two pieces.
Happy Birthday Hubs!
This blog is a little bit of everything. When I have time I like to share diy projects and yummy recipes, but you'll also find me talking about everyday things like being a mom, personal struggles or successes, and navigating my way through this crazy world. My hope is that you come here for encouragement, laughs and inspiration. Oh, and sometimes I talk about sheep heads. That's what happens when you live in Montana and marry a hunter. 
March 23rd, 2011 at 8:56 am
Yum!!! Grant loves cheesecake too, and his birthday is today!! Did we slready know that their bdays are 1 day apart?? Miss you!!!
March 24th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Come to think of it….I’m not sure that we did know that little fun fact. Cool though! Tell Grant Happy Birthday for me! Miss you too.
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:00 am
yum, yum, yum. I may have to make this for Robert’s birthday…but without the hidden ration of huckleberries bc ours are all gone! Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks. :)
ps. I have one of those PC measuring thingy’s and I agree, they are GRRRREAT!
March 24th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I may have to visit for Rob’s bday then…..hee hee.
March 23rd, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Drooling here! I think you may have to make that for me when I come this summer. We can look at it as a treat after running the half marathon (yes…I’m still trying to subliminally get you to run it too). :-) And this year I will probably go ahead and ship some huckleberry items home, although Erin was so sweet to mail me some syrup last year. Loved every bit of that! I love the tip about the foil and pan underneath too. Oh, and I must tell you I’m doing Sofie’s birthday party “thank you” favors using your little Hershey bar post.
March 24th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
I would love to make this for you when you come! Nothing like cheesecake as post or pre-run fuel.
And can I just say how flattered I am that you are doing the hersey bars?! Very cool. I’m sure yours will be darling….send a pic if you can and I’ll update the post!