White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake

This is my absolute favorite cheesecake in the world, one that everyone always begs me to bring to functions, and I GLADLY take it along. =)

Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
4 squares Baker's white chocolate, melted
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees if using a silver 9-inch Springform pan (or 300 degrees is using a non-stick 9-inch Springform pan).

Mix graham cracker crumbs, 3 tbsp of the sugar, and melted butter; pat firmly onto the bottom of pan. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed just until blended.

Stir in melted chocolate and the extract. Pour over crust.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Happy Monday!

I'm trying to be positive. :P Is it working yet? Anywho, it's Monday after a four day weekend, which was sooooooo nice by the way, and I'm a bit sad to be back here at work. Again, I can't wait until I can quit this place and just edit from home. That will make for a very happy Ann. But, at least i only have to work a few full weeks and then we'll have two four-day weekends for Christmas and New Year and then only a few days until we go to Hawaii for two weeks. Ah, that will be bliss. I'm thinking on the total of thirteen hours spent in a plane, I'll get A LOT of submissions read through. Yeah, that will be pretty nice.

And, I'm going to start something new on here. I've been sick of eating the same things, so I've been recipe searching and bringing back some of my old faves along with finding new faves. So, just to keep the spirit of gluttony going strong, I'm going to post the first one today for Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Oh my god this stuff is heavenly. :)

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 large potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups (fyi, I don't pre-bake my potatoes, I just peel and cube them and throw them in. Just cook the soup for a teeny bit longer until they soften and it's A-okay.)
4 fresh green onions, thinly sliced
10 to 12 strips of bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled (fresh cooked bacon is a must. Don't use bacon bits. The freshly cooked bacon is phenomenal in it)
1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese (I just dump a bag in because I'm a cheese freak)
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot over low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour. Stir until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble.

Reduce heat, simmer gently for 10 minutes (longer if using uncooked potatoes). Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8 people. (If there's only two of you like there is us, it'll last for 3 dinners, which makes it really cheap, which I like.)