Blueberries and Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
3 tbsp cornstarch, divided
3 (8-ounces) pkgs cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 (8-ounces) cartons sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water

Instructions
Stir together graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Press mixture evenly in bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 9 minutes. Cool.

Process 2-1/2 cups blueberries and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in container of an electric blender or food processor until smooth, stopping once to scrape down sides. Pour into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set mixture aside to cool. Cover and chill 1/2 cup mixture for making glaze.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch and salt.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Pour blueberry mixture over batter; gently swirl with a knife. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack 20 minutes.

Stir together sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla; spread over cheesecake. Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 more minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Stir together reserved 1/2 cup blueberry mixture, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Gently fold in remaining 1 cup blueberries; cool.

Run a knife around the inside of the springform pan to separate the crust from the pan. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Spoon blueberry glaze over cheesecake.

Blueberry Couscous Cake Recipe

Ingredients
6 cups apple juice
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 cups couscous
1 pint blueberries

Instructions
Pick over blueberries, wash and set on paper towels to dry.

Combine apple juice, vanilla, and couscous in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and all juice absorbed. Remove from heat. Gently fold the blueberries into hot mix.

Rinse, but don't dry, a 9 x 14-inch cake pan and pour the mix into it. Chill until set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares.

Variations:
Use strawberries in place of blueberries, top with unsweetened fruit jam thinned with a little water, arrange fruit slices on top for decoration.

Yield: 18 - 24 servings

Credits
Recipe from: Vegetarian Gourmet, Summer 1992

Peanut Butter Pound Cake

Peanut butter makes this pound cake special. Add a peanut topping for a double nutty dose.

Ingredients:
For Cake;
1/2 C. Butter (1 Stick), Softened
1/2 C. Creamy Style Peanut Butter
1 C. Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Milk
4 Eggs
2 C. All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
For Topping:
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 C. Lightly Salted, Dry Roasted Peanuts, Crushed
Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan. 2. Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugar together 3. Add vanilla and milk; beat well. 4. Add eggs one at a time. 5. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, and baking powder, and stir into batter. 6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. 7. In a ziplock bag, pour in the 1/4 cup peanuts, and roll with a rolling pin to crush. Add the rest of the topping ingredients and sake well. Sprinkle over top of cake and pat gently to press the topping slightly into the top of the batter. 8. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until cake tests as done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Let cool completely serving.
By Josie-Lynn Belmont

Blue Ribbon Cheesecake Recipe

The Author says: "I have won numerous awards with this recipe." --George Geary

Ingredients
Crust:
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (300 mL)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (50 mL)

Filling:
4 packages (each 8 ounces/250 g) cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar (300 mL)
4 eggs
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (45 mL)
1 tsp vanilla (5 mL)

Topping:
1/2 cup sour cream (125 mL)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 mL)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (15 mL)
1/2 tsp vanilla (2 mL)

Decoration:
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced (500 mL)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F./180 degrees C. Prepare pan: 9-inch (23 cm) cheesecake pan, ungreased, or springform pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, greased.

Crust:
In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.

Filling:
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour over frozen crust. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on the counter for 10 minutes (do not turn the oven off). The cake will sink slightly.

Topping:
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into center of cooled cake and spread out to edges. Bake for 5 minutes more. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating.

Decoration:
Top with sliced strawberries when completely chilled.

Tips:
• Zest lemons and limes before juicing and freeze the zest for another recipe.
• This cheesecake freezes well for up to 4 months before decorating. Defrost in the refrigerator the day prior to use and then decorate.

Variation:
If fresh berries are not available, spread 1 cup (250 mL) strawberry preserves on top.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Black Russian Cake

Ingredients
Cake:
1 package dark-chocolate cake mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1 (3-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup creme de cacao
1/4 cup Kahlua

Topping:

1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons strong coffee
2 tablespoons Kahlua
2 tablespoons creme de cacao

Instructions
Combine the cake mix, oil, pudding mix, eggs, coffee, creme de cacao, and kahlua in a large bowl. Beat for 4 minutes until quite smooth. Pour into a greased 10-inch tube pan until three-fourths full. (Save any remaining batter for cupcakes or to simply eat on the spot.) Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from the pan and invert onto a serving plate. Punch holes throughout the cake with a skewer or ice pick. Prepare the topping by combining the confectioner's sugar, coffee, kahlua, and creme de cacao. Mix well and spoon over the warm cake

Black Devil's Food Cake (Low-Fat)

Ingredients
Vegetable oil spray
2 cup all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting pan
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup fat-free or low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup strong coffee

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9x2-inch pan with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; shake off excess. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda. Whisk in applesauce, buttermilk and vegetable oil.

In a small saucepan, bring coffee to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir gently into batter. Mixture will be soupy. Pour into pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or let cool completely.

Yield: 20 servings

Seven-minute frosting or a dusting of powdered sugar can dress up the top.

Nutrition facts per serving: 140 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 202 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate and 1 g fiber.