This is the time of year to remind everyone that family recipes are gold. Do not let those delicious treats and entrees disappear because you failed to ask a family member for a recipe. I urge you to use video or whatever it takes to ask your elders for those secrets before it is too late.

My Nana was from Italy and her food was absolutely incredible. As a child and teenager, I paid no attention to how my Nana and Grandmother made their homemade bread, pizza, pasta, and baked goods. It kills me to think about those lost treasures of deliciousness. It is one of my biggest regrets in my life. I would be a world-class chef if I only spent time learning from my Nana and my Grandmother.

As I got older I realized the loss of my Grandmother’s cooking and I asked my Great Aunt and Uncle to teach me how my Nana made her bread. They agreed to spend a day with me and my husband and we recorded the entire process. This video is now a family treasure. Unfortunately, it is the only video I have or actual recipe as both my Great Aunt and Uncle have now passed away. I am so lucky we thought to at least preserve the bread recipe.

Well, this leads me to my message and a recipe for Amy’s blog too. On my husband’s side of the family, they were much more organized and smart. They joined the Family Cookbook Project. It is an online tool that allows an entire family to share recipes online. We did just that and have amassed over 400 recipes across the family. That cookbook has become my “go-to” and most used cookbook in my kitchen!! Not only did they print the book, but it is online and accessible from anywhere. I highly recommend you do that, if possible. If that is too ambitious, at least record some of those family members making those special meals or treats so you can look back on them and pass them on to future generations.

Today’s recipe was one of the recipes I contributed to the family cookbook and I hope you get to make this for your family. It is absolutely delicious!

Linda’s Hybrid Cheesecake Recipe

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Crust:

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

2 T. sugar

3 T. butter (melted)

Filling:

20 oz. cream cheese (2 8 oz, 1 4 oz) (room temperature)

1 c. of sugar

3 eggs (room temperature)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T. lemon juice1 T. lemon zest

1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. sour cream

Crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix crumbs and 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir in butter thoroughly. Press into the bottom and sides of the pie plate, and bake for ten minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Filling: Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl sides and beat again until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition to ensure a creamy batter. Slowly beat in vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then cream and sour cream.

Pour over cracker crust and bake for one hour or until the cake perimeter is set but the center still jiggles, about 45 minutes (some flavor variations will take longer). Turn off the heat and leave the oven door ajar; let the cheesecake sit in the oven so the residual heat continues to cook it, for about 30 minutes.

Set on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 3 hours (can be refrigerated for up to 4 days).

Serve with whipping cream garnish.

Number Of Servings: 8-10

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Personal Note: I was an obsessive collector of pie plates. On each pie plate, there was a recipe. But I cannot just use a recipe without making changes to it. This is my modified recipe of the cheesecake pie plate recipe after much trial and error.

By: Linda Day Harrison, Founder of theBrokerList