I love this light, lemony dessert!  Right down to the crust.

Notes:  The instructions are for using a spring form pan.  I adjusted it for single servings in cupcake papers.  See some photos below.  Also you might need more cool-whip if you make single servings.  In my humble opinion – in step #3 the cream cheese filling could use maybe 1 cup more of cool-whip – it was a little too heavy on the cream cheese side for my taste.

Lemon Cheesecake Easy

12 Lemon Creme-filled sandwich cookies, finely chopped (1.5 cups)
3 Tblespns butter or margarine melted
1 lemon

2 lemons
1 package lemon cook and serve pudding and pie filling (non instant) (2.9 ounces)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups water, divided
2 egg yolks
2 tblespn butter or maragarine
2 packages of softened cream cheese (8 ounces each)
1/2 cup powerdered sugar
1 container frozen whipped toppings thawed (8 ounces)

1. Lightly spray pan w/ non stick cooking spray. For crust finely chop cookies, combine with melted butter in small batter bowl, and then press mixture into bottom of pan. Cut 6 slices of lemon in half and place again collar of pan, then refrigerate while preparing filling.

2. For filling, zest lemons to measure 1.5 teaspoons zest. Juice lemons to measure 1/4 cup juice. Combine pudding mix, sugar, 1/4 cup of water, and egg yolks in small saucepan. Stir in remain 1.75 cups of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil then remove from heat. Set aside 1/2 cup of pudding, cool slightly. Whisk butter and lemon juice into remaining pudding in saucepan; cool 15 mins. stirring twice.

3. In bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Whisk in reserved 1/2 cup lemon pudding and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. fold in 2 cups whipped topping; spread over crust.

4. Stir remaining lemon pudding mixture and spoon evenly over cream cheese filling, spreading gently. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

5. Run knife around sides of dessert; releasing collar from pan.
Garnish with remained whipped topping and lemon zest. Cut into wedges, serve and enjoy.

My oh My this pan is ugly – but well loved!

Pretty and so wonderful to eat!

]]> http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?feed=rss2&p=3516 0 http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?p=3510 http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?p=3510#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 16:20:24 +0000 admin http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?p=3510

Our son has been repairing his Subaru that last two weeks.  I looked out in the garage last Saturday and YES there were 3 men under the car at one time – installing a newer transmission.

Manly Man #1

Manly Man #2

Manly Man Leg #3

I was treated to a lovely Mother’s Day Brunch yesterday.  Thank you, Vanessa, Abby, Cameron and Shae.  It was so yummy and delightful to sit and visit, taste lady food, read books and play paper dolls.  It was a sweet treat to enjoy time with those lovely girls.

So this is not what they looked like for the brunch – I didn’t get a picture of them…

And this morning for Mother’s Day I was greeted to breakfast in bed, served by my sweet husband!!

Well it was a bittersweet day for me.  Our youngest has moved on to do his duty!  He entered the MTC today at 1:10pm.  I am missing him like crazy!  But I am so happy for him.  He will be a wonderful, dedicated missionary.  I know the people in Nicaragua will love him and he will love them.

“Heaven is Here”

Wow!  is all I can say is — Wow.  Stephanie is one courageous woman.

My oldest daughter’s birthday was coming.  I needed something fun for her – not too complicated – she is a busy and expecting mommy!  So this is what I came up with – a few small gifts wrapped up – so she could have a few surprises spread out during the week of her birthday.  Each gift had a card with some instruction of when she could open the present.

Here is a list of some of my gift note ideas:

Open when you are a hungry – a new cook book – The Pioneer Woman’s new cookbook! “Food from my Frontier”

Open when you are in the mood for something sweet – one of her favorite treats – Cadbury Easter Eggs

Open when you are doing the dishes – pretty new dish towels

Open when you have 15 minute minutes of quiet – I typed up all my journal entries of her pregnancy and birth (I wonder what she thought when I always wrote referring to her as “it”?!)

Open on your birthday – a new pair of earings

Open when you remember a good  family dinner as a child (one with gravy) – I gave her the gravy pitcher we always used at our table when she was growing up

Open when you are thinking about your Grandma Rencher – I gave her one of my mother’s Mary Englebert books

Open when you are talking with your sister on the phone – this was a gift from her sister

Open when you are driving by the temple – a small picture of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Well I thought it was a fun idea.  What do you think?

Cream Cheese Blueberry Pie or Blueberry Delight!

This was my father’s favorite dessert.  I made it a couple of weeks ago and it is still an easy, delicious treat to make.

Blueberry Delight

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups whipping cream – whipped and sweetened

1 9 inch baked pie shell

1 can of blueberry pie filling or fresh blueberries

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions:

Pie shell – easy way – purchase a pre-made frozen pie shell and bake it in your oven.  Harder and messier way – make your own pastry crust and bake it in the oven.

Cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar together and fold/stir in the whipped cream.  Stir in vanilla.  Spread mixture into cooled pie crust.

In a separate bowl combine blueberry pie filling and lemon juice. Spread mixture on top of cream cheese mixture.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

This recipe would also make a delicious filling for tarts.

I know it is after Easter – but you could call the recipe Spring Bunny Bread! This recipe is from Beth,  my roommate in college.  I used to make the Easter Bread a lot when my children were little.  My youngest son asked me what I was making.  I said – don’t you remember?  He said, no. Then, I realized I had not made the Easter Bread in a long, long  time!  It is fun to make – just a little tricky as far as counter space that is needed…

Easter Bread

1 pkg. yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup soft butter

1/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

3/4 c milk, scalded & cooled (I just heat it in the microwave for a minute)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cardamon (I never have this on hand)

3  cups flour

3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Chocolate filling:  Mix together until crumbly

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 Tblsp. butter

1 1/2 tsp cocoa

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 4 tsp. milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:  Sprinkle yeast in water and let stand till dissolved.  In mixer cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg yolks and then add yeast mixture, milk, salt and cardamon.  Gradually mix in flour and beat on low speed or by hand.  The dough should be soft.  Note: do not be tempted to add extra flour – it will make the end product too dry. Kneed until smooth.  Return to a greased bowl and butter top lightly.  Cover – let rise in a warm place 1 1/2 hours or doubled in size.

Turn the dough out onto a well, floured surface and knead lightly. Roll out to 8″ wide and 54″ long – about 1/4″ thick.

Sprinkle chocolate mixture evenly over dough and sprinkle on the chopped pecans.

Roll-up to make a long rope, twist it a dozen times.  This is the part the kids like and it helps to have some extra hands.

Now create your bunny or chick!  Cover and let rise until double in size – about 45 minutes.

Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Until richly browned.  Be careful – I over baked mine and then they were dry.  So for my oven I should have taken them out after 25 minutes. Or the other reason could be that I added extra flour and that made them a little dry.

Pour on the glaze and then you are ready to enjoy!  Hot or cold!

Easter Dresses – 1, 2, and 3!!

Making these dresses reminded me of the many hours I would spend sewing three dresses for my three daughters.  And I recall sometimes, the 3 did not always get done in time.  But it was so much fun!

Church Quiet Book or My Jesus Book or My Book About ME!

My daughter had a request for her son.  She needed some quiet Sunday books for church.  Something Mr. Mason would love.  So I decided to make a book with pictures of Jesus.  I found an old calendar and cut it up for pictures.  I also used old Christmas cards. I think it only took me half an hour to put together.  Slick!

Then I added a section about Family for Mason.

It was so fun to put together.  I purchased the photo book at Walmart for $1.00.  Fast and Easy – so now I have plans to make three more…

]]> http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?feed=rss2&p=3449 0 http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?p=3443 http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?p=3443#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:23:41 +0000 admin http://www.thesavvygrandma.com/?p=3443

We had a sweet celebration last week for Shae Bae.  She is the sweetest baby girl!  Her mom planned a fun Bunny Birthday Party!

Bunny Sisters

Shae knew exactly how to eat her bunny cupcake.