Celebrate National Cheesecake Day with No Bake Lemon Cheesecake with Two Berry Sauce

In celebration of National Cheesecake Day, try this super simple and really delicious cheesecake that only takes 30 minutes start to finish! Lemon and blueberries go so well together. Add this crunchy caramel topping and this is a can't miss favorite for dinner parties or when you just have that craving for something sweet.

QUICK LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH TWO BERRY SAUCE

8 graham crackers

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup each blackberries and blueberries or you can use strawberries, raspberries- whatever

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons Chambord liqueur- optional

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup whipping cream

½ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

½ cup Confectioner’s sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

For the crust: Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whirr the graham crackers in a food processor until they are crumbs. Put 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3 butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan so the sugar and butter melt together to make a caramel. Once it is melted and light golden brown, add the crumbled graham crackers and toss to coat. Remove from pan and spread on prepared pan. Set aside to cool.

For the sauce: Use the same pan. Add 1 cup blackberries and 1 cup blueberries. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Toss to coat. Cook over medium heat until the berries begin to break down and soften, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Add Chambord. Stir together. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake: In a bowl, whip the whipping cream until stiff. Beat the cream cheese and sour cream with the Confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Beat until fluffy. Fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Line individual ramekins or a medium soufflé or round casserole with plastic wrap. 

Spoon the cheesecake into the ramekin and press it down to fill. Add a layer of the graham cracker crumbs on top. Wrap the sides of the plastic wrap over the top and chill for at least an hour.

To serve: sprinkle more graham crumbs on the plate. Remove the cheesecake from the ramekin and put it crumb side down onto the plate. Spoon over the berry sauce and garnish with a few more crumbs.

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FAVORITE SUMMER FOODS: BACON CHIVE POTATO SALAD

There are some dishes that just scream summer and potato salad is one of those. There is rarely a picnic or BBQ without it on the table. As a southerner, potato salad and deviled eggs are something you grow up eating and some of the very first dishes you learn to make. I always helped my mom make the potato salad... I can remember standing on the kitchen stool, peeling the potatoes or cracking he hard boiled eggs. She always told me that mayonnaise is the most important ingredient in potato salad and to this day, I find that to be correct. If you skimp on the mayo, the integrity of the dish changes drastically.

I typically make my mom's potato salad recipe with lots of yellow mustard and onion but here's a new spin on potato salad that I really like. This version tastes like a baked potato with sour cream, bacon and chives... try it as an alternative to your own version of potato salad. You'll love it!

BACON CHIVE POTATO SALAD

1 pound red potatoes

3 tablespoons kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish

10 bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled reserve some for garnish

Put the potatoes and 3 tablespoons salt in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain. Let cool slightly. Cut into halves or quarter if the potatoes are large.

In your serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. 

Add the potatoes while they are still warm and toss well to coat. Try not to break up the potatoes too much. Add the bacon and chives, toss again and check seasoning. You may want a bit more sour cream because the warm potatoes will soak up most of the liquid. Add a bit more salt and pepper depending on your taste. Serve immediately or chill until serving time. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream plus the chives and bacon.

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Plan a Wedding in a Week? Yes, I Did!

When a lifelong friend and longtime bachelor calls you on April Fool's Day and says... "I got engaged yesterday and I want to get married THIS coming Saturday"... the normal reaction is to bust out laughing. Which I did. But when he says he's serious, it is time to jump on the planning ASAP. Here's how I pulled together a beautiful, sentimental family wedding for 30 people in only one week. And here are the photos to prove it.

When you have less than a week to pull together a wedding, you don't have time to procrastinate and stress about the decisions you are making. You have to make decisions and move on... and that's what we did. No time to sweat the little things! Trusting your planner is essential:)

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I was the ovendor for just about everything. I was the planner, the chef, the florist, and even rental delivery... just about everything. What I could not make, I purchased. The one vendor I did hire was the photographer, Mo Davis from Arden Photography. Mo is a rock star, capturing every moment and every detail. Advice to brides: don't skimp on the photos. The pictures and the memories last a lifetime. AND I must thank my sweet friends Jared and Corey from The Sonnet House in Leeds, Alabama. Corey made the lovely bridal bouquet and boutonnieres... aren't they beautiful!

 

There was nothing but a bathhouse and a gorgeous lake on the remote property so we had to create everything, including a makeshift kitchen for the food service.

For the decor, the couple wanted a rustic theme to fit the farm setting so we used bales of pine straw, pots of spring flowers, branches, burlap, moss, Mason jars, rustic lanterns, and lots of candles. The pine straw along with the flats and pots of spring flowers were used at the front gate and also for the ceremony site. The couple has already planted those in their yard to enjoy all summer long.

 

We continued the rustic theme throughout the decor and for the food service. Wooden serving trays, cutting boards, bowls were all used. Charcuterie of cured meats, cheeses, and sausages plus grilled lamb pops were waiting for guests after the ceremony. For the main course, we kept it down on the farm with smoked pulled pork over organic grits and collard greens. For dessert, the two-tiered wedding cake was vanilla butter cream and filled with layers of homemade lemon curd and raspberry preserves. Since there was going to be a fire in the fire pit after dark, I made my signature s'mores with Nutella instead of a groom's cake and also made plenty as favors for guests to take home.

 

   

A lifetime of happiness to my sweet friends... thank you for letting me be a part of your day! Thanks to my assistant Caroline, my grill master Brad, Lauren, Kristal, and Sohaila along with Mo and Jared and Corey from the Sonnet House in Leeds! You made this easy!

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Cocktail Popsicles: Make Sangria Pops!

Last summer, I went crazy over popsicles, using homemade and store-bought popsicles in a variety of different ways to create cocktail popsicles. One of my favorite things to do is to put tequila, vodka, bourbon, or rum in the freezer to get it really cold. To serve, pour over a fruit flavored popsicle in a glass. The popsicle melts and creates a nice cocktail. I've done the same thing with cold Prosecco or Champagne. My Popsicles and Prosecco is always a huge hit. 

Here is the latest version of cocktail popsicles: Sangria Pops. I always have loved serving big pitchers of fresh fruit Sangria for a party and I like to use the fruit that is fresh and locally available. But here is a new way to greet your party guests that pretty, frosty cold, and delicious... perfect for a hot summer night. They are even pretty enough for a special occasion. Make up tons of these fresh fruit Sangria Pops in advance and serve them on a platter filled with ice or in a chilled wine glass. Either way, guests will love them!

Fresh Fruit Sangria Pops Photo by Arden Photography

SANGRIA POPSICLES

Makes 12-24 popsicles depending on the size of the cup or mold

1 bottle white wine (you can use what you like- even Rose is good)

3 cups white grape juice

2 cups fresh fruit of any combination (I used strawberries, cherries, and green grapes)

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons orange juice

Small plastic cups or popsicle molds

Popsicle sticks

Slice the fruit into small chunks or slices. Put in the bottom of a pitcher and add the sugar and orange juice. Stir well so that the sugar dissolves. Pour over the wine and the grape juice. Stir well. Pour into small plastic cups arranged on a sheet pan or cake pan that will fit into your freezer. Let them become semi-frozen for an hour or so and then add the popsicle sticks. Let them freeze for at least 4 hours- more if you have a large mold or larger cup.

Serve on ice or in chilled wine glasses... you can even pour chilled white wine over them... easy and delcious!

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Simple Summer Suppers: Lemon Herb Shrimp over Pasta

When I get off work on a Friday afternoon in the summer, I cannot wait to get the weekend started. I don't feel like making complicated food... I want it to be fast, delicious, and I don't want to heat up the house by using the oven. This dish is so easy to whip up for a couple or a couple dozen guests. The key is to use fresh herbs and the best shrimp you can find. For me, that is Alabama Gulf Coast shrimp... I'm lucky to have easy access to it. Frozen shrimp will work if that is what you can get but oh my, what a difference you will taste if you use fresh shrimp. Make this for supper and serve it with some toasty bread and a nice chilled glass of white wine and you've got a good start on a relaxing weekend.

LEMON HERB SHRIMP OVER PASTA

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

1 cup seafood stock (I make my own using the shrimp shells but you can use the boxed kind)

1/2 cup white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)

1 lemon, sliced

 1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Hot cooked angel hair or pasta of your choice... I use angel hair because it only takes a few minutes to cook.

In a large skillet or saucepan over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once it is hot, add the smashed cloves of garlic and saute. Tilt the pan to make sure the oil covers the garlic and cook it for 2 minutes to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor. Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and crush them with your hand into the pan, squeezing all the juice from them. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and oregano. Break the tomatoes into small pieces and cook for one minute. Add the wine and the stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Check the seasoning. You may need to add a bit more salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and allow them to cook for 2 minutes. Squeeze the lemon halves over the shrimp and drop both halves into the pan.  Flip the shrimp and cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side or just until the shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat. Add the butter and the parsley. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Serve over cooked hot pasta.

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