My Mother's Cheesecake

This recipe is inspired by the Emotional dimension of wellness.

Emotional wellness is about feeling and being in touch with your emotions. It is also about managing your emotions so that your life doesn’t fall apart each time something doesn’t go your way. It involves controlling your reactions when disaster strikes and learning that your response is a choice you make but one that takes time to develop.

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” - unknown

Sometimes, life takes a very unexpected turn. This cheesecake reminds me of this and will always be a reminder of how not to take my loved ones for granted.

My mom meant the world to me as we shared our passion for cooking and baking. I remember from when I was a little girl, sitting on the stool in our kitchen and watching my mom whip up meals for our family. We lived on a budget and Mom would carefully plan out meals that were not only delicious but also inexpensive so she could stretch them to feed a family of 6. My mom was rather forward thinking and health conscious for her time. It was the 60’s - a time when Hostess and Space Food sticks seemed to be a family staple. Our dinner meals were always carefully balanced so that the portions were just enough of each food group. But, what I remember most was her desserts, and her cheesecake was the best!

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” - Theodor Seuss Geisel

Oddly, the day my mother passed, she and I made a cheesecake but a quicker version with a store bought graham cracker crust. As we were preparing the ingredients, she spoke of how proud she was of all of us kids and how truly blessed she had been to have all her children living in the same state. We were making the cheesecake for my oldest sister since my mom was planning on spending the night there. Although the rest has become a blur, I do remember having the cheesecake in the trunk of my car when I raced her to the hospital. As all my siblings and I gathered around her bedside, we shared Mom's cheesecake. It was as if she knew that day would be her last, and she wanted to provide us with her special dessert.

So you see, food has a unique way of bringing people together. Although this was a very sad time for me and my family, it was also a very special moment in time, knowing Mom had us covered and would be watching over us 😊

Recipe of the Day: My Mother's Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 5 Tbsp butter, melted

• 3 Tbsp sugar 

For the Filling: 

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3 (8 oz.) cream cheese packages (must be the Philadelphia brand) ~ softened to room temperature

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Pinch of salt

For the Topping: 

• 1 pint (2 cups) sour cream

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine crust ingredients together until well combined.

3. Press into a 9″ spring form pan, pressing crumbs into bottom and about 1 1/2″ up sides of pan.    

4. For the filling, combine the sugar and softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat together until smooth.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.

6. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and salt and beat until smooth and creamy.

7. Pour into crust.

8. Bake at 350 F degrees for 35-45 minutes.

9. While cheesecake is baking, make topping by simply mixing together all of the topping ingredients.

10. After 35-45 minutes of baking, remove cheesecake from oven and turn oven down to 325 F degrees.

11. Pour topping over hot cheesecake, gently spreading to edges.

12. Return cheesecake to oven and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes.

13. Remove cheesecake from oven and leave sides on pan while allowing cheesecake to cool to room temperature.  

14. Refrigerate several hours (or overnight)

15. Remove edges of spring form pan before serving and serve with fresh fruit, pie filling or a chocolate or caramel sauce.

16. Enjoy!