Creamy Cheesecake

You never know when you’re making a memory—one of my favorite sayings—and it never rang more true than this week when I was working on my reduced fat cheesecake.  The original recipe was given to my mother by her friend, Nilda; and mom called it, “Nilda’s Cheesecake.”  When I started to re-work the recipe to reduce the fat and the sugar contents, my mom began to reminisce about Nilda and the “good old days.”  She started to laugh and told me a story about a party they had attended in the 60’s.  The woman who was throwing the party was pregnant with her first child.  Both my mom and Nilda already had two children.  During the course of the conversation, someone had asked Nilda and my mom if they were planning on having more children.  My mom said she planned on it but wanted to wait a year or so.  Nilda laughed and said she was going to wait, too.   Little did they know they were both already pregnant with their third child.  Nine months later I was born.  Mom said she and Nilda laughed about that often.

I remember enjoying this cheesecake on many occasions.  Now when I make my reduced version, I have a new memory of my mom and her friend Nilda.  Perhaps when you make it, you will think of the two friends behind the cheesecake.

Oh more thing.  This week 2 pounds.  Slow but steady

Creamy Cheesecake

Crust Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

½ cup reduced fat margarine melted

Mix the above ingredients together.  Use a nine by three round spring pan.  Press crust ingredients to the bottom and three quarters of the way up the side of the spring pan. 

Filling ingredients:

3 well-beaten eggs

2 light or reduced-fat packages of cream cheese (very soft)

1 cup Splenda Sugar Blend

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

2 cups of sour cream

Combine all the ingredients for the filling except the sour cream and beat until smooth.  Fold In the sour cream with a wire whisk.  Pour filling into the crust and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.  (The filling will be soft when removed from oven but will solidify when chilled.)  Let cool and refrigerate overnight.

Note:  The cream cheese must be very soft before combining with other ingredients.  If

          not, it will form tiny lumps that will not be melted by beating or baking.