Getting Cheesy; No Idea What Day it is; Quarantine Kitchen

I know that's not cheese, they are blackberries, and I was fortunate enough to find some amazing blackberries this week, and then decided it was time to make a sauce out of them.  So, then I needed something to put the sauce on. 
I've been helping a family who lost a loved one, making a few Sunday dinners for them.  It's been therapeutic for me, and I hope it's taken the stress off of them.  When making these meals I want to make it as simple as possible, so the main just gets a heat up in the oven, and the desserts can just be served, so cheesecake it is.  This recipe was given to me when I was newly married, over 48 years ago, and it's been a keeper ever since.  I've made other cheesecakes, but this one is still my go-to.  Cheesecakes are magic, you get a smooth, creamy, delicious filling on top of a crunchy crust, and they can be frozen with no problem at all. 

Sour Cream Cheesecake Bars

Serves about 10

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 18 whole crackers)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the crust, in a large bowl, combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the dish.  Set aside.

Cream Cheese Filling

Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese softened

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat until the filling is smooth. Pour into the crust and bake until set, 35 to 40 minutes.

Sour Cream Topping

2 cups sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Meanwhile, make the topping. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. 

When the cheesecake is done, remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400° F.  Spread the sour cream mixture over the hot cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and immediately cut into squares. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Do-Ahead: At this point, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 2 months.

Cook’s Note: Cutting the cheesecake while it’s hot is much easier than cutting it when it’s cooled and solid.  I recommend you do this with a chef’s knife or bench scraper and make one long cut down each row, wiping the knife after each cut. 

Blackberry Sauce

4 cups blackberries, washed and picked over for leaves

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup orange juice

In a saucepan combine the ingredients, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Cool and serve the sauce over ice cream, cheesecakes, or chocolate cake.  

As we begin another week, Dr. C. and I are staying home this week, I've stocked up on groceries, and snacks, and we won't go out except to take our walks.  He had his first cataract surgery last week, and this week we need to make sure that he has a negative Covid test on Sunday, so he can have his next surgery on Tuesday.  So staying home is our jam.  Stay safe, stay well, and wear a mask.