PRUNE CAKE

PRUNE CAKE
This came from The Pioneer Woman.  Everyone loved!  Wouldn't guess it has prunes/plumbs in it.  I had plums so I made the same way as prunes.  I used 1/2 cup of pear sauce we had.  I think 1/2 cup wheat flour would work as well.  I only added 3/4 cup of sugar in the icing.  Next time will only add 3/4 cup in the cake as well especially if using apple or pear sauce instead of some of the oil.  Scott said he wouldn't mind for him birthday.

CAKE:
1 cup prunes
1 cup sugar
3 whole eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING:
1 cup sugar (only added 3/4 cup)
1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Cover prunes with water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft and mashable, about eight minutes. Remove from heat, drain water, and mash on a plate. Set aside.
NOTE: I cooked mine in the microwave, and it worked.

Mix together oil, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients, add buttermilk and vanilla and stir gently until just combined. Throw in the mashed prunes and stir gently to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX!

Pour batter into buttered baking dish (9 x 13 or so) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE.

While cake has five minutes remaining, make the icing. 

Combine all icing ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. (about 220°F worked for me).

Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.

Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately. Allow to rest on the counter. Serve warm.

PIZZA WAFFLES

https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/pizza-waffles/2f105874-4e6c-4906-af94-546310199b4b

PIZZA WAFFLES
My family loved these!  Abagail said she wanted them for her birthday.  I used regular size pepperoni because I didn't want to pay for the little ones (couple bucks more).  We couldn't really taste the pepperoni so maybe put more next time or buy the mini ones (or try sausage).  I did cut them on the side, flatened slightly, added the pepperoni and cheese and then pinched shut.  Some cheese leaked but not very much.  I used shredded cheese because that is what I had on hand.

1 can flaky layer biscuits (original)
8 slices mozzarella cheese (shredded works too)
2 cups pizza sauce (we had marinara)

Heat waffle maker.  Spray waffle maker with cooking spray.  Separate dough into 8 biscuits.  Cut slit on 1 side of each biscuit, forming a deep pocket.  Place 1 slice of cheese into each pocket.  Top cheese with 6 or 7 pepperoni slices.  Press dough around edge to seal each biscuit.

Place 1 biscuit on center of waffle maker.  Close lid; cook 3 minutes or until waffle is golden brown.  Serve with pizza sauce. 

LEMONADE

doTERRA posted this on facebook:

1/2 lemon sliced
1/4 c raspberries (strawberries would be good too)
10 drops lemon essential oil
24 oz water
fresh basil leaf, optional

ZUCCHINI BOATS

Jackson requested these for a couple of weeks.  We finally had them.  Yum!  Not Scott and Abagail's favorite but Jackson and I really liked them. I especially loved the left overs for lunch for the next couple of days.

https://lilluna.com/zucchini-boats/

ZUCCHINI BOATS

• 6 zucchinis
• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 - 2 cups Ragu original sauce
• 1½ cups mozzarella cheese
• garlic salt (to taste)
• basil

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Cut 6 zucchini in half and spoon out middle contents.
3. Cook 1 lb. Italian sausage in a pan until no longer pink. Add 1-2 cups Ragu (depending if you like more or less sauce) and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add zucchini to a pan and spoon meat into zucchinis.
5. Top with garlic salt, mozzarella cheese and basil.
6. Cook at for 14 - 16 minutes

WHITE SAUCE

WHITE SAUCE
We had this at Justin & Jenn's house.  Jenn added cooked hamburger and we had on top of potatoes with all kinds of veggies.  My family really liked it.  You could add any seasonings and use this for anything.  Biscuits & gravy, homemade mac and cheese and any kind of soup.  She cooked all her potatoes in the microwave. In a bowl not wrapped or anything.

8 T butter
8 T flour
4 c milk

Melt butter in pot, then add flour, mix.  Add milk and heat on medium.  Stir every couple of minutes and you will feel it thicken.  Add your flavoring: chicken or beef boullion or juice, sausage, cheese etc.  To thin add milk.

KALUA PORK

http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/07/kalua-pork-slow-cooker.html

KALUA PORK
We loved this!  Started it around 11:00 at night and then ate for dinner.  We had with coleslaw and BBQ sauce.  Used pretzel rolls from Costco.  Yum!  My favorite way to eat was with mayo, cheese and pickles on pretzel roll.  Loved it!  Would be so good with potato salad.  Used roast from Costco.  Just used the chunky pink sea salt from WinCo bulk.  Next time I might try saving some of the juice to mix in the meat - it got kinda dry.

• 1 (6 pound) pork butt roast
• 3 Tbsp Hawaiian sea salt
• 3 Tbsp liquid smoke flavoring

Pierce pork all over with a fork. Combine liquid smoke and salt.  Rub mixture over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.

Cover, and cook on low for 16 to 20 hours, turning once during cooking time.

Remove meat from slow cooker and shred.

CREAM PUFF CAKE

CREAM PUFF CAKE
We all really liked this.  Had when Dan & Judi were here for dinner.  Not sure if the crust turned out like it was suppose to - maybe next time look at Danae Winder cream puff recipe and compare.  Or just watch video - it wasn't smooth.  Maybe we let it cool too much?  I think next time we would put chocolate syrup on right before serving on each piece or let them chose between chocolate or caramel.

https://lilluna.com/recipe-tip-deal-video-of-the-week-cream-puff-cake

1 stick margarine
1 c water
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 LARGE box instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding
3 cups milk
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) cool whip
chocolate syrup (or we think caramel (salted?) would be good too)

Boil together the margarine and water.

Add flour and mix well.  Cool slightly and stir in eggs, one at a time.  Mix well and spread into a greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.  Cool completely.  NOTE: Crust will spread up onto the sides (this is suppose to happen).

In a large bowl mix pudding, milk and cream cheese.  Beat until lumps disappear.

Pour into cream puff crust.

Spread cool whip on top of pudding and drizzle syrup on top.  Refrigerate.

This will keep well for day.

ONE INGREDIENT BANANA ICE CREAM

I had heard of this ice cream but always hesitant to try it.  It was a hot summer day and we had lots of bananas (4 or 5) that needed to be used so I thought why not try it.  I was surprised how good it turned out.   I added peanut butter (1 T next time I would add more)  and mini choc chips.   The kids didn't watch me make it.  Abagail said, "I think next time it needs less bananas."  Haha...that cracked me up.

I put bananas in ziploc bag to freeze. Used food processor and then put mixture back in ziploc to refreeze.

Instructions
Start with ripe bananas: They should be sweet and soft.
Peel the bananas and cut them into coins: It doesn't matter what shape or size the pieces are in, as long as they are chopped up into evenly sized and somewhat small pieces.
Put the bananas in an airtight container: A freezer-safe glass bowl like this one is fine, or you can use a freezer bag.
Freeze the banana pieces for at least 2 hours: Freeze for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight.
Blend the frozen banana pieces in a small food processor or powerful blender: Pulse the frozen banana pieces. We've found that a small food processor or chopper works best.
Keep blending — the banana will look crumbly: At first the banana pieces will look crumbled or smashed. Scrape down the food processor.
Keep blending — the banana will look gooey: Then it will look gooey, like banana mush. Scrape down the food processor.
Keep blending — the banana will look like oatmeal: It will get smoother but still have chunks of banana in it. Scrape down the food processor.
Watch the magic happen! Suddenly, as the last bits of banana smooth out, you'll see the mixture shift from blended banana to creamy, soft-serve ice cream texture. Blend for a few more seconds to aerate the ice cream. (If adding any mix-ins, like peanut butter or chocolate chips, this is the moment to do it.)
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until solid: You can eat the ice cream immediately, but it will be quite soft. You can also transfer it back into the airtight container and freeze it until solid, like traditional ice cream.
Recipe Notes
Food processor vs. blender: We've found that a food processor works best for this, with enough room for the banana to get fully creamy and a little bit aerated. Some people do make it in a blender, but be careful; make sure your blender is powerful enough to process the frozen bananas.
Making a bigger batch: Yes, you can make a bigger batch with more than one banana! Just make sure your food processor is big enough (and powerful enough).
Mix-in Ideas
While the one-ingredient aspect of this ice cream is a big part of its charm, we don't think that loses much when it becomes two- or even three- ingredient ice cream. Here are a few favorite mix-ins to make it even more awesome.

Spoonful of peanut butter
Drizzle of honey
Handful of chocolate chips (mini works best)
A few almonds
Dollop of Nutella
Scoop of cookie butter
Tablespoon of cocoa powder
Half a teaspoon of cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger

ZUCCHINI BREAD

ZUCCHINI BREAD
We all love zucchini bread.  Some of my favorite recipes are found in the McCleve 2nd Edition cookbook.  

I also have made some in the Pima Cookbook pg. 97.  One of those recipes you do it in the blender which made it so easy.

CHEESECAKE BITES

CHEESECAKE BITES
These were good but didn't like them as well as the peanut butter balls.  Would be a good choice to take somewhere if you were worried about peanut allergies.  Took a while to make due to the fridge time.  Abagail chose these for FHE treat from Pinterest.  These are a great gift idea to give someone.

Mix:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 T butter, softened

Add:
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers (worked perfect in Vitamix - approx 3 full crackers)

Add 1 cup at a time
4 cups powdered sugar

Cover and chill overnight or at least 1 hour

Scoop into balls

Put in fridge 10-20 minutes on cookie sheet covered with parchment or wax paper.

Melt 10 oz chocolate (I like to mix 60/40 ratio of semi sweet to dark chocolate)

Dip

Return to fridge or freezer

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE
1st McCleve cookbook pg. 57
Easy - cooked on the stove.  We liked on top of a piece of toast.

3 T oil (or less)
1 clove garlic
1/4 c water
1/8 tsp pepper
2 T green chili
1/2 c minced onion
2 - 8 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp salt 
1 1/2 # zucchini, sliced

Place oil in pan.  Saute onion and garlic together until tender.  Add tomato sauce and water.  Heat until boiling.  Add the rest.  Simmer over low heat until squash is tender.  4-6 servings.  Grate cheese on top.  It takes 30 minutes for preparation.

MOLTEN LAVA CAKES

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/my-favorite-chocolate-molten-lava-cakes/

There is another recipe in the Lemon cookbook, but it didn't work as well for me as this one did.  But I could have been using the wrong dishes.

This is a perfect FHE dessert or a good dessert when you don't want lots of leftover cake.  Easy and super yummy.  I used 2-6 oz pyrex, 4-pampered chef (next time do 5) and 1 yellow silicon star.  I would cook for 10 minutes next time.  Did the butter/cocoa powder paste.  Worked really well.  You can also make these ahead and have them sitting in the fridge.  Would be a good summer treat as well because they don't cook very long.

My Favorite Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Not all chocolate is created equal and you want a great tasting, easy melting chocolate here, which means if at all possible, stay away from chocolate chips. The best melting chocolate chips, in my opinion, are Ghirardelli and they are usually my exception to the rule for using chocolate chips to melt in recipes such as this (Nestle, store brand, and Hershey's don't melt as well). Chocolate bars (found in the baking aisle - like Baker's brand or TJ's pound plus bars) work great.

Let's talk about greasing those ramekins. The idea is you want the chocolate cakes to fall out with no shaking, minimal pounding and no stress. Using a cooking spray with flour in it (like Baker's Joy) works great but may leave a bit of a white or yellow-ish residue on the outer edges of the cake (I don't think it's a big deal, personally). Often times, I make a paste of softened butter and cocoa powder and spread it generously into the bottom, edges and sides of the ramekins. You can tell from the pictures that it makes a bit of a darker edge on the cakes, but again, it doesn't bother me and the cakes come out easy peasy.

MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS: The cake batter can be made and spread into the ramekins 1-2 days in advance. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bake the cakes as directed (remove the plastic wrap, obvs), adding an extra 30-60 seconds to the baking time to account for the cold batter.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (see note above)
• 10 tablespoons butter
• Pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon - use more if using unsalted butter)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs (about 5.75 ounces)
• 3 large egg yolks (about 1.65 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Grease the bottom and sides of six 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins very well (see note above).
3. In a medium bowl (or in a saucepan on the stove), melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth (don't overheat!). Off the heat, stir in the salt and vanilla. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (it can be slightly warm but not hot).
4. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and egg yolks together until thick and light in color, 2-3 minutes (don't skimp this step!).
5. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the cooled, melted chocolate mixture and the flour and mix with a spoon or spatula just until combined and no streaks remain (don't overmix). Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins and place the ramekins on a large baking sheet with a couple inches between each dish (for air to circulate).
6. Bake for 12-13 minutes until the sides are set and the cakes feel soft when touched in the center. The timing is really important here and a lot will depend on if your oven bakes hot or cool. You want the cakes to bake long enough to form a crust around the molten filling without baking all the way through.
7. Remove from the oven and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Run a small knife or metal spatula around the edges to loosen. Place a plate upside down on the ramekin, and holding onto both the plate and the ramekin, carefully flip so that the cake falls out onto the plate (tap very lightly on the bottom of the ramekin if the cake doesn't come out right away).
8. Dust the cakes with powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream and strawberries or ice cream and hot fudge sauce (or a combination of all!)

CASHEW CHICKEN

Everyone loved, loved this!  There wasn't much left.  If have company over..double recipe.  Found the chicken in the freezer section - used the whole bag.  Think this would be a good recipe to replace chicken with beef and bell pepper with broccoli.  We liked without the green onions.  Took about 30-40 minutes from start to finish.  Good with steamed broccoli, peas and corn.

UPDATE: Would have this any day over Safeway chinese.  Yum!  Good with chicken breast as well.  I didn't have green onions so used celery (added with bell pepper).  Also did some slivered almonds because I only had salted cashews (did any some).  Used Soba noodles (3 pak).  Didn't chop up water chestnuts.  Would be a good meal to take to a family.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/cashew-chicken/

Prep: 5 Minutes	Level: Easy
Cook: 10 Minutes	Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
• 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, Cut Into Small Cubes
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Ginger
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
• 1/4 cup Sherry Or Chicken Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Drained Canned Water Chestnuts, Coarsley Chopped
• 1 cup Unsalted Cashews (be Sure To Use Unsalted)
• 2 whole Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
• Cooked Rice Or Noodles, For Serving (if Desired)

Preparation

In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the chicken in a single layer. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt, then leave it alone for at least a couple of minutes to give the chicken a chance to brown. When the chicken has turned golden, stir it around so that it can brown on all sides. Throw in the garlic and ginger and stir to combine. Stir in the bell pepper and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

While the pan is still hot, pour in the sherry. Stir it around, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful bits. Turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the sauce mixture, then mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry and pour it in. Stir the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken, then add the water chestnuts and cashews and stir to coat everything with the sauce, adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.

Finally, sprinkle on the green onions. Serve with cooked rice or noodles.


CHINESE CASHEW CHICKEN 
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/chinese-cashew-chicken-30-minute-meal/

We all loved this especially Scott.  I doubled the recipe so we would have enough for lunches.  I also added celery, frozen broccoli and sugar snap peas.  I also used roasted garlic.  If the cashews are salted - rinse them first.  I roasted them by toss them in 1-2 tsp oil and roast at 200 for 5-10 minutes.  Had pineapple on the side.  Would be good with yakisoba noodles.  Abagail didn't like the cashews so next time I will not add and just have everyone put some on their dish if they want.

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped fresh ginger (or ginger paste from a tube)
• 2 green bell peppers, seeded, cored and diced into bite-size pieces
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups roasted cashews (I prefer unsalted)

SAUCE:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Place the diced chicken in a medium bowl and toss with the 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
2. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
3. Rinse the chicken in a colander and pat dry (I leave the rinsed chicken in the colander, grab a bunch of paper towels and dab all over the surface, kind of turning the chicken as I pat dry).
4. In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. You want the skillet very hot.
5. Add the chicken in a single layer and stir constantly; the chicken should turn white as it cooks – but not get overly brown. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes (it’s ok if it isn’t fully cooked yet; it will cook more in the next few steps).
6. Scoot the chicken to the edges of the pan. Add another drizzle (a teaspoon or so) of olive oil to the center of the skillet.
7. Add the garlic and ginger to the center of the skillet and mash gently as it cooks, about 30 seconds.
8. Add the green peppers; stir to combine the chicken, garlic/ginger, and peppers.
9. Whisk the sauce to recombine, and add it to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened, the chicken is cooked through, and the peppers are crisp-tender.
10. Remove from the heat, add the cashews, and serve over hot, cooked rice (if desired).

DR PEPPER CHICKEN

DR. PEPPER CHICKEN
Everyone really liked this.  Super easy!  I put together earlier in the day and let it marinate - but wouldn't have to do that.  A good dessert this would be Coco-Cola Cake.  Yum!

UPDATE: I made this in the crockpot.  Added everything but brown sugar (never added).  After it had been in crockpot for about 7 hours (chicken was fresh)  I took chicken out and shredded.  Took out about 1/2 of the liquid then put shredded chicken back in.  Kept on low.  We then had it on top of a green salad.  Everyone loved it!

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 c Dr.Pepper
1/2 c BBQ sauce
1/2 c ketchup
---
1 T brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper chicken and arrange in a 9x13 baking dish.  Mix together Dr. Pepper, BBQ sauce and ketchup.  Pour it over the chicken.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake at 350 uncovered for 1 hour.

Serve with rice.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE - NO BAKE - VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine’s Day Strawberry Cheesecake

This is one of my favorite cheesecakes especially for Valentine’s Day. It is so full of flavor and just enough sweetness to share with those you love.

We had this for breakfast Valentine's Day 2016.  It was very yummy!  Isn't too sweet so perfect for breakfast or brunch.  Loved the added nutella, cocoa powder and cinnamon for the crust.  As I was making it I thought it might be fun to add a white chocolate layer.  I think I might the right call.  It was delish!  Tasted even better the next day.  Added the extra layer instructions at the end.  Everyone really liked this.  Since you don't have to cook this...this would be perfect for summer.  Try to make the day before you want to eat.  Allow approx. 4 hours to make.

Curious how this would work out with blueberries...must try :-)

Ingredients

CRUST:
• 7 whole graham crackers
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons nutella
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
STRAWBERRY TOPPING:
• 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, washed and stemmed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
CHEESECAKE:
• 2 (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups strawberry topping (see above)
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Fresh strawberries for garnish
• 
  
• WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (SEE BELOW)

Instructions

Crust
1. In a food processor or blender grind the graham crackers until they are in a fine powder.
2. Add the butter, nutella, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder and process until thoroughly mixed.
3. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl/blender a few times.
4. Press the crust evenly into the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch Springform Pan .
5. It should come up the sides slightly.
Strawberry Topping
6. In a saucepot add the strawberries, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water.
7. Cook over medium heat until the strawberries are quite soft.
8. Use a blender to puree the fruit and then return to the pot to finish cooking.
9. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl.
10. Allow it to sit for about 1 to 2 minutes.
11. Transfer the gelatin to the strawberries and gently cook over low heat.
12. Whisking just until the gelatin is completely dissolved, and then remove pan from heat.
13. Reserve 3/4 cup of the strawberry mixture for the top layer of the cake.
Cheesecake:
14. In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth.
15. Add the vanilla extract and the strawberry topping, except the ¾ cup you have reserved for the top layer.
16. In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream until medium peaks.
17. Fold the heavy whipped cream into the strawberry cheesecake batter.
18. Gently folding just until it is all combined.
19. Pour the cheesecake into the prepared pan.
20. Tap the pan gently on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface.
21. Let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until it is set to the touch.
22. Once the cheesecake is set, pour the remaining ¾ cup strawberry topping over it.
23. If the topping has set up in the pot, gently heat it for a minute, just until it is pourable (or heat in microwave for 30 seconds).
24. Place the cheesecake back into the refrigerator and allow to set, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until the topping is set.
25. At this point it is ready to serve or you can cover the cheesecake with plastic and it can sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
26. Before unlocking the Springform Pan , run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it.
27. Top with the fresh strawberries.

White Chocolate Mousse:
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces white chocolate baking squares, melted

1. For the white chocolate mousse, in a medium bowl, beat the cream and vanilla with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined and the peaks are slightly stiffer. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the white chocolate and mix until smooth and creamy. Fold in the whipped cream, taking care not to deflate the whipped cream, and mix gently with a rubber spatula, lifting and turning the cream, until the mousse is combined and creamy.