Basil Lemon Cheesecake Appetizer For 10 Food

HERBED CHEESECAKE APPETIZER

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the crust ingredients. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, pepperoni, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper sauce. Pour into crust., Bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool l hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers.

SWEET BASIL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 4 1/2-inch diameter springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with a piece of heavy-duty foil.
• Place the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse
• until mixed. Add the sugar, egg, egg yolk, and salt and blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until incorporated. Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking dish. Pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken (the cheesecake will become firm when chilled), about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the springform pan from the baking dish and remove the foil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the cheesecake with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with assorted crackers.
• Serving suggestion: assorted crackers .

PAN-SEARED CHICKEN IN LEMON BASIL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Dry the chicken tenderloins with a paper towel.
• On a plate or shallow dish, mix together the flour and spices: basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, and onion.
• Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat both sides.
• Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil, and swirl to coat.
• Add about half the chicken tenderloins. Don't add them all at once or they will steam, not sear, and that won't get you those nice crispy brown edges. Leave about an inch in between each piece of chicken.
• Sear for about 4 minutes. Keep an eye on it and make sure it's not cooking too quickly. Turn the heat down to medium if necessary.
• Flip the chicken and cook for another 2 minutes or so, until brown.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and sear the other batch, adding more oil if the pan gets dry.
• When the chicken is done and out of the pan, add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Keep the heat on medium high. Scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes.
• Add the cream. Bring to a simmer again and continue simmering for 5-8 minutes until the sauce has thickened some.
• Remove from heat and add fresh basil and lemon zest. Return the chicken to the pan.
• Serve with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, etc.

BASIL LEMON CHEESECAKE - APPETIZER FOR 10

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In food processor or with mixer, lightly beat eggs. Add sour cream, sugar, basil, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add cream cheese, 1/2 pound at a time until blended. Spread softened butter on bottom and halfway up sides of a 9 or 10 in. spring form pan. Cover buttered area with cookie crumbs, pressing to be sure they stick. Pour in cheesecake batter and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around edges of cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool on wire rack 5 min. then remove the side of the pan. Finish cooling. Cut with dental floss into thin wedges.

BASIL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
• Butter bottom and sides of 10" spring form pan.
• Mix bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Sprinkle mixture into pan, turning to coat completely.
• Mix basil leaves, parsley, oil, salt and garlic in food processor until smooth paste forms, about 2 minutes, scraping sides occasionally.
• Put ricotta cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan in a mixer bowl and mix until smooth about 2 minutes.
• Mix in the eggs.
• Remove about 1/3 of this mixture to a small bowl.
• Into the original 2/3 cheese mixture, fold in the basil mixture until well blended.
• Pour the basil mixture into the prepared pan and carefully spread an even layer of the cheese mixture on top.
• Sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Set pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn oven off and cool cheesecake about 1 hour with the oven door slightly ajar.
• Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
• Serve at room temperature, or slightly warmed.

BASIL LEMONADE

Steps:

• In a medium pot, stir together 1 cup water and 1 3/4 cups sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the sugar is completely dissolved, it shouldn't take more than a minute or two. Turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, in a heat-proof bowl, add the 1/4 cup packed basil. Use your hands to tear up the pieces. Use a wooden spoon to bruise the leaves against the bowl. Keep going until they are nice and dark. You want to get all that flavor.
• Pour the sugar syrup over the basil leaves. Put it in the fridge for about 2-3 hours or until completely chilled. The longer it sits the more basilicious it will be.
• Juice the lemons. Strain it through a colander to remove the seeds, but so that most of the pulp remains.
• Add the lemon juice, 7 cups of water, and ice to a pitcher. Strain the refrigerated syrup through the colander into the pitcher. Discard basil. Stir well.
• Serve with ice, fresh basil, and lemon wedges.