Vegetable Savory Cheesecake Food

MUSHROOM, WALNUT & THYME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack., In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in walnuts; cook until toasted. Stir in thyme, soy sauce and pepper. Remove from heat; cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in yogurt. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Fold in mushroom mixture. Pour over crust. Return pan to baking sheet., Bake 25-30 minutes or until center of cheesecake is just set and top appears dull. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight., Remove rim from pan. Serve with crackers.

SAVORY VEGETABLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.
• Butter a 10" springform pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, set aside.
• Put the grated zucchini into a colander.
• Salt lightly, and let is sit about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess moisture.
• Saute the onions in butter with 1/2 t salt.
• When they start to turn translucent, add the carrots, garlic, zucchini, flour, basil and oregano.
• Keep stirring and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and lemon.
• Beat the cheeses and eggs together until well blended.
• (Hello, Kitchenaid mixer!) When the cheese and egg mixture is nice and fluffy, fold in the veggies.
• Season to taste with black pepper.
• Pour the mixture into the springform pan.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes-- then pull it out for a minute.
• Remember those tomatoes?
• Dredge them in the breadcrumbs and decorate the top of the cheesecake with them in a pretty spiral pattern.
• Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees, and bake another 30 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and just let the cheesecake sit in there for another 15 minutes.
• Then, take it out of the oven and let it cool about 10 more minutes before cutting and serving.

SAVORY SUMMER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan well.
• Start the filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute peppers and onions with a large pinch of salt until onions just start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• While the pepper mixture is cooling, prepare the crust: Combine crushed cracker crumbs, dried Italian herbs, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Stir until crumbs are coated.
• Transfer the buttered crumbs into the prepared springform pan and press down into an even layer. Set aside until needed.
• Continue the filling: Combine eggs, flour, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the creme fraiche, cream cheese, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and mix until smooth. Stir in parsley, tarragon, thyme, and cooled pepper mixture until evenly combined.
• Transfer cheese mixture into the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan gently to settle the contents and place on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the lower center of the preheated oven until a skewer poked into the center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and carefully remove the ring.
• Cheesecake should be thoroughly chilled in the refrigerator before serving, about 2 hours. Cheesecake can be served at room temperature, but it will not have the classic smooth, firm cheesecake texture, and will be more like a very light cheese quiche.

SAVORY CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• For the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of four 4-inch springform pans with nonstick spray.
• Mix the cracker crumbs, butter and pecans in a medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pans. Bake until the crusts are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool the pans on a rack.
• Once completely cool, spray the sides of the pans with cooking spray and line with strips of parchment.
• For the Cheddar-pimento cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, Cheddar, pimentos, Worcestershire, hot sauce and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment. Top with the candied bacon and scallion greens.
• For the blue cheese cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, blue cheese, cream and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the dates and shallots. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment. Top with the candied walnuts and a drizzle of honey.
• For the mozzarella-basil cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, cream and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the chopped basil. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment. Top with the cherry tomatoes, drizzles of balsamic syrup and olive oil and a sprig of basil.
• For the goat cheese-herb cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, cream, parsley, rosemary, lemon zest, Worcestershire to taste and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Spread the jam over top. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment.

SAVORY FLORENTINE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Combine the bread crumbs and melted butter and press on the bottom and sides of a buttered 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
• Cook the spinach according to package directions, place in a strainer, and press out all the liquid. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, cream, salt, and mustard until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add the spinach, grated cheeses, paprika, cayenne, and scallions. Beat on low speed until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake for approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until the filling is set and browned. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Serve with sliced fresh fruit and a green salad with vinaigrette dressing.

VEGETABLE SAVORY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°; grease an 8-inch springform pan; dust with bread crumbs.
• In a big skillet, heat the oil over medium heat; add in zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers.
• Cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes; let cool.
• In a big bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy; beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Beat in the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, thyme, and vegetable mixture; pour into prepared pan.
• Place cheesecake pan in a larger pan filled with hot water 1 1/2 inches deep (if you think your springform pan will leak, wrap in foil before putting in the water bath).
• Bake 50 minutes in the water bath; remove from oven and cool.
• *Can substitute chopped basil for the parsley.