Sweeten up your dinner with these tasty mini cheesecakes. Put them together early in the day of your simple celebration or the day before.
Mini Pomegranate Cheesecakes
Ingredients
- 6 round shortbread cookies
- 8 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
- 2/3 cup pomegranate seeds we found these at Trader Joe's
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place one shortbread cookie in the base of 6 ramekins (5 oz size).
- In a food processor, add the ricotta, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lime juice and zest. Process until the mixture is smooth and put into a bowl.
- Stir in the pomegranate seeds.
- Fill each ramekin 3/4 full (place a few seeds on top of each dish). Bake for 20-25 minutes.
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We absolutely love the cookie crust in this recipe – you could eat it all by itself! This is one of those recipes that can be changed according to the flavors you like best. Substitute the blueberry spread for raspberry or strawberry. On vacations or even in your home town, keep your eyes out for unique spreads, jams, chutneys, etc., they are great to have on hand!
Blueberry Squares
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 3/4 + 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick chilled unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp lemon rind
- 1 tsp ice water if necessary
Cheesecake filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup blueberry jam or spread
Instructions
Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 8″ x 8″ pan.
- Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse.
- Add butter and lemon rind and process until the dough begins to form a ball, adding ice water if necessary.
- Press dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until crust is lightly golden, about 20 minutes.
- Let cool for 30 minutes.
Cheesecake filling
- While crust is cooling, prepare the filling.
- Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until well blended.
- Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
- Pour cheesecake filling evenly over the cooled crust.
- Spoon spread or jam randomly on top of the filling and swirl with a knife.
- Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until center is set.
- Allow to cool in pan, cut and serve.
Mary-Ellen writes:
This recipe originated from my sister, Kathleen. Because of the size of our family, holidays always were, and still are, a group effort filled with “assignments.” One year Kathy was assigned appetizers and she said she would bring something she had recently at a party called Mexican Cheesecake. I thought it sounded like a spicy dessert, not an appetizer. Thanksgiving day arrived that year and in walked my sister with her cheesecake. It was so pretty, everyone was afraid to ruin it by taking a slice. My brother, Francis, finally took the first bite and got the OMG look on his face – he loved it. We all dug in and it quickly became a family favorite. I often serve this at my house or bring it to parties – everyone, every time gets the OMG expression and can’t get enough. I personally guarantee this appetizer will be a crowd-pleaser at your next simple celebration – give it a try!
Mexican Cheesecake Appetizer
Equipment
- Springform pan
Ingredients
"Cake"
- 1 cup finely crushed Nacho Flavored Dorito Chips place in sealed bag and crush with mallet or heavy spoon
- 1 8 ounce bag finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese completely softened
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup chopped black olives
- 1 hot chili pepper finely chopped
- 2 tsp chili powder
Topping
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 small tomato chopped
- 2 Tbsp black olives sliced
- 1/2 yellow pepper chopped
- 1/2 red pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers jarred kind
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°.
- Spray springform pan with cooking spray.
- Mix all "cake" ingredients and put into pan.
- Place pan on foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 35 - 40 minutes - until center is set.
- Cool for about 15 - 20 min, remove from pan, and place on serving platter.
- Top the cheesecake with the toppings listed above in a circular pattern (see note below).
- Serve with "Scoop" chips or hearty crackers.