Bruschetta

The other day while doing our Christmas food shopping I came across this gorgeous yellow and orange tomatoes. I know how much the kids enjoy bruschetta so I made it for them. I love this recipe since is so easy to make and so nutritional. This is a great appetizer and is a great recipe for a dinner party since you can make it ahead of time.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Roma tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Red Onions finely chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
• 8-16 Fresh Basil Leafs (more or less depending on your taste)
• 1 tsp Crushed Dried Oregano
• 4 tbs Olive Oil (or you can add to taste)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 Loaf of French Bread or Baguette

Directions:

1. Chop tomatoes in cubes about 1-2 centimeters and add to bowl
2. Add finely chopped red onion, garlic, and oregano to bowl
3. Mince fresh basil and add to bowl
4. Drizzle olive oil to bowl and season with salt and pepper
5. Slice bread and toast on either the oven or in the gridle
6. You can either put the tomato mixture on top of the bread or you can set the two together and let your guest make their own. (if this is for a dinner party is better to not serve or bread will become soggy).

New York Cheese Cake

This past Christmas I cooked up a storm and this year was my first time trying to make a new york style cheese cake. I found this recipe really easy to make and everyone who tried it said it was great. It's a great recipe for you to make with your kids. Without further ado here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Flour
• 4 8oz Cream Cheese
• 1 1/2 White Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Milk
• 4 Eggs
• 2 packages Galletas Marias
• 1 1/2 Stick of Butter
• 1 tbs Vanilla Extract
• Shortening to line pan

Directions:

1. Grease up 9 inch springform pan. 
2. Crush Galletas Marias 
3. Mix flour, vanilla and sour cream in a bowl. Don't over mix. Then add milk and as soon as incorporated stop mixing and put it to the side.
4. In another bowl add cream cheese and sugar and mix well. Next add one egg at a time and make sure is well mix. 
5. Turn on oven to 350 degrees.
6. Melt butter 
7. Add coll butter to cookie crums. Mix well.
8. Line pan with cookie crums and press on it to compact it and to make sure you have even crust.
9. Mix together sour cream mixture with cream cheese mixture. Don't over mix you don't want to add to much air to mixture.
10. Pour mixture over crums carefully.
11. Pick up pan and give it a couple of taps on the counter to make sure it settles and any air bubbles come up.
12. Put it in the oven for 1 hour.
13. Let it cool down in the oven for 3-4 hours.
14. Don't open the oven door this will cause the cheese cake to break. If it breaks is ok it will taste delicious but you will not have a picture perfect cheesecake. 

You can top this with cherry, strawberry pie filling and some whip cream.