Ah, cheesecake.  So delicious to eat, so intimidating to make.  But, this recipe from Trisha Yearwood was actually pretty easy.  Here’s how it came together:

First, I made the crust with graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.I used my mixer to beat cream cheese and sour cream together.  I added eggs and then sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. I poured the filling into the crust and prepared the water bath before baking. For the sauce, I pureed strawberries, sugar, and lime zest until smooth. I think I may have had a leak somewhere because my crust ended up being a little soggy.  And the texture of the filling wasn’t exactly as I had hoped.  But, even with those flaws, the taste was still good.  We enjoyed it very much and the strawberry topping was great, especially since we used fresh berries.  I just need to practice my cheesecake-making and find the perfect method!

I don’t know how I missed trying these BBQ Comfort Meatballs before now.  Simple and hearty, they were a perfect meal for the exhausted, spit-up covered zombie that had taken over my life in early May.  They made a really satisfying meal for us.  Here’s how they came together:

First I combined ground beef, oats, milk, minced onion, salt, and pepper.  I rolled these into small meatballs and refrigerated them until I was ready to make them (which was later that day).  I dredged the meatballs in flour before browning them in a little vegetable oil.  I put the meatballs in a casserole dish and then made the sauce with ketchup, sugar, vinegar, worcerstershire, onion, and Tabasco.  I poured the sauce over the meatballs and baked until cooked through.  I loved these.  They were simple, but definitely comforting.  And delicious left over!  These meatballs will be a repeat at our house and a new option for meals for friends and family.  Try them!  Love them!

It’s the perfect time of year for delicious and refreshing drinks, so I was excited to try these Blackberry Margaritas from Pioneer Woman.  They didn’t disappoint.  Here’s how they came together:

First, I mixed blackberries and blueberries together with sugar and lime juice in a saucepan.  I thought I had enough blackberries in the freezer, but I didn’t, so I made up the difference with blueberries.  Let’s just call this batch Mixed Berry Margaritas.  Once that mixture simmered until it was good and thick, I put it into the fridge to chill for a few hours.  When I was ready to mix the drinks, I pureed the berry mixture with ice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.  I also added a little bit more sugar to get it sweet enough for my taste.

These were good.  Next time I’ll make sure I have enough blackberries because I think they would be better with just the one berry so the flavor really comes through.  Also, I’ll make sure to strain the puree so all of the seeds are removed – just a minor annoyance that can be easily remedied.  A great summer drink!