Lake Shelbyville Insider: Sweets for Your Sweeties, Happy Valentine's Day!

What is Valentine's Day without something sweet? As promised we saved Greg's delicious dessert recipes as our Valentine gift to you!

Enjoy.......with a loved one!

AMARETTO CHEESECAKE

3-8 oz pkgs cream cheese

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

⅓ cup Amaretto

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ cup sugar

6 T butter, melted

8 oz sour cream

1 T + 1 tsp sugar

1 T amaretto

Garnish: sliced almonds and whipped cream

CRUST

Mix graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, sugar and butter. Pat mixture in bottom of a 9” spring-form pan.

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Beat in ⅓ cup Amaretto. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Pour into and bake in a pre-heated 375ºF oven for 45-50 minutes. Mix the sour cream, sugar and 1 T Amaretto. Spoon the mixture over the cheesecake when done and return to oven for 5 minutes at 500ºF. Garnish before serving.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

2 cup gingersnaps (about 40 cookies), crushed

¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

3 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

2 T all-purpose flour

15 oz can pumpkin

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

3 large eggs

1 T vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground allspice

1½ cup sour cream

Combine cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and butter. Press on bottom of a 9” spring-form pan. Set aside. Beat cream cheese and flour until creamy. Add pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice and next 5 ingredients. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 225˚F and bake 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes. Combine sour cream and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Spread over cheesecake. Bake 5 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill overnight.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

3 T cornstarch

2 tsp lemon rind

1 cup sugar

1¼ cup warm water

1 lemon, juice

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

9” pie shell

Separate eggs. Grate lemon rind. Cook first 5 ingredients and 3 egg yolks until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Cool before putting into cooked 9” pie shell. Beat egg whites, add vanilla, and ½ the powdered sugar. Spread this mixture over pie and cover edges. Put in oven at 350˚F for 8 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

PASTRY FOR 9” ONE CRUST PIE

⅓ cup shortening or lard

½ tsp salt

3 T cold water

1 cup all-purpose flour

Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in water,
1 T at a time. Cut with a pastry cutter. Additional 1 to 2 tsp water can be added. Form
dough into ball and shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Roll pastry
2” larger than inverted pie plate, 9x1¼”. Place in plate. Press firmly against bottom and side.
Trim edge of pastry 1” from rim of plate. Flute the edges.

COCA COLA CAKE

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup cola

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1½ cups marshmallows

3 T cocoa

Heat the oven to 350ºF. Stir the flour and sugar together. Heat the butter, cocoa and cola until hot and mixed well. Stir this mixture into flour and sugar. In separate bowl, mix buttermilk, eggs, soda, vanilla, and marshmallows. Add this mixture to the batter. The batter will be thin. Spray a 13”x9” pan with nonstick spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Spread icing on while hot.

ICING

1 cup butter

6 T cola

3 T cocoa

1 pkg powdered sugar

3 T cocoa

1 cup nuts, chopped

Heat the butter, cocoa and cola to a boil. Stir into the sugar and mix well. Add the nuts. Ice the cake while both cake and icing are hot.

About the Author: Gregory Heal

Went to college at Eastern Illinois University. Graduated from Disney College Program in Orlando, FL. Attended Culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. Graduated with honors from Parkland College in Champaign, IL with a degree in Restaurant Management; a member of the National Deans List and Phi Theta Kappa. He has worked for various restaurants and hotels, including Levy Restaurants and America's Convention Center, Cracker Barrel, Marriot, Renaissance, Renaissance Grand Hotel, Thelma Keller Convention Center, Fat City Saloon, Pie-Full Delight, Walt Disney World and his own, Grilling and Go Catering.

He has published two cookbooks, "Give Thanks, a Collection of Heartland Recipes," and "Harvest Time, Favorite Fall Foods." They are available through Lulu.com.

Currently working on a Grilling and BBQ book, developing resources for Heartland Cooking and Living, and Catering at Grilling to Go Catering!