Welcome Spring!

Yesterday was my birthday, so I guess I have to admit I'm now a year older. I don't feel any different... This was my first birthday without either of my kids around, so it was very low key....(no teasing over who got the biggest piece of cake, etc...) I'm past the point of worrying about my age; it's just a number after all. With so many friends lately who have had health probelms, I'm just grateful for every day that I'm healthy, happy and vertical...

The good news is it is now officially SPRING!! We've had unseasonably mild weather lately so it seems spring has been here for a while. Our snow is all gone except for where it was plowed up. We did get a dusting of snow overnight, but it won't last long. I have daffodils that are up and budded and my crocuses are pretty well done... I've never been able to say that before in mid March... Although we've had an easy winter, I'm ready for spring, green, birdies and all the other good stuff that comes with the warmer weather. Bring it on!

Thought I'd share another recipe with you today. My family are all admittedly "chocoholics". Anything related to a birthday celebration must be chocolate... This year I decided to make a favourite cheesecake for my "birthday cake" - it's kept in the freezer so I figured it wouldn't go stale or dry out before hubby and I got it eaten, NOT that anything chocolate would ever go stale in this house!! So here it is.. another Hubbard family favourite...

Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafers

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds

Filling:

3/4 cup chocolate chips

2 eggs, seperated

1/4 cup white sugar

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temp.

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325F. Crush chocolate wafers to fine crumbs. (I buy the 200 g. pkg. of Mr. Christie's chocolate wafers). Add melted butter, mix well. Press into 9" springform pan. Sprinkle with nuts, bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring often and being careful not to scorch. Set aside to cool. Seperate eggs, setting yolks aside. Beat whites until soft peaks form, slowly beat in 1/4 cup sugar till stiff peaks form. Set aside. Beat whipping cream to a soft peak stage. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, add sugar and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add egg yolks, beat till smooth. Blend in cooled chocolate, then fold in egg whites, then lastly fold in whipped cream. Pour into cooled crust. Smooth top. Cover well with foil, place in freezer. Remove about 1/2 hour before serving time to soften. Garnish with more chopped nuts, whipped cream or dusting of icing sugar or cocoa.

Note: This should be made a day ahead, it takes overnight to freeze, so cannot be made the same day. This recipe is from one of the Best of Bridge series, "Aces", I believe.

Piece,

Linda

I'm not old...I'm chronologically gifted!